Buffalo & Doozerie - The mild musings of two grumpy old men!

CramCycle

Car came barrelling through a yield sign and nearly knocked off a cyclist just round the corner. Doing north of 60kmph in a 30kmph. Stopped at next lights I just loudly said Slow Down and that was it. Next lights he rolls down the window after 2 minutes beside me to inform me I should have a bell on the bike. I laughed, informed him it's adapted for racing and he should read the road traffic act.

Keyboard Road Warrior 1 White BMW Driver 0

buffalo

Coming to the Parkgate end of Chesterfield Avenue this morning, and there's a couple cyclists ahead of me on the edge of the cycle lane. I want to overtake, so shoulder check, indicate, move out in the main lane and past them.

An SUV behind me beeps and then overtakes me down the centre of the road. Wasn't really much need for the beep, but the passenger - a woman in her fifties - giving me two fingers as they passed was hilarious.

She didn't seem as aggressive when we ended up beside each other 500m later at a red traffic light. :pac:

magicbastarder

Between the main airport roundabout and the Coachman's roundabout earlier - I was in the bus lane but not on the pathetic cycle path there, and I guess that was why some arsehole entered the bus lane behind me so he could be that bit closer to me when he blew me out of it. Once he had passed me, he immediately pulled back out of the bus lane, content with himself having shown me what for. You have wonder.

magicbastarder

also, i only just realised that the provided cycle path is not just a cycle path combined with a footpath; it's actually a two-way cycle path. so the gist is that everyone commuting from swords to town, or the reverse, by bike, has to share this with pedestrians; you can see it here, where the outbound marker is so overgrown the arrow is no longer visible (you can see maybe half a wheel), but there's an inbound marker right beside it.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4308088,-6.2301339,3a,89.9y,267.87h,80.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sW529_RZ0yqqMQOxVhib3Gw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

anyone commuting from swords into the city centre would be expected to use that, i guess.

magicbastarder

cycling down ballymun road this morning, past albert college park - it's a downhill, was doing somewhere between 35 and 40km/h at a guess - a garda car passed me, and almost simultaneously put on his left indicator. i started to brake, as did he, and it ended up with us both stopped in the road, him waiting for me to pass him up the inside. i waited till he realised i was not going to do so, and away he went up hampstead avenue. what a colossal dope.

triggermortis

magicbastarder wrote: »

also, i only just realised that the provided cycle path is not just a cycle path combined with a footpath; it's actually a two-way cycle path. so the gist is that everyone commuting from swords to town, or the reverse, by bike, has to share this with pedestrians; you can see it here, where the outbound marker is so overgrown the arrow is no longer visible (you can see maybe half a wheel), but there's an inbound marker right beside it.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4308088,-6.2301339,3a,89.9y,267.87h,80.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sW529_RZ0yqqMQOxVhib3Gw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

anyone commuting from swords into the city centre would be expected to use that, i guess.

I use this route on my commute and have never noticed this before, but then it's usually dark when I'm on this bit and I'd never dream of using that cycle path

Weepsie

It seems as though Snugborough Road and both ends of Whitworth Road now have optional Amber and Red lights. I wish the RSA, Gardai and media at large would publish this information so even more drivers could go about with reckless abandon and not worry about anyone else.

CramCycle

Well that was an interesting exchange. Coming through Bray this morning and a guy beeped at another car for not progressing. Now the car in front it was clear was unsure which lane to take but only delayed the guy behind by about 1 second. Anyway I looked behind to see what the beep was as I passed and then continued immediately as it was obvious. Anyway, the van guy beeped again as he passed the other car, and I looked behind again and shrugged, nowt to do with me, Paddy Big But Small Balls had released his pointless frustration. Anyway, he drives past me, rolls down his window and then stops, starts berating me for giving him the finger (never happened) then called me every name under the sun, that he wasn't beeping at me ( I know), and proceeded to go bananas for about 30 seconds before leaving. I actually started laughing, as I tried to tell him to calm down, which apparently did not help the situation.

So today i got in trouble for merely existing and staying out of peoples business.

Weepsie

Got delayed leaving work this evening because some adults can't do things for themselves.

got a puncture on seville place thanks to a big ol chunk of debris that was left. I had moved out to go around a van that parks there every night when the cycle lane ceases to exist!

Co2 only half went in, and then got a pinch flat after the tyre resisted coming off for quite some time. walked an carefully rolled back to work car park. Get my second tube and realise it's for a much bigger tyre. Go up to office and get another spare I have there and realise that one for a rim with lower profile.

Gave up and set off for bus. PITA.

eeeee

You have tubes for lower profile rims?!

