Cycle Lane obstructions - again!

ollaetta

This one really p*sses me off. Every Wednesday for several months now the cycle lane in Clanbrassil Street is blocked by three or four wheelie bins from an apartment block. They are out on the road before 8.00am and when traffic is backed up cyclists cannot get around them.

Dublin City Council have been informed about this more than once but it's still happening. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if it suits the Council's waste collectors to have them on the road for ease of lifting. Clearly, they'll stay there until someone gets hurt. It is, after all, only one of main southside commuter routes.

It's so annoying to hear the Council crowing about how many km of cycle lane have been provided and how wonderful it now is to cycle in the city. It's an awful pity it wouldn't produce some stats on how many of those wonderful km are under parked cars or regularly obstructed. And I won't even start on the actual condition of many of those wonderful km.

Evolute

Its true but to be honest I wouldnt cycle in Dublin because its too dangerous too many retards behind the wheel last time I was near stephens green and in the space of 10 mins i saw 7 cyclists nearly go under cars through no fault of their own just the drivers where clueless inconsiderate morons.

That's fairly special alright. Perhaps ask a friendly Councillor if they would take up the issue with the relevant people?

72hundred

ollaetta wrote: »

This one really p*sses me off. Every Wednesday for several months now the cycle lane in Clanbrassil Street is blocked by three or four wheelie bins from an apartment block. They are out on the road before 8.00am and when traffic is backed up cyclists cannot get around them.

Dublin City Council have been informed about this more than once but it's still happening. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if it suits the Council's waste collectors to have them on the road for ease of lifting. Clearly, they'll stay there until someone gets hurt. It is, after all, only one of main southside commuter routes.

It's so annoying to hear the Council crowing about how many km of cycle lane have been provided and how wonderful it now is to cycle in the city. It's an awful pity it wouldn't produce some stats on how many of those wonderful km are under parked cars or regularly obstructed. And I won't even start on the actual condition of many of those wonderful km.

Put a lock on the bin opening so it can't be opened - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=8488 ... with a little note. "Please refrain from leaving bins in cyclelane... its locking up bike traffic"

Petty - probably..... expensive - a little.... but definitely worth it for the laugh!

blorg

Or even just zip-tie them closed each time you see them. Trivial to break but the collectors probably wouldn't do so.

Chips Lovell

Or just cycle round them...

jwshooter

if you parked a car there you would be clamped.
photo copy the pics and send them to your local councilors but list every where you have sent it to .

there will be a race to sort it out first

projectmayhem

Stupid, but typical, disregard for the safety and lack of common decency shown towards cyclists in the city. However, I would comment on the terrible attempts to get past this hurdle. I fail to see how picking your bike up (without dismounting) and carrying it onto the pedestrian path is the right way around this. Bundle up behind a car, safely, and go past the bins. Seriously, how do some cyclists get around this city normally? I usually go along Georges St., and not once have I ever been inside that long, expensive bit of tarmac reserved for cyclists. It's just a fancy carpark.

buffalo

In that exact spot, not two weeks ago, I came within an inch of being doored. I thought the car had stopped to try to merge with the right-hand traffic, due to the bins ahead. Given that, and the fact that he had left the whole cycle lane clear on his inside, I continued on. I swear the passenger door brushed my knuckles as it opened, but they managed to close it pretty swiftly.

I'm blaming the bins.

ollaetta

el tonto wrote: »

Or just cycle round them...

All very fine when the road is clear. If you read my original post the point is that there is no room to cycle round them when traffic is backed up and at a standstill.

abcdggs

Yes this is bad and thanks for bringing it to the attention of the suitable authorities, but could you not do this:

Can't see the difference between a moped making this maneuver and a bike?

Chips Lovell

ollaetta wrote: »

All very fine when the road is clear. If you read my original post the point is that there is no room to cycle round them when traffic is backed up and at a standstill.

Join the traffic until you are past them.

Raam

McEwan could fit through that gap at 60.

