Dublin Bikes [many] months on.

positron

I've noticed the wet saddles issue too - a quick wipe is all it takes, but at times you are not sure if it's water or something else (someone had posted some bad experience already on this), and I was actually wondering why they couldn't design those saddles slightly differently (shape and material) as to not to collect so much water..! To me, it's not a huge problem anyway, at least for the moment..!

amdublin

I love them so much!!!!!

Just got the 3 day on Monday but off to register for my yearly membership now.

Kudos to the organisers!!!

SteM

Haven't used them but it seems like a great system. Odd that there are no stations down on Pearse Street or Lower Mount Street though.

antoinolachtnai

There's one outside the Science Gallery on Pearse St (near junction with Lombard St/Westland Row). There's one Near the intersection of Merrion Square and Upper Mount St. There's one near the intersection of the Grand Canal and one or other of the Mount Sts.

a.

Africa

And one just up on Nassau Street!

A lot better served there than over at Connolly!

paddy2k

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Luas ones are pretty much monitored by CCTV, If JC decaux were to provide shelters for these bike you ca be damn sure they will be covered with advertisement.

I would just bring a few tissues to wipe the saddle before you get on.

I'm surprised that there isn't any advertising on the bikes themselves or at the stations. A shelter would be great but they are getting used enough these days that the saddles are rarely too wet.

oceanclub

SteM wrote: »

Haven't used them but it seems like a great system. Odd that there are no stations down on Pearse Street or Lower Mount Street though.

Yeah, for some reasons there are stations along the Grand Canal but then none at the Mount St, Grand Canal St, or Pearse St bridges. Bit annoying since I live down at Barrow St, hopefully they put a station near there in the next phase.

P.

SteM

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

There's one outside the Science Gallery on Pearse St (near junction with Lombard St/Westland Row). There's one Near the intersection of Merrion Square and Upper Mount St. There's one near the intersection of the Grand Canal and one or other of the Mount Sts.

a.

I know, I meant lower Pearse Street towards Ringsend. Would have though that would be a popular spot with Google being down Barrow Street and all of the newer apartments down by the Ocean bar and Grand Canal Theater.

Crania

As an avid cyclist and daily bike user to college in Dublin every day, I appluad this new Dublin Bikes system. It really has transformed the number of cyclists in the city and made the city a cleaner and greener place. They really look great all over the place too!

I know they had to start off small but it really would be great if they could expand it the number of bike stations in more outlying areas such as Heuston, the O2, etc. while also increasing capacity at the various existing stations. I realise the problems with train station bike stations though. I see a similar problem with the bike station in the IFSC every morning, people queuing to drop them off and then people queuing to get one in the evenings to cycle back southside to the LUAS or whatever. More capacity is definitely needed at the IFSC station beside the O'Casey Pedestrian Bridge, very busy station.

I really like the idea of the LUAS-type shelters but to be honest, I'd prefer more and higher-capacity bike stations rather than shelters at each station. Something to think about the future though.

I also think it would be great if the Dublin Bikes could run all night, rather than stopping at half 12. This is similar to all forms of public transport in Dublin expcept the overpriced and infrequent Nitelinks. It seems we just can't be trusted at night-time with public transport in Ireland at all.

Although, I have noticed a huge increase in the number of people cycling on the footpath, many of them DB users. While I know cycle lanes are quite poor in the city, it is a very dangerous practice to cycle on the footpath as it seriously endangers pedestrians and it is quite intimidating. I think this is something that really needs to be looked at, perhaps some kind of awareness campaign to inform people of the dangers of footpath cycling and getting the Gardai to enforce the law more effectively here.

However, overall, it's an absolutely great system and fair play to all those who helped in making it a reality and a great success so far. Keep up the good work!

antoinolachtnai

SteM wrote: »

I know, I meant lower Pearse Street towards Ringsend. Would have though that would be a popular spot with Google being down Barrow Street and all of the newer apartments down by the Ocean bar and Grand Canal Theater.

