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

CramCycle

On a positive note, the Gardai were out in force yesterday morning on the N11. It was odd, that once they stopped people using the bus lane, buses got through quicker and traffic was not delayed anymore than usual. It was as if when people do what they are meant to do, it kind of works better.

magicbastarder

less than an hour ago, out in the car, i sat behind a cyclist for about 500m because he was cycling a pitch black road, on a bike with neither reflectors nor lights, dressed in black.
partly to use my headlights to give him something to see by, partly because i was acting as a barrier for any other cars that might have happened along. my wife and i were agog at the notion that he could cycle that road, you genuinely would have had trouble seeing your hand in front of your face, let alone the road.

Weepsie

Even by the usual standards i was gobsmacked today by the amount and nature of red light breaking by drivers today. I don't think a single junction I passed through on either leg this morning or evening didn't have a driver floor it on a red, some had 3 or 4

magicbastarder

also - the number of one eyed jacks out there seems to reaching its seasonal peak; maybe it's the weather, i had to replace one of the bulbs in my car headlights yesterday.

magicbastarder

Weepsie wrote: »

Even by the usual standards i was gobsmacked today by the amount and nature of red light breaking by drivers today. I don't think a single junction I passed through on either leg this morning or evening didn't have a driver floor it on a red, some had 3 or 4

i drive through kilshane cross several times a week. i've seen six go through a red light recently - and probably a coincidence, but i think it was the following night where the junction was closed for about 4 hours due to a serious incident.

Mc Love

In Limerick its usually 2-3 cars per red light that I've noticed.

CramCycle

magicbastarder wrote: »

also - the number of one eyed jacks out there seems to reaching its seasonal peak; maybe it's the weather, i had to replace one of the bulbs in my car headlights yesterday.

Same here, sat into my partners car today, thought the lights looked odd. Got out and sure enough, right one was gone. I have become lazy though. i will drop it over to Halfords tomorrow evening.

magicbastarder

my car is dead easy to change the bulbs on. two minute job.
a friend drives an old megane and the chap in halfords once told him in a tired tone of voice 'i've assisted in helping cows give birth and that was easier than changing the bulb in your car'.

CramCycle

magicbastarder wrote: »

my car is dead easy to change the bulbs on. two minute job.
a friend drives an old megane and the chap in halfords once told him in a tired tone of voice 'i've assisted in helping cows give birth and that was easier than changing the bulb in your car'.

Mine is actually easy if time consuming. I'll have to drive out to Halfords to pick up the bulb after work. It will be cold and in the long run, while I am a mean, tight fisted pr*ck, 7euro for someone else to do it is worth it, otherwise I am going to be a lazy sh1t and wait until Saturday afternoon.

On a separate note, their 2nd last car, you had to rotate the front wheel , pop off a panel in the wheel arch. Thank the lord for youtube as my father was a mechanic and despite all his years my softened mind from years away from it meant i couldn't figure it out.

One of the Skodas my dad had was an absolute pain to change one of the bulbs in, can't recall now if it was the sides or the indicators on the front but if you had big hands forget about it.

You had to twist the holder out in a cramped space and remove the bulb, there was very likely a way to pop the whole unit out to make it simple and easy but I wasn't able to find one online.

magicbastarder

On mine, there's a big plastic nut you undo by hand, yank on a lever and the whole headlight unit pops out.

cdaly_

CramCycle wrote: »

Mine is actually easy if time consuming. I'll have to drive out to Halfords to pick up the bulb after work. It will be cold and in the long run, while I am a mean, tight fisted pr*ck, 7euro for someone else to do it is worth it, otherwise I am going to be a lazy sh1t and wait until Saturday afternoon.

But but, don't you keep spare bulbs in the car?...

CramCycle

cdaly_ wrote: »

But but, don't you keep spare bulbs in the car?...

I did, not my car though, in fact I sold my car about 5 years ago now, no need for it. There is a fleet of vehicles in work and I am insured on my partners, mother in law and kids car. My daughter does have spare bulbs for hers though, but only because I bought them for her when she got the car. My partner doesn't look after cars. I decided that I am no longer going to give out to them, it is their car and unless it is a clear and present danger, I am simply not getting involved.

BoardsMember

CramCycle wrote: »

I did, not my car though, in fact I sold my car about 5 years ago now, no need for it. There is a fleet of vehicles in work and I am insured on my partners, mother in law and kids car. My daughter does have spare bulbs for hers though, but only because I bought them for her when she got the car. My partner doesn't look after cars. I decided that I am no longer going to give out to them, it is their car and unless it is a clear and present danger, I am simply not getting involved.

