That time of year!

mikedragon32 · 03-07-2006 10:04am #1

Isn't it great that we have almost two months of school-run free motoring?

Greystones to Merrion Square this morning took only 39 minutes (and no speed limits broken).

How are others' commutes affected?

Robbo · 03-07-2006 10:42am

Left the house 10 minutes late this morning and was still in on time. 15 minutes across Galway from Barna to the Ballybane Road. I pass by 3 secondary and 2 primary schools on the way in so it makes a fair difference alright given that all kids must be four-wheel-driven right up to, and over, the kerbstones of the school these days.

Tom Dunne · 03-07-2006 12:00pm

Leixlip to Fitzwilliam square in 45 mins - incredible.

mortimer33 · 03-07-2006 3:23pm

Swords to Clontarf - 20/25 min

daymobrew · 03-07-2006 4:10pm

mikedragon32 wrote:

Greystones to Merrion Square this morning took only 39 minutes (and no speed limits broken).

Greystones to Pearse St by DART is 50 minutes by train throughout the year. 6 trains arrive in Pearse before 9am.

tom dunne wrote:

Leixlip to Fitzwilliam square in 45 mins - incredible.

About 35 mins from Leixlip (Confey) to Pearse St by train. It's a reliable service and, those boarding at Leixlip (Confey or Louisa Bridge) would get seats, unlike us at Coolmine.

Bluetonic · 03-07-2006 4:30pm

The main differences with your train comparisons is that you most likley have to add another 10 minutes on either side, getting to the train and from train to office.

The car is most likely door to door.

daymobrew · 03-07-2006 4:52pm

Bluetonic wrote:

The main differences with your train comparisons is that you most likley have to add another 10 minutes on either side, getting to the train and from train to office.

The car is most likely door to door.

Of course. Two of the posts mentions points on train lines where a change of train was not necessary. They seem like prime candidates to use public transport. Obviously PT isn't suitable for everyone but sometimes people don't realise that it is a viable option.
I will admit that trains (at least the ones I get - Coolmine-Clontarf Rd) too 'suffer' during term time. I'm not sure which is worse then: the extra bodies or the annoying chatter from them

mikedragon32 · 03-07-2006 5:00pm

daymobrew wrote:

Greystones to Pearse St by DART is 50 minutes by train throughout the year. 6 trains arrive in Pearse before 9am.

About 35 mins from Leixlip (Confey) to Pearse St by train. It's a reliable service and, those boarding at Leixlip (Confey or Louisa Bridge) would get seats, unlike us at Coolmine.

Greystones to Merrion Sq rarely takes more than an hour, not subject to timetables, plus as my wife and I both work in the vacinity, it's more convenient.

As Bluetonic correctly guessed, my trip is door to door.

I would say, having used the train for a year, that the occasions where I have taken more than an hour to get to work by car are greatly outnumbered by the number of times I've been delayed by train failures or other causes.

Add to that, the cramped uncomfortable carriages, jostling for space or even just to board a train from the city (in particular when there's a match in Lansdowne Road), some commuters' failure to respect their fellow travellers or many other factors I've not bothered to mention, I think I'll stick to my comfortable, warm, reliable car.

Another great benefit is not being tied to a timetable.

loyatemu · 03-07-2006 5:21pm

time to introduce BIK on city-centre parking spaces? considering the price of on-street parking it is a major perk if your company provides it for free.

it would take a govt with big cojones to do it though, there'd be war if it didn't apply to civil servants too...

bk · 03-07-2006 5:23pm

mikedragon32 wrote:

I would say, having used the train for a year, that the occasions where I have taken more than an hour to get to work by car are greatly outnumbered by the number of times I've been delayed by train failures or other causes.

Add to that, the cramped uncomfortable carriages, jostling for space or even just to board a train from the city (in particular when there's a match in Lansdowne Road), some commuters' failure to respect their fellow travellers or many other factors I've not bothered to mention, I think I'll stick to my comfortable, warm, reliable car.

Another great benefit is not being tied to a timetable.

That is a very good post.

That is exactly why any rail service needs to be frequent, comfortable, on time and significantly faster and more convenient then by car, if you want to attract people out of cars.

This is why I believe the WRC is likely a waste of time and money (slower then by car) and intercity routes like Dublin to Cork need to improve (speed wise) in order to compete with the new motorways being built.

That is not any disrespect to rail, rail can be done very well (just look at London underground), I'm just saying it needs to be done properly if it is to be successful.

bk · 03-07-2006 5:25pm

loyatemu wrote:

time to introduce BIK on city-centre parking spaces? considering the price of on-street parking it is a major perk if your company provides it for free.

Great Irish solution. instead why not fight for improved rail services so that it is more attractive to leave the car at home?

halkar · 03-07-2006 9:31pm

30 minutes of extra sleep for me. As happy as pig in ****e:D

leeroybrown · 03-07-2006 10:31pm

loyatemu wrote:

time to introduce BIK on city-centre parking spaces? considering the price of on-street parking it is a major perk if your company provides it for free.

it would take a govt with big cojones to do it though, there'd be war if it didn't apply to civil servants too...

The traditional joke about this is that the Revenue never consider/suggest BIK on parking spaces as it directly affects themselves.

daymobrew · 04-07-2006 8:09am

mikedragon32 wrote:

Greystones to Merrion Sq rarely takes more than an hour, not subject to timetables, plus as my wife and I both work in the vacinity, it's more convenient.

It's good to read that you are carpooling. There are so many single occupant vehicles out there.

mikedragon32 · 04-07-2006 10:21am

daymobrew wrote:

It's good to read that you are carpooling. There are so many single occupant vehicles out there.

I wouldn't call it carpooling, but we do sometimes give lifts to a neighbour if we're all leaving at the same time.

Calina · 04-07-2006 12:25pm

loyatemu wrote:

time to introduce BIK on city-centre parking spaces? considering the price of on-street parking it is a major perk if your company provides it for free.

it would take a govt with big cojones to do it though, there'd be war if it didn't apply to civil servants too...

This is what is known as a stick approach, it is cheap and it is nasty and redolent of general public policy in this country, also known as going for the low hanging fruit.

Sort out public transport first - and how that will be done is discussed on many threads started by Transport21Fan - that is a carrot approach and it works.

Currently public transport in this city is a) hell and b) hellishly oversubscribed and c) while I'm at it, too expensive.

Fix it first before you start yammering about making life hell for drivers. It's already hell. Making it more hell is idiocy as long as public transport is still very problematic.

That time of year!

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