Friday's rant

[Oldschoolsocks]

Second rate George Hook impersonations

[outcast eddie]

Compulsory swim hats!

Why do Irish swimming pools insist on swim hats? Is there something unique about pools in Ireland that does not affect the rest of the globe?

Does this phenomenon extend to NI? Are swimmers in Dundalk forcibly capped in latex while those in Newry allowed to swim without regulation headgear?

On the drivers vs riders standoff it strikes me that most cyclists also drive and many drivers also cycle. They are not two distinct groups so I struggle to understand the us and them approach here. There is something about driving that provokes aggression in some folks (mostly males) and rationality often takes a back seat.

Why do Irish swimming pools insist on swim hats? - i was told this was to stop hairs clogging the filters - as a gentlemen blessed to live with 4 ladies cleaning long hair from a plug hole is not a pleasant task

On the drivers vs riders standoff it strikes me that most cyclists also drive and many drivers also cycle. They are not two distinct groups so I struggle to understand the us and them approach here. - the issue here is that there is not enough room on the road - no hyperbole - I was very close to being killed while cycling to work about 18 months ago - in the first few weeks of being back in work I really paid attention to how cars and cyclists moved on the roads - Cyclists lack discipline in traffic and cars lack space and 360 vision. IMHO the cyclist lack of discipline is in a large part due to the different speeds that people cycle at the perception that cars are often seen as stationary obstacles - add this to the cycle lanes being far too small it's just a recipe for disaster.

So are Irish swimming pool filters less able to cope with hair than elsewhere? The nub of my gripe is that I have not experienced compulsory swim hats in swimming pools anywhere else on the planet.

You have a point about the cyclist vs drivers conflict being about shared space. They should have built closed off cycle lanes alongside the Luas lines.

[Oldschool]

Hearing the indefensible being defended.

Don't listen to Fighting Talk on BBC Radio 5 on Saturday mornings, then! Actually do, it's brilliant.

What? The UK has the same problem with their cyclists too?

[rooster]

Compulsory swim hats!

Why do Irish swimming pools insist on swim hats? Is there something unique about pools in Ireland that does not affect the rest of the globe?

Does this phenomenon extend to NI? Are swimmers in Dundalk forcibly capped in latex while those in Newry allowed to swim without regulation headgear?

Italy, France, Spain and China all have rules about swimming caps in public pools.

[outcast eddie]

Compulsory swim hats!

Why do Irish swimming pools insist on swim hats? Is there something unique about pools in Ireland that does not affect the rest of the globe?

Does this phenomenon extend to NI? Are swimmers in Dundalk forcibly capped in latex while those in Newry allowed to swim without regulation headgear?

Italy, France, Spain and China all have rules about swimming caps in public pools.

Even so, its a minority of nation states that choose to inflict swim cap tyranny upon the electorate (except China where it is inflicted upon the proletariat). It's an outrage!

[Lar]

Is Duncan Goodhew exempt from this?

[Oldschool]

Tiger Woods is back.

[Oldschool]

Cyclists and no lights at night.
Cyclists cycling two abreast on the road(not a cycle lane)
Cyclists cycling two abreast on the road without lights(the cyclists, not the road, which wasn't illuminated either).

[Peg Leg]

Cyclists cycling two abreast on the road(not a cycle lane).

There is nothing wrong with this (Not a cyclist). Probably safer for the cyclist as traffic is forced to slow down before overtaking.

The rest of your post is correct, they should be hung, drawn and quartered for those offences.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Cyclists and no lights at night.
Cyclists cycling two abreast on the road(not a cycle lane)
Cyclists cycling two abreast on the road without lights(the cyclists, not the road, which wasn't illuminated either).

+10

Additions to the list:
Cyclists with no hi viz
Cyclists with no working brakes
Cyclists on pavement

[TheBear]

Cyclists and no lights at night.
Cyclists cycling two abreast on the road(not a cycle lane)
Cyclists cycling two abreast on the road without lights(the cyclists, not the road, which wasn't illuminated either).

