Dangerous roundabouts

zagmund

Does anyone know who I can get in touch with about the layout of the roundabouts on the Strand Road at Sandymount ?

I know they have been here for a good while and I haven't heard much in the way of accidents & incidents there, but I would say that 30% of the time when I cycle across them I have a 'near miss' with a car.

Bear in mind that in the last 10 years or so I might have had maybe 3 or 4 near misses in total other than on the Strand Road.

The problem is that no matter how big I fluff myself up, no matter how much road space I occupy, no matter how filthy a look I give drivers . . . they seem to totally miss the fact that there is a cyclist in possession of the road approaching the roundabout. They seem to see it as a chicane sort of thing, to be done as fast as possible, as close to the edge as possible, etc . . . and miss the fact there is a cyclist there.

Some of the roundabouts aren't so bad because they are effectively 'flat' so if a driver has to drive over it (instead of knocking me down) they can, but some of them have assorted furniture such as yield signs, bollards, etc . . . which forces the car away from the roundabout and in towards the kerb/me.

For example, in this junction, cars come along at speed on the right, see that the divider on their right curves in to the left and then realise they have to pull in quickly to the left (where I am) to avoid running over the island.

9 times out of 10 when I cycle that route I will cycle on the path on the sea side where you don't have to worry about cars, but I occasionally feel guilty about the pedestrians so I take the road instead.

Anyhoo, who do I need to write to about this to see if the approaches to the roundabouts can be made a little safer by taking out the hard obstacles which force the cars into my path ?

z

endacl

zagmund wrote: »

Does anyone know who I can get in touch with about the layout of the roundabouts on the Strand Road at Sandymount ?

I know they have been here for a good while and I haven't heard much in the way of accidents & incidents there, but I would say that 30% of the time when I cycle across them I have a 'near miss' with a car.

Bear in mind that in the last 10 years or so I might have had maybe 3 or 4 near misses in total.

The problem is that no matter how big I fluff myself up, no matter how much road space I occupy, no matter how filthy a look I give drivers . . . they seem to totally miss the fact that there is a cyclist in possession of the road approaching the roundabout. They seem to see it as a chicane sort of thing, to be done as fast as possible, as close to the edge as possible, etc . . . and miss the fact there is a cyclist there.

Some of the roundabouts aren't so bad because they are effectively 'flat' so if a driver has to drive over it (instead of knocking me down) they can, but some of them have assorted furniture such as yield signs, bollards, etc . . . which forces the car away from the roundabout and in towards the kerb/me.

For example, in this junction, cars come along at speed on the right, see that the divider on their right curves in to the left and then realise they have to pull in quickly to the left (where I am) to avoid running over the island.

9 times out of 10 when I cycle that route I will cycle on the path on the sea side where you don't have to worry about cars, but I occasionally feel guilty about the pedestrians so I take the road instead.

Anyhoo, who do I need to write to about this to see if the approaches to the roundabouts can be made a little safer by taking out the hard obstacles which force the cars into my path ?

z

Good luck with that. Would love to see you getting somewhere with a complaint, but can't help thinking, good luck with that.....

ballooba

There is a plan in train for a cycle path along the coast? Perhaps you could contact the councillors involved to seek priority for this segment.

Victor

traffic (at ) dublincity dot ie

Cycle in the centre of the traffic lane.

zagmund

Victor wrote: »

traffic (at ) dublincity dot ie

Cycle in the centre of the traffic lane.

Thanks - I'll give it a shot with the email.

I do cycle in the centre of the lane, but for some unknown reason drivers on this stretch seem to see it as a challenge to try to squeeze in at high speed between me and the island.

There was one time a few weeks back where I turned around on the approach, looked the driver in the eye, stuck my arm out and moved out to the right - fully half way across the lane - and the driver *still* tried to overtake me coming into the roundabout. Much yelling and cursing ensued.

