Journalism and cycling

Type 17

CramCycle wrote: »

I have always thought of stupidity as a disease that needed close contact to pass along, but also required sufficient number of people with the ability to catch it for it to become a major worry. In the past, this was handled because those who suffered from it where generally in a population where many people were immune, so herd immunity kept it in check. Unfortunately the internet has become a disease vector for this illness and herd immunity no longer applies.

True, in the past, people talking nonsense would be set straight or ignored by the rest of us, but now, these people get to read others' similar opinions and think "I knew I was right!" (No, you're both wrong).

Remember that half of the people in the world are below average...

Grassey

https://www.dlrcoco.ie/en/travel-transport/transportation-infrastructure/council-secures-funding-%E2%82%AC99million-15-cycle


Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is pleased to announce that the National Transport Authority has allocated funding of €9.9million to the Council for the design and construction of 15 cycle improvement scheme around the County in 2020,

Seth Brundle

This is a good read...
Vision Zero: What I learnt from Sweden on Road Safety
Ciarán Cuffe MEP

‘The day the knock on the door came'.

This phrase came up time and again in the three days I spent in Stockholm at a Road Safety Conference. For many at the conference that knock represented the day their lives changed utterly when someone called to their door with the news that one of their loved ones had died in a road crash. For others in attendance giving that news was part of their job description. Every one of the 1,700 people in attendance wanted to reduce the toll. Over a million die every year on the world's roads, and many more suffer life-altering injuries. I was there representing the European Parliament at the Global Network for Road Safety Legislators, and to speak at a session examining how we can use procurement rules to reduce the carnage. The outcome of the Conference - the Stockholm Declaration ties road safety in to the Sustainable Development Goals and will hopefully reduce fatalities and injuries in the coming decade. Hats off to the Swedish Government and the World Health Organisation for bringing us all together.
...

Seth Brundle

^^^and incidentally...
U.S. Only Nation To Dissociate From Global Declaration On Preventing Road Deaths

Seth Brundle

No chance of this happening here...

https://twitter.com/Cyclistie/status/1231609108056432640

Grassey

Seth Brundle wrote:

No chance of this happening here...

Shooting fish in a barrel... Revenue generation only... Hard pressed commuters keeping the country afloat... Etc etc etc

CramCycle

Grassey wrote: »

Shooting fish in a barrel... Revenue generation only... Hard pressed commuters keeping the country afloat... Etc etc etc

It's not though, as we could do it here already and there seems to be no incentive bar the odd Garda stop once a month. Even then, from what I could see, they wave half the cars out so no fine regardless. If I was a gambling man and a commuting motorist, I'd use the bus lanes all the time. I'd save a few euro in fuel every day, at €80 a catch, if I only got caught once a month I'd still be saving money.

AndrewJRenko

CramCycle wrote: »

It's not though, as we could do it here already and there seems to be no incentive bar the odd Garda stop once a month. Even then, from what I could see, they wave half the cars out so no fine regardless. If I was a gambling man and a commuting motorist, I'd use the bus lanes all the time. I'd save a few euro in fuel every day, at €80 a catch, if I only got caught once a month I'd still be saving money.

A colleague who previously drove as a service technician told me it was well worth using the bus lanes all the time. He got fined once or twice a year, but still saved loads of time getting round the city.

We really need penalty points.

Pinch Flat

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

A colleague who previously drove as a service technician told me it was well worth using the bus lanes all the time. He got fined once or twice a year, but still saved loads of time getting round the city.

We really need penalty points.

Not unsual to see three of four private cars in a row on the north quays in the morning. Cheeky fcukers will beep you out of it as well more often than not of you're in their way.

In 10 years commuting by bike I could count on one hand the amount of times I've seen one pulled in. So some have clearly done the maths and decided it's worth it.

