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Rogue cyclists set to face on-the-spot fines MOD WARNING in first post

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Comments

  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    I don't want to quote percentages, maybe I can give examples of what I mean:

    a) dangerous to other road users
    Where cyclists break the lights, I've seen multiple examples of near miss collisions with pedestrians or other cyclists (travelling in other direction)

    b) increases the risk of an accident
    I've also seen motorists having to take corrective action to avoid hitting cyclists breaking the lights. This can lead to another road user having to take evasive action and thus increases the risk of an accident.

    Behaviour a) is definitely of the higher occurrence in my experience.

    should have seen the number of near misses I had on the walk to get a sandwich this lunchtime. Dozens of them! Pedestrians passing me within inches.

    survived all the same.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24 arse_jackeen


    should have seen the number of near misses I had on the walk to get a sandwich this lunchtime. Dozens of them! Pedestrians passing me within inches.

    survived all the same.

    Whilst I appreciate your witty comment, nonetheless it is a serious point. And while most near misses are just that, the continuing high level of rule breaking by cyclists contributes to cyclists in general having a bad rep.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,822 ✭✭✭✭Tony EH


    In the grand scheme of things it still remains a very minor irritation and nothing more.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,383 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Tony EH wrote: »
    In the grand scheme of things it still remains a very minor irritation and nothing more.
    +1, most red light breaking, by pedestrians or cyclists is pretty benign. Imagine the traffic lights were broken and the person was doing the same thing, in many cases nobody would probably bat an eyelid or think it was unsafe. There is a reason lots of places just legally treat them as yeild signs, the same reason many sensible gardai ignore it -the act was not what the law really set out to prevent happening.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,461 ✭✭✭mcgratheoin


    the continuing high level of rule breaking by cyclists contributes to cyclists in general having a bad rep.

    Bull. The level of rule breaking by cyclists is at the same level as all road users (possibly even less).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 890 ✭✭✭brocbrocach


    It's far far higher.
    You'd have to be wearing serious blinkers to think otherwise.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,371 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    It's far far higher.
    You'd have to be wearing serious blinkers to think otherwise.

    You'd have to be completely unobservant to think that cyclists are far higher in terms of law breaking, number wise or percentage wise.

    Sit at any junction or any road, count how many cyclists break the rules and how many motorists break the rules. Many motorists on the N11 manage to break multiples at the same time.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,778 ✭✭✭cython


    It's far far higher.
    You'd have to be wearing serious blinkers to think otherwise.

    Or just not looking beyond the end of your nose to think that it's higher. It just happens that the laws broken by a certain section of cyclists are a lot more visible, e.g. red light breaking. Balance that against the numbers of motorists breaking speed limits, failing to stop before the stop line, failing to indicate, failure to drive in the leftmost lane, overtaking on the left on a motorway, driving in bus lanes, running red (and indeed amber) lights, and any myriad of other offences, and you'll quickly find that cyclists are unfairly scapegoated by comparison.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,383 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    It's far far higher.
    You'd have to be wearing serious blinkers to think otherwise.

    Pedestrians are by far the worst road users for breaking laws -by a huge margin. Yet it would be very rare to hear someone comment "the continuing high level of rule breaking by pedestrians contributes to pedestrians in general having a bad rep."

    I have seen some people here concerned about bad cyclists giving themselves a "bad name", I don't get this, to me it is just humans getting a bad rep. I have never once saw a pedestrian doing something crazy and thought to myself "oh no, look at that prick giving us a bad name".


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 890 ✭✭✭brocbrocach


    Wow, easy horses. :)
    I'd say sitting at a junction (where it's not a danger to themselves) that 80% of cyclists break the red light. I'd say at most 50% are lit up to a reasonable level when it gets dark.
    I agree car drivers break a multitude of laws reasonably regularly but not to the same extent (a) because it's more dangerous (b) they get the ROR beat into them for licence (c) Guards are far more likely to react to them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 890 ✭✭✭brocbrocach


    rubadub wrote: »
    Pedestrians are by far the worst road users for breaking laws -by a huge margin. Yet it would be very rare to hear someone comment "the continuing high level of rule breaking by pedestrians contributes to pedestrians in general having a bad rep."

