Irate motorists around the point depot

shamrock2004

Hi all. Just wondering if anyone had the same experience. Cycling between the east link bridge and the eastwall road is a pain. The cycle track only partially appears between the point depot and the east wall road, up on the pavement and has a nice barrier mid way through - it's a mess. So, when heading from the point depot towards the east wall road I cycle on the road. Ive noticed a few times, when approaching the left turn onto the east wall road a few trucks blasting me, even though I'm way over to the left. I don't get it. It seems they are vexed by the fact I am not using the poor excuse of a "cycle track" along that stretch. Anyone have the same experience?

Raam

It's just their way of saying "Nice bike, mate". You respond with that well known two-fingered gesture which means "Wow, those are some big wheels, please don't crush me Mr. Truck Driver".

deandean

yea, right at that spot but across the road is the only time ever I was targeted by an asshole truck driver who shaved my shoulder, you know the experience.
The alternative was a cyclepath on the footpath complete with road signs sprouting up etc etc.
There is something in the air around ferry ports that can turn a normally ok trucker into a cyclist masher.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

I still cycle over the bridge and I don't have many issues at all. Generally people are ok but they don't like it when you are ahead of them on the roundabout. Trying to over/under take you there is a bit nuts. Here's a video I made about 6 months ago. Skip to 30 seconds and look for the two drivers passing at speed, first car was a lunatic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwFcAGDLWxs

beauf

shamrock2004 wrote: »

... Anyone have the same experience?

The problem of that area is its all generally fast moving traffic and no speed enforcement. As a pedestrian, half the time you can't cross the road for a few minutes as traffic is moving so fast. Its all aggressive "have to get somewhere" traffic. The cycle lanes in the area are a shambles. On road, off road, disappear, reappear, kerbs, poles in the way. Its just a dismal mess.

The Dublin City cycle went over the east link and its was a terrible route whomever picked it. Lots of trucks & cars squeezing past the cyclists.

If you can route your journey so its on quieter roads, or on off the road cycle paths even if its longer, I'd try that. Or go at peak when its all clogged up.

fillup

I use that stretch pretty much daily on my commute and I always use the cycle path there.
You can get around the barrier on the foot path without having to go through it.
Yes it's a pain in the arse having to slow down but so what.
It's not a race and I'd sooner have that minor inconvenience than have to deal with the trucks on that road.

De Bhál

fillup wrote: »

I use that stretch pretty much daily on my commute and I always use the cycle path there.
You can get around the barrier on the foot path without having to go through it.
Yes it's a pain in the arse having to slow down but so what.
It's not a race and I'd sooner have that minor inconvenience than have to deal with the trucks on that road.

I agree with all of this.
Use the bike path, why would you use the road there. It's full of trucks busses and speeding cars. It's a short stretch and you'll make it home alive if you use the cycle path.

CarrickMcJoe

Callum Cool Yoga wrote: »

I still cycle over the bridge and I don't have many issues at all. Generally people are ok but they don't like it when you are ahead of them on the roundabout. Trying to over/under take you there is a bit nuts. Here's a video I made about 6 months ago. Skip to 30 seconds and look for the two drivers passing at speed, first car was a lunatic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwFcAGDLWxs

I would regard the blue Ford that cut you up as the worst driver in that clip!

JBokeh

I get the Ferry every couple of months,sometimes in Dublin, and that bit isn't nice in the car, even at the unsociable hours the ferry disembarks ,I don't think I'd personally cycle on the road there. I'm not very familiar with Dublin, but isn't there a way that you can approach that area by not going along the quayside? I recall doing it once in the car because I was too cheap to pay for the tunnel and the M50, I didn't save time, but the road was a bit quieter

It's like it is the 1st chance people get after getting through the dublin traffic to drive the car beyond 2nd gear, and it turns into a grand prix, same happens in Cork city by the train station, you'd find yourself doing 70k just keeping up with the rest of the traffic

Tenzor07

Probably better to take an alternate route, I've only ever cycled that way at weekends or off-peak times.
The "cycle-Paths" are like the surface of the moon, and with gates in the middle on the side heading away from the Liffey.

