Commuting weather diary

snubbleste · 12-10-2014 7:30pm

01 September 2014 - 12 October 2014, it has been mainly dry and sunny. I can count on one hand the amount of times my bicycle got wet during those six weeks (thrice).

cgcsb · 13-10-2014 2:27pm

I wonder why the brutal winters of Copenhagen, Stockholm, Berlin, Vienna, Munich etc. don't put people off walking/cycling

galwaycyclist · 15-10-2014 10:13am

Horrible looking morning. However on the way to work it actually stayed dry - (e.g. not raining) between 7:50 and 8:50.

The heavens opened after that but you could have walked 4-5k without getting wet.

Iwannahurl · 15-10-2014 10:26am

I had the opposite experience, unfortunately.

We were caught in heavy rain about 1 km from school, and got well soaked. Had we managed to leave home 5 minutes earlier we would have missed it.

Note to self: buy a full set of waterproofs for 7-year-old, and use it even when the rain seems light.

galwaycyclist · 21-10-2014 9:39am

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Horrible looking morning. However on the way to work it actually stayed dry - (e.g. not raining) between 7:50 and 8:50.

The heavens opened after that but you could have walked 4-5k without getting wet.

Better today again a horrible looking morning and leaving the house I had all the wet gear on but between 7:50 and 9:00 there was nothing. Had 4-5 minute sprinkle at 9 but didn't last and wasn't heavy. Blustery all right.

Iwannahurl · 21-10-2014 10:38am

No problems during school drop-off. Sheltered under a tree on the way home.

Iwannahurl · 28-10-2014 11:33am

Used the car this morning for a specific event. Very wet and windy, with spot flooding in lots of areas.

Outward leg at around 07:45, return journey with several detours around 08:20.

Very little traffic.

Why? Mid-term break of course.

On one key route traffic was a fraction of what it would have been if the schools were open, and the junctions on some sections were entirely free-flowing.

A Garda I spoke to a few weeks ago insisted that most people clogging up the roads with their cars on the morning school run are heading to work afterwards.

Are they all on holidays this week then?

Crumbs868 · 28-10-2014 6:27pm

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Used the car this morning for a specific event. Very wet and windy, with spot flooding in lots of areas.

Outward leg at around 07:45, return journey with several detours around 08:20.

Very little traffic.

Why? Mid-term break of course.

On one key route traffic was a fraction of what it would have been if the schools were open, and the junctions on some sections were entirely free-flowing.

A Garda I spoke to a few weeks ago insisted that most people clogging up the roads with their cars on the morning school run are heading to work afterwards.

Are they all on holidays this week then?

A lot of parents take the week off due to childcare issues.

Those of like myself who are fortunate enough to have a relative look after the small ones allow us go to work that bit earlier and go direct to work avoiding the bottlenecks

Iwannahurl · 22-06-2015 8:28pm

Met Eireann's weather station in Athenry reported its wettest March in 21 years, recording 129.9 mm of precipitation, amounting to 137% of Long Term Average rainfall.

Despite this, there was no rainfall at all on 64% of weekday mornings between 08:00 and 09:00, while 73% of the afternoons on weekdays were dry between 14:00 and 15:00. This meant that it should have been possible to do a school run, say, of less than one hour duration without encountering any rain at all on average 68% of the time.

There was light rain on just 32% of weekdays, and a 7% occurrence of intermediate levels of rainfall. There was no heavy rain on any day (Met Eireann definitions).

Only four days in the month (13%) had rainfall at both times, ie 8-9am and 2-3pm. Since these are hourly rainfall amounts, the frequency of rain in 15-minute periods would be even lower, which again supports the conclusion that very few short commutes, eg 4 km or less for cycling and 2 km or less for walking, are actually rained on.

IMO this is yet more evidence that claims about rainfall levels making walking and cycling unfeasible over 4 km or less are hugely exaggerated.

Feel free to rip the data to shreds, if you can.

inisboffin · 22-06-2015 10:00pm

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Met Eireann's weather station in Athenry reported its wettest March in 21 years, recording 129.9 mm of precipitation, amounting to 137% of Long Term Average rainfall.

Despite this, there was no rainfall at all on 64% of weekday mornings between 08:00 and 09:00, while 73% of the afternoons on weekdays were dry between 14:00 and 15:00. This meant that it should have been possible to do a school run, say, of less than one hour duration without encountering any rain at all on average 68% of the time.

There was light rain on just 32% of weekdays, and a 7% occurrence of intermediate levels of rainfall. There was no heavy rain on any day (Met Eireann definitions).

Only four days in the month (13%) had rainfall at both times, ie 8-9am and 2-3pm.

IMO this is yet more evidence that claims about rainfall levels making walking and cycling unfeasible are hugely exaggerated.

Feel free to rip the data to shreds, if you can.

Wish I was always cycling somewhere in the magical two dry hours

galwaycyclist · 23-06-2015 11:08am

For balance I need to record that I got soaked cycling to work last Wednesday or Thursday - can't remember which now.

Iwannahurl · 23-06-2015 11:53am

Pretty miserable "summer" so far. I imagine Met Eireann's summary for May will feature low amounts of sunshine and high amounts of rain.

