Cyclist on M8 this morning

daveharnett

Dakota Whining Software wrote: »

Leaving legality aside, will someone please explain to me how driving in the hard shoulder of a motorway is more dangerous than cycling on any other road in the country most of which have no hard shoulder, poor visibility and cars traveling just as fast a lot of the time, because imo its much safer on the motorway.

First of all, I'd dispute the notion of cars travelling 'just as fast'. In some cases, fine, but the average speed on a motorway is much higher.

Second,a driver's reaction time covers a lot more ground at 130km/h than at 110km/h, and their scope for accurate emergency manouvering is a lot less. This is why they are provided with a nice big hard shoulder to use if things go pear-shaped. In an emergency, drivers expect this safety area to be clear of hazards - after all, nobody is allowed to use it except in an emergency!
Third, proximity to fast moving trucks. The bow wake on a big truck is significant for a car. I can only imagine what it's like for a cyclist, with the much bigger differences in relative weight and speed.

Fourth, sliproads - as others have mentioned cyclists on Mways will have to interact with vehicles which are trying to merge with 120+kph traffic.

Fifth, drivers do not expect you to be there, and don't know how to react to you. ROTR (afaik, but certainly roadcraft) dictates that you should overtake a bike in the same way you would a car - giving them lots of room to allow for gusts of wind, wobbles, changes in speed etc. Doing this could be catastrophically dangerous on a busy Mway.

Mr.Boots

I agree with all of you saying it is mad cycling on a motorway...but as a cyclist.....i feel safer on a motorway than on secondry roads ( i have only used them a couple of times)
You feel very vuneruble on a secondry road with trucks, galanzas and civics whoooring past.
Pity the goverment didnt spend the euro cash (when they had it) on adding seperate cycle lanes to our road network rather than just silly painted sections.
Just look at france....the cyclist and his/her life is taken into consideration when building roads.
Goverment here are to fat and lazy to consider investing in sport...plus some of them probably have a similar atitude to some of the posters here towords cyclists in general.

just to add...i have never had a seroius accident off my bike but the minor ones involving cars/trucks all happened on secondry roads...not motorways/ duel carriageways. and all were caused because the road aint big enough for cyclist and vehicle.

daveharnett

Mr.Boots wrote: »

Pity the goverment didnt spend the euro cash (when they had it) on adding seperate cycle lanes to our road network rather than just silly painted sections.

It's true. Alas, at the current rate of exchange, there aren't enough billboards in the world to get jc dacaux to stump up the cash for this job:rolleyes:.

DirkVoodoo

Dakota Whining Software wrote: »

Leaving legality aside, will someone please explain to me how driving in the hard shoulder of a motorway is more dangerous than cycling on any other road in the country most of which have no hard shoulder, poor visibility and cars traveling just as fast a lot of the time, because imo its much safer on the motorway.

You don't have cars merging with the main traffic flow on country roads at the speed they are on a motorway. Like I said, I've cycled on dual carriageways and the most nerve wracking part is continuing straight on past an on/off ramp.
The actual cycling alongside the road is the easy part.

As for the guy who is talking about cycling on the footpath and swerving past old ladies, this is also illegal, dangerous and stupid. If you can't manage to cycle safely on the road and find you need the footpath, get off and walk.

Stark

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Just wondering did anyone else see the cyclist on the M8 this morning between Glanmire and Watergrasshill.

2nd time I've seen this person on the same stretch of road at the same time on a Saturday morning (around 9AM) within the last 3 weeks.

If this cyclist is a regular to cycling on this stretch of motorway, I might give a ring to Glanmire Garda station the next time I see him.

A whole cyclist? This is a serious issue.

Bee

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Just wondering did anyone else see the cyclist on the M8 this morning between Glanmire and Watergrasshill.

2nd time I've seen this person on the same stretch of road at the same time on a Saturday morning (around 9AM) within the last 3 weeks.

If this cyclist is a regular to cycling on this stretch of motorway, I might give a ring to Glanmire Garda station the next time I see him.

I had a similar scenario on another stretch of motorway.

I did not have much luck ringing the Gardai (probably too busy booking drivers of alledged 1kph over the motorway speed limits to bother)

I contacted a local TD (awful that you have to do that to get any reaction) and the problem was then resolved after a TD's letter to the local Garda station supremo:rolleyes:

daveharnett

Bee wrote: »

I had a similar scenario on another stretch of motorway.

I did not have much luck ringing the Gardai (probably too busy booking drivers of alledged 1kph over the motorway speed limits to bother)

I contacted a local TD (awful that you have to do that to get any reaction) and the problem was then resolved after a TD's letter to the local Garda station supremo:rolleyes:

Wow. So is it a really efficient postal service, or was it a really slow cyclist?:D

TimAllen

Bee wrote: »

I had a similar scenario on another stretch of motorway.

I did not have much luck ringing the Gardai (probably too busy booking drivers of alledged 1kph over the motorway speed limits to bother)

I contacted a local TD (awful that you have to do that to get any reaction) and the problem was then resolved after a TD's letter to the local Garda station supremo:rolleyes:

I think that the problem is always one of enforcement. The lack of identity plates means that the cyclist has to be caught in the act to be identified.
I guess, when a cyclist is inevitably killed on a motorway this issue will be taken seriously