Jaysus cycling! (2 Viewers)

[the_jen]

There should be additional rules for where you can park tall vehicles too. If you can't park a regular car within 5m of a junction it should be 15m for SUVs.

 

[magicbastarder]

Downhill on Newtown park avenue was where I was most conscious of it. I'd regularly hit 50 but weaved from side to side in the lane so I could see traffic pulling out of side junctions or crossing off the main road onto side roads. Or for them to see me.

If I hadn't done that, you could envisage someone waiting to pull out of a side road would see an SUV coming, assume there was nothing behind it, and pull out just as it passed - with a cyclist behind it. Which nearly happened me several times.

 

[pete]

or you could not cycle so close to the car in front of you

JUST SAYING

 

[magicbastarder]

the way that road weaves, you can be 100m back from a car and still be invisible to traffic in front.
and as has happened when i've tried that, some fucker (invariably in an SUV) has overtaken me to grab the space i've created.

 

[chris d]

Cycling without a helmet is such a joy. But every time I do, I think of James Cracknell getting clipped by a truck wing mirror. Which messed him up anyway, but without the helmet he would have been done.

Back to wearing a stinking boring helmet on the next spin.

 

[magicbastarder]

the wikipedia entry on that gave me a morbid chuckle - clipped by a petrol tanker on 'a quiet stretch of road'.

one of the roads i cycle on most has a big fruit and veg depot that's grown slowly over the years; if they applied for planning permission for it de novo, there's not a hope in hell it'd be allowed. but it means that road is chock full of HGVs, and even more so coming up to christmas.
i've noted (totally unscientific observation) that the drivers of foreign reg HGVs are less patient/cautious than those driving irish reg ones.

 

[pete]

the wikipedia entry on that gave me a morbid chuckle - clipped by a petrol tanker on 'a quiet stretch of road'.

one of the roads i cycle on most has a big fruit and veg depot that's grown slowly over the years; if they applied for planning permission for it de novo, there's not a hope in hell it'd be allowed. but it means that road is chock full of HGVs, and even more so coming up to christmas.
i've noted (totally unscientific observation) that the drivers of foreign reg HGVs are less patient/cautious than those driving irish reg ones.

casualracism.jpg

 

[Space]

casualracism.jpg

Had the same thought earlier.

 

[Deadmanposting]

You also develop an instinct as regards what a motorist is going to do. Its a hard one to explain because its not something you can learn, or teach to someone. Its something you acquire with time.

Yeah. At a certain point cars become like animals, and you can tell from the car's behaviour if that particular animal has seen you or not. A micro tap on the brakes, a slight nudge on the steering wheel - ok, he's seen me.... what's this next fucker doing?
And so on.

 

[magicbastarder]

yep, a spidey sense develops.

 

[magicbastarder]

casualracism.jpg

oh, i'm racist to particular counties too. and types of car. a 15 year old passat with cork or louth reg, with a nurburgring sticker on the back, is to be avoided at all costs.

 

[Deadmanposting]

oh, i'm racist to particular counties too. and types of car. a 15 year old passat with cork or louth reg, with a nurburgring sticker on the back, is to be avoided at all costs.

Every single BMW anywhere in any country in the world

 

[flashback]

Downhill on Newtown park avenue was where I was most conscious of it. I'd regularly hit 50 but weaved from side to side in the lane so I could see traffic pulling out of side junctions or crossing off the main road onto side roads. Or for them to see me.

If I hadn't done that, you could envisage someone waiting to pull out of a side road would see an SUV coming, assume there was nothing behind it, and pull out just as it passed - with a cyclist behind it. Which nearly happened me several times.

Yeah, that lateral movement is a thing that makes you pop out from the background. I'm not sure everyone realises how handy this trick is.
I'd do a sideways twitch thing too, you'd just move your weight to one side and your bike to the other, and kind of flick the bike underneath you. You can do that one with almost no delay, unlike a weave where you have to set the bike up. I'd do that if I feel like a car is about to rip past me and potentially not make it and merge into me.

Another one on motorbikes is is to tap the front brake and make the bike dive, as you move your weight and bike off in diff directions. I used to do that all the time if I see cars looking like they're thinking about pulling straight into me.

Any movement at 90 degrees to the viewer is what you want to be doing basically.

 

[magicbastarder]

the AA made a video about how long it takes to get through dublin at rush hour; from their offices on or near south william street to whitehall church. the differences between the modes of transport were even more pronounced than i'd have expected:

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motorbike: 19m30s
e-bike: 20m30s
runner: 29m
bus: 34m
car: 45m (and the driver stated he thought the traffic was very light)
walking: 55m.

 

[pete]

unfortunately I'd rather spend 45 minutes in my car than 34 minutes on the bus

 

[magicbastarder]

i used to be an expert at sleeping on public transport.
though i did nearly once fall asleep while driving too.

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

the AA made a video about how long it takes to get through dublin at rush hour; from their offices on or near south william street to whitehall church. the differences between the modes of transport were even more pronounced than i'd have expected:

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motorbike: 19m30s
e-bike: 20m30s
runner: 29m
bus: 34m
car: 45m (and the driver stated he thought the traffic was very light)
walking: 55m.

No bicycle?

 

[magicbastarder]

yeah, i was thinking i'd have easily beaten the motorbike, if the e-bike was so close to it time wise.
however, i might have needed a shower at the destination.

that said, for anyone who is not familiar with commuting by bike, an e-bike is probably now the default obvious choice (if they can avail of the cycle to work scheme).

 

[flashback]

the AA made a video about how long it takes to get through dublin at rush hour; from their offices on or near south william street to whitehall church. the differences between the modes of transport were even more pronounced than i'd have expected:

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

motorbike: 19m30s
e-bike: 20m30s
runner: 29m
bus: 34m
car: 45m (and the driver stated he thought the traffic was very light)
walking: 55m.

thing is, if you're waiting for a bus it might lob any amount of time onto the front of the journey.

Bikes, and walking I suppose, will be consistent. I'd prefer something consistent over something with high variability (like a car in traffic I'd guess). Like, I'd probably prefer to walk, knowing it will take 55 mins, over getting in a car knowing it might take almost any period of time.

This might not be as pronounced in Dublin, but in places like NYC or whatever once things lock up all bets are off from the perspective of journey time in cars.

 

[magicbastarder]

pat kenny is creaming his keks at the thought of this.

Italian cyclists gear up for a row over number plates

Cyclists in Italy will be forced to pay for insurance and fit number plates and indicators under controversial plans to boost road safety.

www.thetimes.co.uk