Once you get around the corner the road is fine until you get to that disaster of an area where the new Aldi is and the right turn up by Eastpoint, safer on the pathway!

fillup

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Once you get around the corner the road is fine until you get to that disaster of an area where the new Aldi is and the right turn up by Eastpoint, safer on the pathway!

The footpath is never an option. We can't expect respect on the roads if we don't play by the rules of them.

shamrock2004

Yeh I want to avoid it so I think I will just go over johnny cullen hill, over the samuel beckett bridge in future. The thing is that I am a motorist myself and have been driving 13 years so I really do understand and abide by the rules of the road, even when cycling. I just dont get why they were so agressive towards me. Anyhow that shambles of a cycle track along there is not fit for purpose. I think i'll avoid that entire section from now on. I hate those trucks.

tomasrojo

Yes, leave the footpaths to the cars:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/driver-mounts-pavement-undertaking-video-9557541

CramCycle

I have cycled off the ferry with the lorries and never had any issue, generally quite nice in fact. Got a toot or two but when I look behind it was clear they were warning me of their presence and gave me a wave.

fillup

tomasrojo wrote: »

Yes, leave the footpaths to the cars:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/driver-mounts-pavement-undertaking-video-9557541

That's some fancy schmancy driving right there!

Seaswimmer

I use it twice a day in both directions and never have an issue. I find when going towards East Wall Road from the 3Arena that the trucks move out from the slow lane anyway in order to enter the port.
Its far better than when they used to go and down up East Wall road before the ban.

Going the other way I would never use the cycle lane as I have seen trucks turn across cycle traffic to enter the port just before the Eastlink roundabout.

What I have seen twice (once a tourist) is people fallen off after trying to enter the cycle lane at the junction of Sheriff Street going from Eastlink. On a wet day the low raised kerb is dangerous and you need to hit it straight on.

I contacted the Dublin City Council cycling officer at the time (not sure if that position still exists) and he was to meet me there but never turned up.

beauf

fillup wrote: »

The footpath is never an option. We can't expect respect on the roads if we don't play by the rules of them.

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.347224,-6.234796,3a,90y,246.08h,75.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUtBeaFy_wVbvd9C2FzxRmg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.347563,-6.240243,3a,75y,130.53h,67.8t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sM5cRjGMbJycS81Wv0YA1Gw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

shamrock2004

CramCycle wrote: »

I have cycled off the ferry with the lorries and never had any issue, generally quite nice in fact. Got a toot or two but when I look behind it was clear they were warning me of their presence and gave me a wave.

Maybe that was it. I couldnt discern a friendly wave from a two finger salute!

CramCycle

shamrock2004 wrote: »

Maybe that was it. I couldnt discern a friendly wave from a two finger salute!

They could have been, over the past few years time keeping has gotten tighter for many companies with less wiggle room as well as the instigation of really poor practices such as bonuses for less brake wear, lower fuel consumption ie, not breaking wear possible. This added stress is neither good for driver behaviour or for other road users safety IMO.

fillup

beauf wrote: »

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.347224,-6.234796,3a,90y,246.08h,75.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUtBeaFy_wVbvd9C2FzxRmg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.347563,-6.240243,3a,75y,130.53h,67.8t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sM5cRjGMbJycS81Wv0YA1Gw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Fair enuff beauf there are some sh1tily designed bike lanes out there -
the point i was trying to make was that we can't just pop up on the path and back off it willy nilly just because a stopped vehicle is impeeding our progress or the traffic is difficult to negotiate
The stretch of road that the other poster was refering too (outside Aldi on East Wall) is a bit tight and you do need yer wits about you but there's no need to use the busy footpath

People cycling on paths is a pet peeve of mine