It bugs you though, right? Niggles away. Pretend it doesn't bother you....not my problem....but you know it's all building up inside....

CramCycle

BoardsMember wrote: »

It bugs you though, right? Niggles away. Pretend it doesn't bother you....not my problem....but you know it's all building up inside....

I topped up the oil the other day. They also pointed out that the windscreen washer was out of water. I noted that there was a simple solution. I know that it is still not done. I'll do that tonight as well. I also imagine I will be buying them a new pair of tyres as well. I bought a pair last year, the rear ones are now looking worn (still road legal) but they would never think about it unless it failed an NCT.

There driving is also deplorable, safe but deplorable. The constant fast acceleration when it is clear they will have to stop in a few metres and break hard all the time, no concept of how to drive reasonably, constant over revving. I once took a lift and got out of the car on the N11, got a bus the rest of the way it was so hurtful to sit there and say nothing.

Doesn't bother me at all, though, I am OK, I swear.

BoardsMember

CramCycle wrote: »

I topped up the oil the other day. They also pointed out that the windscreen washer was out of water. I noted that there was a simple solution. I know that it is still not done. I'll do that tonight as well. I also imagine I will be buying them a new pair of tyres as well. I bought a pair last year, the rear ones are now looking worn (still road legal) but they would never think about it unless it failed an NCT.

There driving is also deplorable, safe but deplorable. The constant fast acceleration when it is clear they will have to stop in a few metres and break hard all the time, no concept of how to drive reasonably, constant over revving. I once took a lift and got out of the car on the N11, got a bus the rest of the way it was so hurtful to sit there and say nothing.

Doesn't bother me at all, though, I am OK, I swear.

It's worse that I could have imagined. Driving style plus maintenance. Getting the bus the rest of the way in.... :eek::eek::eek:

magicbastarder

have any of you ever been stuck in a car on a 45 minute drive through rural mayo, where the driver accelerates hard, until the car is going as fast as is safe, coasts then till he loses about 20km/h in speed, and then accelerates again back up to speed, repeat ad nauseam?
and i mean ad nauseam, one of the guys sitting in the back demanded we pull over so he could get some fresh air.

i think that was my least enjoyable car trip ever.

nomdeboardie

magicbastarder wrote: »

have any of you ever been stuck in a car on a 45 minute drive through rural mayo, where the driver accelerates hard, until the car is going as fast as is safe, coasts then till he loses about 20km/h in speed, and then accelerates again back up to speed, repeat ad nauseam?
and i mean ad nauseam, one of the guys sitting in the back demanded we pull over so he could get some fresh air.

i think that was my least enjoyable car trip ever.

No, but I'm enjoying the image in a this-belongs-in some-sitcom way :pac:

cdaly_

magicbastarder wrote: »

have any of you ever been stuck in a car on a 45 minute drive through rural mayo, where the driver accelerates hard, until the car is going as fast as is safe, coasts then till he loses about 20km/h in speed, and then accelerates again back up to speed, repeat ad nauseam?
and i mean ad nauseam, one of the guys sitting in the back demanded we pull over so he could get some fresh air.

i think that was my least enjoyable car trip ever.

I had that once when hitchhiking from Maynooth. Revvv - coast - revvv - coast - revvv - coast....

doozerie

magicbastarder wrote: »

have any of you ever been stuck in a car on a 45 minute drive through rural mayo, where the driver accelerates hard, until the car is going as fast as is safe, coasts then till he loses about 20km/h in speed, and then accelerates again back up to speed, repeat ad nauseam?
and i mean ad nauseam, one of the guys sitting in the back demanded we pull over so he could get some fresh air.

i think that was my least enjoyable car trip ever.

Ha, I experienced exactly that several times while driving to, in, and from Mayo over the weekend. In this case I wasn't in the car(s) in question but driving behind it/them.

I got the premium treatment though, 'cos they threw in the lethargic indicators too. More than once a car ahead of me took position early in a left or right turning lane, stayed within the lane right up to the junction, stopped, moved off when the way was clear, and having almost entirely completed the turn the indicator flashed on briefly as if it was news to anyone at that point which way the feckin' car was going.

I hadn't realised that indicators could be so expressive, these ones reeked of pure sarcasm.

Steoller

doozerie wrote: »

Ha, I experienced exactly that several times while driving to, in, and from Mayo over the weekend. In this case I wasn't in the car(s) in question but driving behind it/them.

I got the premium treatment though, 'cos they threw in the lethargic indicators too. More than once a car ahead of me took position early in a left or right turning lane, stayed within the lane right up to the junction, stopped, moved off when the way was clear, and having almost entirely completed the turn the indicator flashed on briefly as if it was news to anyone at that point which way the feckin' car was going.

