Jaysus cycling! (2 Viewers)

[flashback]

i have had two or three occasions which ended well after initiating discussions.
worth noting that on each of these occasions, there was an open window through which to talk.
there's no point in trying to respond to a driver through a closed window. just smile and wave at them if they are shouting at you, or else - more fun - cup your hand to your ear and mouth 'i can't hear you' repeatedly.

I've generally had pretty good interactions too.

"Hey, look, I just wanted to let you know", and generally they've no idea what they even did. They just seem confused, and the inevitable "But I didn't even notice you", said in a way that exonerates them completely from their actions.

"Yeah, I know, but I was there, and..."

"OK."

"Alright, be safe".

I like leave it on that, me wishing them to be safe. Because that's DEEEEP.

In the US they're mad for stickers shouting about how tough they are. "26", "Share the Road", and so on. Or they just parade around with bike racks on their cars. I've pulled the old "you've got a bike rack/you're a runner/ you're whatever, you understand what I'm saying".

But sometimes cunts get lippy. Roll up their window, and then try to shunt you with their car.

 

[Space]

I like to word the words "you should learn to use your eyes". Been threatened a few times over the years, my favourite was a red faced taxi driver threatening to "put me in hospital". I caught up with him and asked if he'd explain what he meant like that. Of course myself and my bike were blocking his door so he couldn't do much. These days I think I may actually dislike cyclists more than any other road users. Suits on Dublin Bikes (with no road or busy city road skills) and people in lycra on expensive bikes being the worst two. Pushing up to the front head of me at lights yet have no acceleration so I have to navigate around them when they turn green.

 

[magicbastarder]

i think one of the more amusing (well, they generally don't tend to be *amusing*, per se) interactions was when i had a driver apologise to me after my front tyre threw up a road chipping which pinged very loudly off his car. he assumed i'd thrown something at him but got very apologetic when i explained it was a chipping and asked 'why do you think i would throw something at you?'

 

[magicbastarder]

though the most verbally threatened i've been was by a chap on a bicycle who quite literally picked his bike up and threw it out of the way and then invited me (with some level of rudeness and profanity) to a bout of fisticuffs, repeatedly calling my sexuality into question and likening me to female genitalia. he was quite clearly having A Bad Day.

 

[flashback]

threw up a road chipping which pinged very loudly off his car. he assumed i'd thrown something at him

yeah. This has happened to me a lot. I can feel the bike go over the bit of gravel, and I can hear it ricocheting off a car or a window. It's fairly morto.

I know full well that the little rock in question came exploding off my tyre, but I'm acting as cool as fuck. Zero acknowledgment. Not even a glance or a grimace. I stay, bored, sat at the lights (it's always at a set of lights), watching traffic with indifference.

A few lads have rolled down windows, one lad got out, I just pull the full Fr Dougal. It what?? A rock? When was this? Just now?? Really? Jaysus. Sometimes kids throw rocks. Is your car OK? Are you OK?

Alright. Be safe. ;-)

 

[ann post]

Huge tailwind the whole way home. It was very nice, was expecting a drag with all the wind and rain going on here.

I've reverted to seeing BMWs as the worst thing on the road. Galway is pretty good in terms of other cyclists though it has its share of the classic denim/argos mtb/footpath guys.

I do lots of positive reinforcement on the commute these days with anyone whos doing decent driving.

 

[magicbastarder]

black BMWs/audis/mercs on newtownpark avenue are the ones i keep the closest eye on.
though if i was to pick a troublesome demographic, it's angry nordie builders around the east link who have featured several times.

 

[pete]

I've only had one bad experience with a lycrahelmetandmirrorshades cyclist - he was weaving between the bike lane & the rest of the road while i was approaching in my almost silent ninja car, so i slowed right down and made the mistake of tapping the horn for like 1/4 second to let him know there was a car behind him and he wasn't making himself particularly safe on the road, and, you know, I wouldn't mind being able to pass him out if he can just find it in his heart to cycle in a straight fucking line for a few seconds. Immediately i get the WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE look over the shoulder and he proceeds to slow bicyle race down the middle of the road until the next roundabout. GAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

edit: at this point i beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeped, your honour. it's fucking infuriating.

