traffic

gordongekko

What's with the traffic this afternoon. Its mad everywhere

ciano1

NUIG Graduations? 100's of families flocking to Galway for the day

Storm 10

I was heading to College road this evening when about five Garda cars with flashing lights closed all the roads heading to the docks and College road, I was held up for arounf fifteen minutes until a large truck with a huge boat on board went past, surely this could have been brought in around 7pm causing less disruption to traffic its bad enough here.

Cheshire Cat

The relics in the cathedral seem to attract major crowds, too and the rain doesn't help either!

Kittywake

Left parkmore at 4.30 for a journey that took 10 mins yesterday. Still sitting in traffic more than an hour later. Came through tuam road lights no problem and then came to a complete standstill on bothar na dTreabh just after turn into Glenburren park! Am about half way down the road so could be another hour here yet...aaagghhh!!

UsBus

The f**kin relic of st anthony........that's what has the traffic so bad..?
2-3 miles of a tailback on the tuam road coming in. Traffic lights are really working alrite..

dastardly00

sweet Jesus this is bad. I left Parkmore over 40 minutes ago... I'm only at the An Post depot on the Tuam road now!

snubbleste

It's completely banjaxed!

It's the sheer volume of cars all trying to get through and yes, I did notice that the majority were single occupancy vehicles.
Lots of stupid stuff happening, like cars doing u-turns on BnaT, on the bridge.

Bodkin is causing Kirwan to be blocked and the N6 to back up all the way out the Tuam Rd.
There really should be a traffic person at Bodkin & Kirwan because people are getting stuck for hours

snubbleste

Also, one of the few rat runs to avoid Bodkin- Dyke Rd earlier. Stuck?

gordongekko

6.50 and the traffic is still heavy. Its a fecking joke

zarquon

One of the worst evenings of traffic i have ever experienced in Galway. Avoid the city at all costs if you can.

Diabhal Beag

Took me 75 minutes to get from GMIT to Wellpark. A journey that takes half hour took 2 hours tonight. If I was in a rush I'd have gone on a murderous rampage.

fergiesfolly

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Took me 75 minutes to get from GMIT to Wellpark. A journey that takes half hour took 2 hours tonight. If I was in a rush I'd have gone on a murderous rampage.

Surely you'd WALK from GMIT to Wellpark in ten minutes.
It's no wonder the towns clogged

Worn Out

My 3.5 mile cycle took the usual 20 minutes to cross the whole city.

snubbleste

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Surely you'd WALK from GMIT to Wellpark in ten minutes. It's no wonder the towns clogged

I'd say he was travelling further, possibly to College Road

zarquon

Worn Out wrote: »

My 3.5 mile cycle took the usual 20 minutes to cross the whole city.

Hope you brought some good rain gear

Diabhal Beag

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Surely you'd WALK from GMIT to Wellpark in ten minutes.
It's no wonder the towns clogged

People use cars for long distance travel too bb.

dastardly00

Worn Out wrote: »

My 3.5 mile cycle took the usual 20 minutes to cross the whole city.

Were you not even slowed a bit given the awful weather conditions and the huge volume of traffic?

evil_seed

The gardaí had traffic blocked at the moneen junction earlier today. Nothing was moving. The 2 ambulances came tearing in the Dublin road. No idea what it was in relation to but must've bee serious for them to stop the traffic

Iwannahurl

SNAFU.

I tried to cross town (by car) today around 12:30. Luckily my journey was not essential, so I turned round at University Road and went home.

I did wonder whether the diabolical traffic had something to do with the Cathedral. Hadn't heard anything about relics.

BTW, St. Anthony is the patron saint of travellers, with a small t. The ironing is delicious.

I predict entirely predictable headlines in the local press, Wednesday to Friday this week, and perhaps forever. And Mr F will again be on GBFM asking (rhetorically) what's wrong with 90% of cars being single occupant.

