What are Traffic Lights there for???

tomasrojo

I notice on the other side of the junction that the cycle lane places cyclists going straight ahead in the trajectory of left-turning traffic. As usual. That's quite a mess that junction.

Ryaner

tomasrojo wrote: »

As is typical of "facilities" in Dublin, that isn't much use. I wouldn't use that cycle lane for turning right. I'd just join the leftmost right-turning "traffic" lane. Using that cycle lane puts you in the path of motorists who suddenly decide that they really wanted to go straight on rather than turn right. Or, as in the Google image, motorists how decide that they want to go right rather than straight on (the red car in the image).

Can't see any advantage of the lane actually, unless it's to allow cyclists to go up the side and get ahead of stationary traffic and into the ASL box. Which is about as risky as your miscreant who went up the middle of the two lanes. Going up between the two lanes might be marginally safer actually, as you're less likely to get a car swapping between two lanes that are going the same way.

As for the gentleman's breaking the lights and proceeding through the traffic: breaking lights is rarely the safest thing to do, and, I agree, this isn't the best junction to practise your light-breaking on.

I've never once had any issues with cars in the right lane deciding to go straight. Been passing through this junction either on the bike or in a car for years.

Getting into the box is quite safe. Its massive and once you pull in front of the cars there is nothing to worry about. Junction is so big that even then a truck or bus is there, there is enough room for a cyclist, the truck/bus and a car on the other side.

tomasrojo

Perhaps it'll never happen. I personally wouldn't leave it to chance. But I've never used that road, as far as I can recall, so I'm not going to argue with your personal experience.

I'm guessing you're not going to argue that no-one ever swings over from the straight-ahead into the right-turn lanes, seeing as the all-seeing eye of Google has recorded an example for us.

Ryaner

tomasrojo wrote: »

Perhaps it'll never happen. I personally wouldn't leave it to chance. But I've never used that road, as far as I can recall, so I'm not going to argue with your personal experience.

I'm guessing you're not going to argue that no-one ever swings over from the straight-ahead into the right-turn lanes, seeing as the all-seeing eye of Google has recorded an example for us.

The red car is in the right turning lane and is going through a green light. I've spent long enough at that junction that I know the timings of the lights and that they change at 7am and 10am to different programs. Its probably the only place I've not had any issues or anything even close while on a bike. One before it is a different story.

DePurpereWolf

Ryder wrote: »

The decision wether to break a light or not is up to the individual cyclist. If you make an assessment that it is safe them i think it is reasonable to do so. Obviously pavement cycling and taking priority at ped lights are definate no nos. If people think that obeying lights will engender respect from motorists then they are mistaken-its human nature to be impatient and drivers will always look on cyclists as irritants.

I don't agree completely. Just as with motors and cars, there are always idiots that ruin it for the rest.
Most motors obey speed laws and don't drive in between you and oncoming traffic at 160 km/h, but the ones that do, do give motorists a very bad name. Most cars don't run red lights, but there seems to be always one with a baseball cap on that is still on the road while your cycle/ped crossing light is green.
You can't earn respect by just obeying the rules, but you can avoid discrespect for all cyclists by not acting like an ass on the road.

Traumadoc

I was cycling through Phoenix park this morning, I normally wait at lights but the junction at parkgate street seems to be controlled by induction loops in the Tarmac. Anyway no traffic so the lights would not turn green, I gave up waiting and turned left on the red. Seems the traffic lights are set up for the benefir of motorists only.

Type 17

Since starting to cycle in Dublin city centre (30 years ago, aged 10(!)) I used to stop for every RL, but now I'll go through a RL if I can do it without breaking the 'brake/break rule' - don't cause other road users to brake (or think that they might need to brake), and don't cause pedestrians to break their stride.

I once got stopped by the Garda outside the U.S. embassy who gave out to me about RLJing, but when I explained to him that I always waited to avoid making anyone brake/break, he just told me to "take it easy" and said nothing more.

Regarding the stupid cyclists giving all others a bad name - forget it, it will always happen - no matter how many good cyclists there are, it's only the dopes that get noticed, because they are acting like dopes. For example, it's the same with Micra drivers - there are loads of fine Micra drivers out there, but people only see the dopes and assume that all Micra drivers are rubbish (in fairness, the proportion of dopes among Micra drivers does seem to be higher than other cars )

petermijackson

'brake/break rule'

Can you explain this?

Type 17

Type 17 wrote: »

'brake/break rule'

petermijackson wrote: »

Can you explain this?

When considering whether or not to perform a RLJ, consider whether the move can be made without causing other road users to brake (or think that they might need to brake), and without causing pedestrians to break their stride.

Simple, if you can, then do it, if you can't, wait until you can (or until the lights go green for you).

Quint

Micilin Muc wrote: »

How about cyclists that don't stop at the white line?

I very rarely get overtaken by other cyclists, but when I stop at the white line, other cyclists will overtake me and park right in front of me, or as close to the junction as they can sometimes. When the lights turn green again, I pass them out by the time they have two pushes of the pedals! I don't understand them!

I hate these. Some woman along the grand canal kept doing this, about 5 cyclists had to pass her out each time. Then straight to the front at the next lights!

mitteman wrote: »

lights regulate traffic flows so the city transport runs in a less chaotic way. A few RLJing cyclists does not affect this in the slightest. If Trucks started jumping lights like bikes it would be panic on the streets.

The point being; cyclists can freeload on the transport system without affecting it's functioning in any major way, trucks, buses and SUVs cannot. If everyone cycled there would be no urgent need for lights.

The lights are there for the gasguzzlers!

Motorbikes and scooters can break lights too then?

tomasrojo

Ryaner wrote: »

The red car is in the right turning lane and is going through a green light. I've spent long enough at that junction that I know the timings of the lights and that they change at 7am and 10am to different programs. Its probably the only place I've not had any issues or anything even close while on a bike. One before it is a different story.

This is probably a silly thing to be arguing about, but that red car is clearly not going through a green light. The other vehicles are lined up just behind the ASL box. The light is therefore red. The red car has gone up the straight-ahead lane and placed itself in front of the vehicles waiting in the right-turn lane. To end up where he is from the right-turn lane, the red car would have to have veered to the left and then to the right as it went over the ASL box, or else have been driving along the cycle lane.

On your other point, if you say this junction is safe, I'll defer to you. I agree 100% that your light-breaker was completely in the wrong for breaking the light; I disagree that he was foolhardy not to use that cycle lane.