Can I use national roads?

Madmix_

Hi cyclists! I have a plan to start cycling to a college (from September) and here is my question. Can I use national roads (N2) on a bicycle?
I have 2 roads to choose from, N2 and regional road R but regional is really dangerous compared to N2. The distance between my town and the college is around 20km (one way) so I really prefer N2.

I am also wondering (just to know) what are the alcohol limits while on the bicycle? Can I lose my car driving licence because I am for example over the limit?

Cookie_Monster

You can use national roads. It's only motorways you can't use (and some tunnels for some reason)

rollingscone

Yup. And when in doubt check your rules of the road.

carltonleon

Madmix_ wrote: »

I am also wondering (just to know) what are the alcohol limits while on the bicycle? Can I lose my car driving licence because I am for example over the limit?

Don't even go there. You should certainly not be cycling 20km on a National Road under the influence of alcohol.

07Lapierre

Cycling and Alcohol are a "Madmix"

bambergbike

The class a road formally belongs to often has very little to do with the amount of traffic it carries. N roads can sometimes be really quiet and R and even L roads can be horrendously busy. So local knowledge is often a better basis for route choices than maps and formal classifications. In this case, your local knowledge seems to be telling you that you're going to be riding in heavy-ish traffic no matter what route you take and that the N2 is the safest road to share with heavy traffic - I don't know the road (which section of it is relevant to you, anway?), but that sounds logical.

Once you've chosen the route which is most convenient and/or safest, you can start riding it and will quickly have a mental list of the points where you need to take particular care. One of the main things I would anticipate on an N-road would be people joining it at warp speed from slip roads without yielding to straight-on cyclists on the main road - I would keep an eye/ear out for people like that and be ready either to accelerate to clear the junction before they get there or to perform an emergency stop. You'll probably also want to finesse your roundabout technique - get in the right lane for the exit you're taking, signal your intentions clearly, make eye contact with drivers who might otherwise plough straight into you as they join the roundabout, be ready to accelerate or brake sharply.

Given that you're about to start commuting thousands of miles a year, a good chunk of them probably in the dark, you might as well try and get hold of a copy of John Franklin's "Cyclecraft" book. Cycle commuting is not especially risky, but you can lower the already-low risks quite a bit further by learning how to position yourself on the road so that other road users notice that you're there and can see what you're going to do next (and vice-versa). Being able to do an emergency stop without going over the handlebars is a useful skill. Knowing the rules of the road is essential. Knowing where other people are highly likely to break them (slip roads, roundabouts etc.) is the next step up.

dave_o_brien

Madmix_ wrote: »

I am also wondering (just to know) what are the alcohol limits while on the bicycle? Can I lose my car driving licence because I am for example over the limit?

If it's "just to know", you can be subjected to penalty points being applied to your driving licence for failure to operate any carriage within the law, so: Yes, you can potentially lose your licence for operating your bicycle intoxicated.

You'd be at risk of losing some significantly more important things first though.

Danjamin1

dave_o_brien wrote: »

If it's "just to know", you can be subjected to penalty points being applied to your driving licence for failure to operate any carriage within the law, so: Yes, you can potentially lose your licence for operating your bicycle intoxicated.

You'd be at risk of losing some significantly more important things first though.

I highly doubt this as it's not required to have a licence to use a bike. A fine is more likely.

RobertFoster

Which part of the N2 where you planning on using? At the Dublin end, part of it is now the M2 (from north of Ashbourne to the Brock Inn - which you can't use by bike). The alternative route here is the R135, which has a pedestrian/cycle bridge to get you past the busy N2/M50 junction. Other than that, there shouldn't be an issue with the N2.

dave_o_brien

Danjamin1 wrote: »

I highly doubt this as it's not required to have a licence to use a bike. A fine is more likely.

A fine is more likely. There is case law existing for the application of penalties to ones licence for failure to operate a bicycle in accordance with the law;

http://www.traceysolicitors.ie/blog/cyclist-banned-from-driving-for-%E2%80%98breaking-a-red-light%E2%80%99/

It must be remembered that points are awarded to breaches of the law while operating a carriage: i.e., a vehicle, motorcycle, pedal cycle or horse. The existence of a driving licence is to indicate an individuals competence for operating only a limited number of those carriages, whereas the punishments can be applied to any and all.

In reality, a fine is infinitely more likely and more practical, but the OP asked if he could get penalty points. The answer is yes.

Danjamin1

dave_o_brien wrote: »

A fine is more likely. There is case law existing for the application of penalties to ones licence for failure to operate a bicycle in accordance with the law;

http://www.traceysolicitors.ie/blog/cyclist-banned-from-driving-for-%E2%80%98breaking-a-red-light%E2%80%99/

It must be remembered that points are awarded to breaches of the law while operating a carriage: i.e., a vehicle, motorcycle, pedal cycle or horse. The existence of a driving licence is to indicate an individuals competence for operating only a limited number of those carriages, whereas the punishments can be applied to any and all.

In reality, a fine is infinitely more likely and more practical, but the OP asked if he could get penalty points. The answer is yes.

Very interesting, I wasn't aware of this. My assumption would have been that you could only get points on your licence for the vehicles where one is required, and where you weren't licensed in such a case you could be prosecuted for operating the vehicle without a licence. It's worrying that you could get points in this manner. Surely the law should be applied evenly. As it's not required to have a licence for operating a bike, and I'm sure many cyclists don't have a driving licence, it seems unfair that someone that has one would get points on theirs simply for having one.

dave_o_brien

Danjamin1 wrote: »

Very interesting, I wasn't aware of this. My assumption would have been that you could only get points on your licence for the vehicles where one is required, and where you weren't licensed in such a case you could be prosecuted for operating the vehicle without a licence. It's worrying that you could get points in this manner. Surely the law should be applied evenly. As it's not required to have a licence for operating a bike, and I'm sure many cyclists don't have a driving licence, it seems unfair that someone that has one would get points on theirs simply for having one.

My understanding of it is that it's not as straightforward as them just being issued to your licence.

Primarily, traffic offences by cyclists will be dealt with via a fine. If the offender does not pay their fine, they will summoned to appear in court. The application of points for cycling offences is only going to occur in a court, based on what the offence was and why the offender did not pay their fine. So it would need to involve many steps to arrive at that point, and would not simply be a case of "lob them on his licence".

The point is, the OP asked if it was possible, "just to know". It is possible, but is highly irregular. You are far more likely to be fined and/or imprisoned, and points are unlikely to be applied in any but serious transgressions, such as operating a vehicle intoxicated. Doing that is punishable up to having your licence revoked, and this has happened in recent case law.

Madmix_

No no guys, I don't even consider drinking and cycling however I prefer to know the law. The same with cars, I never even drive after smallest sip of a beer but I know what will happen when I cause collision for example etc...

Big thanks to you all for helping me!

ryan101

Drug cycling is way easier