Stark

Go further west towards Chapelizod Road and the situation is farcical. On a busy morning, the bus lane can be backed up from the lights at the courthouse to the lights at Islandbridge with private motorists. I've actually seen garda cars queued like eejits there some mornings. What do they do, they stick up a sign approaching the Islandbridge junction saying "drivers, please keep bus lanes clear" :rolleyes:

Corca Baiscinn

Seth Brundle wrote: »

^^^and incidentally...
U.S. Only Nation To Dissociate From Global Declaration On Preventing Road Deaths

What a surprise!

buffalo

Stark wrote: »

Go further west towards Chapelizod Road and the situation is farcical. On a busy morning, the bus lane can be backed up from the lights at the courthouse to the lights at Islandbridge with private motorists. I've actually seen garda cars queued like eejits there some mornings. What do they do, they stick up a sign approaching the Islandbridge junction saying "drivers, please keep bus lanes clear" :rolleyes:

Metres away from our criminal courts...

My favourite bit is the lad who drives in, gets stuck, then beeps at the car in front of him like it's their fault.

AndrewJRenko

buffalo wrote: »

My favourite bit is the lad who drives in, gets stuck, then beeps at the car in front of him like it's their fault.

Rule 1: It's always someone else's fault.

Seth Brundle

RTE1 TV this evening @ 19:00...

https://twitter.com/EcoEye/status/1231990747588591622

AndrewJRenko

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

A colleague who previously drove as a service technician told me it was well worth using the bus lanes all the time. He got fined once or twice a year, but still saved loads of time getting round the city.

We really need penalty points.

Enforcement of road offences in general is an absolute joke. When it comes to cycling, just forget about it.

We live in a country where a driver who had a number of previous driving offences (including one for dangerous driving) deliberately mowed down a cyclist, lied to the Guards about it, was caught and convicted of the offence and received a suspended sentence. Imagine telling that story to a Danish or Dutch person. They'd think you made it up.

Edit: In case anyone think's I'm making it up

“What you did was reckless in the extreme,” the judge said.......then suspends the sentence.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/circuit-court/suspended-sentence-for-man-who-deliberately-crashed-into-cyclist-1.4094339

Stark

10,000 for being deliberately mowed down. Cyclist should have tried falling off a swing instead.

the.red.baron

Martin Nolan


all you need to know


the guy worked very hard since the incident and had a good work record

JMcL

Deleted User wrote: »

Enforcement of road offences in general is an absolute joke. When it comes to cycling, just forget about it.

We live in a country where a driver who had a number of previous driving offences (including one for dangerous driving) deliberately mowed down a cyclist, lied to the Guards about it, was caught and convicted of the offence and received a suspended sentence. Imagine telling that story to a Danish or Dutch person. They'd think you made it up.

Edit: In case anyone think's I'm making it up

“What you did was reckless in the extreme,” the judge said.......then suspends the sentence.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/circuit-court/suspended-sentence-for-man-who-deliberately-crashed-into-cyclist-1.4094339

Usual guff about "good work history". WTF has that got to do with anything? I mean, Ted Bundy was probably quite good at his job, but that didn't lead to any mitigation.

AndrewJRenko

Deleted User wrote: »

Enforcement of road offences in general is an absolute joke. When it comes to cycling, just forget about it.

We live in a country where a driver who had a number of previous driving offences (including one for dangerous driving) deliberately mowed down a cyclist, lied to the Guards about it, was caught and convicted of the offence and received a suspended sentence. Imagine telling that story to a Danish or Dutch person. They'd think you made it up.

Edit: In case anyone think's I'm making it up

“What you did was reckless in the extreme,” the judge said.......then suspends the sentence.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/circuit-court/suspended-sentence-for-man-who-deliberately-crashed-into-cyclist-1.4094339

And just for contrast, if you bump into an illegally parked car that blocks your pavement, you WILL actually go to prison.

https://twitter.com/eithneshortall/status/1231684711136796672

Seth Brundle

Dublin Cycling Campaign Welcomes Proposal to Trial Liffey Cycle Route

“Dublin Cycling Campaign welcomes the recommendation to trial sections of the Liffey Cycle Route” says Kevin Baker, Chairperson of Dublin Cycling Campaign, “The trial isn’t perfect but it will better protect the thousands of people who cycle along the Liffey quays everyday. The trial will show the huge demand for a safe cycle route along our city’s river through the heart of Dublin”

“The Liffey Quays is currently a hazardous environment for people on bikes, and this results in fewer people choosing to cycle there,” says Louise Williams, Vice Chair of Dublin Cycling Campaign. “We want to see a city where people of all ages and abilities are enabled to cycle, and this trial of the Liffey Cycle Route is a big step in that direction.”

