Cycle lane, tracks and paths and penalty points

MorningStar

Hi,
I realise there are a few different type of areas for cyclists to use but with the new point system in place what is the actually the points for parking in a cycle lane?
Is it consider driving in a lane as you have to drive in it to park or is it dangerous parking as it is blocking a lane of traffic?

I am most intrest in a the lane type with the continious white line. THere are cars parked in it every day and various cops have said they won't charge these people.

What is the difference of parking and unloading? Is dropping your child off at school unloading or parking?

cyclopath2001

The regulations covering this are not explained in the Rules of the Road.

The only place you'll find them is in the original statutory instruments:

Signs:
SI 181/1997 http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZSI181Y1997.html
(NB: Some of the signs in use on the road do not appear in the regulations & are of doubtful legality)

Parking:
SI 182/1997 http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZSI182Y1997.html
This is then amended by:
SI 274/1998: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZSI274Y1998.html

Briefly: you can park for all kinds of reasons in cycle lanes unless there's a sign saying that you can't. You can drive at any time you feel like it in cycle lanes with broken white lines to the right. You cannot drive a motor vehicle in cycle lanes with continuous white lines.

Cyclists must use cycle lanes at all times unless they're physically obstructed.

Maybe this will all be explained in the new 'Rules of the Road'.

MorningStar

Two of the new point offense are

1)Parking dangerously
As they are blocking a lane of traffic does that not make it dangerous parking?
2)Driving in a cycle lane
As you must drive in the lane to park in it does that not make it offense?

Trampas

cyclopath2001 wrote:

You cannot drive a motor vehicle in cycle lanes with continuous white lines.

I see this broken everyday on the grand canal. More mopeds than motorbikes.

They should put a garda everyone once in a while on the canal especially between Harold X bridge and Rathmines

Wibbler

cyclopath2001 wrote:

You can drive at any time you feel like it in cycle lanes with broken white lines to the right.

Does this include a driver taking up position (and stopping) in such a dashed delimited cycle lane for turning left at a junction?

There are a number of such shared cycle lanes that I have encountered which are situated on roads that are wide enough for two lanes of car traffic, so long as the left lane encroaches on the cycle lane. Having room for two lanes makes for better road usage at junctions, where cars can turn left or go straight without queuing behind cars waiting to turn right.

Wibbler

And while I'm at it, what is the definitive rule about driving in hatched areas?

I've seen hatched areas bounded by broken lines and hatched areas intended to protect a right turning lane. I always thought it was legal to drive on the latter if turning right, so long as one stays on the correct side of the road. Should I now block the road ahead and queue in the left lane, if such a turning lane is 'full'?

When are we going to get a 'rules of the road' manual comparable to the UK's Highway Code?

Victor

Wibbler wrote:

Does this include a driver taking up position (and stopping) in such a dashed delimited cycle lane for turning left at a junction?

There are a number of such shared cycle lanes that I have encountered which are situated on roads that are wide enough for two lanes of car traffic, so long as the left lane encroaches on the cycle lane. Having room for two lanes makes for better road usage at junctions, where cars can turn left or go straight without queuing behind cars waiting to turn right.

To my knowledge, you should not do this as you are obstructing the lane.

Half of the idea of cycle lanes is to allow cyclists to move forward when motorists are stopped at junctions, thereby placing the cyclist in front of the motorist in the motorist view.

cyclopath2001

Wibbler wrote:

Does this include a driver taking up position (and stopping) in such a dashed delimited cycle lane for turning left at a junction?

The law is contained in SI 274/1998 and has not been mentioned or explained in the 'Rules of the Road'.

You can drive along or cross a cycle lane which has a broken white line. The law does not explicitly permit you to stop in a cycle lane. That said, many of what appear to be cycle lanes do not have the required road sign (RUS009 or RUS009a) and are not 'cycle tracks' as defined by law. I believe the city council has deliberately omitted these signs so as to invent a new class of cycle lane called 'discretionary cycle lane' which are less inconvenient for motorists.

However I agree with Victor that to stop a vehicle in a cycle lane would be to cause an obstruction & there is a law for that, but I think that it depends on the opinion of the Garda.

