Cyclist on the M50

Payton

Driving south bound towards the dundrum exit yesterday around 4pm and I could have sworn I seen a cyclist on the M50 just after the dundrum exit heading north bound...anyone hear or see this?

ThisRegard

I've seen a few over the years, most recently joining northbound at the N4 slip to head over bridge on a Sunday evening, and southbound between the N4 and N7 at evening rush hour.

easygoing39

Ive seen it too,in my case it was two lads,full lyrca with a small backpack using the M50 southbound after Finglas.The best bit was I seen them about 40 mins later signing on for the race I was driving too!!!

Wishbone Ash

Bad enough cycling on a motorway but recently I encountered a cyclist cycling southbound on the hard shoulder of the northbound carriageway of the M1 between junctions 3 and 4.

jive

Would be great if there was a lane for cyclists which ran alongside the M50 (separated from the actual road mind you), might see a few cars less on the road during the summer months at least.

I started commuting by bike to Dublin city centre a few months back and can't help but laugh at the bike to work scheme now. If the idea was to get more people commuting on bikes and more cars off the road during peak hours then the money would have been far better spent on providing some actual infrastructure for cyclists rather than token cycle lanes painted onto a normal lane as an after thought. It really is a dangerous mess.

Tenzor07

Yea have seen bicyclists on the M50, including a couple of tourists with panniers who'd obviously followed their GPS, felt v sorry for them with all the cars zipping around them on the M1 flyover...

I think it was discussed to have a cycle lane alongside the M50, but was deemed too expensive due to all the raised cycle bridges and tunnels they'd have to build... Besides... The M50 is a very indirect route to get across the city, it only works for motor vehicles because of the speeds involved..

Wishbone Ash

Tenzor07 wrote: »

..The M50 is a very indirect route to get across the city, it only works for motor vehicles because of the speeds involved..

+1

I can't really see the logic of wanting to take what would be a fairly bland orbital route when one could go through the center where cycling is probably faster than driving.

Guy:Incognito

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Yea have seen bicyclists on the M50, including a couple of tourists with panniers who'd obviously followed their GPS, felt v sorry for them with all the cars zipping around them on the M1 flyover...
.

Is there any country that allows cyclists on motorways?Being a tourist really isnt an excuse.It's very easy to turn a bike around on a ramp when you realise you're going wrong.

jive

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

+1

I can't really see the logic of wanting to take what would be a fairly bland orbital route when one could go through the center where cycling is probably faster than driving.

I don't see the logic either and I suggested it. Obviously going from south to north Dublin would probably double the distance due to the M50 circling the city. Issue currently is how do you retrofit the city centre to make it fit for cyclists - you can't really; well you could but it's not something any government would do unless they weren't interested in re-election! Adding a cycle lane alongside near the M50 seems like a more viable, if somewhat silly, option. Neither will happen anyway so may as well leave it there!!

Wishbone Ash

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Is there any country that allows cyclists on motorways?Being a tourist really isnt an excuse.It's very easy to turn a bike around on a ramp when you realise you're going wrong.

There is also signage at the airport directing touring cyclists to the southern exit which comes out on the R132 at ALSAA.

It may have changed now but there also used to be exiting advice for cyclists at the bike assembly area of the airport.

Raam

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

There is also signage at the airport directing touring cyclists to the southern exit which comes out on the R132 at ALSAA.

It may have changed now but there also used to be exiting advice for cyclists at the bike assembly area of the airport.

We have a bike assembly area?

MonkieSocks

I've heard rumours of this, but never actually witnessed one.

Lots of people have said they've seen them, but where is the evidence?

There was talk of a crash once, but the Military said it wasn't Bicycle wreckage and never any Bodies recovered.

Probably a cover up.

Eamonnator

If it's not on Strava, it never happened.

Wishbone Ash

Raam wrote: »

We have a bike assembly area?

Yup - it's in the ABC car park block area under the travelator.

Alun

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Is there any country that allows cyclists on motorways?Being a tourist really isnt an excuse.It's very easy to turn a bike around on a ramp when you realise you're going wrong.

I'm fairly certain I saw signs on some of the freeways in Canada warning motorists about cyclists at intersections when I was there.

Crippens1

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Yup - it's in the ABC car park block area under the travelator.

We have a travelator ?!