It's just a guess, but I'd suppose they might expand in that direction after the Macken St bridge is in.

I'm sure it wasn't a matter of whether these sites would be popular, it's just that the money would only stretch so far.

positron

Quick questions, are pedestrianized streets (Henry Street, Earl street etc for example) out of bounds for bikers?

seamus

positron wrote: »

Quick questions, are pedestrianized streets (Henry Street, Earl street etc for example) out of bounds for bikers?

Yes. Though there are plans to change that (which I think is insane).

Run_to_da_hills

positron wrote: »

Quick questions, are pedestrianized streets (Henry Street, Earl street etc for example) out of bounds for bikers?

And also between Abbey ST and Capel ST where I saw some DB idiot cycle up the full length of it on the inside of the Luas line.

positron

There's always been all sorts of bikes (and other vehicles) using the luas lanes. I thought it was okay to cycle there, but I haven't tried so far, as it's easy to get hurt if one of the tires slips and falls into the groove of the luas tracks.

oceanclub

positron wrote: »

There's always been all sorts of bikes (and other vehicles) using the luas lanes. I thought it was okay to cycle there, but I haven't tried so far, as it's easy to get hurt if one of the tires slips and falls into the groove of the luas tracks.

If one can't cycle along either Henry St or Abbey St, then is the only east-west route on the northside to go up to Parnell St?

P.

ArmaniJeanss

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

And also between Abbey ST and Capel ST where I saw some DB idiot cycle up the full length of it on the inside of the Luas line.

That was probably me. :P

Whats so idiotic about it?

Run_to_da_hills

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

That was probably me. :P

Whats so idiotic about it?

This guy was going wih the flow of the Luas instead of facing it :rolleyes:

markpb

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

This guy was going wih the flow of the Luas instead of facing it :rolleyes:

I do that (very) occasionally along Harcourt St - it's not dangerous as long as you keep an eye out for a Luas behind you. They don't travel very quickly along city centre streets.

ArmaniJeanss

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

This guy was going wih the flow of the Luas instead of facing it :rolleyes:

Yep, sounds like its still probably me

So I was cycling on the left hand side of the road, I'm still not getting what the problem is.
I've looked behind me and there isn't a tram in sight and my cycle distance is about 500 metres before I turn off into Capel St. Its not possible for a tram to catch up with me and if by some miracle it did it'll beep at me in plenty of time.

Or was this guy cycling whilst an actual tram was going passed him, which would be dangerous, (though you never mentioned that)?

BrianD

Crania wrote: »

I also think it would be great if the Dublin Bikes could run all night, rather than stopping at half 12. This is similar to all forms of public transport in Dublin expcept the overpriced and infrequent Nitelinks. It seems we just can't be trusted at night-time with public transport in Ireland at all.

As debated before, Dublin Bikes isn't a form of public transport. Nitelinks are a reliable form of transport and there is no shortage of taxis. There is good reason for not having DB's available at night time - you shouldn't be cycling one while drunk! Plus the service is only available to those within the canals so only of limited benefit.

MiniD

BrianD wrote: »

As debated before, Dublin Bikes isn't a form of public transport. Nitelinks are a reliable form of transport and there is no shortage of taxis. There is good reason for not having DB's available at night time - you shouldn't be cycling one while drunk! Plus the service is only available to those within the canals so only of limited benefit.

I think I debated this with you before While I see your point, and agree with the dangers you describe, there are also drunk people around at 11.30pm, so the potential for drunk people on bikes exist from early on any evening. I think the schemes in Paris and Vienna run 24 hours.

Many people start and finish work shifts at early hours of the morning. Having bikes available would be of great benefit to these people. The taxi fare from Smithfield to Merrion Square, or Rathmines to O'Connell Street is about €7.