MorningStar

I called into my local Garda Station on the way home and asked them if it was illegal to park in a cycle lane. They told me it was whether a broken line or not. I asked them when would they inforce this as it was broken everyday very close to the station and that is when they became unsure about what could be done. I asked how should I make sure it is enforced and I was told I should ring the station when I see it. I then asked does stopping a guard as he walks by count? THe assured me yes it did and I asked can I report the two gurads that refused to enforce the law when I caught them as they walked by siad offense and then they got really nervous.
I am sick of the same problem so I am going to report them and ring everytime I see it in the morning.
I have written to the department of transport too to clarify the legal stance. THe beauty of it is I am going to be the contact point for our residence comittee next month too for the same station. I am sick of complaining now I am going to act, I sugest others do the same.

Victor

MorningStar wrote:

I have written to the department of transport too to clarify the legal stance. THe beauty of it is I am going to be the contact point for our residence comittee next month too for the same station. I am sick of complaining now I am going to act, I sugest others do the same.

One better go to your local TD and ask them to put downa Parliamentary Question.

Wibbler

Victor wrote:

To my knowledge, you should not do this as you are obstructing the lane.

Half of the idea of cycle lanes is to allow cyclists to move forward when motorists are stopped at junctions, thereby placing the cyclist in front of the motorist in the motorist view.

That's a very fair point, Victor!

I had been in the habit of staying left at one particular junction on my commute, which meant that I often had to stop in the shared cycle lane, while awaiting a light change. I'll stop doing this, but it will be interesting to see the attitude of other motorists to my new road position.

I'm planning to return to cycling this summer after about 15 years away from bikes and I fully expect to gain a new perspective on driving!

MorningStar

Wibbler wrote:

That's a very fair point, Victor!

I had been in the habit of staying left at one particular junction on my commute, which meant that I often had to stop in the shared cycle lane, while awaiting a light change. I'll stop doing this, but it will be interesting to see the attitude of other motorists to my new road position.

I'm planning to return to cycling this summer after about 15 years away from bikes and I fully expect to gain a new perspective on driving!

Don't forget the massive big boxes at many lights for cyclists only that cars like to wait in.
As a cyclist you are most likely to be killed at traffic lights by a car turning.

daymobrew

Wibbler wrote:

I'm planning to return to cycling this summer after about 15 years away from bikes and I fully expect to gain a new perspective on driving!

I've seen humourous suggestions that motorists would behave very differently if you took the doors and roof off their cars i.e. removed the safety barriers they rely on.
I've always thought that drivers could learn a lot about good behaviour by cycling and being exposed to the dangers of bad behaviour.

robfitz

MorningStar wrote:

Cycle lane,tracks and paths and penalty points

Please don't use the terms cycle lane or cycle path there are no such things under Irish legislation, you should use the terms 'cycle track' for cycle facilitates associated on or beside roads used by motorised vehicles, and 'cycleway' when they are in a parks, etc.

A cycle track is defined as "'cycle track' means part of a road, including part of a footway or part of a roadway, which is provided primarily for the use of pedal cycles;" in the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) (Amendment) Regulations, 1998.

A cycleway is defined as "'cycleway' means a public road or proposed public road reserved for the exclusive use of pedal cyclists or pedal cyclists and pedestrians." in the Roads Act, 1993, Section 68.

In my opinion from reading the legislation.

Cylists are only required to use a cycle track during it's period of operation, see the information plate associated with the cycle track signs RUS 009 or RUS 009A, after that they are required to drive on the left of the roadway like all other vehicles.

A vehicle is only allowed park on a cycle track outside it's period of operation, save for picking up/droping of passengers and the purpose of loading/unload of goods.

An on roadway cycle track with road marking RRM 023 (broken white line) to the right does not represent a boundary of a traffic lane, with motorised vehicles allowed and required (drive on the left) to drive on it, also overtaking regulations would apply.

An on roadway cycle track with road marking RRM 022 (continuous white line) to the right does represent a boundary to the traffic lane, but only for the period of operation of the cycle track after which it is just another part of the traffic lane.

Motorised vehicles are not allowed drive on or along a on roadway cycle track with road makring RRM 022 (continuous while line) during it's period of operation.

A double stop line (RRM 017) which is approached by a cycle track is commonly know as an advanced stop line. Pedal cycles are allowed to stop at the second line, other vehicles must stop before the first line.


I believe motorists could get penalty points in and around cyclists and cycle tracks for:

Parking vehicle in dangerous position
Failure to drive vehicle on left
Dangerous overtaking
Contravention of restrictions on driving vehicle on cycle track
Failure to stop vehicle before stop sign or stop line
Careless driving
Failure by vehicle to yield right of way
Failure of vehicle to yield right of way at yield sign or yield line

(I'm not sure if all of these are active yet.)