    I have seen some people here concerned about bad cyclists giving themselves a "bad name", I don't get this, to me it is just humans getting a bad rep. I have never once saw a pedestrian doing something crazy and thought to myself "oh no, look at that prick giving us a bad name".


    Agree with all that.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    CramCycle wrote: »
    You'd have to be completely unobservant to think that cyclists are far higher in terms of law breaking, number wise or percentage wise.

    Sit at any junction or any road, count how many cyclists break the rules and how many motorists break the rules. Many motorists on the N11 manage to break multiples at the same time.

    I think about 100% of motorists (including me) break the law at times.

    How many can truly say they have never done 51 in a 50kph zone? Or gone through an amber when they can stop?

    In fact it is my experience that the very same motorist who will curse 'cyclists' for red light jumping will also curse the conscientious motorist in front of them who comes to a stop as the light turns amber and stops them running through it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,822 ✭✭✭✭Tony EH


    Every user of the road breaks the rules. There are no paragons of law abidance in any bracket.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,969 ✭✭✭hardCopy


    I think about 100% of motorists (including me) break the law at times.

    How many can truly say they have never done 51 in a 50kph zone? Or gone through an amber when they can stop?

    In fact it is my experience that the very same motorist who will curse 'cyclists' for red light jumping will also curse the conscientious motorist in front of them who comes to a stop as the light turns amber and stops them running through it.

    I think even the qualifier of "at times" gives people too much credit. The majority of drivers break the law every single time they get in their car. If they don't break a light they gamble on amber, or they speed, or they don't give way on a roundabout, or they don't signal. All crimes that are far more likely to kill someone than any cyclist breaking a red.

    You could probably count on one hand the number of cars that make it down the quays without going over 30kph.

    The only reason more cyclists are seen breaking red lights is because there is a limit to how many cars can fit on the other side of the light or in the yellow box.

    By the way I love that new phrase "near miss collision". Was it coined by the RSA?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    Wow, easy horses. :)
    I'd say sitting at a junction (where it's not a danger to themselves) that 80% of cyclists break the red light. I'd say at most 50% are lit up to a reasonable level when it gets dark.


    You don't have to be lit up to a reasonable level at night, only a legal level. A while ago LED lights were reasonable but illegal


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,383 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    hardCopy wrote: »
    By the way I love that new phrase "near miss collision".
    :) I hear the pedestrian involved was almost pregnant, and due to be elderly at some stage.


  • Registered Users Posts: 815 ✭✭✭kazamo


    You don't have to be lit up to a reasonable level at night, only a legal level. A while ago LED lights were reasonable but illegal

    And if not lit up at all, there is always the footpath


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,371 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    kazamo wrote: »
    And if not lit up at all, there is always the footpath
    MOD VOICE: as many here will know, cycling on the footpath is illegal. Lets not be seen to encourage it or condone it because we don't. If you don't have lights and its dark, then walk. Lets leave the footpad cycling discussion to another time or thread


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 890 ✭✭✭brocbrocach


    You don't have to be lit up to a reasonable level at night, only a legal level. A while ago LED lights were reasonable but illegal

    Yeah very true - legal was what I meant, and you're right they don't often don't mean the same thing.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 589 ✭✭✭lgk


    I agree car drivers break a multitude of laws reasonably regularly but not to the same extent (a) because it's more dangerous (b) they get the ROR beat into them for licence (c) Guards are far more likely to react to them.

    Yet 86% of motorists break the 30km/h limits, and these are in areas of most risk both from causing harm to others, and getting caught!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,180 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    lgk wrote: »
    Yet 86% of motorists break the 30km/h limits, and these are in areas of most risk both from causing harm to others, and getting caught!
    Oh, those laws. Ah, sure what's the harm?! Modern cars are capable of being driven at well over 200kph in complete safety, nothing can possibly go wrong at such a ridiculously low speed as 30kph that isn't the fault of someone else.

    30kph limits are nanny state nonsense mostly introduced to protect pedestrians who don't look where they're going. They should be more careful. Survival of the fittest! Science etc!

    :pac:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,925 ✭✭✭RainyDay


    Wow, easy horses. :)
    I'd say sitting at a junction (where it's not a danger to themselves) that 80% of cyclists break the red light. I'd say at most 50% are lit up to a reasonable level when it gets dark.
    I agree car drivers break a multitude of laws reasonably regularly but not to the same extent (a) because it's more dangerous (b) they get the ROR beat into them for licence (c) Guards are far more likely to react to them.