Seth Brundle

Temporary Liffey cycle route along Dublin's quays to be in place by August

If approved by Councillors on Monday, the Council plans to provide a series of continuous protected cycle lanes along the quays between Wolfe Tone Quay and Custom House Quay on the Northside and from Georges Quay to Victoria Quay on the Southside.

The planned route consists of road markings, bollards and lane separators along the quays.

The report also recommends the removal of a number of traffic lanes along the north quays at Parkgate St, Wolfe Tone Quay, Sarsfield Quay, Inns Quay and Upper Ormond Quay.

On the South Quays, the Council proposes removing westbound traffic lanes at Georges Quay, Burgh Quay and Victoria Quay.

Cyclists would be given two-metre wide protection on one-way cycle lanes along the majority of the route under the plan.

At certain sections, cyclists would have a minimum of one metre-wide separation from general traffic, according to the report.

JMcL

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Temporary Liffey cycle route along Dublin's quays to be in place by August

Incredible. I read the comments and the only mention of "red lights" was one lad commenting that nobody had mentioned them. A first for a Journal article - though the knuckle dragging illiterati will probably chip in later soon as the sun warms their stones up enough for them to crawl out from under them

Kander

The comments on the Journal posts are as entertaining as ever...

Seth Brundle

The Irish Times has a decent image of the temporary Liffey Cycle Routeup now...

I note that the worst part of it in my opinion (S quays from Westmoreland St to Fishamble St) remains unprotected.

McGrath5

JMcL wrote: »

Incredible. I read the comments and the only mention of "red lights" was one lad commenting that nobody had mentioned them. A first for a Journal article - though the knuckle dragging illiterati will probably chip in later soon as the sun warms their stones up enough for them to crawl out from under them

They're all sitting in their metal boxes, give them time.

Stark

Seth Brundle wrote: »

The Irish Times has a decent image of the temporary Liffey Cycle Routeup now...

I note that the worst part of it in my opinion (S quays from Westmoreland St to Fishamble St) remains unprotected.

I was wondering if they'd attempt a two way cycle lane on the other side. I would agree with your appraisal that that section is the worst (imo).

I hope that one advantage of having a temporary solution in place before the permanent solution is that it allows time to show up the latent demand that's there for the route and the need for an adequately specced permanent soiution. A single 1.5m lane isn't going to cut it imo. The sections of the grand canal cycle route between Baggot street and Charlemont street are almost unusable imo at peak time due to volume for example.

cdaly_

Stark wrote: »

I was wondering if they'd attempt a two way cycle lane on the other side. I would agree with your appraisal that that section is the worst (imo).

I hope that one advantage of having a temporary solution in place before the permanent solution is that it allows time to show up the latent demand that's there for the route and the need for an adequately specced permanent soiution. A single 1.5m lane isn't going to cut it imo. The sections of the grand canal cycle route between Baggot street and Charlemont street are almost unusable imo at peak time due to volume for example.

You mean like traffic congestion?

donvito99

Criminal that they can make no provision at all for a cycle lane between Grattan and O'Connell Bridges. There are two pinchpoints, but Wellington and Aston Quays are at least 3 if not 4 vehicle lanes wide at some points.

CramCycle

donvito99 wrote: »

Criminal that they can make no provision at all for a cycle lane between Grattan and O'Connell Bridges. There are two pinchpoints, but Wellington and Aston Quays are at least 3 if not 4 vehicle lanes wide at some points.

Its actually really simple. One lane for buses, exclude taxis. Another for private vehicles, all other space for cyclists and pedestrians. At the pinch points, restrict car access to off peak times. ANPR cameras with average speed and bus lane use detectors. Remove all car parking spaces. Deliveries between 5am and 7am only. There are still one or two pinch points but that alone would be a huge improvement with very little in the way of costs, and revenue generation as well.

Seth Brundle

Letter from Conn Donnovan of the Cork Cycling Campaign sent to both the Echo and Examiner

https://twitter.com/conndonovan9/status/1232728355730055168