Cycling/Walking around the city

Cyclist hit yesterday on Shantalla Rd, ambulance called. Hopefully it wasn't too serious.

Watched a car clip a cyclist on Rahoon Rd (into Shantalla stretch) two days ago, car drove on, cyclist wobbled, stopped and continued.

Fairly frequent occurrence in daylight on that road tbh, so *not* very safe there at least.

Don't get the non-lit cyclists there either. It's bad enough when you're fully visible, why make it easier to be hit?

By bike/foot/bus/car?

Just checking.
From Salthill to Mervue by bike mornings, about 20 mins depending on how fast you are, rain, wind, inshallah, etc

celty wrote: »

Inisboffin,

Surprised to read that re Shantalla Rd and Rahoon Rd, as I cycle that way to work most days. I didn't think it was a bad road for cyclists, I'm usually so relieved to get off Seamus Quirke Road, where there are lots of speeding motorists, that I relax a bit going down that road.

I still love cycling to work, even if it's not always fully safe. I arrive with more energy, fresher, and less stressed than when I used to take the car.

Yeah, it's a bit of a nightmare, not just for bikes but constant car near misses from the side going down. People don't seem to look coming out. Glad you haven't been clipped though. Sure we'll keep on cyclin'!

VanhireBoys wrote: »

Its not that dangerous TBH - you just have to keep your wits about you !

Agree + if you have the cycling skills it makes a big difference cycling in a town like Galway. Galway Cycling Campaign have a very good Cycle Skills leaflet. Usually can pick them up at bike shops or the library.

VanhireBoys wrote: »

I seen a cyclist nearly come a cropper along the Salthill prom last night - a lady opened the door of her Clio as he cycled past ! She never looked !

It was close ! :eek:

Did he have to swerve to avoid collision or had he given himself enough clearance?

I recently started a regular commute from Westside up to Parkmore East business park. Route is:

Cross the Quincentennial bridge (using "cycle" lane / footpath), through the Tesco roundabout (as a car would) and up Sean Mulvoy, through cemetary cross and out the Tuam road to the roundabout (Font?), then up to the Ballybane roundabout (Morris?), then out the dual-carriageway and into Parkmore from the Briarhill roundabout. I behave as a car would on all roads except on the bridge. Don't use the cycle lane on Bothar na dTreabh as it's ****e for re-entry into traffic at the Ballybane roundabout.

Observations:
- Every other morning I get beeped at (usually by a jeep?) either between the two roundabouts on Bother na dTreabh (for not using the cycle lane I guess) or else on the dual-carriageway (not sure why - I stay on the road but hug the line of the hard-shoulder, not in anyone's way..). This is around 7:30/7:45am so it's not like there's loads of traffic either.

- Fumes are a problem coming home (same route). Traffic is sometimes heavy coming back in the Tuam road, sometimes going down Sean Mulvoy, and always on the bridge between 5-7pm. Thinking of using something like this.

- It's easier to avoid the cycle lanes as this results in a much more free-flowing journey, even when obeying traffic lights etc. Also the roads are kept free of glass, cycle lanes are not. Definitely need more high-vis gear though for when the evenings get darker.


I'd love it if there was a lane on the road, that was kept free of glass, with a smooth surface, on all the major commuter routes around the city. That would especially include Lough Atalia, the old Dublin road, the Q-bridge, the Tuam road, the Ballybane road, all the dual carriage-ways, Seamus Quirke (we're getting a cycle path, will it be on the road? probably not) and probably a few others (any other routes to Knocknacarra/Salthill, etc.).

For any mid to long distance commute a road bike is IMHO essential and you need a good quality surface for these bikes given their lack of shock absorption and thin tyres. The bike to work scheme is great but the road infrastructure on the main routes around the city just isn't there to support a massive adoption of cycle-commuters.

Morgoth,

Congratulations and welcome to the club. I think your daily commute is more stressful than mine from Westside to the city centre, but I wouldn't go back to the car because I simply feel healthier when I get into work.

Presumably, when the traffic is heavier on your way home, you are actually passing out the cars?

The so called cycle lanes across the Quincentennial Bridge road are a disgrace and it would not cost the City Council that much to do them up. It's ironic they used to have signs encouraging people to cycle at the traffic lights when their own roads and roadworks are turning people off taking to the bikes.

I still find the main roads scary, such as when I arrive back onto the roundabout at Corrib Park.

