Journalism and cycling

Pinch Flat

Next up Mannix Flynn. Should be interesting. Still back to people buying fridges and TVs in the city centre and not being able to get them home without a car :rolleyes:

magicbastarder

at least he was there to provide balance to the ravings of the other chap.

eclipsechaser

Could anyone tell me when the last pedestrian killed by a cyclist in Ireland was (and/ or how frequently it occurs)?

Chuchote

eclipsechaser wrote: »

Could anyone tell me when the last pedestrian killed by a cyclist in Ireland was (and/ or how frequently it occurs)?

We bury our dead :cool:

magicbastarder

eclipsechaser wrote: »

Could anyone tell me when the last pedestrian killed by a cyclist in Ireland was (and/ or how frequently it occurs)?

2002 was the last year a cyclist was implicated in/responsible for the death of a pedestrian.
or another way to look at it - approximately 4,500 people have been killed on the roads while waiting for the situation to repeat.

magicbastarder

https://twitter.com/Shane_RossTD/status/816220654198407168

mr spuckler

Wheels come off Newstalk as Williams drives Coleman to distraction
Radio Review: The hosts bring real needle to their Odd Couple routine over cyclist issue

analysis of newstalk's coverage of cycling or to quote "the rift really setting the air alight on the national commercial station is the one between motorists and cyclists."

somewhat interesting take on why...

But the frequency with which the topic crops up on Newstalk suggests that producers and presenters alike have identified motorists as a key demographic, complete with grievances that can be aired to ratings-friendly effect.

RayCun

mr spuckler wrote: »

analysis of newstalk's coverage of cycling or to quote "the rift really setting the air alight on the national commercial station is the one between motorists and cyclists."

somewhat interesting take on why...

that's a good point. Who listens to drivetime radio? The clue is in the name...

Chuchote

For the day that's in it:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/fashion/craftsmanship-bicycles-maison-tamboite.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=Moth-Visible&moduleDetail=inside-nyt-region-3&module=inside-nyt-region&region=inside-nyt-region&WT.nav=inside-nyt-region

FASHION & STYLE

A Paris Company Adds Custom Tailoring to Bicycles

AndrewJRenko

RayCun wrote: »

that's a good point. Who listens to drivetime radio? The clue is in the name...

In fairness, I'd often listen on public transport too - not just drivers.

Chuchote wrote: »

For the day that's in it:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/fashion/craftsmanship-bicycles-maison-tamboite.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=Moth-Visible&moduleDetail=inside-nyt-region-3&module=inside-nyt-region&region=inside-nyt-region&WT.nav=inside-nyt-region

I'm looking forward to this;
http://www.countryfile.com/article/cyclists-be-allowed-motorway-hard-shoulders#.WN9OS8WZHK0.facebook

CramCycle

I don't like April fools stories that are published before April Fools day.

Grassey

RayCun wrote:

that's a good point. Who listens to drivetime radio? The clue is in the name...

Who still listens to the radio in this day and age...

Chuchote

Grassey wrote: »

Who still listens to the radio in this day and age...

Me, but not to Irish radio, which is too Mrs Nice and Mr Nasty for me - all those terribly middle-class people with identikit opinions. I listen to France Inter most of the time; not that I understand all of it, but more as I go along. And French radio includes a lot of hysterical laughter:

magicbastarder

Grassey wrote: »

Who still listens to the radio in this day and age...

or, you could listen to 'a convict of the road' from the RTE doc on one series.

tomasrojo

Radio listenership is holding up well generally, last I read about it. I listen to it a lot less since podcasts came along, but many of the podcasts I listen to are digested radio programmes anyway.

Tenzor07

Whilst not strictly an article which is cycling related, I think most of us who cycle and drive would agree wholeheartedly with this...

Dublin drivers ranked as the worst in Ireland

magicbastarder

in other news, the AA have just won the 'least scientific poll in the history of dubious poll-making' award.

Corca Baiscinn

magicbastarder wrote: »

in other news, the AA have just won the 'least scientific poll in the history of dubious poll-making' award.

Pray tell us more!

Arcade_Tryer

Only for the AA, I'd never have known the majority of drivers in Ireland are in Dublin.

ThisRegard

Deedsie wrote: »

Dublin drivers are very poor drivers but I wouldn't call them the worst. Basically Irish people in general regardless of their mode of transport can be quite poor road users.

It's a nonsense to say Dublin drivers are the worse, it's no better than saying cyclists have no regard for the rules of the road.

Chuchote

There's no real culture of considerate road-sharing.

I watched a dear friend drive like a maniac the other day - dithering along a main road looking for a place to stop with nary an indicator or hazard light, pursued by horn-blaring drivers. And it's her normal practice not to signal, or to signal the wrong way, or to signal only as she turns.

She's universally known among her family as a really good driver!

I've seen lots of horrifying ads about how you'll kill people if you use your phone in the car (none of which have any effect whatsoever).

The problem is that the Gardaí (understandably busy with their caseload of breath tests) simply do not enforce even things that are against the law, like using a phone while driving; and the non-use or incorrect use of signals isn't even a ticketable offence, dangerous as it is.

I love Sean nos

...with drivers in Donegal (19.25%)

:pac:

Fian

ThisRegard wrote: »

It's a nonsense to say Dublin drivers are the worse, it's no better than saying cyclists have no regard for the rules of the road.

Tbh I think Dublin drivers are better than most. Pretty hopeless at overtaking on rural roads but much better progressing through city traffic than rural drivers are. I guess it is a case of which you are experienced at.

Galway drivers are the worst imo. Hopeless - many roundabouts have been removed in Galway because the traffic was just unable to efficiently navigate them.

