Cycling against oncoming traffic

Weepsie

If I was cycling 3 metres apart from someone , I probably wouldn't be able to hear them unless I was shouting

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119047601#Comment_119047601

It's more a case of a story being so unlikely that, it's possible you mistook a situation. 3m puts them, if both in the driving lane, on the white line either side. The N3 is an awful road to cycle on, and bar intersections, most people will cycle in the hard shoulder. If in the hard shoulder, at 3m, there is plenty of space to overtake even if the outer rider is in the driving lane. I think they'd be foolish to do and I'd think you'd be hard pressed to find many cyclist who disagrees. The few parts (close to Dublin), I'd be out in the lane if I had to use it until the hard shoulder reappeared. Otherwise lads will skim past you at 120kmph. I'm not saying you are lying, it could be true, nothing surprises me anymore but just because nothing surprises me doesn't mean I won't question the unlikely, as I am sure you would too.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119045267#Comment_119045267

Personally I think it's just bad road manners. I cycle a bit myself and wouldn't do it except on quiet country roads when there is no traffic coming up behind. Cycling contra flow in cycle lanes should be stamped out by other cyclists.

maestroamado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119047882#Comment_119047882

It was the Dublin side of Virginia and there was a hard sholder which is lined and is really why i noticed... It was car width and i now realize car not 3 metres wide... the inside bike was on the road side of the hard sholder and the other bike a car width out... thats what i saw... i wasn't held up for any serious time but it was the way they seem to have no regard that i noticed...

maestroamado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119045493#Comment_119045493

don't stop talking to me because we had a spat... i can explain my silly name... can you magicbastard

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119048995#Comment_119048995

MOD VOICE: Cut it out, all he said was he didn't believe you and he was concerned the thread would descend into cyclist bashing. Any more of this petty back and forth and the person who does it next takes a holiday from the forum. Any further discussion about this via PM only

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119047952#Comment_119047952

There is very little hard shoulder there, barely enough to get a bike in for most of it. I hate this road as much as the Dublin end of it but it is a no win situation (I have family in Cavan so have been there quite a bit), the hard shoulder/path for alot of it is filled with debris and isn't much wider than a bike. You sit in there, you get skimmed by annoying f*ckheads who don't realise that the difference in their 120 vs 80 on the N road sections is only a few minutes even whne they are going the whole way to Dublin. You sit in it and you get skimmed, would I ride on the road, nope, but sadly thats more to do with the fact that they are going to skim me anyway, nothing to do with manners. As for the two abreast, if you can overtake one safely, you can overtake both. It looks more annoying but that is only a trick of the mind, a good safe driver will be as long overtaking one as two. So long story short, it appeared rude and annoying but in reality it was all in peoples heads and if they sat down and thought it through, it made very little difference.

I'm not defending them by the way, I think if they are local they know what sh1tty driving to expect there, so they either aren't local or they are and realise that you may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb, at least in theory, the sheep is a safer bet.

maestroamado

I think there should be an offence for obstructing traffic for all users... single file cycling should be encouraged where there is traffic... sh1tty driving is the same as sh1tty cycling...

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119050326#Comment_119050326

It was pointed out earlier in the thread that single file cycling tends to result in more dangerous passes, however counterintuitive that might be.

Now, if you're looking at it from a driving perspective, that may not be a concern for you, but considering this is a cycling forum, posters here would view the situation from the point of view of the cyclist. Then it becomes a much bigger issue

maestroamado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119050753#Comment_119050753

So we only talk about the bits you want to... most people and especially the mods have an agenda... how would double be safer... no more than 6 in a group unless its organized and has stewards... i just want to make it safer for all... i have never seen the carry-on that happens abroad...

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119050326#Comment_119050326

They are traffic. They are not obstructing anything, now pop off and learn a few things if you want to contribute

maestroamado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119050946#Comment_119050946

So they are traffic which makes my point more valid... i often see twenty bikes 10x2 and they do obstruct traffic.. i will say what i please as we have freedom of speech... are you saying we haven't...

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119045242#Comment_119045242

If there was oncoming traffic then you should not be overtaken 1 bike or 2

AckwelFoley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119050946#Comment_119050946

The 2 abreast on the road I refer to is one thing, frankly, I don't feel comfortable riding on any national road with no hard shoulder because I'd be uncomfortable at the risk of some tit on Facebook launching me.

That said, when I use a tractor, I'm entitled, slow as it may be to be on the road, and I do when possible pull in if there is a significant line of traffic behind me.

I understand the argument and benefits proposed , but frankly I don't see the benefit, personally I see a higher risk of getting hit. But that's merely my opinion

maestroamado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119051023#Comment_119051023

I agree but if there is a line of cars behind the bikes are causing an obstruction and its an offence...

https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1961/act/24/section/98/enacted/en/html

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119051053#Comment_119051053

BS. That is not in relation to moving legal vehicles.

maestroamado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119051074#Comment_119051074

So the people on bicycles can do as they please... thats exactly what is happening and its wrong and dangerous... when there is a serious it will be looked at... its waiting to happen...