I would be one of the more sensible cyclists around (or at least I like to think so). I don't take chances, I'll pull over and let traffic go by if it looks like I can't get into position safely. For some reason, even when I think it's safe along this stretch and there's no way someone could try to pull a fast one, drivers think otherwise.

z

christmas2012

roundabouts in galway are terrible - traffic lights with them too.

markpb

zagmund wrote: »

There was one time a few weeks back where I turned around on the approach, looked the driver in the eye, stuck my arm out and moved out to the right - fully half way across the lane - and the driver *still* tried to overtake me coming into the roundabout. Much yelling and cursing ensued.

Take a note of the time, location and their reg and ring the Garda TrafficWatch. Probably nothing will come of it but it can't hurt.

Dravokivich

zagmund wrote: »

There was one time a few weeks back where I turned around on the approach, looked the driver in the eye, stuck my arm out and moved out to the right - fully half way across the lane - and the driver *still* tried to overtake me coming into the roundabout. Much yelling and cursing ensued.

I've seen that too much myself and unless there's no traffic about, whenever I hit a round about I get off my bike and become a pedestrian.

the groutch

you'll alway have eejit drivers, so the best you can do is petition the local authority about the layout.
It's looks like the island needs to be extended further out left or cut inwards at the wide part, either way removing this "lane and a half" situation.

but this situation doesnt justify you cycling on the footpath, two wrongs don't make a right.

Cookie_Monster

ballooba wrote: »

There is a plan in train for a cycle path along the coast? Perhaps you could contact the councillors involved to seek priority for this segment.

how does that in anyway address or help the issue?

Vic_08

the groutch wrote: »

you'll alway have eejit drivers, so the best you can do is petition the local authority about the layout.
It's looks like the island needs to be extended further out left or cut inwards at the wide part, either way removing this "lane and a half" situation.

It most certainly isn't a "lane and a half" in a large vehicle. those roundabouts are already very tight as is, any more concrete and there would be no way of navigating them without mounting kerbs.

I completely agree with the OP, they are unnecessarily dangerous. I don't expect anything positive will be done though, quite the opposite. Every other week brings more badly planned and executed street furniture in Dublin seemingly designed to create issues where none previously existed. Funny, in a recession I would have thought such pointless constructions would have been cut back on but apparently not.

patrickbrophy18

Vic_08 wrote: »

Funny, in a recession I would have thought such pointless constructions would have been cut back on but apparently not.

They probably think that austerity measures apply to traffic flow and numbers too!:D

AltAccount

Just a question, as you go around the roundabout do you follow the curve of the left hand side, or do you just plough through, straight line?

zagmund

AltAccount wrote: »

Just a question, as you go around the roundabout do you follow the curve of the left hand side, or do you just plough through, straight line?

As there *is not* sufficient room for a car and bike to go around it at the same time I will occupy the road first, then cycle straight through. Given that the road in front is occupied (once on the roundabout), cars have no option but to stay behind. Veering off to the left (on such a small roundabout) would make it look like I was exiting earlier than I intended and only gives the driver an opportunity to try to squeeze past and run me over while we both try to exit the roundabout through the same narrow slot.

z

zagmund

the groutch wrote: »

you'll alway have eejit drivers, so the best you can do is petition the local authority about the layout.

[snip]

two wrongs don't make a right.

That's not the best I can do. I can avoid the scenario and reduce the risk of me being run over. That is better.

Two wrongs don't make a right - indeed. You're not wrong there. However, I have no intention of being right and dead. You may have heard of the term phyrric victory. It would apply in just such a situation.

z

AltAccount

zagmund wrote: »

As there *is not* sufficient room for a car and bike to go around it at the same time I will occupy the road first, then cycle straight through. Given that the road in front is occupied (once on the roundabout), cars have no option but to stay behind. Veering off to the left (on such a small roundabout) would make it look like I was exiting earlier than I intended and only gives the driver an opportunity to try to squeeze past and run me over while we both try to exit the roundabout through the same narrow slot.

z

Yeah, that's how I'd do it too, I'm surprised you're having so many issues while using that tactic!

steve-o

The left turn from Macken Street to Grand Canal Street has the same problem. When they "improved" the junction they made the lanes far too narrow, so sitting in the middle of the lane is the only way to safely do it.