Witnesses sought to Dublin crash (Cloghran, 0730h, February 20th)

Bunnyhopper

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0220/breaking39.html

Gardaí in Dublin are appealing for witnesses to a traffic collision that left a cyclist in a serious condition in hospital.

The crash between an articulated lorry and a cyclist happened at 7.30am today on the Swords Road at Cloghran, just north of the main Dublin airport roundabout.

The cyclist was seriously injured in the incident and was taken to Beaumont Hospital.

The driver of the truck was uninjured.

Anyone who was in the area at the time and may have witnessed the incident is asked to contact gardaí at Dublin airport on 01-6664950 or any Garda station.

It doesn't sound good, but I hope the cyclist is okay.

EDIT: This breakingnews report refers to the cyclist as a 42-year-old woman.

shaungil

Got shiver there my usual route in the mornings hope whoever it is is okay.

Hungrycol

That's my regular route too and I saw and ambulance, fire engine and said truck all cordened off by policy and all traffic being directed towards the M1. It looked very serious from a distance, hope cyclist recovers OK.

On the motorbike today and normally pass that spot around 7.55 on my bicycle. It isn't a particularly fast or dangerous strech of road either.

Jawgap

That's one of the routes I use routinely and that would be approximately the time I'd been rolling along there - came a different way this morning.

Hope everyone involved is ok.

Wishbone Ash

Was it southbound where the route to the motorway veers off to the left (just after The Coachman's)? Can be awkward there sometimes.

instinct

Going past coachmans towards airport and trying to filter across to the outside lane while traffic is zooming onto the m1?

It's a nasty section that needs to be timed well in advance.

I hope lady recovers and im sure the truck driver is well shaken up. Thoughts are with them.

Ryaner

It was less than 100m from the white line at the roundabout. Came by it just as the Garda were closing the road. Saw the woman on the side of the road under a blanket with the truck further up the road a few meters.
At the time I had assumed she got bumped and clipped the curb or something. It wasn't until I passed the truck that I got an indication that it was involved.

In any case, I do hope everyone involved has a full recovery.

Hungrycol

Yeah almost at the roundabout at the lights coming from the coachmans towards the airport. The cyclist got past the worst bit in crossing to the roundabout from the Coachmans for those that know it.

djbproductions

I really hope the cyclist is ok? I cycle that route most days and would be at coachmans around the time it happened but I left the house 5mins early as I knew wind was against me on the way in so nice to have a bit more time, so I missed what happend. Its not a bad spot to cross lanes, just have to watch out for speeding cars but alot of the time they will slow down to let me cross the white line.

Anyhow, hope he/she gets better soon? I have been knocked off my bike a few times over the years and really feel for others that have the same happen.

Pablo Rubio

Really sorry to hear about this. This is my normal route every morning at that time as well. I put in a good bit of mileage last few days and decided to rest the legs and drive this morning. You need to have your wits about you there, the drivers just don't give you a chance. I often press the pedestrian lights outside the coachmans to stop the traffic and let me get agross the road.

Hope she recovers. This type of news is getting a bit to frequent lately!!!!:(

monkeypants

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Was it southbound where the route to the motorway veers off to the left (just after The Coachman's)? Can be awkward there sometimes.

It can be awkward in a car sometimes if you come across someone who's ignorant and won't allow you to change lane. Would not risk it on my bike.

StaggerLee

Pablo Rubio wrote: »

Really sorry to hear about this. This is my normal route every morning at that time as well. I put in a good bit of mileage last few days and decided to rest the legs and drive this morning. You need to have your wits about you there, the drivers just don't give you a chance. I often press the pedestrian lights outside the coachmans to stop the traffic and let me get agross the road.

Hope she recovers. This type of news is getting a bit to frequent lately!!!!:(

It is becoming more frequent, this is third time in a week there has been a discussion about an accident on here. I hope that woman is okay. I commute from Kinsealy to Clonskeagh a couple of times a week on my bike. I'm starting to think is it worth the hassle.:(

Hungrycol

Fortunately these instances are rare, 99% of cyclists commute without incident. Accidents, like a lot of bad news, gets noticed and reported on.

Use a lot of common sense, have good bike handling skills and fast reactions, assume that every road user is an incompetent imbecile, think that you are invisible to all other road user and you should be OK.

StaggerLee

Hungrycol wrote: »

Fortunately these instances are rare, 99% of cyclists commute without incident. Accidents, like a lot of bad news, gets noticed and reported on.