CramCycle

Fian wrote: »

Tbh I think Dublin drivers are better than most. Pretty hopeless at overtaking on rural roads but much better progressing through city traffic than rural drivers are. I guess it is a case of which you are experienced at.

Galway drivers are the worst imo. Hopeless - many roundabouts have been removed in Galway because the traffic was just unable to efficiently navigate them.

Funny a friend of mine said he found Galway far safer than Dublin. I have not much experience over there but I thought it was alright.

The only places I have found truly dangerous are country roads which are not used to lots of cyclists and you have people coming round blind bends, hugging the edge at 80kmph. They swing out when they see you but only by luck nothing has happened as instincts would kick in if they met opposing traffic and they would clean me out of it before themselves.

This is changing, my parents used to hate me cycling at night when I was younger due to drink driving. They would try and arrange anything else, lifts, taxis etc. It is funny how the issue was me cycling, not that people were driving drunk. Improvements in lights over the years have made this less of an issue, along with the reduction in drink driving.

rubadub

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Whilst not strictly an article which is cycling related, I think most of us who cycle and drive would agree wholeheartedly with this...

Dublin drivers ranked as the worst in Ireland

The poll is totally skewed.

Drivers in Sligo and Leitrim were viewed as the best behaved in Ireland according to the survey. Just 0.26% of respondents held the view that drivers in these counties were the worst behaved in the country, reflecting a trend where rural counties were viewed as better behaved.

They were not viewed as the best behaved, it sounds like the poll asked who is the worst. Before I even got to that quote I was thinking to myself "hmmmm, I wonder where Laois or Leitrim ended up".

Ask people to name the 32 counties and I imagine those most likely to be left off/forgotten will also be bottom of the list whether asked "which county has the best drivers" or "worst drivers". I would have absolutely no doubt Dublin would top this list, regardless of how the driving is.

Pinch Flat

Chuchote wrote: »

There's no real culture of considerate road-sharing.

This is the key here. I've always said it an repeat it many times in discussions - Ireland is a socially immature country. Personal responsibility and consideration for others is sometimes totally lacking. People act individually, selfishly and in a child-like manner in many social situations.

Case in point - I was heading out on Dublin bike Friday evening, came to a narrow road. The Toyota Land Cruiser coming against me had parked cars and other obstacles on his left. The rules state (as would common decency) he should of stopped and let me pass - we're taking about 5 seconds here maximum. Instead, he barges up a narrow road, almost clipping me with his wing mirror as he passes me. Total lack of consideration of the outcome if he had of hit me in a vehicle travelling at speed that most weight close to a couple of tonnes.

But it's not limited to cycling - on Saturday morning, I had a similar situation -came upon a delivery van ahead of me, came to a stop to let the car coming against me pass. Except[t, they kept going, stopping to my right. They're now blocking all the traffic going the other way, including me. So perhaps I should have just barged on to prevent myself being held up.

Stopped into some on street parking to get cash from an ATM - when I got back in the car, indicated to get out. The road was pretty clear. But, no, someone insisted on pulling up right against me at what was a red light. preventing me from existing the car parking space. Again, on a Saturday morning, there was no way I was getting in front of him, and he doggedly sat while I waiting patiently top get back out.

Driving the M50 all these traits become obvious - so people will speed up to prevent you merging or overtaking, tail gate you when all they gave to do is overtake.

It's this pig headed attitude that's all too common here.

AndrewJRenko

Journal poll on the 30 kmph speed limit in Dublin is running very tight at present 49% in favour, 48% against;

http://www.thejournal.ie/30km-speed-limit-3320912-Apr2017/

Weepsie

CramCycle wrote: »

Funny a friend of mine said he found Galway far safer than Dublin. I have not much experience over there but I thought it was alright.

Galway is the very worst place I've cycled in Ireland. I cycle through the city to Salthill from Oranmore and then back out via another route and it genuinely feels like drivers don't see cyclists at all.

We had a police escort one year and we still had drivers on roundabouts decide that we didn't have right of way when we were approaching on their right.

That and it has some dubious cycle lanes that appear to be not raised beside footpath but then are and a slight lapse is asking for trouble.

CramCycle

Weepsie wrote: »

Galway is the very worst place I've cycled in Ireland. I cycle through the city to Salthill from Oranmore and then back out via another route and it genuinely feels like drivers don't see cyclists at all.

We had a police escort one year and we still had drivers on roundabouts decide that we didn't have right of way when we were approaching on their right.

That and it has some dubious cycle lanes that appear to be not raised beside footpath but then are and a slight lapse is asking for trouble.

I remember coming into Galway and the Gardai had asked me to help with the escort. A car at one of the roundabouts before the city went ballistic, that we had blocked off the road and clearly would have ran people over if a larger vehicle had not blocked their way. I am not sure that behaviour is any different than what you would find in Dublin though, or in fact, any other county.

murf

Fian wrote: »

blackwhite wrote: »

If the handbrake was engaged - as the article states - then it doesn't sound like the car could have been "nudging" out.

From google maps it looks like a very poor design on the cycle lanes - but none of that excuses cycling into the side of a stopped vehicle - and especially doesn't excuse looking for €60k to compensate the teenager's own stupid actions.

The "60k" damages is misleading, sort of clickbait actually it irritates me that newspapers esp indo constantly refer to it.

The limit of damages for personal injury in the Circuit Court is €60,000. When you issue court proceedings for personal issues you always claim €60,000 - in every single personal injuries action brought in the circuit court this is the claim. this does not mean that the plaintiff would not have happily settled for a much smaller sum had it been offered.

It does imply he was claiming more than €15,000 damages, which is the district court limit.

This should be pinned somewhere for reference!