    You do know that most of the cyclists you see breaking lights are drivers too, who had the ROR bet into them for their licence? Everyone knows that you shouldn't break lights. You don't need the ROR at all to know that, and many cyclists ignore it.

    Just like just about EVERY driver on the road breaks the speed limit on every journey.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,208 ✭✭✭HivemindXX


    Lumen wrote: »
    Oh, those laws. Ah, sure what's the harm?

    This is it exactly. Virtually no motorist sees anything wrong with going through an amber light when they could easily stop in perfect safety.

    I'd say percentage-wise the levels of cyclists going through reds is more or less matched by motorists who think it's fine to pull up on the footpath straddling a double yellow line to "run in" to the shop or who will hold their phone while driving or who will enter the solid line bike lane to pass a right turning car in front of them or who will enter the junction even though the exit isn't clear.

    But see, the laws motorists break are no big deal (speeding on the motorway) or the laws are stupid and nobody expects anyone to obey them(stopping on amber) but when a cyclist does something a motorist won't or can't it's burning torches and pitchforks time.

    I was glad to see the FPNs, my view is that everyone should obey the rules of the road. The hypocrisy of bitching about cyclists while giving a free pass to motorists irks me though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 890 ✭✭✭brocbrocach


    HivemindXX wrote: »
    This is it exactly. Virtually no motorist sees anything wrong with going through an amber light when they could easily stop in perfect safety.

    I'd say percentage-wise the levels of cyclists going through reds is more or less matched by motorists who think it's fine to pull up on the footpath straddling a double yellow line to "run in" to the shop or who will hold their phone while driving or who will enter the solid line bike lane to pass a right turning car in front of them or who will enter the junction even though the exit isn't clear.

    But see, the laws motorists break are no big deal (speeding on the motorway) or the laws are stupid and nobody expects anyone to obey them(stopping on amber) but when a cyclist does something a motorist won't or can't it's burning torches and pitchforks time.

    I was glad to see the FPNs, my view is that everyone should obey the rules of the road. The hypocrisy of bitching about cyclists while giving a free pass to motorists irks me though.

    I'd say the degree of floutiness is important


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Qualitymark




  • Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 78,351 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    Drunk man who hit three cyclists and ran is given community service
    Separate thread here


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    Cyclists receiving fines at rate of about 100 a month
    Penalties for cyclists who break red lights and commit a range of other offences are being handed out at a rate of about 100 a month since introduced at in July.

    According to the latest Garda figures, 244 cyclists across the State were stopped by gardaí and given fixed-charge penalty notices – also known as fines – of €40 per incident, between mid-July and September 30th this year.

    A total of seven cycling offences are covered by the new fines regime, which was approved by Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe on July 2nd this year and which came into effect before the end of that month.

    I expect there'll be another surge this month when the clocks go back and the Guards run their operation 'light up' initiative.

    100 per month isn't exactly a lot?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,887 ✭✭✭traprunner


    Jawgap wrote: »
    Cyclists receiving fines at rate of about 100 a month



    I expect there'll be another surge this month when the clocks go back and the Guards run their operation 'light up' initiative.

    100 per month isn't exactly a lot?

    It will just mean that a new range of offences will be added. A bit like the way they keep adding to penalty points and associated fines.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,841 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    Jawgap wrote: »
    100 per month isn't exactly a lot?

    Slightly fewer than the FCNs they handed out in a year to motorists parking in mandatory cycle facilities (144), so it's all relative.

    http://irishcycle.com/2015/07/19/gardai-planning-blitz-to-tackle-bicycle-offences-from-august-1/


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,269 ✭✭✭Kaisr Sose


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    Slightly fewer than the FCNs they handed out in a year to motorists parking in mandatory cycle facilities (144), so it's all relative.

    http://irishcycle.com/2015/07/19/gardai-planning-blitz-to-tackle-bicycle-offences-from-august-1/

    It's shocking how poorly policed parking in cycle lanes is. This morning a motorist, travelling in the opposite direction to me, crossed the centre line and entered and then drove against the flow of traffic before parking in the cycle lane (and clearway) thus blocking it for me and all cyclists following along behind.