Fuinseog, I also take your point. But as BOTH a cyclist and a car owner I find the attitude of some motorists (ie that cyclists don't exist) a lot scarier and a lot more dangerous and harmful than the odd cyclist who decides to break a red light.

its not a black or white issue. There seems to be an attitude in this country that if you cycle you must be poor so it hardly comes as a surprise that motorists honk at what they consider to be a lesser being.
attitudes would change if more people got on their bikes.

celty wrote: »

It's ironic they used to have signs encouraging people to cycle at the traffic lights when their own roads and roadworks are turning people off taking to the bikes.

These signs are from the Galway Cycling Campaign - not City Council.

Morgoth wrote: »

I recently started a regular commute from Westside up to Parkmore East business park.

Been doing a similar commute for 6 years on the bike. 1 st year did the same route as yourself on a mountainbike on the cycle paths which where very hard on the bike but now have a hybrid road bike and go via Shantalla -> Lough Atalia -> Monivea Rd. Its 1.5km longer - but a better commute as avoid the stop starts between the roundabouts and it is not as hard on the bike from mounting and dismounting kerbs on the cycle path + the poor surface. Takes same length of time.

Morgoth wrote: »

For any mid to long distance commute a road bike is IMHO essential and you need a good quality surface for these bikes given their lack of shock absorption and thin tyres.

Agree if your doing 8km+ but alot of people in Galway could just use standard city bikes if their commute was in the 2->8km range.

newkie wrote: »

Coming down by the rahoon cemetary the cars often leave no room so I get to play wing-mirror chicken... but then the roads often weren't planned with cyclists in mind.

Agree - there are plans for this section of road you mention. City Council want to put in a bus lane inbound
See:
Public Notice: Part 8 Rahoon Road Bus Lane [Revised Dates]

http://www.galwaycity.ie/GeneralNews/060711_02.html

celty wrote: »

Are the fumes that bad? I couldn't imagine cycling to work every day in Bangkok or Delhi, where you'd definitely need a face mask ... in Galway, I still tell myself that I'm breathing in fresh air!

You're probably right. But traffic is relatively light even in the evenings now. Come September when the schools + college are back, and you get a mild evening with no wind, there's probably a couple of km on my route where I'd be spinning past the traffic jams clogging up the air. We shall see!

On the topic of cyclists not obeying the rules of the road - yeah okay we all do it to one extent or another. However consider this - you filter up through traffic to the front of a queue at traffic lights. The traffic is still stopped and the pedestrian lights go green. Technically you should wait with the traffic. But if you go early, during the pedestrian light, it means the traffic in the lane behind isn't pissed off waiting for your relatively slow cyclist acceleration.

Good example is crossing the Q-bridge going west. You're in the cycle lane approaching the junction, the lights are red. The cross traffic is green. You filter onto the road just in front of the traffic and wait. Then the cross traffic lights go red, pedestrian goes green. I tend to go right away rather than wait - I'll make it all the way to the hospital roundabout before the traffic catches me. End result is no one is pissed off. :-)
(until I act the crazy cyclist on the roundabout by taking the 4th exit while staying in the outside lane, just as the rules of the road instruct!).

Morgoth wrote: »

Oooh one other thing that might be more suited to the Cycling forum, but is a cyclist entitled to not use the cycle lane? Say there's a perfectly good cycle lane but the cyclist chooses to cycle in the regular traffic lane instead... is that perfectly legal? (and just perhaps a tad inconsiderate to the motorists)

Yes its more of a cycle forum question. Its been raised there before.
It depends on the signs that are on place in the cycle path. Paint markings on the path on its own do not mean anything without the correct signs.
See:
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1997/en/si/0182.html#zzsi182y1997a14

and the following boards post
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=57778733&postcount=21

and
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055926714&page=2

I dont believe there are any legal cycle paths in Galway city based on above. Am open to correction on that

Robbo,

I have to say I agree with Whineflu more than you, as a car owner who cycles now virtually all of the time.

If motorists even noticed bikes, I would not 'jump' red lights. But I do, because it's safer for me than taking a turn and 'competing' with cars.

That said, I would NEVER cycle the wrong way down a one way street or on a footpath.

Who's the dude in the pic BTW? Hope he's ok with it being pasted up on boards!

galwaycyclist,

would this involve special lanes for cyclists going the 'wrong way'. I've seen numerous cyclists get into near scrapes on narrow Galway streets such as Abbeygate St because they've been foolish enough to cycle the wrong way.

celty wrote: »

Whineflu's point about motorists not obeying the speed limit is a good one too. I've lost count of the number of times motorists have beeped at me for trying to make a right turn ... while they are zooming towards me at well over the speed limit!

I find that a problem when I'm turning right into the IDA Park in Dangan - a lot of motorists accelerate to the amber (running the red light in some cases) while I'm trying to make the turn.