Capt'n Midnight

Stopping at 00:30 means a long walk back into town to catch the last bus

atgate

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

That was probably me. :P

Whats so idiotic about it?

I do it the whole time too. I cycle from Jervis St to Wolfe Tone St and onto Abbet St upper to get to Capel St. The road is shared with cars and Luas. I see no problem. The Luas like any other vehicle has to watch out for cyclists in front of them (mind you i'd always make sure there wasn't one behind me).

Run_to_da_hills

atgate wrote: »

I do it the whole time too. I cycle from Jervis St to Wolfe Tone St and onto Abbet St upper to get to Capel St. The road is shared with cars and Luas. I see no problem. The Luas like any other vehicle has to watch out for cyclists in front of them (mind you I'd always make sure there wasn't one behind me).

People must also understand that a tram cannot swerve to avoid a reckless cyclist, there is also the danger of wheels getting caught in the tram lines. The experienced cyclist would be able to handle this but someone who is fresh to it may not. Im suprised that there is not a no cycing notice on this stretch.

ArmaniJeanss

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

The experienced cyclist would be able to handle this but someone who is fresh to it may not. Im suprised that there is not a no cycing notice on this stretch.

Perhaps because it would be utterly ludicrous?

Trams are meant to share the road space with pedestrians and bicycles (and sometimes cars/vans, especially at junctions). And generally everyone is sensible about this, though there will be incidents.

If trams have a 100% dedicated line then I'd suggest they have stopped being trams and have become commuter trains, darts etc, which don't share their space.

oceanclub

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Perhaps because it would be utterly ludicrous?

Trams are meant to share the road space with pedestrians and bicycles (and sometimes cars/vans, especially at junctions). And generally everyone is sensible about this, though there will be incidents.

If trams have a 100% dedicated line then I'd suggest they have stopped being trams and have become commuter trains, darts etc, which don't share their space.

I'm failing to see how cycling down a tram line, where the times of the trams are clearly indicated along the way, is any more dangerous than, oh, cycling with heavy traffic down the quays.

P>

Run_to_da_hills

oceanclub wrote: »

I'm failing to see how cycling down a tram line, where the times of the trams are clearly indicated along the way, is any more dangerous than, oh, cycling with heavy traffic down the quays.

P>

You don't have tramlines running down the quays.

oceanclub

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

You don't have tramlines running down the quays.

Er, my point is, that checking to see that a tram isn't coming along for 5 minutes, then cycling down an empty tramline, is a hell of a lot safer than trying to cycle alongside heavy goods vehicles down the quays.

Are you saying that in other cities with many tramlines such as Amsterdam, cycling is banned from all roads?

P.

Run_to_da_hills

oceanclub wrote: »

Er, my point is, that checking to see that a tram isn't coming along for 5 minutes, then cycling down an empty tramline, is a hell of a lot safer than trying to cycle alongside heavy goods vehicles down the quays..

I thought that the port tunnel was supposed to look after this.

oceanclub wrote: »

Are you saying that in other cities with many tram lines such as Amsterdam, cycling is banned from all roads?

P.

I just returned from Budapest at the weekend. Just like Amsterdam there is areas where trams share all traffic such as intersections an busy city streets. Trams drive extra slow on these stretches and the drver is on high alert.

There are other areas where it is tram only such as the stretch opposite Jervis SC, the tram can travell a bit quicker knowing that there should be no obstruction.

All it will take is one accident from some inexperienced or wreckless idiot and I have seen many in the city since the project started.

ArmaniJeanss

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

All it will take is one accident from some inexperienced or wreckless idiot and I have seen many in the city since the project started.

There are countless more dangerous stretches of road, for pedestrians and cyclists.

Cycling from O'Connell St to say Heuston Station using the Luas route as opposed to the Quays has to be about 10/50/100 times safer.

And if one reckless idiot eventually manages to smash his bicycle into a tram it would be illogical to close off that route just because of this... it would still remain the safer route.