Seaswimmer

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Is there any country that allows cyclists on motorways?Being a tourist really isnt an excuse.It's very easy to turn a bike around on a ramp when you realise you're going wrong.

In Spain its quite common to be allowed use sections of motorway where no alternative exists. It is intimidating when you first come across it as you feel you shouldnt be there but as long as there are none of the red warning signs (no bikes, horses, tractors ect) then you are free to cycle on it until you come across one of the signs and you can go no further. Speed limits are still generally 120km/h but the hard shoulder is wide and mostly free of debris and motorists dont seem to have a problem with it.

Kaisr Sose

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Bad enough cycling on a motorway but recently I encountered a cyclist cycling southbound on the hard shoulder of the northbound carriageway of the M1 between junctions 3 and 4.

Training for the Darwin Awards?

ted1

Seaswimmer wrote: »

In Spain its quite common to be allowed use sections of motorway where no alternative exists. It is intimidating when you first come across it as you feel you shouldnt be there but as long as there are none of the red warning signs (no bikes, horses, tractors ect) then you are free to cycle on it until you come across one of the signs and you can go no further. Speed limits are still generally 120km/h but the hard shoulder is wide and mostly free of debris and motorists dont seem to have a problem with it.

In Ireland if no alternative exists they don't rate it as a motor way hence the 120kmh limit in the N3 off the M50

Tenzor07

Sadly some have paid with their lives: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/dad-killed-as-he-cycled-across-the-m1-motorway-30465509.html

crosstownk

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Bad enough cycling on a motorway but recently I encountered a cyclist cycling southbound on the hard shoulder of the northbound carriageway of the M1 between junctions 3 and 4.

This lost soul must have joined at J2 (or earlier) as there's no access to the northbound carriageway at J3.

Last summer I saw a guy on what looked like a Dawes Duchess (complete with rattan basket) cycling southbound on the M50 between J3 (M1/M50) and J4 (Ballymun). I was stuck in almost stationary traffic due to a collision ahead so this dude was passing all the stopped cars!

godtabh

I've seen on two separate occasions people joining the m50 at carrickmines. Crazy stuff

Jawgap

Crippens1 wrote: »

We have a travelator ?!

Yes, we nicked it from Shelbyville

Cyclists on the N2, north of the M50 junction are a relatively frequent occurrence - I see one about once a month.

Strictly speaking it's not motorway, (I think) but it's still a mad place to bring a bike, imo.

Eamonnator

Jawgap wrote: »

Yes, we nicked it from Shelbyville

Cyclists on the N2, north of the M50 junction are a relatively frequent occurrence - I see one about once a month.

Strictly speaking it's not motorway, (I think) but it's still a mad place to bring a bike, imo.

Pretty sure, that section has been designated as a motorway for quite a while now.

Wishbone Ash

crosstownk wrote: »

This lost soul must have joined at J2 (or earlier) as there's no access to the northbound carriageway at J3...

There is if you're going the wrong way! i.e. down the off ramp at Hollywell which brings northbound traffic off at J3.

Anyway, as he was between J4 and J3 travelling south (on the wrong carriageway), he must have entered at J4 or further north.

crosstownk

Eamonnator wrote: »

Pretty sure, that section has been designated as a motorway for quite a while now.

It's Motorway -M2- (heading south) from Ashbourne to Junction 2 where it becomes the N2 to the M50 junction.

crosstownk

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

There is if you're going the wrong way! i.e. down the off ramp at Hollywell which brings northbound traffic off at J3.

Anyway, as he was between J4 and J3 travelling south (on the wrong carriageway), he must have entered at J4 or further north.

My bad - I misread your post. I'm just back from the pub after 3 pints of Guinness Mid Strength :eek:

punisher5112

See it daily on m50 and m11

stecleary

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Bad enough cycling on a motorway but recently I encountered a cyclist cycling southbound on the hard shoulder of the northbound carriageway of the M1 between junctions 3 and 4.

did you not get the memo? thats the first tt of the club league :cool:

a member of our club is said to have cycled onto the M1 J4 southbound after she confused lanes

Eamonnator

crosstownk wrote: »

It's Motorway -M2- (heading south) from Ashbourne to Junction 2 where it becomes the N2 to the M50 junction.

