Display on N11 ctybound at UCD

BrianD

There's some sort of digital display on the verge just before the N11 off ramp for Belfield as you head north towards the city. Anybody know what it's for?

Sulmac

It's a very strange display with two lines, one shows the "Number of cyclists today" and the other "Number of cyclists this year", and it increases every time a cyclist passes.

It has both the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and National Transport Authority logos on it.

As for what it's for, I have no idea!

-Chris-

Simple as that - it's a bicycle counter!

Sofa King Great

Placed in a very convenient spot just before UCD.

The money would have been better spent on improving the bus lanes/cutting back the hedges which overhang the bus lanes in various spots on the N11

smackyB

What a waste of money! How about repainting the cycle lane instead??

BrianD

Figured it was a counter. Though I can't understand why they don't put the results on the permanent VMS further up the road. Would be a reminder to drivers to consider the number of cyclists on the road and perhaps become one themselves.

Cookie_Monster

So they spent quite a lot of money putting in a big sign to distract motorists thus increasing marginally the risk to any cyclist that passes said sign

Genius!
:rolleyes::pac::pac:

AlekSmart

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

So they spent quite a lot of money putting in a big sign to distract motorists thus increasing marginally the risk to any cyclist that passes said sign

Genius!
:rolleyes::pac::pac:

Well DLR and it`s citizens are particularly favoured in having Owen Keegan as their leader,a fellow who has a lot of Traffic under his belt in a former life... ....Yes Cookie...I`d go with Genius right `nuff :rolleyes:

eqwjewoiujqorj

Are these yokes accurate?

I took this photo on a weekday night - so 700 people cycled into town on one weekday?

I would have thought a few thousand would use that route daily.

Tarabuses

eqwjewoiujqorj wrote: »

Are these yokes accurate?

I took this photo on a weekday night - so 700 people cycled into town on one weekday?

I would have thought a few thousand would use that route daily.

The number for year to date is just 395 per day.

monument

The bicycle counter only counts those on the crap cycle track: http://cyclingindublin.com/2011/10/20/n11-bicycle-counter-records-100000-passing/

eqwjewoiujqorj wrote: »

I would have thought a few thousand would use that route daily.

The N11 is a mess of a route for cyclists. The cycle lanes and tracks are all over the place (poorly design and maintained), and some of the bus drivers can be very aggressive towards cyclists. They are fixing some bits, but it's like putting lipstick on a pig. And even at that, the lipstick isn't applied very well.

Thousands of cyclists likely do use the N11 daily, but most would be using closer to town. It would be interesting to see the results if there was a counter on the N11 closer to town, say the other site of UCD at least.

Tarabuses wrote: »

The number for year to date is just 395 per day.

Far few cycling to work or college at the weekends -- those who do are more likely to be using the bus lane (less aggressive drivers in less traffic and more cyclists who do not see the cycle tracks as an option), where they are not counted.

Tarabuses

monument wrote: »

The bicycle counter only counts those on the crap cycle track: http://cyclingindublin.com/2011/10/20/n11-bicycle-counter-records-100000-passing/



The N11 is a mess of a route for cyclists. The cycle lanes and tracks are all over the place (poorly design and maintained), and some of the bus drivers can be very aggressive towards cyclists. They are fixing some bits, but it's like putting lipstick on a pig. And even at that, the lipstick isn't applied very well.

Thousands of cyclists likely do use the N11 daily, but most would be using closer to town. It would be interesting to see the results if there was a counter on the N11 closer to town, say the other site of UCD at least.




Far few cycling to work or college at the weekends -- those who do are more likely to be using the bus lane (less aggressive drivers in less traffic and more cyclists who do not see the cycle tracks as an option), where they are not counted.

So what then is the point of what looks like a costly display?

monument

Tarabuses wrote: »

So what then is the point of what looks like a costly display?

At what they cost, I find it hard to agree with their use myself, but it's explained in this article here, here's part of it:

Ciarán Fallon, the city council cycling officer, said the counters act as a useful tool for planning and promotes cycling.

He said he does not think motorists will “suddenly hop out of their cars and walk into the local bike shop” but that the counter unit would be an encouragement for all passing it.

“A lot of people driving on this road are doing journeys which aren’t cyclable but there’s a large proportion which are travelling less than 5km – probably in and around 40% – those trips could be quicker, more convenient, and cheaper for people. It’s getting people to consider cycling.”

Dublin lord mayor Andrew Montague said, “It’s all part of gathering information, which is really important if we’re going to make progress and make good decisions what to do.”

Montague said more people cycled in the city than the amount of people who use the Luas, but “We have spent very, very little on cycling and can easily justify spending more.”

He said if €10 million a year was spend on cycling every year the city could “easily” double or triple the amount of cyclists.

Note: They are talking about the launch of another counter along the Grand Canal, within the city council area. The counter at Grove Road has shown that cyclists make up a huge percent of traffic there -- about 40-45% -- in the morning main rush hour (8am-9am). The N11 one is DLR Co Co's.

(I'm the copyright holder, so I'm allowing myself to quote more than just the first par!)