Use a lot of common sense, have good bike handling skills and fast reactions, assume that every road user is an incompetent imbecile, think that you are invisible to all other road user and you should be OK.

I hold up my end of the deal, its the "incompetent imbeciles" who worry me.

petethedrummer

I cycle there every day these days. A significant proportion of cars go far too fast but there are usually large gaps to get across if you wait and plan your move ahead.

JH_raheny

Hungrycol wrote: »

Fortunately these instances are rare, 99% of cyclists commute without incident. Accidents, like a lot of bad news, gets noticed and reported on.

Use a lot of common sense, have good bike handling skills and fast reactions, assume that every road user is an incompetent imbecile, think that you are invisible to all other road user and you should be OK.

couldn't have said it better, worked for me for last 10 years as a motorcyclist and will apply all same when out on the MTB if I don't stick to just off-roading on it

Wishbone Ash

I think they should close off the sliproad to the M1 there and funnel all traffic via the roundabout, The wide sweeping sliproad only encourages motorists to speed up in that area. There's no real need for it since the rest of the M1 opened. Traffic calming measures could be put in place from The Coachmans to the airport roundabout with a proper cycle lane.

superlav

I passed by the aftermath of this incident. The ambulance had just left and the truck was stopped with lines painted round the tyres to mark it's position. Gardaí were diverting all traffic up to the M1 roundabout.

Looked to me like the it occurred well past the point where you have to cross the road, closer to the airport roundabout.

Wishbone Ash

superlav wrote: »

Gardaí were diverting all traffic up to the M1 roundabout

...even Leaner Permit holders and cyclists? :eek:

Davewest

This is my brothers wife's sister and was badly crushed by truck and i was talking to him today and the injurys are horrific and she is on life support and there's talk about switching it off soon so sad there dad only recently died of cancer and such a nice honest hard working family she also has 3 kids and she just wanted to be more active by cycling ;(

Kav0777

Davewest wrote: »

This is my brothers wife's sister and was badly crushed by truck and i was talking to him today and the injurys are horrific and she is on life support and there's talk about switching it off soon so sad there dad only recently died of cancer and such a nice honest hard working family she also has 3 kids and she just wanted to be more active by cycling ;(

My condolences

Hungrycol

My God that's awful.

Hungrycol

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

...even Leaner Permit holders and cyclists? :eek:

You don't have to go onto the M1 from that slip road. You can go around the roundabout and back to the airport roundabout. A lot more dangerous on a bike to do that though.

I'm still in shock from the above, how on earth did she get caught under the lorry. It must have overtaken her coming up the roundabout, spooked her, she clipped the kerb and went under. Horrific, truly horrific.

shaungil

Hate that stretch of road. Always scoot up the outside lane coming to the roundabout as if going right then hug the barrier the whole way up to the big roundabout.

Really sad story.

superlav

Davewest wrote: »

This is my brothers wife's sister and was badly crushed by truck and i was talking to him today and the injurys are horrific and she is on life support and there's talk about switching it off soon so sad there dad only recently died of cancer and such a nice honest hard working family she also has 3 kids and she just wanted to be more active by cycling

Very sorry to hear that. Will be thinking of her as I cycle that route daily.

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

...even Leaner Permit holders and cyclists?;(

The ambulance had just left so they let me pass on my bike, but were still diverting cars etc.

Ryaner

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I think they should close off the sliproad to the M1 there and funnel all traffic via the roundabout, The wide sweeping sliproad only encourages motorists to speed up in that area. There's no real need for it since the rest of the M1 opened. Traffic calming measures could be put in place from The Coachmans to the airport roundabout with a proper cycle lane.

The Garda a regularly on that sliproad with the speed cameras in the mornings. More does need to be done however.

The roadwords just after the roundabout is actually being re-done to give a cycle lane. However spending the money on some driver training would go further. Too many drivers don't understand the danger of overtaking and suddenly pulling in in front of cyclists, especially at roundabouts.

hungrycol wrote:

I'm still in shock from the above, how on earth did she get caught under the lorry. It must have overtaken her coming up the roundabout, spooked her, she clipped the kerb and went under. Horrific, truly horrific.

See above. I've gotten in the habit of sitting in the middle of the lane coming to roundabouts because of this. Too many times I've nearly ended up in the back of some car that has ripped by me and literally slammed on the brakes at a roundabout.