Weepsie

eeeee wrote: »

You have tubes for lower profile rims?!

My normal commuter wheels are 22/24 mm.

I let myself take the good bike and took an extended commute in. Poor thing is locked up at work overnight now

40 mm tube on the 35 mm rim just wouldn't cooperate. Had I the track pump to hand I mightve had a better grip on the valve so to speak. I try to always get 60 mm tubes

Puggy

triggermortis wrote: »

I use this route on my commute and have never noticed this before, but then it's usually dark when I'm on this bit and I'd never dream of using that cycle path

It’s only two way between the airport roundabout and the pedestrian lights at the Coachmans, on the northbound side. Been like that since I started commuting 5 years ago. I’ve seen some people use it heading southbound going into the airport. I’ve never used it. On the southbound side there used to be a painted cycle lane that extended past the pedestrian lights to beyond where the AIB bank used to be. After some road works and resurfacing it was never repainted.

eeeee

Heading home this eve. Crossing the canal at Mount Street in the Rock Road direction. The traffic is pretty chaotic, there's an EX protest going on on Merrion Square.
The light is green to go straight on, the traffic coming the other way is going right as Mount street is closed to them. I proceed on, and an SUV promptly cuts me off. A tiny guard was standing in the middleish area, hands by his side, not directing anything) I had been through 3 garda cordons to this point, all guards pointing away, then I raise my hand and say 'Ah (something I can't remember, I didn't even swear!)'. Having spotted my mild protest, The tiny guard says I'm controlling the traffic at this junction'. I'm across the bridge just at this point, and then he shouts after me: 'Cyclists always think they know best'.

He only said anything because of my protest at the driver driving straight across me, hands by his side not even directing anything. He was well within his rights to tell me to stop, give out to me, (I had stopped, saw his standing there with hands by his sides and thought ok the lights are directing here (I've been frequently waved on by guards in the same position).

Anyway, What a fine attitude to cyclists and cycling from a guard. Very disappointing. I thought it was particularly apt given the nature of the protest underway just up the road from him.

Oberkon

Sadly it’s not just police , we are regarded as parasites by what feels like the majority of people who don’t cycle in this country .

I live in swords and find it vile for cycling at times .
The alternative near me is to head around the backroads of naul and north county Dublin . The amount of **** that give punishment passes can take the goodness out of the relatively quiet roads . I’ve noticed it’s got worse too

Weepsie

Brought a spare wheel in yesterday to get bike home. Brought in a front though rather than a rear!!! Then I went back through the tube I tried putting in the night before. It was fine. My pump just wasnt cooperating. Now armed with a better pump I had the bike back on the road, but had to cycle home carrying my spare wheel.

People think I'm mad for often having a spare bike at work, but it just makes sense now!

buffalo

I am, as the title of the thread indicates, an old man. I like to think I'm not as grumpy as I used to be but... Anyway, my Saturday morning routine consists of cycling to the local park for a run, then cycling to the local shop to get the paper, and then cycling home. As I said, old man.

In a 7km journey, it never fails to surprise me how many drivers I can encounter who are complete dickheads. From the guy driving out of the park who gave plenty of room to the family walking on his side of the road, but drove straight at me so that I had to hit the brakes; to the driver who beeped at me - I guess because they were somehow struggling to overtake me on a two lane dual carriageway; to the little old lady in the passenger seat of the close passing car who rapped on the window to point at the cycle lane on the footpath. It obviously never crossed her mind that I was turning right in 100m, and there's no access from the path to the road at that point.

Anyway, it's a bright and sunny Saturday morning. **** that lot!

CramCycle

I imagine none of them stopped to explain in a calm and rational manner what their issues were? I think it is because deep down, they know they are in the wrong.

Weepsie

Mobhi Road, I'm happily freewheeling down it while holding the lane to avoid all the many cracks, potholes etc. A car passes very close while making their way up the bus lane. Stopped up ahead told him he was too close, he at least apologised. Guy in the car in front of him said I should have "hi viz pal".

I wish I'd asked how he could see me, or where is one was, or how he thought it would have helped me had I been hit. My pannier are reflective, I had lights, my jacket has reflective stuff on it too. He must have had a past, traumatic experience in which he feels it's his place to pass remark on incidents he has not seen or been involved in.

Weepsie

Cyclists on the Royal canal. 2 things. Pick a bloody side please when it allows, and if you are going to suddenly veer left or right for no apparent reason, do a life saver, check behind or something. Some indication so overtaking folk can reduce speed accordingly.