Everyday's a school day

Cookie_Monster

M11 from Loughlinstown roundabout to N11 after the Bray exit is a stretch I have seen several cyclists on previously. My father in law used to cycling it pretty often too

Wishbone Ash

stecleary wrote: »

...a member of our club is said to have cycled onto the M1 J4 southbound after she confused lanes

I didn't want to mention that. She got enough stick over it at the time (especially as she was in club gear)! :eek:

trihead

Hi OP,

Thanks for posting - I saw him yesterday too - was pretty shocked as there is a section with a very narrow hard shoulder between dundrum and firehouse where I saw him - really really stupid as it would be so easy to get hit or clipped here.

This wasn't some kid but a club cyclist in full gear on a semi decent bike - I did think maybe he was a tourist of some sort and thought it was a dual carriageway - who knows - I'd love to know the story ...

Ps n11 and m1 are not the same deal I think ( yes still breaking the law bla bla ) - as they are wider and straighter and less busier than than m50

crosstownk

trihead wrote: »

Ps n11 and m1 are not the same deal I think ( yes still breaking the law bla bla ) - as they are wider and straighter and less busier than than m50

Just for clarity. Roads designated as motorway (M, blue signage, continuous yellow line at shoulder) are off limits for cycling. National primary and secondary routes (N, green signage, broken yellow line at shoulder) can be used by cyclists. This doesn't mean that they are safe - N7 for example - grade separated junctions are not pleasant if you're cycling past them - sometimes it's preferable to go up and over at the junction.

AFAIK, a lot of N roads are not designated as motorways due to lack of alternative routes for local and agricultural traffic despite the fact that they may look suitable to be upgraded to motorway status. That's my understanding - somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

laraghrider

crosstownk wrote: »

AFAIK, a lot of N roads are not designated as motorways due to lack of alternative routes for local and agricultural traffic despite the fact that they may look suitable to be upgraded to motorway status. That's my understanding - somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

Friends dad who was a road designer and planner for dccc told us years back that it was due to junctions. While a road may look like it should be M class if there is one junction that is not M standard then it must be a N class Road. N7 Dublin to Naas is a very good example of this. 2 junctions that are not up and overs ensures that it stays as an N rating.

crosstownk

I wonder what your friend's dad would think of the ropey junctions on the M7. J23 at Moneygall at the Barack Obama Plaza comes to mind!

Chips Lovell

My favourite kind of M50 cyclist are the ones who're on the wrong side of the road.

ted1

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

My favourite kind of M50 cyclist are the ones who're on the wrong side of the road.

Facing in the incoming traffic would be the safest option .

Jawgap

ted1 wrote: »

Facing in the incoming traffic would be the safest option .

less dangerous =/= safest......

.......although you could just dip your head at the last moment so any truck, van or car hits your helmet

laraghrider

crosstownk wrote: »

I wonder what your friend's dad would think of the ropey junctions on the M7!

Probably not a lot. He's dead!

Agent Smyth

I'm going to hold my hands up to some cycling on a motorway
For years I used to cycle on the M11 from the Coynes cross junction on the N11 to the Rathnew exit.
It only stopped when a unmarked Garda stopped me one Sunday morning and pointed out the errors of my way
Haven't cycled it since that day but still see about a dozen or so cyclists every year still using it
Cant explain why I used to ignore the "no cyclists on the motorway rule" but I remember thinking when I first saw the sign,
what fool from the Wicklow council turned this road into a motorway.

loyatemu

Agent Smyth wrote: »

I'm going to hold my hands up to some cycling on a motorway
For years I used to cycle on the M11 from the Coynes cross junction on the N11 to the Rathnew exit.
It only stopped when a unmarked Garda stopped me one Sunday morning and pointed out the errors of my way
Haven't cycled it since that day but still see about a dozen or so cyclists every year still using it
Cant explain why I used to ignore the "no cyclists on the motorway rule" but I remember thinking when I first saw the sign,
what fool from the Wicklow council turned this road into a motorway.

that road wasn't always motorway, it was DC for a long time then redesignated. I think some cyclists/clubs just got into the habit of using it (though the old N11 from Coynes Cross to Ashford is actually a fine road and very quiet).

cjt156

crosstownk wrote: »

AFAIK, a lot of N roads are not designated as motorways due to lack of alternative routes for local and agricultural traffic despite the fact that they may look suitable to be upgraded to motorway status. That's my understanding - somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

The only thing you should be corrected on is drinking Guinness Lightweight No Wait Poodle-Walker hang on Blouse-wearer? Mid strength...there, that's it...