@Davewest, my condolences. I do hope it doesn't come down to the worst

djbproductions

Davewest wrote: »

This is my brothers wife's sister and was badly crushed by truck and i was talking to him today and the injurys are horrific and she is on life support and there's talk about switching it off soon so sad there dad only recently died of cancer and such a nice honest hard working family she also has 3 kids and she just wanted to be more active by cycling ;(

Reading this has made my heart sink, I am so sorry to hear about her condition. I am not religious but I think when I pass that spot on my way to work tomorrow I will say a short prayer. We as cyclists are so prone to accidents & injury and we have little or no protection when involved in a road traffic accident.

tomasrojo

This is terrible, and I'm genuinely sorry to hear about the cyclist's condition.

djbproductions wrote: »

We as cyclists are so prone to accidents & injury.

I know this is well meant, but it's not really true. If you look at population-level statistics, cyclists on average aren't prone to anything much more than the odd scrape or if you're quite unlucky a broken collarbone; and they live a few years longer on average than non-cyclist. What happened to this poor woman is really very rare, though alarming and shocking.

Mycroft H

tomasrojo wrote: »

This is terrible, and I'm genuinely sorry to hear about the cyclist's condition.

djbproductions wrote: »

We as cyclists are so prone to accidents & injury.

I know this is well meant, but it's not really true. If you look at population-level statistics, cyclists on average aren't prone to anything much more than the odd scrape or if you're quite unlucky a broken collarbone; and they live a few years longer on average than non-cyclist. What happened to this poor woman is really very rare, though alarming and shocking.

Problem is we're always coming off worse in an accident. In anything where a +1 tonne metal box and a cyclist are involved, we're usually the ones worse off. The physics does not add up in our favour.

Stay sharp out there.

tomasrojo

BX 19 wrote: »

Problem is we're always coming off worse in an accident. In anything where a +1 tonne metal box and a cyclist are involved, we're usually the ones worse off. The physics does not add up in our favour.

Stay sharp out there.

I can't see much evidence that "accidents" (by which I assume is meant collisions between cyclists and motorised vehicles) are common, but that is the impression left by some comments above.

This is probably an inappropriate place to have this discussion, so I'll drop the subject.

Blustez

@Davewest I was shocked to hear how severe the injuries are my thoughts and parayers are with her and her family. I cycle that route everyday and passed by just as the garda arrived and started to divert the traffic. Even this morning I paused at those lights and said a short prayer.

I wont get into the rights and wrongs of road users as I see a lot of stupidty from all road users and this is not the plcae for this.

Keep safe everyone and respect everyones rights to use the roads!

Splinter

Heard about this this morning, I work with the sister of the lady involved. Hope all works out

djbproductions

tomasrojo ... what I was supposed to say in my post was that when a cyclist is involved in an accident especially with a car/van/bus we come off worse. I have been cycling along time (over 25 years) and have had many crashes some through my own stupidity and others when a car or bus was in the wrong. On these occassions I was brought to hospital but as an ambulance or police service was not required at the time it doesnt become a statistic. I am sure alot of these arent reported. I know myself that it is a safe sport and I would never give up cycling. My wife makes me text her when I get to work as she worries when I dont check in to say I made it safely. I have a young son and cant wait to show him the joys of cycling but will make sure to warn him about the possibilities of having accidents that are sometimes unavoidable.

Just this morning on my 15km commute from Swords to City Centre, I was on the roundabout before The Coachman's (just before the road where I believe the accident mentioned took place) and a bus (Swords Express) nearly ran me off the road. It looked like he didnt realise how big a turning curve he needed while on the roundabout and was 1 inch away from knocking me flying. I noticed him at the last minute in the corner of my eye on my right hand side and had to take action to prevent being side swiped. Some might argue that there is a cycle path so I dont have to take the roundabout, but I have tried this a few times and found it more dangerous as cars fly around the bends at speed and it is very hard to judge when to cross. I think I will need to take up more of the lane when coming into the roundabout to stop a bus or likewise trying to take the roundabout with me.

RobFowl

@Davewest I'm terribly sorry to hear about the ladys horrific injuries. As cyclists we here can do little but emphatise with her and her family/friends at this time.
I hope things improve but if not for what it's worth we'll be thinking of you.