    Up in Ballyboden (heading for Cruagh) there is a car parked on a cycle lane for the past few years. No insurance, tax or NCT. I would guess the Guards pass daily and do nothing about it!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,063 ✭✭✭Greenmachine


    244 cyclist caught in 2 months is a paltry sum to be honest. You could catch that many in a day. In an average day in the city, I would still expect to see half a dozen cyclist negotiating their way through pedestrian streets like Henry street. Can't say I am that surprised at the level of enforcement. The number of drivers that have cell phones in their hands right in front of garda is baffling, without any intervention.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,517 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    Kaisr Sose wrote: »
    Up in Ballyboden (heading for Cruagh) there is a car parked on a cycle lane for the past few years. No insurance, tax or NCT. I would guess the Guards pass daily and do nothing about it!
    On the N11, the Garda Gatso has been known to park in a grade separated cycle lane. I've seen them numerous times pulling people for being in the bus lane, and parking them up on the grade separated cycle lane to issue the ticket.
    244 cyclist caught in 2 months is a paltry sum to be honest. You could catch that many in a day. In an average day in the city, I would still expect to see half a dozen cyclist negotiating their way through pedestrian streets like Henry street. Can't say I am that surprised at the level of enforcement. The number of drivers that have cell phones in their hands right in front of garda is baffling, without any intervention.
    I'd say it's pretty much in line with every other none speeding offence is it? Was in the car this morning, witnessed cars red light jumping, parking in mandatory cycle lanes, driving in bus lanes, blocking yellow boxes, crossing hatch markings, on the phone. Enforcement is pretty pathetic on our roads in general.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Qualitymark


    Macy0161 wrote: »
    I'd say it's pretty much in line with every other none speeding offence is it? Was in the car this morning, witnessed cars red light jumping, parking in mandatory cycle lanes, driving in bus lanes, blocking yellow boxes, crossing hatch markings, on the phone. Enforcement is pretty pathetic on our roads in general.

    Someone told me back in the 1990s or so that in Germany cameras were used to automatically issue small but irritating fines for this kind of offence, and the nagging made people very compliant.

    In Ireland, we always set the fines way too high, and don't enforce them.

    The Finns have the right idea: they set fines according to income.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 663 ✭✭✭laraghrider


    Someone told me back in the 1990s or so that in Germany cameras were used to automatically issue small but irritating fines for this kind of offence, and the nagging made people very compliant.

    I heard about that back when I was living in Frankfurt. Germany though takes road safety extremely seriously. I got a fine for jwalking in Heidleberg at 23:30, not a car in sight, I was at the pedestrian lights but though feck it nothing coming I'll cross. Didn't even see the officer on the other side of the road. I've also seen people pulled in on the autobahn for driving too slowly.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,841 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    Germany though takes road safety extremely seriously.

    A German friend told me that they take red light breaking very seriously indeed.

    They do generally think that rules should be followed, in a way that we definitely don't.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,517 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    Kept catching and passing (with me in the cycle lanes) a Stilo that went into the bus lane at Foxrock. I last passed it at Fosters Avenue lights. But it's only cyclists that don't stick to the law, or don't get enforced...


  • Registered Users Posts: 262 ✭✭onmebike


    It's a small number, but I'd say that one of the aims of the new fines was to raise awareness of the possibility of the fine. I'd hope that after a few months of the stats being published, less people will be inclined to take a risk.
    If the likes of Operation Freeflow kicks in later in the year, then there will be more Garda visibility at junctions, so that might help alter some behaviour too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,517 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    onmebike wrote: »
    It's a small number, but I'd say that one of the aims of the new fines was to raise awareness of the possibility of the fine. I'd hope that after a few months of the stats being published, less people will be inclined to take a risk.
    I think it's an overstated problem in my experience, but as with the introduction and the extension of offences for motoring penalty points, without enforcement the perceived risk goes and the behaviour changes back.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,925 ✭✭✭RainyDay


    Kaisr Sose wrote: »
    Up in Ballyboden (heading for Cruagh) there is a car parked on a cycle lane for the past few years. No insurance, tax or NCT. I would guess the Guards pass daily and do nothing about it!
    Have you considered reporting it yourself?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,269 ✭✭✭Kaisr Sose


    RainyDay wrote: »
    Have you considered reporting it yourself?