Nevertheless, our commuting patterns were substantially unchanged, and there were no soakings (for the chislers) on any occasion.

Iwannahurl · 18-08-2015 5:31pm

Carolyn Old Stationery wrote: »

I pity your poor kid, I wouldn't cycle 3km myself at 28 never mind when I was 6.

He must feel very hard done by seeing all his friends hop out of nice warm cars while he has to slog away hail rain and shine on a bike at only 6 years old just because you have some silly anti-car nonsense going on in your head.

I can't resist this. Just for the record:

Carolyn Old Stationery wrote: »

Ireland is an ideal country for a convertible. We get plenty of dry days and a nice summers day here is a perfect temperature.

18-08-2015 5:41pm

Iwannahurl wrote: »

I can't resist this. Just for the record:

What a terrible attempt at countering my post.

Yeah we get plenty of dry days (mostly in summer when the schools are on holidays) but we get a lot of wet and cold ones too particular in winter. You also have the option of pressing a button and up pops the roof and you are nice and warm and dry in a convertible.

I 100% stand behind my earlier post. Regardless of weather I wouldn't make a young child cycle 3km anyway its borderline cruelty in my eyes.

Iwannahurl · 18-08-2015 5:45pm

Carolyn Old Stationery wrote: »

Regardless of weather I wouldn't make a young child cycle 3km anyway its borderline cruelty in my eyes.

Ireland is an ideal country for cycling. We get plenty of dry days.

18-08-2015 5:51pm

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Ireland is an ideal country for cycling. We get plenty of dry days.

I don't care what the weather is like, I'd think twice about cycling 3km myself never mind forcing a child to do it.

I'd just bring the child to school in the car like a normal person would when travelling that distance.

tenacious-me · 20-08-2015 4:33pm

Carolyn Old Stationery wrote: »

I'd just bring the child to school in the car like a normal person would when travelling that distance.

Bit harsh, cycling is just for weirdos then?

There's a reason a lot of schools around Galway have bike racks now and it's great to see it.

3 km would only take 15-20 min tops, it's not that bad, that's a pleasant cycle length when it's nice out too, would walking it be weird too? Potentially better getting that exercise than being ferried in and out every day.

pmasterson95 · 20-08-2015 5:00pm

Iwannahurl wrote: »

I can't resist this. Just for the record:

Wow you actually went to a 2 month old thread just for that?

20-08-2015 6:00pm

tenacious-me wrote: »

Bit harsh, cycling is just for weirdos then?

There's a reason a lot of schools around Galway have bike racks now and it's great to see it.

3 km would only take 15-20 min tops, it's not that bad, that's a pleasant cycle length when it's nice out too, would walking it be weird too? Potentially better getting that exercise than being ferried in and out every day.

No cycling or walking isn't weird but I wouldn't do either for 3km return to get to school/work* and certainly wouldn't make a child do it when they can be brought in the car.

McTigs · 20-08-2015 10:13pm

Carolyn Old Stationery wrote: »

No cycling or walking isn't weird but I wouldn't do either for 3km return to get to school/work* and certainly wouldn't make a child do it when they can be brought in the car.

exactly the thinking that has the roads clogged from September to June and the highest rate of child obesity in Western Europe.

My kids are 5 and 2 and a half and can both easily cycle from the aquarium to the end of the prom and back ( younger girl on a balance bike mind).... School is only a five minute walk so no distance but if was further I'd have no problem with them cycling it.

Cycling teaches kids a wealth of skills, independence and cop on they'd never learn in the back of a car

tenacious-me · 21-08-2015 10:15am

Carolyn Old Stationery wrote: »

No cycling or walking isn't weird but I wouldn't do either for 3km return to get to school/work* and certainly wouldn't make a child do it when they can be brought in the car.

I cycle 2.5 every day each way to work, do over 3 on the weekends to get the shopping done etc., it's grand, even when it's pissing rain if you have rain gear it's not half bad.

There's always the car if it's particularly bad but it's a lot better for health having the daily exercise.

Iwannahurl · 21-08-2015 11:46am

McTigs wrote: »

exactly the thinking that has the roads clogged from September to June and the highest rate of child obesity in Western Europe.

My kids are 5 and 2 and a half and can both easily cycle from the aquarium to the end of the prom and back ( younger girl on a balance bike mind).... School is only a five minute walk so no distance but if was further I'd have no problem with them cycling it.

Cycling teaches kids a wealth of skills, independence and cop on they'd never learn in the back of a car

Ah yes, but travelling everywhere in the back of a car, regardless of weather or distance, is "normal" in this country, which presumably means that walking, cycling and taking the bus are, er, a bit different.

In less than two weeks we'll be back to the usual traffic "gridlock" in Galway, which as we all know is caused by the school run mania "normality", ie the vast majority of people travelling by car. If we are lucky, and the kids unlucky, we might even have the usual late summer/early autumn weather, ie lovely sunshine.

I wonder whether they'll have traffic chaos in Oranmore again? Last year the Connacht Tribune solemnly reported that one parent had taken 35 minutes to drive 1.5 km from home to school in Oranmore.