I hadn't realised that indicators could be so expressive, these ones reeked of pure sarcasm.

They were obviously hitting them by accident as they turned the wheel.

nomdeboardie

One place lethargic indicators really irks me is when I'm waiting to enter a busy roundabout, either driving or cycling...oh NOW you tell me, when it's too late to get in before the car behind you comes through! :mad::pac:

triggermortis

CramCycle wrote: »

I topped up the oil the other day. They also pointed out that the windscreen washer was out of water. I noted that there was a simple solution. I know that it is still not done. I'll do that tonight as well. I also imagine I will be buying them a new pair of tyres as well. I bought a pair last year, the rear ones are now looking worn (still road legal) but they would never think about it unless it failed an NCT.

There driving is also deplorable, safe but deplorable. The constant fast acceleration when it is clear they will have to stop in a few metres and break hard all the time, no concept of how to drive reasonably, constant over revving. I once took a lift and got out of the car on the N11, got a bus the rest of the way it was so hurtful to sit there and say nothing.

Doesn't bother me at all, though, I am OK, I swear.

Ha! My wife is the exact same. She is a trained and highly qualified engineer, but has no clue. The other month an elderly gent had to flash her to tell her she had a flat tyre ( she calls it a flat wheel... I give up!!) and she watched while HE changed it for her! I then had to go and get a new tyre for her. Several times she's had a headlight gone and I'm the muppet out on the cold and wet changing it for her

Steoller

Strange interaction during the week.

I was coming home from the shops, and needed to make a right turn into a housing estate. There was oncoming traffic, and a driver waiting to exit the estate. I slowed with my arm out, let the oncoming traffic past, and then the guy leaving the estate nudged forward as if to drive out, so I stopped. Discretion being the better part of valour, and all that.

But then he stopped too, so I started again, and he inched forward, so I stopped again.

And he stopped.

So I say 'Fu ck it' out loud, put out my arm and complete the turn.

to which he rolls down his window and says, "Relax, I was letting you go."

Such magnanimity.

eeeee

Really bizarre one today.
On the way into work this morning, bus lane beside traffic lane. Traffic lane is bumper to bumper, small bits of movement every now and then.
I'm pedalling along in the bus lane, and see a black Audi (A6 I think) with what I thought were indicators pull in on top of me and another couple of cyclists from the traffic lane into the bus lane. I then notice they have their hazard warnings on. They then proceed to beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep, beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep the taxis and other illegal bus lane occupants in front of them. Then traffic lane moves, they go back into that, and same leaning on the horn, hazards on all the while at the cars in front of them in the traffic lane. They do this repeatedly, in and out, beeping furiously all the while.
I pedal by them, and there's an older woman in the car, with surgical gloves on.
The cyclist in front of me points to the traffic lane where she should be. I give a 'what are ya at' at her.

Truly bizarre. Corona panic maybe?

You should have coughed in the direction of her car to be sure

On second thought that could have got someone killed when she flooded it in panic.

eeeee

Deleted User wrote: »

You should have coughed in the direction of her car to be sure

On second thought that could have got someone killed when she flooded it in panic.

I did think about a strategic snot rocket much later :pac:

CramCycle

Traffic was mental on the N11 but the buses were mainly empty, chatting to who I think is anoter boardsie for a minute, I am pretty convinced it is corona virus panic. It was bumper to bumper and barely moving from before the Loughlinstown roundabout. One stretch had no cars due to the typical crowd staring at their phones and missing the lights. I might get the bus in tomorrow and get a load of office sh1t out of the way so I have time to do real work when I get in, by the looks of it there will be no one on the bus to annoy me anyway.

magicbastarder

if i was an aerospace engineer, i'd hijack the technology used in heat seeking missiles and use it to seek out nurburgring stickers. in my unscientific sample, guys (and it's 95% blokes) who drive fifteen year old golfs with nurburgring stickers on their cars are dicks.

context: my wife decided to try cycling to the stables this morning, and as she's nervous and hasn't been on a bike in a couple of years, i accompanied her.
despite the roads being unusually quiet, we were blown at twice going up the side of the runway at the airport (we were two abreast) and had a couple of close passes too, one malicious as the road (old N2) is wide and there was no other traffic. that was me on my own, returning home, so not even a two abreast scenario.

Mc Love

Some of those lads in their passats also have the never been stickers, but yes the same deal. Saw an oncoming VW Golf the other day and it had GTI on the grille and on the rear had GTD and GTI on either side.

Whats the cycling equivalent?