Pro-cycling Article in today's Irish Times

Moflojo

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/we-need-to-tackle-the-real-dangers-facing-cyclists-on-the-roads-1.2310268

The Irish Times is continuing its coverage of cycling this week, with today's article coming from a pro-cycling perspective.

(If you suffer from high blood pressure I suggest you give the comments section a miss!)

From the article:

"The most effective interventions involve physically removing the hazard, (such as the hazard of heavy goods vehicles from Dublin city centre) while the least effective leave the hazard untouched and concentrate on providing personal protective equipment to the more vulnerable."

Discuss...

jon1981

Here's a thought cyclists might like to play with - how about actually using cycle lanes when they're provide? What goes on out by Dublin Airport is an utter disgrace. Two off-road cycle lanes, each the width of a truck, have nothing travelling down them but tumble weed because the MAMILs think it unmanly to use them. No shortage of cyclists, mind; it's just that they insist on playing in the traffic.

Let's get it clear - the problem is cyclists themselves.

What is it with the arrogance of cyclists? The sense of entitlement they have is quite incredible. Guys, other people need to access the city, just because they're not saving the planet in day-glo spandex, like you are, doesn't mean they are less entitled to use the roads. Get your own house in order before you pontificate to others about how to behave - when the 70% or so of cyclists, who ignore traffic lights start to obey them I'll show a little more concern for their plight.

oh man i wanted to punch the screen after reading these!!

And this is based on their first hand experience? Have they try cycling in Dublin by sticking to the cycle lanes? It's impossible! Cars blocking lanes, pot holes and road debris covering the lanes, lanes just disappearing like a game of hide and seek...seriously unless you have tried to commute on these lanes you do not have any right to comment.

Most cyclists are actually Motorists too....who would have thought eh?!

Moflojo

jon1981 wrote: »

oh man i wanted to punch the screen after reading these!!

I warned you not to read the comments!

Rezident

I just read this, it’s a very good article. Is parking in cycling lanes really illegal? I started cycling into town in June (15 km commute) and I see two or three vans or taxis parked in the cycle lane every day (there were at least three this morning, including a van on Leeson St. that feels very dangerous to pass,especially when the driver opens the driver-side door as you’re passing). It would be normal to see 3 or 4 taxis or vans parked in the cycle lane every morning. Is this really illegal? What are we supposed do about it? I have not been cycling long.


There is always a van or two parked in the cycle lane in donnybrook every morning which is even more dangerous because donnybrook is so narrow, the buses usually drive in the cycle lane there too. I’ve had a few brushes with cars and buses but have not been knocked down yet. It feels like it’s only a matter of time though. Is there any point calling the Guards for things like this? What are you supposed to do?


I was also interested in the 1.5m overtaking rule. A bus brushed my elbow as it passed me this morning, it is pretty scary when it happens, another inch to the left and he probably would have knocked me down. I am a very risk-averse cyclist but sometimes it feels like there’s nothing you can do.

jon1981

Moflojo wrote: »

I warned you not to read the comments!

I know, couldn't help it, but the level of ignorance in the comments sent me over the edge :mad:

Moflojo

Rezident wrote: »

I was also interested in the 1.5m overtaking rule. A bus brushed my elbow as it passed me this morning, it is pretty scary when it happens, another inch to the left and he probably would have knocked me down.

Yeah the old 1.5 metre safe overtaking 'rule' is treated more like a guideline - if you're in a rush and there's a cyclist in your way just squeeze by him, he'll be fine.

The close fly-by is my least favourite experience on the bike as it always reminds me how vulnerable I am, and that my cycling demise could be completely out of my own control. In my experience, similar to your story above, buses are the worst culprits for this, with Aircoach having buzzed me multiple times on my commute. Hate those buses.

jon1981

Example of the need for enforcing the 1.5m rule

https://twitter.com/GMcycling/status/628543130300776448

magicbastarder

i'm having great fun in the comments section on the facebook link the IT published for this article.

jon1981

I'd nearly subscribe so I could comment back!!

magicbastarder

it's on facebook, so on their link of FB to the article, not on the article itself.

Beasty

Moflojo wrote: »

Yeah the old 1.5 metre safe overtaking 'rule' is treated more like a guideline

That's because it is only a guideline

Rezident

But what about parking in the cycle lane? Is that a rule or a guideline? I see it several times every day.

Koobcam

jon1981 wrote: »

Example of the need for enforcing the 1.5m rule

https://twitter.com/GMcycling/status/628543130300776448

This clip is a great example of how sometimes, people on bikes can be their own worst enemies. Sure, you can say that the cycling lane painted right next to the parked cars is wrong or that the person opening the door should have looked, etc. However, we know that people do sometimes open car doors without looking to see what might be coming, and that local councils tend to have pretty bizarre ways of installing cycling lanes. Ultimately though, that's the way it is and as a cyclist, you need to try to make yourself less vulnerable to accidents. So in this instance, maybe cycling 1.5 metres or more away from the parked cars, so that if someone does open a door, you are not going to hit it or need to swerve around it. If that inconveniences a car behind trying to pass you out, too bad. Better to make them wait than be doored and then have a 50 tonne truck roll over you. I also think though that this video shows good driving behaviour. If the truck driver had been trying to speed past the cyclist, they probably would have killed them. So, it's a good example of someone behind the wheel being very aware of what is going on around them and being able to take evasive action when something unexpected happens.

jon1981

He cycles 1.5 away from the car, puts him in the road and then driver of the car complains he's not using the lane... it's an endless argument. i agree though, i would have been more to the right and cycle defensively.