StaggerLee

I come in from Swords too, I avoid the airport road for the reasons described above. That section at the coachmans is dodgy in a car sometimes. I take the feltrim road and then head into town via the Malahide road, seems the safer option to me, I head out to Donnybrook so that route works for me, its a bit of a detour if you're heading certain parts of the city though.

cranks

Davewest wrote: »

This is my brothers wife's sister and was badly crushed by truck and i was talking to him today and the injurys are horrific and she is on life support and there's talk about switching it off soon so sad there dad only recently died of cancer and such a nice honest hard working family she also has 3 kids and she just wanted to be more active by cycling ;(

Thanks for your post Davewest. Reading it has shaken me and it brings the awfulness of this accident home to me. As a cyclist it's upsetting; as a regular Joe my sympathies are with you and your family. I wish the injured party all the very best.

I hope this request of fellow Boardsies isn't seen as trite, but give a thumbs up to Davewest's post as a mark of solidarity

Bunnyhopper

@Davewest - Thanks for posting. I said in the opening post here that the reports did not sound good, and I'm very sad to hear just how bad the situation is. My thoughts are with this woman, her family and friends, and I hope that all the sympathies being expressed here are some small comfort to them.

Wishbone Ash

Davewest wrote: »

This is my brothers wife's sister and was badly crushed by truck and i was talking to him today and the injurys are horrific and she is on life support and there's talk about switching it off soon so sad there dad only recently died of cancer and such a nice honest hard working family she also has 3 kids and she just wanted to be more active by cycling ;(

Sorry to hear that Dave. I cycle past there several time a week and my thoughts and prayers are with her as I pass.

Hungrycol wrote: »

You don't have to go onto the M1 from that slip road. You can go around the roundabout and back to the airport roundabout

That section from the airport area to the M1 proper is also a motorway. It's known as the M1 East/West. Check the signage next time you are passing - all blue and white with a continuous line seperating the hard shoulder indicating a motorway. Hence my query about diverting all traffic up there and back.

shaungil wrote: »

hug the barrier the whole way up to the big roundabout

I tried that a few times but was blown out of it by motorised traffic. Now I go up the hatched markings on the left right up to the bend and cross over at the narrowest point. On a dreary wet day with poor visability, it actually pays to come to a stop there and double check before crossing.

djbproductions wrote: »

I think I will need to take up more of the lane when coming into the roundabout to stop a bus or likewise trying to take the roundabout with me.

Yes you need to 'claim' the lane and make them wait behind you. It doesn't always work out though. I agree with that silly cycle lane skirting the junction - feels more dangerous. Do they want us to walk around the roundabout?

QueensGael

Very sorry to hear about this

Davewest

I am sad to say my brothers wifes sister died this morning from this accident her life support was turned off !!!

Vélo

Davewest wrote: »

I am sad to say my brothers wifes sister died this morning from this accident her life support was turned off just another statistic now!!!

Very sorry to hear this.

RIP!

Moflojo

Davewest wrote: »

I am sad to say my brothers wifes sister died this morning from this accident her life support was turned off just another statistic now!!!

Awfully sad news, may she rest in peace.

Splinter

Sorry to hear,

RIP, my thoughts are with you all

Captain Havoc

Very sorry for your loss may she rest in peace.

Hungrycol

Davewest wrote: »

I am sad to say my brothers wifes sister died this morning from this accident her life support was turned off just another statistic now!!!

My thoughts are with her family.

She isn't just a statistic, he was a wife, mother, sister, daughter. Just someone on their way to work in the hope that they'll feel better in doing so.

Bunnyhopper

That is desperately sad news, Davewest. You have my sympathies.

djbproductions

I am so sorry to hear the sad news ... thanks for letting us know and our thoughts and prayers are with you and her family.

kennyb3

RIP, very sorry to hear this. Another one who's usual route this is normally (injured at present). Scary scary scary.

manwithaplan

I am terribly sorry to hear this. My thoughts are with her family and friends.

Wishbone Ash

Davewest - very sorry for your loss.

jarvis

This lady was one of the nicest people I ever had the pleasure of knowing. Her consistent good humour and friendliness was an example to everyone. Her glass was never half full it was completely overflowing every minute of every day. Although I never met her family she spoke of them constantly and she was so happy in her life. She was completely committed and dedicated to everything she put her mind to and I will never forget her. My life is all the better for knowing her. I feel so sad for her family especially her kids. They haven't just lost a mother/wife/sister/daughter they've lost one of the finest people you could ever meet. I'm gonna miss you so much J, I will always remember you and the brightness you brought to the lives of everyone you met. RIP x