Phoenix Park Commute Today

elinehan

I was expecting a pleasant cycle through the park now that castleknock gate is closed. Instead, I found one new incredibly dangerous junction with a cycle lane and a road closed to cyclists.

The diversion on Chesterfield avenue down Furze road directs all traffic across the cycle lane. Because there are diversion signs, motorists do not treat it like a junction anymore and are tearing around the bend without looking for crossing cyclists. A sign needs to be put on the road warning motorists about cyclists and on the cycle lane warning cyclists.

When you reach mountjoy junction and want to go left towards whites road there is a fence across the whole road. I though that the planning permission stated that access had to be maintained for cyclists and pedestrians.

I hope they fix these problems soon.

Caroline_ie

Yes, i was in the park yesterday and i saw that. It took me a while to cross the road at that spot. A bit of a mess.
Also I noticed the grids blocking chesterfield ave, but nothing flashing, I wonder how man cars would have driven into the barriers last night!

Lumen

I had a pleasant commute this morning, going in at the top end and out at the bottom end. I don't know what any of the roads are called - it's Ireland, right?

I'll be spending a bit of time knackering myself in the park this evening, so I'll go have a look for this incredibly dangerous junction, sounds fun.

elinehan

It is on the other side of the road. You don't negotiate it traveling in the Castleknock -> City direction. You will come across it this evening. I've contacted the OPW.

fletch

I noticed it yesterday evening too. Traffic was horrific heading up to the Castleknock gate entrance to the Park this morning, god was I glad I wasn't in a car!

hawkwing

I got stuck there also for a few mins,but there is now the section of the main Chesterfield Avenue between the 2 barriers of a couple of 100 metres that you have all to yourself for cycling as it is in no-man's land--you can keep doing loops until you go insane here

Jip

elinehan wrote: »

The diversion on Chesterfield avenue down Furze road directs all traffic across the cycle lane. Because there are diversion signs, motorists do not treat it like a junction anymore and are tearing around the bend without looking for crossing cyclists. A sign needs to be put on the road warning motorists about cyclists and on the cycle lane warning cyclists.

Doesn't the cycle lane there have a stop sign for cyclists anyway which as I understood it always gave priority to motorists at the junction. Having said that, I do agree with you as I'll be heading that way this evening and had expected it to be a little slower getting across at that point.

fletch

Jip wrote: »

Doesn't the cycle lane there have a stop sign for cyclists anyway which as I understood it always gave priority to motorists at the junction. Having said that, I do agree with you as I'll be heading that way this evening and had expected it to be a little slower getting across at that point.

Yes it does but most cyclists just fly through the STOP sign (as I do everyday). A quick glance to the right and left and there's generally nothing coming. The issue now is that there are a lot more cars using that route.

Jip

fletch wrote: »

Yes it does but most cyclists just fly through the STOP sign (as I do everyday). A quick glance to the right and left and there's generally nothing coming.

As do I, with the obligatory look over the right shoulder and glance to the left. As I said, I was thinking about it yesterday evening when running in the park and expected to be a pain in the arse depending on how free flowing traffic is. Most motorists tend to stop and let you across at other junctions in the park but I don't expect to this happen hear unless some form of raised crossing is added which would give a motorist the impression that pedestrians and cyclists have priority across it.

Robertd_07

I passed this way too yesterday, and like Jip was expecting it to be difficult.
Moved out to the centre line of the road and crossed before the actual junction. Faster and easier, I thought, than waiting for a break in both flows of traffic.
Don't know if I'll be doing it in the dark though.
On the flip side, cycling in this morning was eerily quiet through the park.

Gavin

Robertd_07 wrote: »

I passed this way too yesterday, and like Jip was expecting it to be difficult.
Moved out to the centre line of the road and crossed before the actual junction. Faster and easier, I thought, than waiting for a break in both flows of traffic.
Don't know if I'll be doing it in the dark though.
On the flip side, cycling in this morning was eerily quiet through the park.

Aye, saw this in the morning and my new approach will be to move onto the road before I get to it, move to the center of the lane and just go straight on. There is a gap in the barrier across the road and the grass. Back up onto cycle path then.

mmclo

hawkwing wrote: »

I got stuck there also for a few mins,but there is now the section of the main Chesterfield Avenue between the 2 barriers of a couple of 100 metres that you have all to yourself for cycling as it is in no-man's land--you can keep doing loops until you go insane here

I wasn't the only one then

mmclo

Could use the cycle lane on the other side?

