Is the anti-cyclist thing a unique Irish/British phenomenon?

Weepsie

riffmongous wrote: »

I don't drive but as a pedestrian living in central europe I'm always shocked when I come back to Ireland by what I see from cyclists around Dublin. The crappy cycling infrastructure is of course partially to blame but it's still no excuse for some of the chaotic behaviour (from peds too here mind), I'm amazed more people aren't hurt.

Again, why only cyclists? Pedestrians in Dublin are perhaps the group most likely to cause an accident due to sheer stupidity.

The standard of driving is also pretty low.

It just so happens that there are far too many inattentive, incompetent or inconsiderate road users in Ireland regardless of mode

riffmongous

Weepsie wrote: »

Again, why only cyclists? Pedestrians in Dublin are perhaps the group most likely to cause an accident due to sheer stupidity.

The standard of driving is also pretty low.

It just so happens that there are far too many inattentive, incompetent or inconsiderate road users in Ireland regardless of mode

.

riffmongous wrote: »

I don't drive but as a pedestrian living in central europe I'm always shocked when I come back to Ireland by what I see from cyclists around Dublin. The crappy cycling infrastructure is of course partially to blame but it's still no excuse for some of the chaotic behaviour (from peds too here mind), I'm amazed more people aren't hurt.

Rubberchikken

Impatient arrogant entitled motorists. Cyclists who think they have every right to break every road rule and cycle as though they were in the tour de France.
Pedestrians who think everyone else should be resoonsi le for their safety on or crossing roads.

Until every road user cops on this nonsense is going to keep occurring.

The J Stands for Jay

Macy0161 wrote: »

Was in the car today (injury, as these are the days I generally try and cycle as it's mayhem). A lot of motorists seem to have a bee in their bonnet about lack of enforcement for bikes - just a few of what I witnessed this morning.... Cars in Bus Lanes, Cars in mandatory cycle lanes, cars blocking yellow boxes, cars taking illegal right turns, cars driving down hatch markings, speeding, cars breaking red lights (both at junctions and pedestrian crossings). I was actually in well before 8, so before the worst of it I imagine. That's just the concious decisions, not mentioning those with no lights, dlr lights, lights out, and seemingly broken indicators.

The narrative many motorists like to pedal (?) is that because of NCT/ Reg Plates/ Licence they are somehow subject to more enforcement than cyclists. That's clearly bollox, but it's in the psyche of many motorists and really feeds the anti-cyclist stuff when they talk about cyclist behaviour.

It's mad, on Dublin over the years I've actually seen a lot more cyclists being pulled over by the gardai than motorists. They generally seem to ignore all the crappy driving.

Lumen

Rubberchikken wrote: »

Cyclists who think they have every right to ...cycle as though they were in the tour de France.

What does this mean exactly?

Lusk_Doyle

Lumen wrote: »

What does this mean exactly?

How does he know what "we" think? Or are we that obvious?

Carawaystick

Kevin Irving wrote: »

And people complain of "whataboutery"....

The reality is that some cyclists break red lights and some motorists speed.

We have data that 88% of the red light breakers at the red luas line camera point are motorists
We also know that no cyclists break the speed limit, because theyre are none.

No cyclists have killed any motorists this year, while 15 motorists have killed people cycling this year.

Lambay island

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

How does he know what "we" think? Or are we that obvious?

The Tour de France quote is a bizarre nonsenscial comparison which is generally rallied by the likes of George Hook or Paul Williams. I don't often see people dropping back to protect the one commuter in his suit trying to urinate off the side of his moving bike. I wish someone would cycle up to me also with a few bottles(of beer) as I try to negotiate the Hill at Christ Church too and throw me a new bike when I get a puncture. :rolleyes:

rubadub

mrcheez wrote: »

The example I gave earlier was of a post I put up about a guy walking his dog on the bike lane and the dog being allowed to wander freely to the other side while his leash crossed the path. The owner not caring when I questioned him about it. The post was a question about how to deal with owners mishandling pets... anyway the thread quickly became filled with "whataboutery" aimed at cyclists on pavements.