LastGasp

Plan ahead. Even if the cars are stopped it should be possible to go up between the lanes, or on the outside. That's the beauty of being on a bike - there's always a way. Kind of reminds me of guys people on motorbikes sitting in queues of traffic - completely defeats the purpose of having one.

blorg

All fine suggestions for getting round the bins but they honestly shouldn't be there in the first place. Cycle lanes are not places to dump whatever you like into, randomly park in, etc. etc.

Alkers

Push the bins out into the car lane, hence leaving the route free for cyclists. Then await the moaning threads over in motors...

congo_90

kick bins over.

Or

Note the adress on the bin tags and go into said shop. Make a big scene about how their bin is on the road blocking traffic.

Lumen

I'm all for "go round them", but the zip tie idea is quite amusing.

Although it is possible that the council have specifically asked for them to be put in the road like that.

Dr_Colossus

I'd agree with Simona1986 about pushing the bins out into the car lane leaving the cycle lane free, if this was done one or two mornings then the council would definately be on the scene, as it is it just looks like no one cares about cycle lanes with them seen as just extra parking space and places to pull in abruptly.

Chips Lovell

Lumen wrote: »

Although it is possible that the council have specifically asked for them to be put in the road like that.

I'm guessing that might be the case as well.

While bins on a cycle lane are fairly rare, I'd encounter parked cars every day. Should we put zip ties on them too?

Lumen

Dr_Colossus wrote: »

I'd agree with Simona1986 about pushing the bins out into the car lane

I think that's a very bad idea indeed, for reasons which should be obvious.

monument

I think cycling around something around like bins is grand if it's a once off. But when it's happening all the time reporting it to DCC, or leaving a note on it should at least be tried.

I've heard indirectly that when cycle lanes overall are complained about, the responce is that very few people complain, so there must not be that big of a problem.

blorg

el tonto wrote: »

While bins on a cycle lane are fairly rare, I'd encounter parked cars every day. Should we put zip ties on them too?

Not a bad idea at all!

If you call the clampers they will come around and put a very big zip tie on such cars...

Oink

I totally get Tonto's point that there's no need to fuss about it when you can just divert etc.

However I still don't think it's right that cars can park in the cycle lanes, bins can be left there, potholes don't need to be fixed, just because "we can just divert". There's plenty of that malarky going around.

Now in this specific case, the bins have to be collected. Do they have another option at all? Is there space for the bins anywhere else? Maybe it's just a case that there is no viable alternative, and we need to make a little space for other folk once a week. If it's a piss take and it was in my way I can assure you they'd hear about it.

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

I think that's a very bad idea indeed, for reasons which should be obvious.

While I wouldn't condone pushing them out into the car lane I think you would have to ask why it would be so much worse, the speed of traffic seems low enough that it would be an inconvenience more than a hazard. There is a general idea that cyclists should just "put up" with all the hazards found in cycle lanes but god forbid a motorist might have to wait and go around something.

EDIT: To reiterate I am posing this as a mental contrivance for the sake of argument; I am not suggesting anyone push them into the car lane.

roc_racer

Oh get over it. Blocking of cycle lanes is commonplace be it bins, pizza delivery mopeds, cones and other assorted crap. Ride a MTB and bunnyhop up and down the path if theres no room on the road.

Lumen

blorg wrote: »

While I wouldn't condone pushing them out into the car lane I think you would have to ask why it would be so much worse, the speed of traffic seems low enough that it would be an inconvenience more than a hazard. There is a general idea that cyclists should just "put up" with all the hazards found in cycle lanes but god forbid a motorist might have to wait and go around something.

Cyclists can overtake the bins using the road. Motorists can't undertake the bins using the cycle lane.

Moving the bins into the car lane is like picking up litter from your front garden and chucking it over your neighbouring fence. If you're going to move them, move them on to the pavement.

I've never felt even mildly annoyed at cycle lane blockages, and I am a very annoyable person. Merge, unmerge, carry on.

monument

Lumen wrote: »

Cyclists can overtake the bins using the road. Motorists can't undertake the bins using the cycle lane.

Moving the bins into the car lane is like picking up litter from your front garden and chucking it over your neighbouring fence. If you're going to move them, move them on to the pavement.

I've never felt even mildly annoyed at cycle lane blockages, and I am a very annoyable person. Merge, unmerge, carry on.

I agree about pushing them out into the traffic lane, it's not on.

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

Moving the bins into the car lane is like picking up litter from your front garden and chucking it over your neighbouring fence.

I agree with that, my point is simply that it's not on to have them in the cycle lane either. What if a cyclist crashed into one of them? Then we would have the bin on here complaining about us for a year and a half.

DirkVoodoo

It's a stationary hazard. If they were unsecured and rolling off the footpath or down the road it would be a different matter, but I'm guessing you can see them well in advance no?

It's crap yes, but why the people in the photo are cycling right up to them before maneuvering is really puzzling. Like people have said, merge with traffic earlier.

It also looks like there are road markings for parking spaces, so surely people who use this route are used to going around parked cars in the same location?

It's not in the same league as a car door swinging open, a taxi pulling in, etc. These are sudden and somewhat unpredictable. Here it looks like people are just not riding their bikes properly.

EDIT: Bin Allen...hohoho. Or maybe Osama Bin Allen!

Lumen

blorg wrote: »

What if a cyclist crashed into one of them? Then we would have the bin on here complaining about us for a year and a half.

Bin Allen?

DirkVoodoo

Lumen wrote: »

Bin Allen?

Original.

Lumen

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Original.

Damn it, you beat me. Enjoy it while it lasts.

DirkVoodoo

Lumen wrote: »

Damn it, you beat me. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Oh, I plan on doing it again in 2 days.

Lumen

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Oh, I plan on doing it again in 2 days.

Bring a map this time.

blorg

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

It's crap yes, but why the people in the photo are cycling right up to them before maneuvering is really puzzling. Like people have said, merge with traffic earlier.

They aren't merging earlier because the traffic isn't moving.

It also looks like there are road markings for parking spaces, so surely people who use this route are used to going around parked cars in the same location?

Most places where this nutty scheme of combined cycle lane and car parking is in place, it is is a clearway and cycle lane during rush hour and car parking at other times. That is how it is in Ranelagh anyway. People do park during the cycle lane hours but the clampers have been quite active of late.

Here it looks like people are just not riding their bikes properly.

No-one crashed into the thing, however it should not be in the cycle lane.

tunney

monument wrote: »

I agree about pushing them out into the traffic lane, it's not on.

No its not on, cover them in petrol, set them on fire and THEN push them out ito traffic

Jumpy

Padlocks are a tenner for a 3 pack in ALDI. It would stop them doing it after a few.

bbosco

Oink wrote: »

I totally get Tonto's point that there's no need to fuss about it when you can just divert etc.

However I still don't think it's right that cars can park in the cycle lanes, bins can be left there, potholes don't need to be fixed, just because "we can just divert". There's plenty of that malarky going around.

Now in this specific case, the bins have to be collected. Do they have another option at all? Is there space for the bins anywhere else? Maybe it's just a case that there is no viable alternative, and we need to make a little space for other folk once a week. If it's a piss take and it was in my way I can assure you they'd hear about it.

The bye laws for commercial waste management and collection are listed here:
http://www.dublincity.ie/WaterWasteEnvironment/Waste/Documents/commercial_waste_bye_laws.pdf

3.4 A holder shall not cause or permit waste to be presented for collection in a manner that would endanger health, create a risk to traffic, harm the environment or create a nuisance through odours or litter.

In this instance, traffic probably means footpath, footway and roadway traffic. I can't tell from the photos, but are the footpaths at the spot particularly narrow?
Anyway, if this is a regular occurance I'd get in touch with the council and pass on the address of the business. I worked in a city centre business before and had regular correspondance and a fine from the council over how we disposed of our waste (we were putting it on the footpath - pedestrians were complaining). The impression I got was that the council took such complaints seriously.

doozerie

Jumpy wrote: »

Padlocks are a tenner for a 3 pack in ALDI. It would stop them doing it after a few.

It is unlikely to stop them doing it if they have no other alternative location for their bins. What it would do is escalate the level of hostility towards cyclists, as we would likely all be held responsible for the additional inconvenience for the bin collectors and the people putting out the bins. You'd just be taking a bad situation and making it worse.

Funnily enough, the first photo above shows one cyclist that I regularly see on my commute. Usually he is either pulling in front of people while they are stopped at a red light, lashing through junctions on a red light, weaving between pedestrians crossing on a green light, etc., basically just being a gob****e. I have to admit getting a bit of childish satisfaction from seeing him sat there apparently unable to comprehend how to deal with an immovable object in his path. It's not quite justice, that would involve the bin being motorised and coming straight for him, but it'll do for now!

lukasbasic

Unfortunetaly there is no cycling culture in Dublin. In Addition The roads are simply to narrow and small here. I don't think that Dublin will ever reach such quality of cycling paths like Germany. You have fight your way through and enjoy it:) It is still better then the car...
I cycle often work, and I am lucky to cycle between City Centre/Castleknock which is a pretty good track.

monument

lukasbasic wrote: »

Unfortunetaly there is no cycling culture in Dublin.

Yes, there is a cycle culture, and it's growing.

The canal traffic count in Dublin showed cycling up 12% between 2008-2009, and there has been a 74% increase in the last four years!

It's just not yet as big as some other countries, that's all.

In Addition The roads are simply to narrow and small here. I don't think that Dublin will ever reach such quality of cycling paths like Germany.

The idea that Dublin's roads are all too small for cycle lanes (of whatever type, including segregated) is a myth. There's two traffic lanes, bus lanes and large footpaths on many of the main routes into the city center. Other main routes are dotted with parking and loading bays -- something you won't see in some other cities. Cycling cities have given over traffic lanes and parking spaces on a large scale to their cycle network, but you have to be very careful of the timing before you do this. Is there the right amount of people cycling yet? Have you provided extra parking off-street? Are there other options for car users who can't cycle? etc

The big questions are do we want or even need them, or is there the political will for them. And at the moment is there the money for them? Or, indeed, is building them like Denmark and the Netherlands did the best way to increase cycling numbers and the cheapest way to tackle congestion.

tomasrojo

monument wrote: »

The big questions are do we want or even need them, or is there the political will for them. And at the moment is there the money for them? Or, indeed, is building them like Denmark and the Netherlands did the best way to increase cycling numbers and the cheapest way to tackle congestion.

Good questions, and rarely asked here; both people who wish to see more cyclists and people who just want them out of the way of cars have tended until very recently to see segregated facilities as the only way forward, but I thnk it is possible to have Dublin with high cycle use and only occasional cycling-specific infrastructure.

On the subject of blocked cycle lanes: they are so frequently blocked that I don't get annoyed anymore, though ten years ago it used to vex me. If I'm in a new part of town and I see an off-road cycle lane, I just use the road. That way, when I'm a few hundred metres down the road and see that the cycle lane is completely blocked (as it inevitably is), I'm already on the road and free to continue.

Though the OP's case is an on-road facility. I guess a complaint might make a difference, but I wouldn't hold out much hope.

SerialComplaint

72hundred wrote: »

Put a lock on the bin opening so it can't be opened - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=8488 ... with a little note. "Please refrain from leaving bins in cyclelane... its locking up bike traffic"

Petty - probably..... expensive - a little.... but definitely worth it for the laugh!

Simona1986 wrote: »

Push the bins out into the car lane, hence leaving the route free for cyclists. Then await the moaning threads over in motors...

Very interesting suggestions here. A more practical option might be to push the bins back into the apt block so that they are not collected, ideally with a note to explain the problem. They'll soon cop on.

Or contact a pro-cycling councillor or the cycling officer of DCC.

HonalD

Complaints should be made to the Gardai, after all it is an offense to block a cycletrack etc. Not sure why the Council should be bothered?

SerialComplaint

Evolute wrote: »

Its true but to be honest I wouldnt cycle in Dublin because its too dangerous too many retards behind the wheel last time I was near stephens green and in the space of 10 mins i saw 7 cyclists nearly go under cars through no fault of their own just the drivers where clueless inconsiderate morons.

It's time to stop using 'retard' like this. This word is offensive to many people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_disability-related_terms_with_negative_connotations#R