Rogue cyclists set to face on-the-spot fines MOD WARNING in first post

Jan Laco

doolox wrote: »

I also hate the ones who undertake on the left of stopped cars in heavy traffic at high speed making constant vigilance of the left hand rearview mirror compulsory for already overloaded drivers.

You are overloaded by looking at your left wing mirror when the car is stopped? Before you move off you are told to look at this mirror, and also before turning left. It's part of driving even if cyclists didn't exist.
When you got your lessons, it wasn't a pick and mix of theories you want to keep and ignore the rest.

Jawgap

doolox wrote: »

.......

I also hate the ones who undertake on the left of stopped cars in heavy traffic at high speed making constant vigilance of the left hand rearview mirror compulsory for already overloaded drivers.

Ah come on, if you can't filter through stopped traffic at speed how else can you fantasise about being an X-wing pilot in the Death Star trench......

GrumpyMe

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Grumpy by name...!

No foolin' you - is there?

mudstack

There are some dangerous irresponsible cyclists, there are some dangerous irresponsible drivers, there are many pedestrians who wander into the street without looking either way.

In my opinion these new fines will make driving in Dublin at rush hour worse for drivers. If cyclists now strictly adhere to the rules, there will now be more cyclists sitting at the front of queues at traffic lights. It's legal for cyclists to filter through traffic to get to the front of a queue if that traffic is stopped or slower moving than the bike.

Let's face it, some red lights do not make sense for cyclists to stop at indefinitely till the light turns green. It is often safer for everyone for the cyclist to move on when safe to do so.

I do think some of the frustration from drivers boils down to jealously of cyclists overtaking them in traffic. I've very rarely seen a cyclist breaking a red light when everything is clear, cause a driver any problems.

I drive, cycle and walk through Dublin. I have a much better understanding of a cyclists point of view now being one than when I wasn't one obviously. I have to say for the most part it is a lot safer than I thought it would be.

The biggest dangers I have seen are
drivers turning left without indicating or indicating at the last minute,
drivers breaking red lights just as it turns red,
drivers driving to close to the back wheel of a cyclist,
cyclists breaking red lights just as it turns red,
cyclists not signalling before they pull out in front of traffic,
drivers ignoring cyclists signals and purposely speeding up to stop them getting in front of them when a cyclist is trying to avoid an obstacle such as a parked vehicle in a cycling lane,
cyclists speeding though red lights when pedestrians have the right of way,
drivers not leaving enough space when overtaking,
pedestrians wandering aimlessly into the road without looking, whether it be at crossing showing a red man or just in general.
cyclists on the footpath.

The only two accidents I have seen involving cyclists were, a driver knocking a cyclist off her bike by squashing her between the footpath and his car. Her leg looked to be in a bad way. He simply didn't have the patience to wait and overtake her when it was viable. I imagine he regrets being such a tool now.
And a pedestrian walking in front of a cyclist when the lights were green for traffic without looking(lucky for them it wasn't a car).

I admit when I drive and particularly before I started cycling through Dublin, I find/found it frustrating being stuck behind cyclists. I'd never purposely put them in danger just for the sake of a few seconds though.

The biggest problem on Irish roads is people do not think of the consequences and simply don't care. Would a person drive within a inch of a cyclist if the cyclist was his/her son/daughter/brother/sister/father/mother? No, probably not, but for some people as it's just someone they don't know, they don't seem to care.

Zyzz

GrumpyMe wrote: »

It appears it is possible...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_records

You obviously have never heard of me. :pac:

magicbastarder

i'm trying to remember the last time i saw (or heard of) *any* road user being done for running a red light.
i once got a warning - nearly 15 years ago, i'd say - for running a red in castleknock village, while driving. the light went amber as i was approaching it - and because there was a guy in a white car sitting right up my arse, i made a snap decision to keep going cos i figured if i braked to stop, he'd have rear ended me. the light went red just as i went through. needless to say, the white car was a cop car. he'd been no more than about ten or fifteen foot from my rear bumper, while i was doing probably 40 or 50kph.

tomasrojo

@dublincycling tweeted:

To help monitor fines use #CyclingFCN or email with subject "Cycling FCN" here http://www.dublincycling.ie/cycling/contact #DublinCycling

Tony EH

Jawgap wrote: »

Ah come on, if you can't filter through stopped traffic at speed how else can you fantasise about being an X-wing pilot in the Death Star trench......

galwaycyclist

And then a thought suddenly struck me.