And to send just about everyone into a state of stratospheric apoplexy, the Director of Services for Transport & Infrastructure, who has been offered the job of Sligo County Manager, is out of the country at the moment, while the head of the Galway Transport Unit is on extended leave until April 2014.

What else? Oh yes, big match in Pearse Stadium and and Races in Ballybrit on Sunday, coinciding with a Macnas Parade I believe.

The perfect storm?

galwayrush

Traffic is normally bad enough, but it's beyond brutal when any event takes part in the City. If only we had a way to divert motorists around the City without having to make them go so close to the centre.:rolleyes:

kevin65

Took me an hour to get across Galway this evening! The traffic is Galway City is beyond a joke. It's those b*stards who continue to object to any infrastructure project that are the main reason for this. There should be a ring road around Galway years ago.

Storm 10

One thing that makes me mad is when the City Council say that Galway is a medevil City with narrow roads which is causing the traffic problems, well excuse me the problem is not in the City its on the stupid roads and traffic lights around the outskirts that ye have done that has destroyed this City, I never have a problem driving around the City.

desaparecidos

Why the focus on single occupant cars? It's an unavoidable fact of life. People have different starting points, different destinations, and different timelines. If you did force people who happened to be going the same place at the same time from the same starting point to travel together, the reduction of cars would be minuscule. Waste of time talking about single occupant cars.

Antifa161

snubbleste wrote: »

Also, one of the few rat runs to avoid Bodkin- Dyke Rd earlier. Stuck?

Isn't there a yoke immediately before this that you have to drive under to make sure your car is small enough?

LoonyLovegood

I was on a bus from the Tuam Road to NUIG today, usually takes 20 minutes, took an hour today. Left at 3.05 for a lecture at 4, missed the lecture. Madness!

Iwannahurl

desaparecidos wrote: »

Why the focus on single occupant cars? It's an unavoidable fact of life. People have different starting points, different destinations, and different timelines. If you did force people who happened to be going the same place at the same time from the same starting point to travel together, the reduction of cars would be minuscule. Waste of time talking about single occupant cars.

CTYIgirl wrote: »

I was on a bus from the Tuam Road to NUIG today, usually takes 20 minutes, took an hour today. Left at 3.05 for a lecture at 4, missed the lecture. Madness!

You should be driving, apparently.

galwayrush wrote: »

Traffic is normally bad enough, but it's beyond brutal when any event takes part in the City. If only we had a way to divert motorists around the City without having to make them go so close to the centre.:rolleyes:

It is well-known that traffic is "beyond brutal" in Galway City when "any event" takes place, so huge numbers of people choose to drive there anyway?

I know the people going to kiss a glass box containing a fragment of an alleged saint's alleged jawbone may not be thinking entirely rationally, but what about all the others?

desaparecidos

desaparecidos wrote: »

Why the focus on single occupant cars? It's an unavoidable fact of life. People have different starting points, different destinations, and different timelines. If you did force people who happened to be going the same place at the same time from the same starting point to travel together, the reduction of cars would be minuscule. Waste of time talking about single occupant cars.

+1, most people who bring their car need their own car for various different reasons. The who single car occupancy is just nonsense talk.

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Oh how I detest that picture as it means absolutely nothing in the real world. You used that in a reply to a post that stated people work on different time lines, travel to different places, have various things to do during the day and evening etc all which they need the car for and that leaving aside the fact that buses don't exist unless you live in the city and even then you have to work to their time table and their route not what suits you or if you need to transport things with you daily etc etc.

Iwannahurl wrote: »

I know the people going to kiss a glass box containing a fragment of an alleged saint's alleged jawbone may not be thinking entirely rationally, but what about all the others?

Some anti-catholic bile thrown in for good measure too.

Terrible post as usual.

Sniipe

Antifa161 wrote: »

Isn't there a yoke immediately before this that you have to drive under to make sure your car is small enough?