    I did — but I wonder how many other cyclists left it for someone else to report. Granted many probably don't care but the RTA is clear on parking on cycle lanes and the Garda don't seem to care about enforcing the act.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,925 ✭✭✭RainyDay


    Kaisr Sose wrote: »
    I did — but I wonder how many other cyclists left it for someone else to report. Granted many probably don't care but the RTA is clear on parking on cycle lanes and the Garda don't seem to care about enforcing the act.

    Fair play - if the local Gardai are ignoring it, escalate - write to the relevant Chief Supt.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,359 ✭✭✭jon1981


    So it seems they do take possession of your bike if they suspect you are giving false details.

    https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/649241667229384705


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,383 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    jon1981 wrote: »
    So it seems they do take possession of your bike if they suspect you are giving false details.
    Someone posted that and someone reckoned it was probably nicked. This would make sense, why else would you not take the fine.

    I would like to have seen the conversation. Did he genuinely give a good fake name and was unable to prove it and then its taken. If they discover it is a fake name could he have immediately have said "ok, you got me, my real name is this" and produce ID. Or was he a thief who gave an outlandish fake name and effectively dumped the bike on the garda.

    Or did the garda not give him a second chance to give the real name, and go through all this hassle rather than let him own up.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,269 ✭✭✭Kaisr Sose


    Is giving a false name to a Garda not an offence in its own right ? and more serious than the offence of passing a red light when lit?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,841 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    I think it probably is a more serious offence. But I doubt they want to go to court over it, since the FCN thing was set up in the first place to avoid having to go to court all the time.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 200 ✭✭Granolite


    I'd like to know if the pedestrian areas referred to was at Grand Canal Square.

    As a public area that hosts the start and end points of the annual national bike week Dublin bike ride as well as having a Dublin Bike station within its confines it would be an area I would have assumed was OK to cycle through (with proper due care and attention) without fear of being pulled over by a member of the police force? Any one have any idea if cycling along the slabbed area between Pearse Street and Hanover Quay (Grand Canal Quay) is OK since the bringing in of the FCN's??

    this is the area I am referring to;

    https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3435903,-6.2389171,18z

    5.6kWp - SW (220 degrees) - North Sligo



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,517 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    Granolite wrote: »
    I'd like to know if the pedestrian areas referred to was at Grand Canal Square.

    As a public area that hosts the start and end points of the annual national bike week Dublin bike ride as well as having a Dublin Bike station within its confines it would be an area I would have assumed was OK to cycle through (with proper due care and attention) without fear of being pulled over by a member of the police force? Any one have any idea if cycling along the slabbed area between Pearse Street and Hanover Quay (Grand Canal Quay) is OK since the bringing in of the FCN's??

    this is the area I am referring to;

    https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3435903,-6.2389171,18z
    My recollection is that the cycle path feeds you down that way to the Dublin Bike station. I haven't been that way in a year or more, but pretty sure there was nothing to indicate pedestrian only.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 200 ✭✭Granolite


    Macy0161 wrote: »
    My recollection is that the cycle path feeds you down that way to the Dublin Bike station. I haven't been that way in a year or more, but pretty sure there was nothing to indicate pedestrian only.

    Yeah, I would have thought it rough justice to be pulled in there and fined whilst cycling through in a mannerly fashion. It even has cyclist specific traffic lights at the end adjoining to Pearce Street. I just cant think of another pedestrian area adjoining Pearce Street that the Guarda twitter feed could be referring to.

    5.6kWp - SW (220 degrees) - North Sligo



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    Granolite wrote: »
    Yeah, I would have thought it rough justice to be pulled in there and fined whilst cycling through in a mannerly fashion. It even has cyclist specific traffic lights at the end adjoining to Pearce Street. I just cant think of another pedestrian area adjoining Pearce Street that the Guarda twitter feed could be referring to.

    outside the copshop itself?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 200 ✭✭Granolite


    outside the copshop itself?

    You would be doing well to find enough space outside the gardai station to even attempt a track-stand!

    5.6kWp - SW (220 degrees) - North Sligo



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