Is it just me or have CyclingIreland been completely silent on all this?

Jawgap

Tony EH wrote: »

Of course if you are filtering at speed between two lines of stationary traffic, and there's a cyclist in front of you doing something similar, also at speed, then you have to switch to "Vader mode".......

buffalo

galwaycyclist wrote: »

And then a thought suddenly struck me.

Is it just me or have CyclingIreland been completely silent on all this?

Are they not a sports body? I didn't expect Motorsport Ireland to comment on the 30kph city centre limits.

Qualitymark

San Francisco cyclists obeyed the law en masse, with predictable traffic chaos as the result:

http://m.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2015/07/30/this-is-what-happened-when-bicyclists-obeyed-traffic-laws-along-the-wiggle-yesterday

Beasty

buffalo wrote: »

Are they not a sports body? I didn't expect Motorsport Ireland to comment on the 30kph city centre limits.

I'm not sure that's strictly the case. Certainly the membership survey last year indicated a desire amongst members for CI to be representative of all cyclists interests in Ireland . Having said that I have no idea what anyone could really expect them to say on this particular subject (unless it is thought they should undertake a separate survey to gauge interest/views of the membership or there is something that us inherently wrong with the changes being made - I have seen no suggestion of either in the discussion we have had here)

RainyDay

doolox wrote: »

.
I also hate the ones who undertake on the left of stopped cars in heavy traffic at high speed making constant vigilance of the left hand rearview mirror compulsory for already overloaded drivers.

Constant vigilance...overloaded drivers? If keeping an eye on your mirror is overloading you, it's time to find a new mode of transport.

And isn't there a bit of a contradiction about 'heavy traffic at high speed'? Heavy traffic at high speed only happens on motorways, and undertaking by cyclists doesn't happen a lot there. If the speeds are high, the cyclists won't be passing anyway. In heavy traffic at usual heavy traffic speeds, legal filtering by cyclists or cars isn't really a problem.

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Just picked up the news on newstalk, hooks employer.

They had some Garda sergeant on explaining that cycling is "out of control" and that this new regime is to clamp down on cyclists who are a danger to motorists and pedestrians (in that order).

This got my goat enough to listen back - here's the news bulletin.

http://www.newstalk.com/listen_back/23/20467/01st_August_2015_-_Down_To_Business_Part_2/

In fairness, I don't think the Garda was saying that cycling in general was out of control. It appeared that he was talking about a specific offence, probably the 'without due consideration' one, and explaining how it would be applied. But that didn't stop a tabloid news editor from trying to stir up a story.

I recently spent a bit of time in Copenhagen - a place where you have to marvel at the sheer number of bikes and cyclists around the place. I also had to admire the way in which all street users (cyclists, drivers and pedestrians) seemed to be able to get around and get along.

Due regard and consideration for others is where its at, folks, and it's also worth keeping in mind that cyclists and pedestrians are in a more risky position than drivers are.

Shep_Dog

Saw a guy (beard, fashionable retro glasses, expensive soft-leafter, satchel, cord jacket, way too cool to be Irish) on a Dublin bike sail through the (red) traffic lights on Dame Street at the bottom of George's street....directly in front of a motorbike cop who happened to be coming down George Street.

The cop pulled him over and calmly, started explaining the rules. Judging by the body language, the (hipster cyclist?) seemed genuinely surprised and bewildered and had never heard of such a rule.... I had to go & didn't see if he got a FPN.

Maybe a points system could be operated by Dublin bikes and repeat offenders could have their access blocked?