Carawaystick

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

+1

I can't really see the logic of wanting to take what would be a fairly bland orbital route when one could go through the center where cycling is probably faster than driving.

I don't think there'd be many cyclists going the whole way round, but I'd say there'd be demand to cross the Liffey, Lots of employment in D15 very hard to get to from southside, apart from by car.

doozerie

ted1 wrote: »

Facing in the incoming traffic would be the safest option .

At motorway speeds being able to see the vehicle coming towards you probably counts for little as the chance of being able to get out of its way is very small.

We seem to have a strange attitude to motorways generally. I've seen people walk and cycle on motorways here. I've encountered one guy driving against traffic (in the outer lane), and several cars reversing on a motorway after passing their preferred exit (one of those at night just to add an extra element of adventure). Arguably the most moronic was the guy standing outside a car parked in the hard shoulder, hands in his pockets, having what seemed to be a casual chat with the driver as traffic passed within a metre of him at over 100kph.

There is a reason that the general advice, if your car breaks down on the motorway, is to abandon your car on the hard shoulder and get yourself as far away from it as possible. Of all roadways the hard shoulder of a motorway is not a safe place to be, even if cocooned in a vehicle.

Carawaystick

doozerie wrote: »

There is a reason that the general advice, if your car breaks down on the motorway, is to abandon your car on the hard shoulder and get yourself as far away from it as possible. Of all roadways the hard shoulder of a motorway is not a safe place to be, even if cocooned in a vehicle.

What makes it more dangerous on the hard shoulder of a motorway compared to a dual carriageway built to the exact same standards and same 120 limit? Or to have 100kmh traffic whizzing past on a narrow single carriageway?

Wishbone Ash

doozerie wrote: »

... abandon your car on the hard shoulder and get yourself as far away from it as possible..

Indeed! - they don't come much closer than this (truck driver gets out to check a tyre on the M25).

chicorytip

Cycling on the M50 is, arguably, less dangerous than cycling on Westmoreland Street.

doozerie

Carawaystick wrote: »

What makes it more dangerous on the hard shoulder of a motorway compared to a dual carriageway built to the exact same standards and same 120 limit? Or to have 100kmh traffic whizzing past on a narrow single carriageway?

120kph is 120kph, but using the motorway hard shoulder is an offence except in an emergency whereas the hard shoulder on non-motorways is explicitly for pedestrians and cyclists (or to pull in to allow other cars to overtake). So people don't expect there to be *anything* on a motorway hard shoulder, they certainly won't be looking out for pedestrians or cyclists on it.

Adopting that attitude on any other road is the definition of dangerous driving by having no regards to other road users. Death rates for pedestrians on motorways are surprisingly high, especially if you assume that motorways have a lot less pedestrian traffic than dual carriageways, take from that what you will (from: http://www.rsa.ie/en/Utility/News/2011/Half-of-Motorists-Surveyed-Putting-Lives-at-Risk-By-Stopping-on-Motorway-To-Call-or-Text/):

Last year (2010), four pedestrians were killed on Irish motorways, representing 1 in 5 of all motorway deaths.

cdaly_

doozerie wrote: »

the hard shoulder on non-motorways is explicitly for pedestrians and cyclists (or to pull in to allow other cars to overtake).

AIUI, this is not legal behaviour. It is a common courtesy practice but you are not supposed to drive in the hard shoulder.

The big issue with motorway hard shoulders is that the boring, predictable and typically long-distance nature of motorway driving can give rise to dozing at the wheel and drifting out of lane. You generally get away with it as the shoulder is usually empty but when it isn't...

Fian

My brother in law had a spin down the M50 not that long ago. He is not from Dublin but brought his bike with him on one occassion, was bringing it on a lfight the next day i think.

He is ridiculously faster than I am, I brought him out of a spin and gave up on having him wait for me, gave him directions to go sally gap -> laragh -> wicklow gap ->blessington -> back to dublin. He didn't know his way from Tallaght to Dundrum except via the M50 (which he had obviously driven many times) so he took that.

I am reliably informed that the hard shoulder is full of glass and debris.