Most dangerous street to cycle in Dublin?

vinnyfitz

I'd be interested in views on the riskiest places to take your bicycle in Dublin these days.

My own nomination is Tara Street. The anarchy involved in lane changing by cars vans and trucks, combined with what seem to be unusually narrow lanes, the density of traffic and the high ratio of buses to cars makes cycling down Tara St really dodgy.

cyclopath2001

I'd say Aston Quay, just after the 'Ballast Office'. The surface is bumpy, making it tricky to ride, the road narrows as you approach the Halfpenny bridge & trucks & vans regularly force cyclists into the parking bay which is across a deep ridge in the surface. Add to that pedestrians trying to cross anywhere they can, bus stops on the left and a blind exit for goods vehicles & the picture is complete.

In recognition of the hazards on Aston Quay, Dublin City Council has constructed a new cycle lane on the dual carriageway at St John's Road, over a mile further down the road ....;-)

eoineen

Not at all. Ironically the worst spot for cycling in Dublin is directly outside the Council Offices on Wood Quay, as Temple Bar trails off. The road surface is poor and there is a narrow channel for all sorts of traffic just past Parliament St, a right turn from the newly renovated bridge and no lane for bikes. If you ever have to turn right over the following bridge to get to Smithfield, try negotiating trucks hurtling by and buses making all best efforts to get across the same lanes from the blindsided stops.

cyclopath2001

eoineen wrote:

Not at all. Ironically the worst spot for cycling in Dublin is directly outside the Council Offices on Wood Quay, as Temple Bar trails off.

But isn't that problem solved by them building a small cycle lane in the left hand gutter of the very the wide road (Winetavern Street??) running from Christ Church to the Four Courts on the other side of the Civic Offices? ;-)

From a letter I saw that a council official sent to an activist, the problem as seen by the City Council is not that the City Council builds cycle 'facilities' in the wrong place but that Dublin has the wrong kind of cyclists: unreasonable people who want to get from a to b conveniently, comfortably and quickly.

robfitz

vinnyfitz wrote:

I'd be interested in views on the riskiest places to take your bicycle in Dublin these days.

I would agree with all the above mentioned locations, and added the following:

Taney Crossroads
Ranelagh Village
Walkinstown Roundabout
Charlemont Street, Richmond Street, Camden Street, South Great Georges Street
Dame Street, Westmorland Street, College Street, D'Olier Street, College Green

SteM

I'd say Dame Street.

Cycling away from Christchurch you have a cycle lane that's used constantly by taxis and busses forcing cyclists into traffic.

Cycling up from Trinity you have the pedestrian crossing where pedestrians just feel they can walk out on the road without looking, multiple left turns where cars just pull across you, multiple bus stops where busses pull in and out without indicating and at rush hour people just crossing the road without even looking.

Can be really scary cycling up and down there in rush hour.

RicardoSmith

I'd say the quays because lane markings before a lot the bridges are completely different on either side of the bridge junctions. So theres always chaos as people go over the blind ridge to discover that where two seconds before they were in lane, suddenly they are between lanes, and all sorts of sudden and erractic lane changes are the result.

This happens a lot around Dublin.

ishnid

robfitz wrote:

I would agree with all the above mentioned locations, and added the following:

Taney Crossroads
Ranelagh Village
Walkinstown Roundabout
Charlemont Street, Richmond Street, Camden Street, South Great Georges Street
Dame Street, Westmorland Street, College Street, D'Olier Street, College Green

I've often wondered who's bright idea it was to put car parking spaces in the cycle lane all the way through Ranelagh.