That's aimed at the eejit yesterday, whom as I was overtaking, veered into my path forcing me to brake hard. He didn't hear my shout due to his in ear earbuds. Later saw him mounting a path and snaking his way around a few pedestrians and then forcing his way into a lane with oncoming cyclists at 5 lamps

Breezer

Weepsie wrote: »

Mobhi Road, I'm happily freewheeling down it while holding the lane to avoid all the many cracks, potholes etc. A car passes very close while making their way up the bus lane. Stopped up ahead told him he was too close, he at least apologised. Guy in the car in front of him said I should have "hi viz pal".

I wish I'd asked how he could see me, or where is one was, or how he thought it would have helped me had I been hit. My pannier are reflective, I had lights, my jacket has reflective stuff on it too. He must have had a past, traumatic experience in which he feels it's his place to pass remark on incidents he has not seen or been involved in.

That road is a disgrace at the moment. Are they waiting for a decision on BusConnects before doing anything about it I wonder? Between the potholes, trees blocking the streetlights, and now the dark and the rain, I find I’m usually about three quarters of the way out into the bike/bus lane going down there.

CramCycle

Coming to a junction last night ans as usual, car parked across the bike lane waiting for the light to go green. Anyway, I am going around him and what do I see, but his phone playing a fairly good quality movie. I could make out the people moving around from a distance of 2 metres. He was staring intently at it as he rolled off around the corner.

eeeee

On my commute home this evening. Pissing rain, dark.
Leaving town, was on the Merrion road before the lights at Baggot street.
There's a left hand lane before those lights.
Traffic was heavy, miving slowly, the bus lane happened to be empty for about 10m around that turn leaving town, a taxi in the bus lane got stuck behind a car, poking out from the regular traffic lane, and it was bumper to bumper either side.

A silver car pokes out from the left hand lane, sees me (I have 5 lights on my bike), I'm about 3m from the turn, and they then pull out right in front of me. Having seen me *facepalm*
I jam on, and they instantly get stuck crossways between the two lanes stuck of the back of the car in front.
It's a fairly regular occurrence since I started wearing a helmet on my commute, and with the dark and the rain I got pissed at this one.
I pedal up, knock on the passenger window, it doesn't go down. I pedal around to the drivers side, and make it very clear they are not moving without opening it.
They open the window (two young men in the car).\
"You pulled right out in front if me there."
"I saw you but there was space"
"I had to jam on my brakes and skid to avoid going into you, there was not enough room. Why did you drive out in front of me?"
"It was dark"
"I have 5 lights and you looked at me"
"I didn't see you"
" "

Baahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

I think I'll just go back to internal grumbling and outstretched arm (why/wtf gesture!) when cut off/close passed etc., there's actually no point. I wasn't even angry, similar had happened to me twice already on the quays and once in Blanchardstown. I didn't even swear :eek:

I'll quote my dad again " there's no arguing with stupid"

eeeee

Deleted User wrote: »

I'll quote my dad again " there's no arguing with stupid"

As my father says "Ya can't help being born a bóllox".

It's a cross a lot of people have to bear :pac:

Breezer

eeeee wrote: »

As my father says "Ya can't help being born a bóllox".

It's a cross a lot of people have to bear :pac:

Our family’s version is “there’s no point being a gobsh1te if you don’t show it”

magicbastarder

i'm fond of 'it's better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you're stupid, instead of opening it and confirming it for them'.

Weepsie

I know it was a bit of a stereotype of BMW drivers just being a bit ahem, less courteous let's say, (to be replaced by Audi), but this morning it was in full force.

Not 1 or 2, but 3 of them all in a line in the bus lane coming to Hart's corner in Phibsboro. They must be taking the left up ahead so cut in early I thought. Nope, all were going straight on. 2 of the 3 continued straight past Whitworth and back into a bus lane.

A 4th BMW driver nearly cut me up as he tried to turn into the space me and my bike were seconds from occupying.

This was all within 1 minute of one another

Weepsie

Car beeped at me. Rolls down window. Use the cycle lane. You're in the bus lane and that lanes covered in leaves and muck I retort.

Unmarked Garda car so it was, tries to lecture me. Didn't change my mind, he was still wrong even with his lights now on.

magicbastarder

*please* tell me he knew you were not legally obliged to use the cycle lane?

Breezer

Weepsie wrote: »

Car beeped at me. Rolls down window. Use the cycle lane. You're in the bus lane and that lanes covered in leaves and muck I retort.

Unmarked Garda car so it was, tries to lecture me. Didn't change my mind, he was still wrong even with his lights now on.

It wasn’t a big bald fella about 40 odd in a Ford something, was it?