Journalism and Cycling 2: the difficult second album

Thelonious Monk

In fairness I'd say some people, maybe even most people including the authorities would blame those cyclists for that accident for cycling two abreast.

Seth Brundle

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

In fairness I'd say some people, maybe even most people including the authorities would blame those cyclists for that accident for cycling two abreast.

...but that is part of the problem.
Most people don't know the advice and rules and following years of nonsense in the media about cycling there's now a belief that people on bikes are a form of second class road user.
Like the nonsense that the troll was saying earlier, there is a belief that cycle lanes are mandatory. There's a belief that people on bikes must wear certain types of clothing - in fact in legal cases, compensation is often reduced because a cyclist wasn't wearing high-viz or a helmet and therefore was partly responsible for the injuries (this happened me years ago).
As a society, we happily accept a lax knowledge and application of the rules of the road if we're driving (to the point that we can kill and get off lightly). However, sit on a saddle and everyone else thinks they know everything about what you should be doing.

Tombo2001

Seth Brundle wrote: »

...but that is part of the problem.
Most people don't know the advice and rules and following years of nonsense in the media about cycling there's now a belief that people on bikes are a form of second class road user.
Like the nonsense that the troll was saying earlier, there is a belief that cycle lanes are mandatory. There's a belief that people on bikes must wear certain types of clothing - in fact in legal cases, compensation is often reduced because a cyclist wasn't wearing high-viz or a helmet and therefore was partly responsible for the injuries (this happened me years ago).
As a society, we happily accept a lax knowledge and application of the rules of the road if we're driving (to the point that we can kill and get off lightly). However, sit on a saddle and everyone else thinks they know everything about what you should be doing.

That time I reported a close pass - I was in bike lane that is part of a bus lane in Drumcondra.

I was overtaking a cyclist in front of me.

While overtaking, a taxi overtakes the both of us - within the bus lane.

I reported - and the garda said to me - "and are you allowed overtake another cyclist".....

Certainly had the effect of stopping me in my tracks.

Seth Brundle

Tombo2001 wrote: »

I reported - and the garda said to me - "and are you allowed overtake another cyclist".....

FFS! I'd probably just have asked him to let me talk to a real garda :rolleyes:

Seth Brundle

Here we go again in the IT...
Electric scooters and cyclists

Sir, – I note that the Minister for Transport is keen to introduce legislation with regard to electric scooters. In drawing up such legislation, he might consider making it mandatory for users to wear helmets, high-visibility garments and to display lights back and front.

While he’s at it, these items should also be made mandatory for cyclists. I see so many of them with no lights, no helmets and nothing to make them visible, especially on dark evenings. – Yours, etc,

SANDY WAGSTAFF,
Churchtown,
Dublin 14.

Duckjob

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Here we go again in the IT...
Electric scooters and cyclists

They need to start pinning these sort of letters with those "Check the facts on..." links that Twitter put on Trumps tweets and nonsense FB posts.

tomasrojo

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Here we go again in the IT...
Electric scooters and cyclists

As always, this phrase turns up in the invisibility argument: " I see so many of them"

CramCycle

tomasrojo wrote: »

As always, this phrase turns up in the invisibility argument: " I see so many of them"

Imagine how many they are missing, my understanding is that there are more scooterists and cyclists per cubic metre than there are microbes in the same space in urban areas in Ireland, on average. You just can't see most of them.

NamelessPhil

Or rats, sure you're never more than 3m from a rat. 🙄

MojoMaker

Hang on a sec, Sandy Wagstaff (who has IT form) sees all these cyclists or doesn't see them? Genuinely confused.

The reality behind these concerned pleas isn't really about enhancing visibility at all, it's about making cycling less convenient and cyclists less common on our roads, just articulated in a caring, supportive dont'cha know way.

magicbastarder

that letter is just begging for a reply.
that doesn't mean i'm offering to volunteer.

Thelonious Monk

Sandymount Action Group or whatever they're called finally got their bike lane alternative plans implemented

https://twitter.com/ajlamesa/status/1333474427304960001

Tombo2001

magicbastarder wrote: »

that letter is just begging for a reply.
that doesn't mean i'm offering to volunteer.

I would question that, just gives it more oxygen.

I think ignoring it would be more effective at this point.

Having said that, I think cyclists will long remember the rough ride shown them by the Irish Times.

Stark

I'm at that stage in life where I figure I need to start showing financial support to news media or all we'll be left with is clickbait trash. I refuse to subscribe to the Times because of all the anti-cyclist crap.

magicbastarder

it's a letter, they publish what people send in (within reason). if cyclists refuse to send letters in (and they don't, there have been pro-cycling letters published recently) then expect the balance to tip towards anti-cycling.

Seth Brundle

Cork City Cllr Terry Shannon (FF) displays his wonderful knowledge of all things cycling in a speech to the council last night.

https://twitter.com/conndonovan9/status/1333815689786830848

Having rolled my eyes reading that drivel I spied this suggested tweet below it ...... ahhhhh all better now

https://twitter.com/CelsoBRA/status/1333701996000518146

Wildly Boaring

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Having rolled my eyes reading that drivel I spied this suggested tweet below it ...... ahhhhh all better now

https://twitter.com/CelsoBRA/status/1333701996000518146

My 4 year old be so busy looking at a crow or a van or a window and go for a wobble.

Grand up the path on the balance bke

Stark

Deleted User wrote: »

Having rolled my eyes reading that drivel I spied this suggested tweet below it ...... ahhhhh all better now

https://twitter.com/CelsoBRA/status/1333701996000518146

You were fortunate you looked at the right time. I just opened it and the first comment is a typical moronic one.

what_traffic

I see them but I don't see them
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/electric-scooters-and-cyclists-1.4423756

wheelo01

what_traffic wrote: »

I see them but I don't see them
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/electric-scooters-and-cyclists-1.4423756

Janey Mack, keep up :cool:

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=115475839&postcount=1506

RobertFoster

Being visibly invisible is another characteristic of Schrödinger's cyclist. Goes with being too fast yet also too slow.

Stark

:rolleyes:

https://twitter.com/TIITraffic/status/1333808875003387906

breezy1985

Stark wrote: »

:rolleyes:

https://twitter.com/TIITraffic/status/1333808875003387906

WTF is a cyclist/pedestrian? Was he walking with his bike

Stark

It's also dual carriageway, not motorway with bus lanes and footpaths (albeit **** ones) between J1 and J2 so cyclists/pedestrians have every right to be there.

magicbastarder

breezy1985 wrote: »

WTF is a cyclist/pedestrian? Was he walking with his bike

also, WTF is an M4/N4? two different roads at once?

breezy1985

magicbastarder wrote: »

also, WTF is an M4/N4? two different roads at once?

We now have Schrödinger's roads to add to Schrödinger's cyclists.

They both are and are not motorways

magicbastarder

breezy1985 wrote: »

We now have Schrödinger's roads to add to Schrödinger's cyclists.

They both are and are not motorways

they clarified in a response to my question:
https://twitter.com/TIITraffic/status/1334084808859906048

still doesn't explain how it was an 'incident'; and i don't know what 'out bound to in bound' means.

breezy1985

magicbastarder wrote: »

they clarified in a response to my question:
https://twitter.com/TIITraffic/status/1334084808859906048

still doesn't explain how it was an 'incident'; and i don't know what 'out bound to in bound' means.

So a cyclist was on a road he should be on?

Did he have a pedestrian in tow on a lead in some sort of Mad Max gimp style situation ?

MojoMaker

Well called out MB