The Racers

We wait for no one!

Dublin's cyclists are second to none. That's meant literally, they can't accept waiting behind other cyclists. It could be an acceptable behaviour in a racing track, but in practice it means that the two nitwits on the right were blocking cyclists who come from Ranelagh and want to turn left into the cycle path and the imbecile on the left was virtually begging cars and lorries to knock him off...

I took the picture on 7 March 2013 on the Grand Canal cycle path.

The Handlebagbar

I did it my way

Putting a heavy load on one side of the handlebars isn't a brilliant idea. Also cycling on the pavement isn't so considerate towards pedestrians. On the bright side, he didn't cycle against the traffic on the main artery from Dublin to Belfast (the N1).

I took the picture in Whitehall when I was on the bus. It was 27 May 2012.

The Knitted Cyclist

It's weather for a sweater

When it's cold, don't forget to put a jumper on.

Shot in a cold Terenure morning on 7 March 2013.

The Bank Robber

Give me all your money

The extreme weather conditions are still with us, so let's enjoy another Dublin cyclist who doesn't let the frosty weather spoil the mood. S/he (I couldn't determine) looked like a bank robber though :)

Shot the photo on 8 March 2013 on Charlemont Street (near Ranelagh). Since then it has become even colder (and whiter) :)

The All-Weatherman

Ready for every climate

Dublin Bike riders are versatile. Unlike many pro and pro-wannabe cyclists, they never wear a special cycling gear (or suffer from the men in lycra image). In fact, many of them seem clueless and unfit to pedalling at all. Take the guy above for instance. He wore a long overcoat with a furry hood, dark sunglasses and managed to push an enormous umbrella into a basket one-third its size. He was ready for winter, summer, spring and autumn, all at once. I found it amusing.

I came across this guy at St Stephen's Green on 1 March 2013. And there was an additional photograph:

Waiting

The Furry Purple Hatter

Winter scene

We're still in the midst of a wintry front, so it's a good opportunity to introduce a winter Dublin cyclist. I saw her wearing a thick overcoat, pushing her bike down Wicklow Street towards Exchequer Street in Dublin city centre. The purple furry hat distinguished her from any other cyclist and made her unforgettable. I shot a few snaps (1, 2 and 3). That was on the 23rd of March 2013.

Where traffic rules have no meaning

Last glimpse. Or is it?

Allow me to quote from The Charwoman's Daughter, an excellent book by the wonderful Irish author James Stephens (the book is available for free here):

In a little city like Dublin one meets every person whom one knows within a few days. Around each bend in the road there is a friend, an enemy, or a bore striding towards you, so that, with a piety which is almost religious, one says "touch wood" before turning any corner.

About two weeks later, on the 6th of March, I was cycling along the Grand Canal when I suddenly noticed a suspiciously familiar hat on the head of a cyclist on N11. It was the furry purple hatter again. It's nice to see familiar faces. It's even nicer to spot familiar hats.

Turn right

The Ninja

Brrrr

The winter seems to linger a bit longer this year (no wonder the Latin name for Ireland is Hibernia), so here's another ninja-like cyclist wearing a balaclava (here's the previous one, who admittedly looked more amusing).

I shot the photo in a cold Terenutre morning on 19 February 2013. Notice the pavement cyclist in the background, saving about two minutes of waiting on red light when turning right from Rathfarnham Road to Terenure Road. It's a popular (illegal and dangerous) short-cut.