+10

Additions to the list:
Cyclists with no hi viz
Cyclists with no working brakes
Cyclists on pavement

Cycling two abreast isn't an issue, and is seen as safer in many circumstances (as Peg Leg already said).
There's also no requirement for cyclists to wear hi viz, even though there have been reports of gardaí in Dublin and police in London stopping people for it. Sure, it makes them easier to see, but it's not a necessity.

The others are all illegal, so should obviously not be done. However, I don't see why so many road users complain about cyclists doing things which are legal, and sometimes more helpful for their own safety, when drivers do many things which are inconvenient to other road users (stopping at the side of the road and putting on the hazards, as if that makes it all ok) or failing to indicate in enough time.

[tomthefan]

... stopping at the side of the road and putting on the hazards, as if that makes it all ok

The park anywhere button as someone called it.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Cyclists and no lights at night.
Cyclists cycling two abreast on the road(not a cycle lane)
Cyclists cycling two abreast on the road without lights(the cyclists, not the road, which wasn't illuminated either).

+10

Additions to the list:
Cyclists with no hi viz
Cyclists with no working brakes
Cyclists on pavement

Cycling two abreast isn't an issue, and is seen as safer in many circumstances (as Peg Leg already said).
There's also no requirement for cyclists to wear hi viz, even though there have been reports of gardaí in Dublin and police in London stopping people for it. Sure, it makes them easier to see, but it's not a necessity.

The others are all illegal, so should obviously not be done. However, I don't see why so many road users complain about cyclists doing things which are legal, and sometimes more helpful for their own safety, when drivers do many things which are inconvenient to other road users (stopping at the side of the road and putting on the hazards, as if that makes it all ok) or failing to indicate in enough time.

hi viz is not about legality, it's about putting yourself in the best position for safety - when i cycled I had a jacket that could be seen from orbit, you'd still be surprised how many times cars ahead still almost missed seeing me - I'm 6feet tall and 19.5 stone on top of a bike in a glowing silver jacket ffs

cycling two abreast is a bit of a peeve for me, but I can get over it.

I have a whole other list for people who drive, but because they have to at least take a test they had some discipline at some stage - cyclists can be mad fvckers, and are imho at least as dangerous if not more dangerous to each other than cars can be

[Gavlar]

I have a whole other list for people who drive, but because they have to at least take a test they had some discipline at some stage

Except for the 50000 people who received licences without having to pass the test in 1979!

[Oldschool]

I have a whole other list for people who drive, but because they have to at least take a test they had some discipline at some stage

Except for the 50000 people who received licences without having to pass the test in 1979!

Sadly the 50k are not really the problem.
The ones who passed the test (moi included) that are part of the problem.
As I've said before I drive as if every other motorist and cyclist on the road are idiots and they are if they don't look after their own safety - First and foremost.

[Oldschoolsocks]

I have a whole other list for people who drive, but because they have to at least take a test they had some discipline at some stage

Except for the 50000 people who received licences without having to pass the test in 1979!

50,000 people 42 years ago, you’d reckon at least 1/3 are not driving for some reason or other leaves about 33,000 our of a driving population of I don’t know maybe 3,500,000? (I could be way off on that number, but it’s millions for sho) is about 1%ish - they’re not the problem. They’re at least in their 60s and driving between the church, the doctor and the bridge club.

[Peg Leg]

I have a whole other list for people who drive, but because they have to at least take a test they had some discipline at some stage

Except for the 50000 people who received licences without having to pass the test in 1979!

50,000 people 42 years ago, you’d reckon at least 1/3 are not driving for some reason or other leaves about 33,000 our of a driving population of I don’t know maybe 3,500,000? (I could be way off on that number, but it’s millions for sho) is about 1%ish - they’re not the problem. They’re at least in their 60s and driving between the church, the doctor and the bridge club.

Registered vehicle CSO up to 2014:

[Oldschoolsocks]

Thx Peg,

[tomthefan]

I looked at that picture for a long time before realising there were 2 figures standing in the background

[Oldschoolsocks]

Do you have no laundry to get done?? :p