That has been hit upwards... and the chains are also missing from it. I saw this van yesterday. They tried taking the air out of the tyres... it was really wedged in. Then they had to get another truck to toe it out. I guess that was successful.

what_traffic

I did Parkmore to Rahoon(11km) via the Docks in 35 minutes at 17h30 yesterday. Had no major holdups bar the odd traffic light. Alot of car traffic though.

Iwannahurl

Mohammed Muscular Beginner wrote: »

+1, most people who bring their car need their own car for various different reasons. The who single car occupancy is just nonsense talk.

Oh how I detest that picture as it means absolutely nothing in the real world. You used that in a reply to a post that stated people work on different time lines, travel to different places, have various things to do during the day and evening etc all which they need the car for and that leaving aside the fact that buses don't exist unless you live in the city and even then you have to work to their time table and their route not what suits you or if you need to transport things with you daily etc etc.

Some anti-catholic bile thrown in for good measure too.

Terrible post as usual.

In the real world road space is finite, and cars (most especially single-occupant) take up a grossly disproportionate amount of that space compared to other modes of travel. Regardless of people's reasons -- or excuses -- for using their car, that fact is undeniable and inescapable.





According to the Smarter Travel documentation, 47% of the population in the "Galway Metropolitan Smarter Travel Area" travel 4 km or less to work and education.

Last year a Redemptorist apologised from the altar to people who had received Fixed Charge Notices for illegal parking during the Novena (including obstruction of footpaths, as per usual). Another cleric was reported in the media as condemning enforcement of parking regulations because people attending the Novena (2012 theme: the virtues of living a good Christian life) were spending their money in local pubs and restaurants. You couldn't make it up.

Iwannahurl

Iwannahurl wrote: »

In the real world road space is finite, and cars (most especially single-occupant) take up a grossly disproportionate amount of that space compared to other modes of travel. Regardless of people's reasons -- or excuses -- for using their car, that fact is undeniable and inescapable.

But showing the picture and stating how much space a car takes up is totally irrelevant with the other forms of transport are of no use to a lot of people (not all people but a lot of people). You might as well be showing pictures of a non-existent underground rail system for all the good a bus or a bike are to a lot of people.

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Last year a Redemptorist apologised from the altar to people who had received Fixed Charge Notices for illegal parking during the Novena (including obstruction of footpaths, as per usual). Another cleric was reported in the media as condemning enforcement of parking regulations because people attending the Novena (2012 theme: the virtues of living a good Christian life) were spending their money in local pubs and restaurants. You couldn't make it up.

There should definitely be leniency shown towards people attending big events imo. Especially ones like the Novena where a lot of elderly people etc need to get as close as possible to the cathedral.

dastardly00

what_traffic wrote: »

I did Parkmore to Rahoon(11km) via the Docks in 35 minutes at 17h30 yesterday. Had no major holdups bar the odd traffic light. Alot of car traffic though.

How long would it take you on an average day?

what_traffic

Has any study been done in Galway on the economic cost of car traffic in Galway? i.e the air pollution, accidents, congestion, noise and wear and tear on infrastructure.

what_traffic

dastardly00 wrote: »

How long would it take you on an average day?

Usually 30 minutes. When car traffic is heavy it slows me down by about 5 mins. Can usually estimate journey time by +/- 5 minutes. Depending on the wind direction that can add +/- 5 minutes also.

Iwannahurl

Mohammed Muscular Beginner wrote: »

But showing the picture and stating how much space a car takes up is totally irrelevant with the other forms of transport are of no use to a lot of people (not all people but a lot of people). You might as well be showing pictures of a non-existent underground rail system for all the good a bus or a bike are to a lot of people.

There should definitely be leniency shown towards people attending big events imo. Especially ones like the Novena where a lot of elderly people etc need to get as close as possible to the cathedral.

A neat example of the disconnect between (some? many?) people's perceptions of the facilitation of car traffic versus walking, cycling and using the bus.