RainyDay

Shep_Dog wrote: »

Maybe a points system could be operated by Dublin bikes and repeat offenders could have their access blocked?

Why, is there a significant problem with IDing users of Dublin Bikes?

Shep_Dog

RainyDay wrote: »

Why, is there a significant problem with IDing users of Dublin Bikes?

Could be an efficient way of collecting fines from non-resident offenders. That & from experience, Dublin Bikes users are not very compliant.

Pinch Flat

Walked down grafton street earlier - packed with people. Guy on a bike heads right down the middle of the street, past two guards who completely ignored him.

RainyDay

Shep_Dog wrote: »

Could be an efficient way of collecting fines from non-resident offenders. That & from experience, Dublin Bikes users are not very compliant.

Sorry, but that's not the question I asked. Is there a problem with IDing users of Dublin Bikes?

Pinch Flat

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I recently spent a bit of time in Copenhagen - a place where you have to marvel at the sheer number of bikes and cyclists around the place. I also had to admire the way in which all street users (cyclists, drivers and pedestrians) seemed to be able to get around and get along.

Due regard and consideration for others is where its at, folks, and it's also worth keeping in mind that cyclists and pedestrians are in a more risky position than drivers are.

Same here on a recent trip to Bavaria - busy littler market towns. Nice to see all sorts of bikes - utility bikes with panniers picking up fruit and veg and mountain bikers kitted out for a group spin. All mingling freely with pedestrians - everyone had an awareness and respect for others

knockoutned

Deleted User wrote: »

I recently spent a bit of time in Copenhagen - a place where you have to marvel at the sheer number of bikes and cyclists around the place. I also had to admire the way in which all street users (cyclists, drivers and pedestrians) seemed to be able to get around and get along.

Due regard and consideration for others is where its at, folks, and it's also worth keeping in mind that cyclists and pedestrians are in a more risky position than drivers are.

I'm not sure if Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO) is available in Ireland, but they recently had a segment on the issues cycling and cyclist are facing in major US cities. A lot of them appear to be similar to Dublin. As part of the show they went to both Copenhagen and Amsterdam and compared them to how US cities are adapting.

I didn't realize that Copenhagen was bad if not worse than Dublin with motor traffic back in the 1970's. There may be hope for Dublin yet!

Shep_Dog

RainyDay wrote: »

Sorry, but that's not the question I asked. Is there a problem with IDing users of Dublin Bikes?

Did I say there was?

RainyDay

Shep_Dog wrote: »

Did I say there was?

So why would we want another layer of bureaucracy and legislation to create a points system to solve a non-existent problem?

Grandpa Hassan

Shep_Dog wrote: »

Maybe a points system could be operated by Dublin bikes and repeat offenders could have their access blocked?

Be interested to know when someone on a Dublin bike actually hurt anyone. They are nothing more than an annoyance, at worst. They can't even go very fast. Why spend a ton of money trying to put in place a system that won't be enforced (because the gardai don't want to nail tourists unless they absolutely can't help it) and in any case addresses a problem that doesn't even exist except in the mind of those who are too easily annoyed

Shep_Dog

RainyDay wrote: »

So why would we want another layer of bureaucracy and legislation to create a points system to solve a non-existent problem?

You've created a straw-man argument about ID. I stated what actual problem is.

Shep_Dog

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

(because the gardai don't want to nail tourists

That would be unfair.

Tony EH

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Walked down grafton street earlier - packed with people. Guy on a bike heads right down the middle of the street, past two guards who completely ignored him.

And nobody died!!!

galwaycyclist

buffalo wrote: »

Are they not a sports body? I didn't expect Motorsport Ireland to comment on the 30kph city centre limits.

Well the problem with that explanation is that CyclingIreland put themselves forward for, and were given, the lead role in developing a national transport cycling skills syllabus..

In effect, claiming the lead role in informing the public how to make lawful use of public roads on a bicycle.

Either they are just a sports administration body or they are not. Which is it?

Chips Lovell

Cycling Ireland put out a statement welcoming the introduction of FPNs when they were first announced.