Brian?

Koobcam wrote: »

This clip is a great example of how sometimes, people on bikes can be their own worst enemies. Sure, you can say that the cycling lane painted right next to the parked cars is wrong or that the person opening the door should have looked, etc. However, we know that people do sometimes open car doors without looking to see what might be coming, and that local councils tend to have pretty bizarre ways of installing cycling lanes. Ultimately though, that's the way it is and as a cyclist, you need to try to make yourself less vulnerable to accidents. So in this instance, maybe cycling 1.5 metres or more away from the parked cars, so that if someone does open a door, you are not going to hit it or need to swerve around it. If that inconveniences a car behind trying to pass you out, too bad. Better to make them wait than be doored and then have a 50 tonne truck roll over you. I also think though that this video shows good driving behaviour. If the truck driver had been trying to speed past the cyclist, they probably would have killed them. So, it's a good example of someone behind the wheel being very aware of what is going on around them and being able to take evasive action when something unexpected happens.

That's some quality victim blaming. Person A opens a door without looking properly and hurts person B. Person B is to blame for not cycling more defensivly and not predicting the door was going to be opened? Nonsense.

It's also a a case terrible design. Cycling lanes should never run outside parked cars like that.

thejaguar

Koobcam wrote: »

This clip is a great example of how sometimes, people on bikes can be their own worst enemies. Sure, you can say that the cycling lane painted right next to the parked cars is wrong or that the person opening the door should have looked, etc. However, we know that people do sometimes open car doors without looking to see what might be coming, and that local councils tend to have pretty bizarre ways of installing cycling lanes. Ultimately though, that's the way it is and as a cyclist, you need to try to make yourself less vulnerable to accidents. So in this instance, maybe cycling 1.5 metres or more away from the parked cars, so that if someone does open a door, you are not going to hit it or need to swerve around it. If that inconveniences a car behind trying to pass you out, too bad. Better to make them wait than be doored and then have a 50 tonne truck roll over you. I also think though that this video shows good driving behaviour. If the truck driver had been trying to speed past the cyclist, they probably would have killed them. So, it's a good example of someone behind the wheel being very aware of what is going on around them and being able to take evasive action when something unexpected happens.

I agree that from a common sense point of view, the cyclist could have given a bit more space between himself and the cars. But I think you're being a bit unfair to the cyclist.
If the driver of the car behind pays as little attention as the chap who opened the door, the cyclist is in a lot more trouble and the driver will be appropriately penalised.
For some reason though, opening a door without looking is just thought of as a 'whoopsie' and inevitable at some point. So every other road user has to allow for it - and because cyclists could be said to suffer the greatest risk, they should pay extra careful attention.
That's got things the wrong way round if you ask me.

Koobcam

thejaguar wrote: »

I agree that from a common sense point of view, the cyclist could have given a bit more space between himself and the cars. But I think you're being a bit unfair to the cyclist.
If the driver of the car behind pays as little attention as the chap who opened the door, the cyclist is in a lot more trouble and the driver will be appropriately penalised.
For some reason though, opening a door without looking is just thought of as a 'whoopsie' and inevitable at some point. So every other road user has to allow for it - and because cyclists could be said to suffer the greatest risk, they should pay extra careful attention.
That's got things the wrong way round if you ask me.

My point is that you can take it as a given that people in parked cars won't always have the common sense to check for cyclists when they are opening their doors (or maybe they have a bad angle of view thanks to a poorly adjusted mirror). This doesn't excuse the stupidity/thoughtlessness of the person opening the door, and they deserve to be heavily criticised for causing an accident that could easily have been fatal. However, it is probably part of learning how to ride a bike in the city that you should steer well clear of parked cars.

bazermc

Koobcam wrote: »

My point is that you can take it as a given that people in parked cars won't always have the common sense to check for cyclists when they are opening their doors (or maybe they have a bad angle of view thanks to a poorly adjusted mirror). This doesn't excuse the stupidity/thoughtlessness of the person opening the door, and they deserve to be heavily criticised for causing an accident that could easily have been fatal. However, it is probably part of learning how to ride a bike in the city that you should steer well clear of parked cars.

I think the following is a classic example of a blocked and therefore a waste of a cycle lane

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Mespil+Swimming+Pool/@53.330708,-6.251069,3a,66.8y,33.43h,72.58t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6_f4u17pOpicSRMYQ7EIiA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x48670ebcadec84c1:0xb6b7a63bc431cd01!6m1!1e1?hl=en-IE