Cycling/Walking around the city

antoobrien

whineflu wrote: »

I always yield to pedestrians at crossings and I never cycle on foot paths but I'll stop jumping red lights when the majority of motorists obey the city speed limit.

whineflu wrote: »

I always yield to pedestrians at crossings and I never cycle on foot paths but I'll stop jumping red lights when the majority of motorists obey the city speed limit.

That's more than a little bit shortsighted and hypocritical, it's your responsibility to obey the rules of the road and yours alone. The actions of others are no excuse for "selective observance" of the rules. If you want to take the higher moral ground in the issue, then bear this in mind.

dinneenp wrote: »

Cyclists don't kill people.

Really - let's take the example above. Cyclist breaks a red light causing motorists to swerve, killing a pedestrian. Whose fault is the accident - the driver that was forced to swerve in order to save a life (unintentionally taking another) or the idiot that forced the swerve (in order to save a few seconds)?

galwaycyclist

Notwithstanding that its Friday - I would ask that nobody feeds the trolls

McTigs

antoobrien wrote: »

Really - let's take the example above. Cyclist breaks a red light causing motorists to swerve, killing a pedestrian. Whose fault is the accident - the driver that was forced to swerve in order to save a life (unintentionally taking another) or the idiot that forced the swerve (in order to save a few seconds)?

that example is fair enough but i honestly believe that of all the deaths on the road the percentage of them caused by cyclists must be so tiny as to be insignificant.

That is pretty much an inargueable fact. Dinneenp is correct in what he says save for some far fetched whataboutery

dinneenp

Robbo wrote: »

Perhaps you could, starting with the 1961 Act, just list out all road traffic offences in handy list format?

My point was about the petty standard of Greenfieldism in the thread to that point. I even lampshaded it, yet here we are, with it arising again.

It does raise a point that on the internets, a cyclist/motorist will latch onto any tiny opportunity to go on off one one, pointing the finger shouting "The other lot are worse".

I gave my point because it's normally motorists that give out about cyclists breaking red lights.
When I cycle and break red lights, cycle on the footpath I'm watching out for any cars/walkers that are about. I don't swerve in front of a car if I'm breakig a red light, that'd be dangerous for me.

Cyclists are always going to do this, keep movement going rather than stop and use energy to build up speed again.

galwaycyclist

dinneenp wrote: »

I gave my point because it's normally motorists that give out about cyclists breaking red lights.
When I cycle and break red lights, cycle on the footpath I'm watching out for any cars/walkers that are about. I don't swerve in front of a car if I'm breakig a red light, that'd be dangerous for me.

Cyclists are always going to do this, keep movement going rather than stop and use energy to build up speed again.

Paris cyclists given right to break traffic laws
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/9067129/Paris-cyclists-given-right-to-break-traffic-laws.html

Paris to allow cyclists to run red lights in bid to cut accidents
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2097882/Paris-allow-cyclists-run-red-lights-bid-cut-accidents.html

European Cities Allowing Bikes to Run Red Lights
http://transportationnation.org/2012/02/09/european-cities-allowing-bikes-to-run-red-lights/

In Galway, the Seamus Quirke redesign is an example of a road where this type of arrangement "could" have been provided if the designers were acting in good faith in their claims of wanting to promote cycling. e.g the junction of the old and new SQRs. Other junctions where a derogation from red lights, or alternative traffic signals for cyclists, could be worth exploring include.

Fr. Griffin Rd/Fairhill (The fire station)
N17/Liosban
N17/Riverside
Newcastle Rd-N59/Distillery Rd
Old Dublin Rd/Renmore Rd
Old Dublin Rd/New Mervue

There are also some lights where a bypass arrangement or separate traffic signals for left-turning cyclists should be possible.

crusher000

Love cycling and I live 17 miles outside of Galway. Winter months take the car summer cycle in. All in all Galway isn't all that bad for cycling although lately has become a bit hazardous with the road works. Last summer had to come of cycle lane at the top of Tuam road down towards Pillo Hotel because of ongoing works and lorries parked on the cycle path. Some motorists still looked at me with disdain for being on "their road" all I could do is laugh to myself. Like everything else the more used to a situation we are the more tolerant we become. When I started cycling first I think I was hyper sensitive to motorist cutting me off etc. but the more confident I became on my bike the more relaxed I became seeing the dangers ahead is a big help.

galway_cyclist

Hi All,

I have recently taken to the bike again to avoid the traffic jams and get a bit more exercise into my day. I always wear a helmet and always obey the rules of the road.