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119051138#Comment_119051138

It's only dangerous if you , in a vehicle behind them (or another) make it so.

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119050989#Comment_119050989

"Freedom of speech" doesn't include saying things that are just wrong.

They are traffic. They are not obstructing traffic. You are traffic behind them.

maestroamado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119051205#Comment_119051205

I agree with you they have no responcibility... its the other guy...

CreadanLady

I have done it fairly frequently. Cycle the wrong way down a cycle lane or against the flow of traffic on a one way street.

But I do try to do it in a way that isn't a danger or cause a hazard or annoyance to other road users, whether they be motorists or pedestrian and give them due space and courtesy.

Why? Well, usually because the alternative way around via the one way system is too awkward or long.

I will also admit that i do pass red traffic lights from time to time. But before anyone jumps down my throat about it, i want to say that i do not do so with flagrant disregard to safety. I don't shoot across junctions at speed with eyes closed screaming i don't give a fúck. I take a measured risk, slow down, look up and down and carry on if i am satisfied that it is safe to do so and that I wouldn't endanger anyone. If I have to stop, I will.

Sure, I get the occasional fist waved in my direction by taxi drivers and overweight middle aged men. But I honestly couldn't care less what some taxi driver thinks.

I would probably think twice about doing it in front of a Garda car but at the end of the day I am not worried about getting caught by the Gardai. They are not going to say anything unless you act the complete donkey. And even then, they can't do anything to you.

maestroamado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119051309#Comment_119051309

That's the kinda tricks i would be up to... pissing-off the taxi drivers i love it...

I was talking to a guy recently and he said Gardai now have the power to seize and destroy bikes that are being used in Coillte wooded walks etc... he seemed to know what he was talking about and said it was introduced in recent months...

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119050806#Comment_119050806

I've no idea what you're talking about, to be honest.

Cabaal

Locally I've have to cycle the wrong way up a one way street now and then, its not a very busy street and if something is oncoming I pull into the footpath area.

But I'm left with no choice, I'm pulling a cycle trailer with my young lad and the council in all the wisdom changed the street to one way about 18 months ago. I have two alternative routes.

• A seperate bridge which is only open upto 5.30pm on weekdays
• An extremely dangerous 100km road with a basically non-existant hardshoulder with the junction I need to make it to on a uphill section. I cycled it once and there's no way I'd endanger my kid by cycling it with the trailer again. There's been countless collisions with cars and trucks at the junction as well. It's lethal.

Am I breaking the law? Well that is debatable as apparently the street has cycle lanes.

When the council changed the street to one-way and announced the changes when it re-opened they say it has cycle LANES (yes, more then one). Now there's no signs or paint markings and I've written to the council about it but they've not responded. But yet they claimed it has some cycle lanes.

Also, worth noting that as part of making the street one way the council installed hundreds of bollards. Due to these in places the street is too narrow for even a bike to pass within the bollard area thats the supposed footpath/cycle lane. Never mind a bike with a cycle trailer.

Seems to me the council have people designing stuff that don't know what a bike looks like.

Would I cycle the street infront of a Garda?, yeah I would. To the gardai if I cycled on the footpath I'd be wrong but the council seem to think that footpath is also a cycle lane so I'm happy to bring more attention to their thoughtless design.

CreadanLady

[quote] A seperate bridge which is only open upto 5.30pm on weekdays [/quote]

Lol, where is this that the bridges only work council hours? Do they close for an hour at 10.30am and 2 hours at lunchtime too?

Cabaal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119051637#Comment_119051637

It is actually council property, and there is a through route but the bridge is for access to a local creche.

The creche close the gate to the bridge when they finish up for the day but again the council consider it as a local access route for school kids etc as well.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119050989#Comment_119050989

so now do i not only have reason to doubt your ability to judge short distances, i now doubt your ability to count. you often see groups of 20 riders?

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119050806#Comment_119050806

MOD VOICE: This is your one and only warning, if you have an issue with a post or poster, report them and it will be reviewed by a moderator or someone more senior if it is against the moderator. Do not post like this again, do it only via PM or the report post button. Any more posts like this and I will have to make the assumption you are not posting in good faith of reasonable discussion. There is no free speech here, it is a private site with rules, guidelines and an expectation of decorum. If you do not wish to abide by these guidelines, you are free to stop posting.

maestroamado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119051784#Comment_119051784

I actually live on a route favoured by cyclists... not something i see often but did over Easter a few times... one of the days was an organized event...

You make the odd blunder yourself as one of your earlier replies can confirm...

maestroamado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119051499#Comment_119051499

Sure you can tell us the things you do know about... its open season...