Coincidentally that is roughly the distance from the Aquarium to Blackrock. One way.

God help us.

inisboffin · 21-08-2015 2:17pm

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Ah yes, but travelling everywhere in the back of a car, regardless of weather or distance, is "normal" in this country, which presumably means that walking, cycling and taking the bus are, er, a bit different.

I do think it's particularly bad in Galway. I tend to feel more 'normal' in Dublin when biking around. I also strangely feel safer on a bike in Dublin & Cork than I do in Galway for that very reason. Hope it changes.

sonandheir · 08-02-2016 7:46pm

Of the past 95 days it has rained on 94 of them. Only day with 24 hours of no rain was Dec 27. Taken from current wet spell data here

http://www.galwaycityweather.com/today.htm

And here

http://www.galwaycityweather.com/record.htm

After 3 years of commited cycle commuting, I have caved. Bought a car 2 weeks ago, just could not stand constantly changing wet gear at work and home.
There was no viable alternative options for me going from knocknacarra to parkmore everyday. I've had to leave the bike several times at work this winter due to dangerous conditions which results in me getting drenched walking to nearest bus, having to switch at Eyre square and then walk in the pouring rain from the nearest stop to my house. This can take up 2 hours and I have to pay 2 fares for the privilege. We really need a bus that goes across the quincintennal bridge, how can this not be obvious to the bus operators?

I still think cycling is a viable option if you're under 6 kms from work/school. But there needs to be something done for connecting knocknacarra/salthill with ballybrit/briarhill/parkmore

GDSGR8 · 09-02-2016 1:38am

sonandheir wrote: »

Of the past 95 days it has rained on 94 of them. Only day with 24 hours of no rain was Dec 27. Taken from current wet spell data here

http://www.galwaycityweather.com/today.htm

And here

http://www.galwaycityweather.com/record.htm

After 3 years of commited cycle commuting, I have caved. Bought a car 2 weeks ago, just could not stand constantly changing wet gear at work and home.
There was no viable alternative options for me going from knocknacarra to parkmore everyday. I've had to leave the bike several times at work this winter due to dangerous conditions which results in me getting drenched walking to nearest bus, having to switch at Eyre square and then walk in the pouring rain from the nearest stop to my house. This can take up 2 hours and I have to pay 2 fares for the privilege. We really need a bus that goes across the quincintennal bridge, how can this not be obvious to the bus operators?

I still think cycling is a viable option if you're under 6 kms from work/school. But there needs to be something done for connecting knocknacarra/salthill with ballybrit/briarhill/parkmore

The problem with buses going across the quincentennial bridge is that they're only needed(ish) for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening which doesn't make for a viable bus route. You could also buy a monthly ticket and use the 405/403 combination changing at Ballybane say. Or you could get a new job closer to home or closer to a bus stop!

what_traffic · 09-02-2016 11:33am

sonandheir wrote: »

Of the past 95 days it has rained on 94 of them. Only day with 24 hours of no rain was Dec 27. Taken from current wet spell data here

http://www.galwaycityweather.com/today.htm

And here

http://www.galwaycityweather.com/record.htm

After 3 years of commited cycle commuting, I have caved. Bought a car 2 weeks ago, just could not stand constantly changing wet gear at work and home.
There was no viable alternative options for me going from knocknacarra to parkmore everyday. I've had to leave the bike several times at work this winter due to dangerous conditions which results in me getting drenched walking to nearest bus, having to switch at Eyre square and then walk in the pouring rain from the nearest stop to my house. This can take up 2 hours and I have to pay 2 fares for the privilege. We really need a bus that goes across the quincintennal bridge, how can this not be obvious to the bus operators?

I still think cycling is a viable option if you're under 6 kms from work/school. But there needs to be something done for connecting knocknacarra/salthill with ballybrit/briarhill/parkmore

Ya its been a bad bad winter to be on the bike. Wet and Windy. Agree a direct bus route is needed. At least have a service running from 06h00 -> 10h00 in the mornings and 15h00-> 19h00 in the evenings
City Direct applied for licence from NTA for this route in 2011/20122 but dropped it due to congestion on the Quincentenary Bridge. This was when the BODKIN Roundabout existed though.

schemingbohemia · 10-02-2016 3:27pm

GDSGR8 wrote: »

The problem with buses going across the quincentennial bridge is that they're only needed(ish) for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening which doesn't make for a viable bus route. You could also buy a monthly ticket and use the 405/403 combination changing at Ballybane say. Or you could get a new job closer to home or closer to a bus stop!

It's viable if it's in the contract with the NTA, as it is subsidised.

snubbleste · 22-03-2016 12:03pm

2 weeks with no rain..so far

gordongekko · 23-03-2016 7:38pm

snubbleste wrote: »

2 weeks with no rain..so far

Was it 95 of the previous 96 days that had rain?

tenacious-me · 24-03-2016 11:05am

snubbleste wrote: »

2 weeks with no rain..so far

gordongekko wrote: »

Was it 95 of the previous 96 days that had rain?

Thanks guys, ye jinxed it!

Commuting weather diary

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