[Pfungstadter]

How many here cycle to work.
I cycle over 7k's to work and with the cycle lanes it's great. I can remember cycling to school long before any cycle lanes were around, except the one from Clontarf to East Wall. It was so dangerous but now it's allot safer but still dangerous cos of the muppets everywhere. Many motorists see tham as parking lanes, or just dive on them anyway. Even motor cyclists are the worst for this. There is one thing I don't understand too, why have cycle lanes got times on them just like a bus lane. Just doesn't make sense.

I also love looking at all the drivers not moving every morning not moving and I fly be them, it's great. Just k's of tailback, dunno how people sit there.

[Pfungstadter]

oops, seems I've got a stutter there.

[paulm17781]

I always cycle when the whether permits. I have noticed a strange anomoly lately though. People seem to enjoy walking in cycle lanes, you can have cycle lane running next to a wide footpath and people will walk in the cycle lane.

I have also noticed in Blackrock / Stillorgan. Cyclists prefer the footpath. Decent cycle lane and bikes on the path. I think that annoys me even more.

I wish they would properly segregate cycle lanes, a rail between them and the footpath would stop the "Cross-traffic".

[neilled]

Unfortunatly my experience with cycle lanes isn't great - i got clobbered by a driver who was accelerated past me and suddenly then swung left to park without checking behind him. The thing was - i was in my designated "safe" cycle lane! Dittto the comments about drivers who seem to need to park in them, perhaps the cyclogardai could start issuing tickets to them instead of pulling people up for trivial things on bikes..... get those earphones out now!

[daymobrew]

Originally Posted by Pfungstadter

How many here cycle to work.

You'll get more answers at the Cycling forum, especially with threads like How far do you cycle?.

Originally Posted by Pfungstadter

Many motorists see tham as parking lanes, or just dive on them anyway. Even motor cyclists are the worst for this.

It is done because no one stops them. From next week, when one can get penalty points for parking or driving on a bike lane cyclists might be able to report them and have some action taken.

Originally Posted by Pfungstadter

There is one thing I don't understand too, why have cycle lanes got times on them just like a bus lane. Just doesn't make sense.

The law was changed in the 1997 to allow people to drive on bike lanes at certain times. That same act made it compulsory to use a cycle track where one was provided.
Unfortunately there are no laws regarding the quailty of a cycle track.

See also: Cycle track photos, History of cyclist deaths and cycling related legislation.

[johnnyrotten]

Whats most dangerous is Cyclists breaking red lights!

[cyclopath2001]

Originally Posted by daymobrew

It is done because no one stops them. From next week, when one can get penalty points for parking or driving on a bike lane cyclists might be able to report them and have some action taken.

The 1998 regulations changed the situation so that it's only illegal to drive in a cycle lane which has a continuous white line on it's right. That pretty much means that drivers can do what they like in 95% of cycle lanes.

[Pfungstadter]

That's the type of sign I see. I don't get it. It's the stupidest thing I've ever seen. So if I cycle outside these times I have to go onto the main carriageway. That's really safe for everybody. and there si a two hour break in the middle of the day. This is an idiotic law, they should be 24hr

[randomname2005]

Originally Posted by Pfungstadter

That's the type of sign I see. I don't get it. It's the stupidest thing I've ever seen. So if I cycle outside these times I have to go onto the main carriageway. That's really safe for everybody. and there si a two hour break in the middle of the day. This is an idiotic law, they should be 24hr

I was talking about this to some one recently and they came up with the following thoughts:

1) Outside of rush hour there is a lot less traffic and less dangerous for cyclists to cycle in the main carriage way

2) In order to encourage community based activities such as local shops people feel it is necessary to have parking facilities outside these businesses (which is almost fair enough, but couldnt these people walk/cycle to the shops?)

And if memory serves me correctly, it was the PD's who brought in the law so you know who not to vote for in the next election!
R

[markpb]

Originally Posted by randomname2005

Outside of rush hour there is a lot less traffic and less dangerous for cyclists to cycle in the main carriage way

Crazy. Outside of rush hour the traffic moves substantially faster, which makes moving out of the cycle lane into traffic lanes much more dangerous. I'd argue that there's more need for cycle lanes outside of the rush periods.

I think you're probably right about bus/cycle lanes being suspended to allow for parking. The bottom of the Malahide road southbound is a prime example of this and while I don't agree with it, I can see where they're coming from. There are plenty of other places where there's no obvious reason for the restriction.

[Genghis]

he thing that I find most annoying about cycle lanes are their quality. While the cycle lane that effectively forms part of the main road tends to be in relatively good condition, any cycle lane that is seperate tends to be very poor quality. On the whole you had better be on a mountain bike as opposed to a racer if you want to avoid recurring damage to your bike.

Take the Stillorgan Dual Carriageway (N11). For 80% of the route to Shankill from Donnybrook, this road has cycleway that is elevated from the road - usually alongside the footpath.

I often take my racing bike to work so I can get a training cycle in at lunch. Unfortunately the condition of the cycle lane surface utterly spoils this outing - firstly, the surface is very uneven, with potholes and concrete piles throughout. Then you have the constant up/down dip to faciliate driveway entrances every 10 metres. You then also need to contend with dozing pedestrians who wander out into your path, etc.

Many times I have just used the bus lane, though that is fairly dangerous (when a Bus Eireann coach passes you at 100kph you get something of a rude awakening), and also you tend to get hooted off the road.

[Esel]

Originally Posted by Pfungstadter

That's the type of sign I see. I don't get it. It's the stupidest thing I've ever seen. So if I cycle outside these times I have to go onto the main carriageway. That's really safe for everybody. and there si a two hour break in the middle of the day. This is an idiotic law, they should be 24hr

I think you have got the wrong end of the stick in your interpretation.

It probably means that other traffic can drive in or partly in the cycle lane during the 'off' hours. Cyclists should, of course, continue to use the cycle lane during these times.

Your logic would have buses and taxis not allowed to use bus lanes during 'off' hours. Think about it.

[Pfungstadter]

You don't understand, why do you need to drive in a cycle lane. Most Road lanes are around 3.5 to 4.0 metres wide and a cyle lane is just over 0.5m (if your lucky), so why would you drive on it? It's just really bad driving if you do and I see it all the time, especiallly when you've got parking for cars on the left side of the cycle lane, there are just loads of idiots who completely ignore the lane.

And the condition is something to be desired, the red coat covers up years of neglect and trenches and rubbish repairs to potholes. And the lack of maintenance of gully's too is terrible.

Don't get me wrong, not all are like this and I think there are the best thing the corporation has done in years. Even it they did put up the wrong sign on some that actually prohibits cycling (bike on a white background with a red circle).

[neilled]

Because some dubs see the need for 4x4's with shiney alloy wheels in the challenging environment that is ............dublin gridlock. Still, i bet they don't feel those pot holes as much as we do!

Leave the 4x4's to the culchies who really need them - (from a self confessed culch!)

[Gegerty]

As long as there are idiots out there who think that when they are turning left that I have to yield to them when I'm going straight on in a cycle lane I will continue to pick and choose which cycle lanes I use. Most of them on my route are great, others are a health hazzard and I avoid at all cost, laws or no laws.

But then you just can't win. You'll get drivers who see a cycle lane and see you on the road not using the cycle lane and they think that gives them permission to squeeze you into the curb or that it somehow allows them to freely knock you down and not get proscecuted. You know they're probably right, it wouldn't surprise me if the cyclist is wrong ALWAYS, in every situation so long as he's not using the cycle lane. But hey, how right are you going to feel when your wheels are going over someones head?