Gavin

That would be going the wrong way!

nomadic

Gavin wrote: »

That would be going the wrong way!

I was always of the opinion that the off road cycle lanes in the park would be considered dual direction. A bike hardly needs the whole lane and plenty of room for 2 bikes. I tend to stick to the south side lane most of the time going both directions.

Gavin

Yeah lots of people seem to think this, even wobbley ones who can't cycle in a straight line and make me quite nervous when we pass.

We cycle on the left, the little bicycle are facing the direction of travel, the lanes join onto the road on the left.

No one seems to care though. Except for loonies like me.

nomadic

There's also the aforementioned stop signs on both sides of junctions facing different directions which would suggest that dual direction is assumed.

Dave11

Lumen wrote: »

I had a pleasant commute this morning, going in at the top end and out at the bottom end. I don't know what any of the roads are called - it's Ireland, right?

I'll be spending a bit of time knackering myself in the park this evening, so I'll go have a look for this incredibly dangerous junction, sounds fun.

You were in the park were ya? Did ya pass a guy in Columbia gear? That was me! Say hi next time!!:)

Dave11

Was doing a few laps myself and had near misses a few times at the same junction. Not sure of the road name but if travelling away from Castleknock rbt and its where you can turn right for the Mountsackville school/Strawberry Beds etc. As the cars are now coming down from your left in their hundreds they seem to have decided that the 'YIELD' sign painted on the road and written on the red triangle don't mean ayhting anymore! Twice I was coming through the junction and the cars just didn't even look!

Bare it in mind lads!!

Ant

Gavin wrote: »

Yeah lots of people seem to think this, even wobbley ones who can't cycle in a straight line and make me quite nervous when we pass.

We cycle on the left, the little bicycle are facing the direction of travel, the lanes join onto the road on the left.

No one seems to care though. Except for loonies like me.

I'm with you on that one, Gavin. At night, you also have to deal with ninjas coming the wrong way on top of those cycling in the right direction and the ubiquitous ninja pedestrians. (The lights along Chesterfield Avenue are pretty crap - though the lamp-posts do look quaint: they seem to have been designed as gas lights). Basic relativity would point to the salmon-like ninjas as posing the greater hazard to cyclists.

Robertd_07

Ant wrote: »

.... the lamp-posts do look quaint: they seem to have been designed as gas lights.....

Just noticed recently that they actually are gas lights.
thought I was seeing things, so stopped to have a good look!

BostonB

I see they've not touched the road yet at all. If it continues at this rate its going to be a long time closed. Annoying they've blocked the road so cyclists have to get on the pavement to get around. I assume that was some knuckle dragger who did that. I thought this new junction was a bit dangerous, too. As the cars aren't stopping'slowing at all. But you can avoid it using the lane on the other side. They should put a sign saying no through road on the roads that are closed. As theres a lot of traffic going into farmleigh and turning around.

nomadic

BostonB wrote: »

I see they've not touched the road yet at all. If it continues at this rate its going to be a long time closed. Annoying they've blocked the road so cyclists have to get on the pavement to get around. I assume that was some knuckle dragger who did that. I thought this new junction was a bit dangerous, too. As the cars aren't stopping'slowing at all. But you can avoid it using the lane on the other side. They should put a sign saying no through road on the roads that are closed. As theres a lot of traffic going into farmleigh and turning around.

Its closed for 9 weeks i think and there is a ranger at the furry glen crossroads that should stop people accidentally going down there.

BostonB

hes doing a brutal job then...

Taltos

Gavin wrote: »

Yeah lots of people seem to think this, even wobbley ones who can't cycle in a straight line and make me quite nervous when we pass.

We cycle on the left, the little bicycle are facing the direction of travel, the lanes join onto the road on the left.

No one seems to care though. Except for loonies like me.

Used to do that - but take the right at the first roundabout on Chesterfield and have had a few near misses with some motorists who just did not want to let me on / off the roundabout. Tend to stay on the right side now going back in until I hit the road and away I go. - also less chance of car doors taking me out when I stay on the road.

Saw one of those ninja's earlier though - scary blighter...

Jip

Passed through the junction yesterday at about 5, sailed through it actually as I seemed to have got lucky as there were no cars either way, very light traffic at the time.

egcol

Thank Heavens for Culchieland .Our problems what problems ?
As we worry about our carbon foot print .Trying to keep an eye on ye lot and listening NAMA ,LISBO~N @FAS as we make our merry way to our place of work Please wake up and smell the roses and just thank somebody for the beautiful morning
carbon