 

[magicbastarder]

to be fair, 95% of the time when a motorist blows a horn at a cyclist, it's not a friendly gesture.
however, he does sound like a dick.

 

[pete]

to be fair, 95% of the time when a motorist blows a horn at a cyclist, it's not a friendly gesture.
however, he does sound like a dick.

honestly, i did it without thinking and immediately went "hmmm, regardless of my intention that was probably a bad idea" even as he was turning his head. If I drove the way he was cycling I'd be pulled over.

 

[nuke terrorist]

insane stage 17 on the Vuelta Espana Wednesday:
average speed was 50.6 km for 216 km stage (WTF !!!)
a large break went from the gun with most of the Quickstep team
(inc Gilbert and young James Knox who is now 8th on GC), Sam Bennett,
Quintana and Kelderman.
a rear crosswind caused mayhem and in the later stages it was a full on tailwind.
Roglic is still leading comfortably but Quintana is back in contention having gained
five minutes (now second but still 2:24 down)
Phil Gilbert won stage from Bennett.
Sam who looked half dead afterwards had no team mates in front group of 40 plus.

Vuelta a España: Crosswind stage 17 'unlike any other'
Vuelta a España: Gilbert wins stage 17

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[flashback]

I was surprised to see Sam going so early. Although that's the same sort of thing Sagan does.

Sam's a pure sprinter though... I dunno. I think he might have underestimated the length of road after that last corner there.

I hope he's enjoying Bora.

 

[hugh]

Suits on Dublin Bikes (with no road or busy city road skills) and people in lycra on expensive bikes being the worst two. Pushing up to the front head of me at lights yet have no acceleration so I have to navigate around them when they turn green.

This shit drives me bonkers whether I'm on a bike or in the car. Bike lane along the canal (Parnell Road) is just the worst for this. The Lycra -clad fucks who career through busy parts of the city at rush hour as if they are doing a stage of the Tour De France....

 

[magicbastarder]

i don't think lycra clad fuckers on expensive bikes (of which i am one) are any more guilty of shoaling than anyone else?

 

[Space]

I reckon lads on Dublin Bikes are worse to be fair. Which is why I mentioned them first. Free driving and cycling lessons for all I reckon.

 

[magicbastarder]

it's not that i avoid the city centre on my commute - it'd be taking me out of my way to go through it, but my commute is probably noticeably less travelled by cyclists than other routes. i go glasnevin to leopardstown, via fairview/east link/strand road/blackrock, so i rarely encounter dublin bikes.

 

[Space]

I live in Portobello and travel to Aungier Street, Temple Bar, Exchequer Street and the end of the North Strand regularly with work so I get a lot of it. Generally try and avoid rush hour times and get work done at home during those hours. Ten years ago I was on the road all day as a messenger and it was never this bad I don't think. It's great loads of people are cycling but it's like some people read about every bad habit and decided that's how cycling works.

 

[Cornu Ammonis]

I’ve given up cycling in the city except for the very odd Dublin Bike ride during the day to get to meetings. I try not to be a cock while cycling.

 

[hugh]

#notalllycracladfuckersonexpensivebikes

 

[Lili Marlene]

It's a funny thing really, when you get a bike there's a real pressure to become a guy who is "into bikes" for fear of the REAL CYCLISTS looking down their nose at you, saying snide things at you as they whizz past etc...which mostly means getting all that lycra gear in a strange attempt to fit in. I suppose Dublin's humid,sweaty, weather 80% of the year and our complete lack of real cycle lanes in most places doesn't really aid to cycling in your normal clothes like you'd see in Amsterdam or similar, you need something to change into.

Such an aggro city is Dublin, I think you'd need sweeping cultural and lifestyle changes for everyone to bring down commuting rage, I don't know if it can be fixed alone.