Many people attending the Novena get there on foot or by bus. They also "need to get as close as possible to the Cathedral".

Are they supposed to give up some or all of their space to let motorists drive as close as they can to the same venue? If so, why? Are pedestrians and bus users a lower caste or what?

There's a big match in Pearse Stadium on Sunday. Is the same "leniency" to be shown there, ie that motorists should be allowed to park up on footpaths, cycle lanes and bus stops in order to prioritise the convenience of people who travel to the same area by car?

zarquon

Mohammed Muscular Beginner wrote: »

There should definitely be leniency shown towards people attending big events imo. Especially ones like the Novena where a lot of elderly people etc need to get as close as possible to the cathedral.

Completely disagree! leniancy towards parking regulations and the rules of the road for big events means a disproportionate amount of cars coming to those events and creating parking and traffic mayhem everywhere. If parking is limited people will be forced to use other methods such as buses, taxis and "Park & Ride". The parking was crazy around the cathedral yesterday and all approach roads, partially blocking some of them which was further adding to the traffic problems for through traffic.

It is a bit hypocritical for a "Christian" event to be espousing that attendees should be allowed to break local parking and traffic laws. If you want to preach Christ from the alter then don't preach that attendees should be allowed to break the law at the same time! it's even more ridiculous when a minister apologises from the alter to attendees who were penalised for breaking the laws in question.

Iwannahurl

"Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

As the Redemptorists might (or might not) say.

My 2 kilometer amble took the same time as usual yesterday.

snubbleste

Mohammed Muscular Beginner wrote: »

There should definitely be leniency shown towards people attending big events imo. Especially ones like the Novena where a lot of elderly people etc need to get as close as possible to the cathedral.

I assume you are joking right?

underfed

This outer bypass has to happen otherwise Galway will be lost, this crazy situation has to stop. The people of Ennis threatened not to vote in the general election unless they got a bypass, they did. We need to do the same.

gordongekko

Or they could just open the empty bus lanes since they don't have services on them that suit people

Iwannahurl

gordongekko wrote: »

Or they could just open the empty bus lanes since they don't have services on them that suit people

Let's use the footpaths for cars too. Sure they're wasted on pedestrians.

Oh wait, we're already doing that...

underfed wrote: »

This outer bypass has to happen otherwise Galway will be lost, this crazy situation has to stop. The people of Ennis threatened not to vote in the general election unless they got a bypass, they did. We need to do the same.

Last time I was in Ennis (post-bypass) the narrow streets of the town centre were full of cars. I recall a pleasant little square ruined by car parking.

I think the people of Galway should threaten not to use their cars again until the bypass is built. That'll hit those politicians where it hurts.

WallyGUFC

Left Claregalway (the town side) at 4.45 yesterday for graduation dinner at 6 in Park House. Sat down to dinner at 6.30. Madness.

fishy fishy

i think st. anthony's cheeks were on display in the cathedral yesterday and people came from far and wide to have a gape - hence the traffic tailback - anyone know which cheeks were on display?

Iwannahurl

Iwannahurl wrote: »

There's a big match in Pearse Stadium on Sunday. Is the same "leniency" to be shown there, ie that motorists should be allowed to park up on footpaths, cycle lanes and bus stops in order to prioritise the convenience of people who travel to the same area by car?

Once driveways aren't blocked then yes, but we already know there will be leniency shown as I have never had a problem from the guards when parking around Pearse stadium in various different places often with two wheels on the footpath.

snubbleste wrote: »

I assume you are joking right?

I'm being totally serious. Its time drivers stood up from themselves a bit more. The traffic problem in Galway would not be as it is today if we were left our roundabouts instead of putting in loads of traffic lights to appease people whining on about roundabouts being bad for pedestrians and bus users. The traffic lights in place of roundabouts are the cause of all these problems in Galway not drivers.