Just reading that post now.
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057811447

It would be interesting to have seen how it would have turned out if you had said "so I was out walking my dog, and saw this moron putting his dog at risk, cyclists were having to swerve to avoid him, so I went up and questioned him..."

Too many "one of us" freaks out there.


I imagine you would have got a far better response. I think a leash beyond a certain length is illegal. There is some idiot I encounter who has one of these extending leashes and has it out long knowing fine well there are plenty of bikes behind her.

I remember one lad on the N11 had the dog on the cycle track and he on the path and a green strip the width of the path in between. I was roaring hello and he finally drew the dog in, I cycled on saying "christ" in dismay and got a "what are you christing about?" in reply -which I found funny. But I bet that same asshole is encountering cyclists on the road beside moaning about why they are not using the "perfectly good cycle lane"

Pinch Flat

Rubberchikken wrote: »

and cycle as though they were in the tour de France.

I'm more of a classics man, so I have a mental picture of the pavé on the Belgian / French border in my mind when commuting.

tomasrojo

rubadub wrote: »

"what are you christing about?"

I like this turn of phrase too.

mrcheez

rubadub wrote: »

I remember one lad on the N11 had the dog on the cycle track and he on the path and a green strip the width of the path in between. I was roaring hello and he finally drew the dog in, I cycled on saying "christ" in dismay and got a "what are you christing about?" in reply -which I found funny. But I bet that same asshole is encountering cyclists on the road beside moaning about why they are not using the "perfectly good cycle lane"

I'm always curious about people like this, and I wonder are they legitimately trying to put the dog in harms way in order to kill it because they begrudgingly have to walk it (or perhaps plan to sue the cyclist as if we're all made of money)

I don't think if you actually cared for the pet you would put it in harms way like that.

Lambay island

mrcheez wrote: »

I'm always curious about people like this, and I wonder are they legitimately trying to put the dog in harms way in order to kill it because they begrudgingly have to walk it (or perhaps plan to sue the cyclist as if we're all made of money)

I don't think if you actually cared for the pet you would put it in harms way like that.

Reminds me of some parents who put their buggy on road/cycletrack while they wait on path to cross. :mad:

GreeBo

magicbastarder wrote: »

it's about empathy, not about social status. motorists don't hate other motorists (well, not in the way many hate cyclists) because they cannot easily place motorists into a box saying 'these people are assholes'; because they'd be putting themselves in the same box.

Sorry but this happens all day every day!

I'm guessing you have never heard people bitch about Audi or BMW drivers?
How about Taxi drivers?
The white van man?

It goes on and on.
Some people get terribly aggressive on the road; it doesnt matter if they are cycling, on a moped, driving a punto or an artic.

GreeBo

mrcheez wrote: »

I'm always curious about people like this, and I wonder are they legitimately trying to put the dog in harms way in order to kill it because they begrudgingly have to walk it (or perhaps plan to sue the cyclist as if we're all made of money)

I don't think if you actually cared for the pet you would put it in harms way like that.

I think a lot of the older generation are oblivious to bikes in general (which is kinda mental as I would guess a large percentage of them probably cycled to school etc)
Typically they are the ones I see walking the dog on the bike lane or walking themselves on it. They also tend to be the ones who turn left over cyclists.

On the Grange road just past 3 Rock Rovers there is a cycle lane thats separated from the path by railings....yet every day I still see people jogging or walking on it. Sometimes people are just thick.

robyntmorton

Lambay island wrote: »

The Tour de France quote is a bizarre nonsenscial comparison which is generally rallied by the likes of George Hook or Paul Williams. I don't often see people dropping back to protect the one commuter in his suit trying to urinate off the side of his moving bike. I wish someone would cycle up to me also with a few bottles(of beer) as I try to negotiate the Hill at Christ Church too and throw me a new bike when I get a puncture. :rolleyes:

I’ve got a great idea. We need to get the Boards Cycle Team together. Not that we’re pros by any means, but a dozen cyclists and a team car or two with spares on the roof can do laps of Howth. We’ll do random bike changes too. Then hopefully people will see how absurd the comparison is :pac: