Cycling on motorways - why

aspender

Twice in the past few days I've seen cyclists heading along the hard shoulder of a motorway.

Once on the new M3 past Clonee, heading to the Dunboyne/new station junction and once on the M4 just past the Leixlip/Celbridge exit heading West.

Now, both of these are N roads that turn into motorways past the junction, but why are people seemingly oblivious or careless about the fact they are now cycling on a motorway? Even if "well I'm only popping up to the next turn off" it's still breaking the law.

Both were fully kitted up roadies.

Maybe I'm just more used to the concept of a motorway being a very fast, dangerous road, coming from the UK and all, but does anybody else think these guys were out of order?

Lumen

If they're on the hard shoulder, isn't it more a case of "along the motorway" rather than "on the motorway"?

tunney

aspender wrote: »

Twice in the past few days I've seen cyclists heading along the hard shoulder of a motorway.

Once on the new M3 past Clonee, heading to the Dunboyne/new station junction and once on the M4 just past the Leixlip/Celbridge exit heading West.

Now, both of these are N roads that turn into motorways past the junction, but why are people seemingly oblivious or careless about the fact they are now cycling on a motorway? Even if "well I'm only popping up to the next turn off" it's still breaking the law.

Both were fully kitted up roadies.

Maybe I'm just more used to the concept of a motorway being a very fast, dangerous road, coming from the UK and all, but does anybody else think these guys were out of order?

They turn into motorways but hadn't at the point at which you met them?

Same with me I cycle on the N1 to the roundabout at Coolock which turns into M1 after it.

aspender

Lumen wrote: »

If they're on the hard shoulder, isn't it more a case of "along the motorway" rather than "on the motorway"?

I'm not sure the law differentiates.

aspender

tunney wrote: »

They turn into motorways but hadn't at the point at which you met them?

No, they were unequivocally on the section categorized as motorway.

seamus

aspender wrote: »

Now, both of these are N roads that turn into motorways past the junction, but why are people seemingly oblivious or careless about the fact they are now cycling on a motorway? Even if "well I'm only popping up to the next turn off" it's still breaking the law.

That's probably why. Because where they previously had a nice flat, straight route to where they were getting, the road has been redesignated and their only alternative now is some narrow, meandering, potholed bohereen which will take them 25 minutes longer to get where they're going and in bad weather will be lethal.

Not saying that they're right to be cycling along a motorway (I know someone who was killed walking home down a motorway hard shoulder), but I can understand their rationale - the road itself hasn't changed, only the speeds have.

sealgaire

No, that's just stupid

Lumen wrote: »

If they're on the hard shoulder, isn't it more a case of "along the motorway" rather than "on the motorway"?

Hermy

tunney wrote: »

Same with me I cycle on the N1 to the roundabout at Coolock which turns into M1 after it.

Always wondered about that particular stretch.

Lumen

aspender wrote: »

I'm not sure the law differentiates.

No doubt, but are you making a point about safety or legality?

I wouldn't personally advocate cycling on the hard shoulder, but it is infinitely safer than cycling in lanes 1-3.

aspender

Lumen wrote: »

No doubt, but are you making a point about safety or legality?

I wouldn't personally advocate cycling on the hard shoulder, but it is infinitely safer than cycling in lanes 1-3.

Both, but then you'd have to be clinically insane to even think about cycling in the main carriageway of a motorway, so it's probably a moot point.

My main reason for mentioning it is legality - I wondered if this is an example of people just being unaware of the law, or indifferent to it. Compared to the UK I see the latter a lot here and it intrigues me

However, from a safety point of view, even in the hard shoulder, you are somewhere where people do not expect a cyclist to be, and that adds risk.

Highway_To_Hell

a few weeks back I passed a guy on the M50 looked like he came on at the Tallaght intersection. he was on the phone at the time I passed him.

Lumen

aspender wrote: »

I wondered if this is an example of people just being unaware of the law, or indifferent to it. Compared to the UK I see the latter a lot here and it intrigues me

You're not in Kansas any more.

Cabaal

I was driving the M9 motorway a few weeks back and some some idiot cycling on the hard shoulder towards Waterford with all the gear on him, I'd be surprised if the Gardai didn't stop him.

There's no way in hell I couldn't have known he was not going onto a motorway because:
1. Its the only motorway in the area so everyone knows about it
2. Its very well signed

If he was heading to Waterrford he could have taken the old main road as this has feck all traffic on it these days since the M9 opened

kenmc

aspender wrote: »

Twice in the past few days I've seen cyclists heading along the hard shoulder of a motorway.

Once on the new M3 past Clonee, heading to the Dunboyne/new station junction and once on the M4 just past the Leixlip/Celbridge exit heading West.

Now, both of these are N roads that turn into motorways past the junction, but why are people seemingly oblivious or careless about the fact they are now cycling on a motorway? Even if "well I'm only popping up to the next turn off" it's still breaking the law.

Both were fully kitted up roadies.

Maybe I'm just more used to the concept of a motorway being a very fast, dangerous road, coming from the UK and all, but does anybody else think these guys were out of order?

Why did you not just stop and ask them? I'm sure they'd be able to give you a better answer than some random speculation by the internetters.

aspender

kenmc wrote: »

Why did you not just stop and ask them? I'm sure they'd be able to give you a better answer than some random speculation by the internetters.

Because that in itself would be breaking the law.

http://www.rotr.ie/rules-for-driving/motorways/stopping-and-parking.html

But more because I'm not that bothered. But seeing it twice in two days just made me wonder what other people thought.

Beasty

This sign says it all to me:



Even though I claim to be capable of getting over 50kph, unfortunately I can't get round the "pedal-cycles" prohibition

OP, it's like a lot of things, most people try to observe the laws, some, however, don't.

The only time I have seen cyclists on a motorway was actually in the UK, on the Mancunian Way (funnily enough in Manchester), when one of the Pursuit teams there for the World Championships decided to use it for a training run. Needless to say, they were the fastest traffic on that particular stretch of road.

Managed to end up on the M11 when heading down to Rosslare in July. Interestingly, there were no 'no pedal cycles/vehicles under 50cc/animals etc.' signs.

cantalach

On last month's Tour de Munster, we had a Garda escort leaving Cork City. On getting to the M8 junction just north of Glanmire, the two motorbike Gardaí directed us onto the motorway! We exiting a few km further north at Watergrasshill (many of us wondered what would have happened had we arrived en masse at the toll booth!).

loyatemu

Beasty wrote: »

This sign says it all to me:

they've stopped putting up those signs on new stretches of MWay.Nonetheless, everyone should know that you can't cycle on a motorway.

Having said that, from a safety POV, there's virtually no difference between (say) the Kilmac-Newtown section of the N11 (which is not a motorway and always has loads of cyclists on it) and the Ashford-Rathnew section (which is a motorway).

LordSutch

aspender wrote: »

Cycling on motorways - why

Cycling on motorways = Illegal.

tunney

loyatemu wrote: »

they've stopped putting up those signs on new stretches of MWay.Nonetheless, everyone should know that you can't cycle on a motorway.

Having said that, from a safety POV, there's virtually no difference between (say) the Kilmac-Newtown section of the N11 (which is not a motorway and always has loads of cyclists on it) and the Ashford-Rathnew section (which is a motorway).

Why?

Exactly how else are people meant to know?

Not everyone who cycles will drive.

Lumen

tunney wrote: »

Why?

Exactly how else are people meant to know?

Read the ROTR.

tunney

Lumen wrote: »

Read the ROTR.

My point was that given cyclists are not tested and are not required to have a drivers licence then the assumption that they will know the particular ROTR or even have read the ROTR is not a safe assumption.

Lumen

tunney wrote: »

My point was that given cyclists are not tested and are not required to have a drivers licence then the assumption that they will know the particular ROTR or even have read the ROTR is not a safe assumption.

So what?

tunney

Lumen wrote: »

So what?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67862774&postcount=21

Lumen

tunney wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67862774&postcount=21

Right so in response to "everyone should know that you can't cycle on a motorway" (my emphasis) you respond that everyone doesn't know.

Ignorance is no defence. Would you let your child cycle on the roads in complete ignorance of the basic rules? Bold daddy Tunney. Think of the children.

tunney

Lumen wrote: »

Right so in response to "everyone should know that you can't cycle on a motorway" (my emphasis) you respond that everyone doesn't know.

Ignorance is no defence. Would you let your child cycle on the roads in complete ignorance of the basic rules? Bold daddy Tunney. Think of the children.

Sometimes I don't know why I bother replying to you.

kenmc

tunney wrote: »

Sometimes I don't know why I bother replying to you.

Ah but you do keep replying, and that's the important bit.

Beasty

kenmc wrote: »

Ah but you do keep replying, and that's the important bit.

Not any more

In summary, it's illegal, they should not do it. Ideally there should be signs to warn cyclists (and indeed anyone else that is prohibited), but sometimes there are not.

Can't think of anything more to add to this discussion, and hence to save anyone getting themselves into trouble, I'm locking the thread

Thanks

Beasty