I was commuting into Galway in the height of the boom when there were many many more cars on the road than now and things worked so much better.

what_traffic

This is not going to help in getting more people to use public transport in Galway City/Metro area.

http://www.nationaltransport.ie/news/public-transport-fares-increase-to-protect-service-delivery/

City Bus Service Single Fare is going up from €1.80 to €1.90 from the 1st of November 2013

what_traffic

Mohammed Muscular Beginner wrote: »

The traffic lights in place of roundabouts are the cause of all these problems in Galway not drivers.
.
..
I was commuting into Galway in the height of the boom when there were many many more cars on the road than now and things worked so much better.

That is just not true. The vast amount of cars on Galway citys road network create's car traffic not metal poles sticking in the ground directing them.

swiftman

what_traffic wrote: »

This is not going to help in getting more people to use public transport in Galway City/Metro area.

http://www.nationaltransport.ie/news/public-transport-fares-increase-to-protect-service-delivery/

City Bus Service Single Fare is going up from €1.80 to €1.90 from the 1st of November 2013

what a joke!
id take the bus once a week max due to its price, only other times i use it, if its lashing and i need to be somewhere.

they should be cutting the ticket cost rather then increasing it

what_traffic

what_traffic wrote: »

That is just not true. The vast amount of cars on Galway citys road network create's car traffic not metal poles sticking in the ground directing them.

A certain level of traffic is acceptable, this acceptable level is being exceeded due to the uselessness of traffic lights compared to roundabouts for keeping traffic flowing.

At the end of the day, drivers pay a lot more to use the roads than bus users and cyclists who pay nothing and therefore should be accommodated most.

zarquon

Mohammed Muscular Beginner wrote: »

Once driveways aren't blocked then yes, but we already know there will be leniency shown as I have never had a problem from the guards when parking around Pearse stadium in various different places often with two wheels on the footpath.



I'm being totally serious. Its time drivers stood up from themselves a bit more. The traffic problem in Galway would not be as it is today if we were left our roundabouts instead of putting in loads of traffic lights to appease people whining on about roundabouts being bad for pedestrians and bus users. The traffic lights in place of roundabouts are the cause of all these problems in Galway not drivers.

I was commuting into Galway in the height of the boom when there were many many more cars on the road than now and things worked so much better.

Actually car use seems to have increased in Galway over the last few years despite the recession. Maybe people are just becoming lazier! I'm sure there are probably statistics to verify this but i don't have them to hand but i'm sure one of the other eager posters here will have them.

It's also nonsense to suggest that roundabouts where fine. Bodkin and Kirwin are now the main bottlenecks in the city during rush hour as these junctions are not controllable. Why do you think the traffic was backed all the way up bothar na dtreabh to the Tuam road yesterday? In fact the block at the tuam road junction was caused by the tailbacks from the bodkin and kirwin roundabout. No one was giving right of way at the rounds and both roundabouts were constantly block by cars that could not exit because their exits were backed up but rather than wait at entrances cars were quite happy to enter the roundabout and sit there like it was a car park.

Assuming also that all roundabouts where still in place yesterday the traffic situation would have been no better and probably worse due to the favourite Galway pastime of driving onto a roundabout when your exit is blocked thus blocking cars from other entrances getting onto the roundabout. We could start painting yellow junction boxes on roundabouts but they would be ignored also! Let's not forget about the ultra passive drivers who will sit forever at a roundabout unable to make reasonable progress onto until their are no cars within a 20m radius as they are too nervous to enter the roundabout otherwise. At least the junctions now force people to make progress!

Also back in the gold old days of the roundabouts you would be sitting forever trying to get out of the ballybrit industrial estate with traffic like yesterdays.

As a catholic proponent on this thread you should be reminded of the israelites that were freed from captivity but then complained in the wilderness that things were better when they were enslaved in Egypt. You seem to be forgetting the pain of Egypt with only found memories of the roundabouts retained. I for one am glad that Galway is not enslaved to the roundabouts anymore. (I say this as a driver who has been driving a 16K commute across the city for over a decade!)