There is one junction on my route that I have particular problems negotiating as I meet cars on my side of the road on an daily basis. Basically I am cycling in the direction of Moycullen and I am moving into the right hand turn lane to enter NUIG here and I often meet cars driving towards me in order to pass out the traffic jam on their side of the road. It has come to the stage now where I believe I am going to get knocked off the bike as this happens on a daily basis...Any advice? Thanks

snubbleste

As you progress north in the morning, extend your right arm in a rigid manner, then motion it slightly(or attempt a jazz hands) to indicate to all and sundry your plain desire to enter the right-turning lane. Then you proceed, move into the right hand lane and turn right.
If a motorist wants to ignore the road markings and jeopardise you and your transport, stand your ground and stare them down. Eventually the left lane will move and the motorist(s) must move into it.

Shakti

yeah thats a dodgy right hander especially in rush hour,
You could take the AIB entrance into the university and follow the road under the bridge instead but I appreciate this might be out of your way, probably best to get off the bike on the left and wait to cross from there or walk up the footpath and wheel the bike on the right from the junction and crossing below, failing that get some flashers for your back and a high vis make sure they can see you.

what_traffic

Shakti wrote: »

yeah thats a dodgy right hander especially in rush hour,
You could take the AIB entrance into the university and follow the road under the bridge instead but I appreciate this might be out of your way, probably best to get off the bike on the left and wait to cross from there or walk up the footpath and wheel the bike on the right from the junction and crossing below, failing that get some flashers for your back and a high vis make sure they can see you.

This is a good recommendation. i.e change your route if this makes your route easier to negotiate. @OP Only way to change the current illegal behaviour would be to report it to the Gardai and the City Council.

snubbleste

Is my recommendation not sound? Surely the cyclist should act the same way as the motorist and exercise their right of way?

what_traffic

snubbleste wrote: »

Is my recommendation not sound? Surely the cyclist should act the same way as the motorist and exercise their right of way?

It is technically but it may not suit the OP. It depends on how confident/experienced/skilled as a cyclist one is to carry out your recommendation.

Iwannahurl

galway_cyclist wrote: »

Hi All,

I have recently taken to the bike again to avoid the traffic jams and get a bit more exercise into my day. I always wear a helmet and always obey the rules of the road.

There is one junction on my route that I have particular problems negotiating as I meet cars on my side of the road on an daily basis. Basically I am cycling in the direction of Moycullen and I am moving into the right hand turn lane to enter NUIG here and I often meet cars driving towards me in order to pass out the traffic jam on their side of the road. It has come to the stage now where I believe I am going to get knocked off the bike as this happens on a daily basis...Any advice? Thanks

Ah yes, I am familiar with that spot and the Irish driving regularly on display there.

May I ask where you are travelling (ie starting out) from? There may be an alternative route.

galwaycyclist

If you cut through the yellow box on the Moycullen Arm of the lights, there used to be a gap into the campus at the bottom of the slope. Not sure but it might still be there.

Also it might be an idea to raise it with Cllr Billy Cameron in the Newcastle post office - he is a cyclist. If you are going to the guards ring Mill St and ask if you can speak to someone from the bike unit and see if you can make an appointment.

galway_cyclist

snubbleste wrote: »

As you progress north in the morning, extend your right arm in a rigid manner, then motion it slightly(or attempt a jazz hands) to indicate to all and sundry your plain desire to enter the right-turning lane. Then you proceed, move into the right hand lane and turn right.
If a motorist wants to ignore the road markings and jeopardise you and your transport, stand your ground and stare them down. Eventually the left lane will move and the motorist(s) must move into it.

Hi snubbleste, Thanks for the reply - I do this already - I put out my right hand, I move into the right turn lane and again I use my hand to indicate that I am turning right.

