Lack of pedestrian crossings

Claire121

Has anyone else noticed the lack of pedestrian crossings in certain places? I walk to work in Shelbourne Road from the Barrow St area and I'm so sick of having to run across the road in heavy traffic. There's no crossing on Barrow St, despite the heavy traffic flow in rush hour, and the worst place is the junction opposite Haddington Road which traffic coming every which way. You have no choice but to wait for any gap in the traffic and make your way across - very unsafe and it's so annoying to be beeped at - what on earth else am I supposed to do? There are several more places on this route with no crossings (Lansdowne Road/Shelbourne Road is one), and it's unsafe.

paulm17781

I know what you mean and I hate it too. Cars get precedence everywhere and there are too few crossings. This results in people running across the road. There are also spots like Grattan bridge (Capel st.) where there are 3 sets of lights at the four potential crossing points and then a pointless set up the quays a bit. This results in people crossing illegally there. I really do wonder who plans this city...

HonalD

At least you are not disabled - it is a nightmare to negogtiate the city's streets with the amount of street furniture etc. and then how do you cross the road safely? At least most of us can run across the road :mad:

Victor

You can ask for them to upgrade the junction to include a pedestrian sequence.

http://www.dublincity.ie/RoadsandTraffic/RoadSafety/Pages/PedestrianCrossing.aspx

Hecate

I've often thought footbridges at busier junctions would be a good idea. There are a few, but they're mainly outside the city centre (along the stillorgan dual carriageway for example).

Victor

That just ghettoises pedestrians.

cyclopath2001

Hecate wrote: »

I've often thought footbridges at busier junctions would be a good idea. There are a few, but they're mainly outside the city centre (along the stillorgan dual carriageway for example).

I'd say some elderly or mobility-impaired people would find these physically difficult to use. Many motorists think they're a great idea though.

In general, you can cross where you like as long as it more than 15 metres from a crossing (that's about 6 car-lengths). Once you've started to cross, motorists must give way. The law's a bit fuzzy over how far away cars should be before you start crossing. Oh, and it's a bit scary.

There's also a rule, never enforced, about cars not obstructing pedestrians when coming out of exits or side-roads.

Claire121

Just happened again today, had just stepped off the kerb when a car came speeding down the road from nowhere and beeped at me to move! I carried on crossing at my own pace and was mightily tempted to make a certain gesture at the driver. I honestly think a lot of Irish drivers don't seem to realise that a pedestrian has every right to cross the road once they're not jumping out in front of cars. It's really annoying me now and I'm coming to work in a rotten mood every day. I suppose it's more to do with the attitude of drivers as some of the junctions aren't that busy and so the council probably wouldn't think crossings are needed. I remember when I was in Boston there were loads of pedestrian crossings without lights, and if you even looked like you might step off the kerb, the cars slowed down for you. I imagine here that those type of crossings would just be ignored.

Hotblack Desiato

TBH they way things are going, it will make no difference whether there is a pedestrian crossing or not. The number of times I've nearly been run down when crossing with the green man...

Traffic

The gardai really need to do something about the epidemic numbers of vehicles running red lights in the city

monument

The behaviour of the bulk of drivers in this country is unreal.

Here's a photo and text account of just 30 mins at the junction where the Kylemore Road intersects with the Nass Road - note how the pedestrian crossing were danger spots for nearly the whole time... http://www.cianginty.com/2008/02/road-safety-yea.html

ixoy

Victor wrote: »

You can ask for them to upgrade the junction to include a pedestrian sequence.

http://www.dublincity.ie/RoadsandTraffic/RoadSafety/Pages/PedestrianCrossing.aspx

Interesting - any idea how long this process takes? There should definitely be a pedestrian crossing on Parnell Street across from Cineworld. There are always large numbers of people crossing at that point.

Claire121

What are the actual rules for crossing at junctions WITHOUT a pedestrian crossing in front of lines of traffic? If you start to cross and then the light goes green for the cars, do you have right of way? A lot of the time I can't see the traffic light and so don't realise it's about to change, and end up running across the road.

And if you've already stepped off the kerb, thinking the road is clear, and a car suddenly pulls up and wants to turn into the road you're crossing, surely you always have right of way? So why do people beep and act like you're in the wrong? Shouldn't they have to wait for you to cross in your own time? Are Irish drivers just extraordinarily rude? Do they really not know the rules of the road? It's impossible trying to walk anywhere around here!

Davidth88

The pedestrian has the right of way.

I was always taught this ( ok in the UK ), although as you say in practice it never seems to happen , anyone got the rules of the road handy ?

mikemac

What happens if you cross a junction with a green light but the pedestrian crossing has activated by the time you reach it?

As an example, if you travel in Dublin past Tara St and stop at O’Connell Bridge. It’s a good 100 metres plus to the pedestrian crossing at the other side (near Supervalue).
I’ve cycled with a green light past my junction but by the time I reach the opposite side the green man comes on and you’re caught in no-mans land.

Davidth88

Still the pedestrians right of way, after all a pedestrian is a lot softer than a cars bonnet !

Heroditas

Hecate wrote: »

I've often thought footbridges at busier junctions would be a good idea. There are a few, but they're mainly outside the city centre (along the stillorgan dual carriageway for example).

Peds usually don;t bother using them. The one on the N4 near the Hermitage is a prime example. Cars whizzing along at 80kmph and people trying to cross when there is a pedestrian bridge merely yards away. :rolleyes:

paulm17781

Heroditas wrote: »

Peds usually don;t bother using them. The one on the N4 near the Hermitage is a prime example. Cars whizzing along at 80kmph and people trying to cross when there is a pedestrian bridge merely yards away. :rolleyes:

That's one I've never understood. Then they put traffic lights a few meters from the bridge. They really need to start enforcing laws like that. If a bridge is there it should be used, traffic lights slow down traffic and it is necessary where there is a bridge.

Victor

micmclo wrote: »

What happens if you cross a junction with a green light but the pedestrian crossing has activated by the time you reach it?

As an example, if you travel in Dublin past Tara St and stop at O’Connell Bridge. It’s a good 100 metres plus to the pedestrian crossing at the other side (near Supervalue).
I’ve cycled with a green light past my junction but by the time I reach the opposite side the green man comes on and you’re caught in no-mans land.

I think its more 50m than 100m, but the point is the same.

With a red light, you are mean to stop at the stop line. However, as you are past the stop line, you don't normally need to stop at red light on the far side of the junction. However, the pedestrians are legitimately crossing so you need to give way.

cyclopath2001

paulm17781 wrote: »

That's one I've never understood. Then they put traffic lights a few meters from the bridge.

For wheelchair users perhaps?