I have also on occasion, when met by cars stopped in my lane and stared at them and pointed to the arrow on the road, just incase they don't see that they are on the wrong side of the road. I don't even know if they see me as they seem to look around me and not directly at me. At this point someone in the right lane, on the university side of the road stops and lets me through. Then the offending motorist carries on in the wrong lane when I am out of it...

galway_cyclist

Thanks everyone for the responses - I am coming from the Newcastle direction in an attempt to avoid road works out the Rahoon direction and I don't want to go near that roundabout at the back of the hospital as that is a total nightmare so I cycle through Moyola park. The AIB entrance would be out of the way for me and I would still meet the offending motorists if I were to turn right here from the Moyola park exit - Its probably safer for me to meet them face on, at least I can see them, rather than them driving at my back...

galwaycyclist wrote: »

If you cut through the yellow box on the Moycullen Arm of the lights, there used to be a gap into the campus at the bottom of the slope. Not sure but it might still be there.

Also it might be an idea to raise it with Cllr Billy Cameron in the Newcastle post office - he is a cyclist. If you are going to the guards ring Mill St and ask if you can speak to someone from the bike unit and see if you can make an appointment.

Thanks galwaycyclist, I didn't know that about Cllr Billy Cameron - I will certainly look him up. Also didn't know about the bike unit in Mill street - that's also good to know.

galwaycyclist

Watched this junction this morning while waiting to turn left onto the bridge from Moycullen side. I counted 6 cars and a 404 bus come from behind and drive through the right-turn lane going the wrong way.

galway_cyclist

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Watched this junction this morning while waiting to turn left onto the bridge from Moycullen side. I counted 6 cars and a 404 bus come from behind and drive through the right-turn lane going the wrong way.

Yeah it's deceptively dangerous - I met 2 cars coming towards me yesterday morning - One on the complete wrong side of the road and one in the right hand turn lane - That's what made me put up this post! I was terrified!

galwaycyclist

galway_cyclist wrote: »

Yeah it's deceptively dangerous - I met 2 cars coming towards me yesterday morning - One on the complete wrong side of the road and one in the right hand turn lane - That's what made me put up this post! I was terrified!

Hmmm slightly joking but I see it as perceptably dangerous - there's no mistaking a 404 bus coming at you!

Whats deceptively dangerous at Newcastle is the cycle lane arrangement that puts you in a blind spot for turning HGV drivers.

Have you considered Ardilaun Heights instead of Moyola? It comes out at the lights.

galway_cyclist

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Hmmm slightly joking but I see it as perceptably dangerous - there's no mistaking a 404 bus coming at you!

Whats deceptively dangerous at Newcastle is the cycle lane arrangement that puts you in a blind spot for turning HGV drivers.

Have you considered Ardilaun Heights instead of Moyola? It comes out at the lights.

I haven't come face to face with a 404 bus...YET

Where is that cycle lane in Newcastle that puts you in the blind spot? I usually stick to the same route when cycling so I'm not sure if I have gone on that - just to keep that in mind if I am on it.

I will give the Ardilaun Heights route a go tomorrow morning. I was going to try it this morning but I had to get off the bike coming up to that junction and walk on the footpath as there was a traffic jam back to the bus stop at Laurel Park, two cars wide when I arrived there this morning and I had no room to cycle.

antoobrien

galway_cyclist wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the responses - I am coming from the Newcastle direction in an attempt to avoid road works out the Rahoon direction and I don't want to go near that roundabout at the back of the hospital as that is a total nightmare so I cycle through Moyola park.

I'd still recommend going to the AIB Distillery Rd and use that road back to St Anthony's it's only an extra couple of minutes (says somebody who use to cycle 15-20 minutes on a good day to get in).

But if the right turn, or crossing the Moycullen Rd, is causing you that much worry there are two options, which may or may not be of any use to you.

Instead of taking the shorter route, turn left at Thomas Hynes Road and go out to the lights at Dangan and come back in the Moycullen Rd (that's way longer than the AIB route tho).

If you can lift your bike over the rail, use the steps off the QB that links ST Anthony's to the main campus (I did that before they had steps there a more than a few times).

Zzippy

Slightly off topic, but I think the bridge linking Fisheries Field with the campus will be arriving this week, apparently a crane is being erected tomorrow so I would imagine the bridge installation will be over the next few days.
To answer the question from earlier, the bridge will link up with the new walkway along the wall on the far side of th field and exit through the gate between that statue and the apartment block, just here: http://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en&ll=53.275713,-9.057289&spn=0.001591,0.004128&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=53.275713,-9.057289&panoid=f2V0zc1SxBo3bIm4XNC3Ng&cbp=12,43.49,,0,0.94

slideshow bob

just got to make sure you don't whack any pedestrians on the lane.

antoobrien

slideshow bob wrote: »

just got to make sure you don't whack any pedestrians on the lane.

won't (s)he still have to cross the moycullen rd - i get the impression that this is part of the problem.

galway_cyclist

slideshow bob wrote: »

just got to make sure you don't whack any pedestrians on the lane.

Thanks for the map slideshow bob - I used to cycle this way but found it equally as difficult to join traffic there with cars being in the yellow box here... I had to keep to the right of the traffic and the cross in front of traffic to turn left into NUIG, and as you mentioned, I did come across a few pedestrians here also. I'm going to try these suggestions over this week and next and see if they are safer than my original route.

galway_cyclist

antoobrien wrote: »

I'd still recommend going to the AIB Distillery Rd and use that road back to St Anthony's it's only an extra couple of minutes (says somebody who use to cycle 15-20 minutes on a good day to get in).

But if the right turn, or crossing the Moycullen Rd, is causing you that much worry there are two options, which may or may not be of any use to you.

Instead of taking the shorter route, turn left at Thomas Hynes Road and go out to the lights at Dangan and come back in the Moycullen Rd (that's way longer than the AIB route tho).

If you can lift your bike over the rail, use the steps off the QB that links ST Anthony's to the main campus (I did that before they had steps there a more than a few times).

Hi antoobrien, thanks for the post - is this the route that you are suggesting?

I don't think I could manage to carry the bike down/up stairs/ over rails to be honest

galwaycyclist

galway_cyclist wrote: »

Hi antoobrien, thanks for the post - is this the route that you are suggesting?

I don't think I could manage to carry the bike down/up stairs/ over rails to be honest

There is a little wheeling ramp at the edge of the steps down to the campus from the bridge I have never used it so I can't say what kind of challenge they pose ergonomically speaking.

antoobrien

galway_cyclist wrote: »

Hi antoobrien, thanks for the post - is this the route that you are suggesting?

Yes, that's the AIB route that has been suggested

galway_cyclist wrote: »

I don't think I could manage to carry the bike down/up stairs/ over rails to be honest

Unless its a really heavy old clunker it wont be a problem, trust me. There's no rail since they put the steps in (tell you how long ago I've used it), so there's no need to lift it at all, mea culpa.

Just put it up on its rear wheel and wheel it down the steps. Shouldn't be too hard getting it back up the steps either, but it's not that much of a detour to go back out by distillery rd if you don't want to do that.

slideshow bob

Getting the bike down the wheeling ramp beside steps is a bit awkward, but doable (Yellow Route). The route behind the innovation centre saves you that though (Red Route).

Cakewheels

Zzippy wrote: »

Slightly off topic, but I think the bridge linking Fisheries Field with the campus will be arriving this week, apparently a crane is being erected tomorrow so I would imagine the bridge installation will be over the next few days.
To answer the question from earlier, the bridge will link up with the new walkway along the wall on the far side of th field and exit through the gate between that statue and the apartment block, just here: http://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en&ll=53.275713,-9.057289&spn=0.001591,0.004128&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=53.275713,-9.057289&panoid=f2V0zc1SxBo3bIm4XNC3Ng&cbp=12,43.49,,0,0.94

Thanks for that. really don't see the point in it for cyclists though (are they claiming it's partly for cyclists?) without another bridge going across the corrib. I'm sure it'll be nice for people just going for a stroll, but I'm guessing most people on bikes will just go the way they always have. As well as having to dismount for the bridge itself, cyclists would probably have to walk most of the way on that path if there's going to be people walking on it, it's not very wide is it? And then how to get back onto the road at the Salmon Wier bridge, right where cars are turning? You need to be in the middle of the road approaching the Salmon Wier.