Journalism and Cycling 2: the difficult second album

Grassey

Saw this in a local Greens update for SDCC

A number of transport projects are progressing which will help to make local communities more walkable
and support road users thinking about switching to EVs:

1. The 2021 School Street Project will see roads around local schools go traffic-free for two hours each
day so that pupils can commute safely on foot or by bike. The schools involved in the first phase are
Gaelscoil Chluáin Dolcain, St Lorcan’s and St Brigid’s in Palmerstown, Holy Spirit in Rathfarnham, and
St Mark’s in Tallaght.

2. The Cycle South Dublin Project, also launched this week, will add 95 km of cycleway to the county’s
network over the next four years. This comes in addition to citywide upgrades planned under
BusConnects. A public consultation on the plan opens on 17 November.

3. Cllr Clare O’Byrne (Firhouse-Bohernabreena) said, “South Dublin aims to become one of Ireland’s most
cycle-friendly counties. We need to create the right environment whereby people feel safe getting on their
bikes and see cycling as a viable alternative to driving. I would encourage everyone to take a few minutes
to take part in the public consultation.”

Perish the thought that a link to the above schemes/consultations would be referenced/provided....

breezy1985

Grassey wrote: »

Saw this in a local Greens update for SDCC



Perish the thought that a link to the above schemes/consultations would be referenced/provided....

I don't know anything about the schools in question or any schools in Dublin but is it possible to close roads for 2 hours at commute time?

Mickiemcfist

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Not sure if a prat writing in a crap paper is journalism but anyhow...

...and loads more predictable nonsense from Farage :rolleyes:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8924869/NIGEL-FARAGE-Stop-pious-pay-road-tax-obey-rules-like-motorists.html

Macho? Since when is peddling a bicycle macho? :rolleyes:

breezy1985

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

Macho? Since when is peddling a bicycle macho? :rolleyes:

Because we are bad ass mother******s who don't take no ****from nobody.

Or was that bobsleighists I get confused with all the lycra

Grassey

breezy1985 wrote:

I don't know anything about the schools in question or any schools in Dublin but is it possible to close roads for 2 hours at commute time?

I think it was done somewhere in North Dublin earlier in the year as a trial, so guess so...

breezy1985

Grassey wrote: »

I think it was done somewhere in North Dublin earlier in the year as a trial, so guess so...

If it happened round my way kids would probably just take a car to the edge of the closed street.

Seth Brundle

breezy1985 wrote: »

I don't know anything about the schools in question or any schools in Dublin but is it possible to close roads for 2 hours at commute time?

No reason why not.

Seth Brundle

If only there was a solution to this :rolleyes:...

'Recipe for disaster': Child struck by motorcycle weeks after bollards installed on busy road
“This raises the issue of the newly-placed bollards in the area,” he said. “They were put up to protect cyclists on the lanes. Cars were parking on the cycle lanes, even if it’s illegally, to drop off their kids.

“What seems to be happening since the bollards were put in place is that cars are now stopping in traffic on the road and children are vacating the vehicles onto the main road which is dangerous and has resulted in an accident this morning.

“Councillors in the area were not notified about the erection of the bollards, and a number of constituents have highlighted that it is a recipe for disaster and unfortunately they have been proven correct," local councillor Colm Kelleher added.

https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/local-news/recipe-disaster-child-struck-motorcycle-19254084

Seth Brundle

While the FG TD is correct in his understanding of the previous Transport Minister, he seems to think that electric bikes are currently illegal...
Fine Gael TD brands Shane Ross ‘a waste of time’

The Fine Gael TD is set to propose a new bill in the next couple of weeks to legalise the widespread use of e-scooters and e-bikes by bringing them in line with laws that apply to pedal bikes.

The private member’s Personal Light Electric Vehicle Bill, part of the Road Traffic Act, seeks to amend road traffic legislation to permit e-scooters and e-bikes as bicycles so that they would be exempt from insurance. Therefore, they could be used on public roads and cycle lanes.

At present, e-scooters and e-bikes are currently not regulated in Ireland. There is no specific law covering them.

They are considered to be mechanically-propelled vehicles, which means that if they are used in public places users must hold a licence and insurance.

I also note a twitter thread on this in which Mr Farrell doesn't seem to like being corrected...
https://twitter.com/AlanFarrell/status/1326128070294638599

breezy1985

Seth Brundle wrote: »

No reason why not.

Very insightful.
Just to clear it up I am not against the idea it's just impossible in the few schools I have experience in and am curious to know what the rules and logistics are

TheChizler

Seth Brundle wrote: »

If only there was a solution to this :rolleyes:...


https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/local-news/recipe-disaster-child-struck-motorcycle-19254084

That same councillor ranting to the news sites and radio about this scheme who was "not notified about the erection of the bollards" was very happy to take the credit for them when they were installed last week.

https://www.facebook.com/Cllr.Colm.kelleher/posts/845126942923005

buffalo

breezy1985 wrote: »

Very insightful.
Just to clear it up I am not against the idea it's just impossible in the few schools I have experience in and am curious to know what the rules and logistics are

Here's some coverage: https://irishcycle.com/2020/03/04/school-streets-to-be-expanded-in-dublin-after-success/

breezy1985

buffalo wrote: »

Here's some coverage: https://irishcycle.com/2020/03/04/school-streets-to-be-expanded-in-dublin-after-success/

Interesting I never thought of it from an air pollution point of view. Park and stride I assume is just getting dropped at the edge of the exclusion zone and walking from there

Grassey

Seth Brundle wrote: »

If only there was a solution to this :rolleyes:...


"cars are now stopping in traffic"
]

Whereas previously they were not, shure it was only cyclists, and they could wait and/or go around... :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Seth Brundle

https://twitter.com/SafeCyclingEire/status/1326268385353723906

Dannyboy70s

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Didn't take them long! These pricks are there nearly every morning

only see that my tweet is up here now, long time boards stalker first-time poster

Seth Brundle

Would the gardai ever consider such an investigative approach? I doubt it
https://twitter.com/roadcc/status/1326831931309350915

Seth Brundle

https://twitter.com/rosspjboyd/status/1326981211709911040

Large bottle small glass

History, GAA and cycling.

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/html5/#/podcasts/series/30243

Seth Brundle

I guess that they must have little else to police...

https://twitter.com/sticky_bottle/status/1327327790417530880?s=19

CramCycle

Seth Brundle wrote: »

I guess that they must have little else to police...

https://twitter.com/sticky_bottle/status/1327327790417530880?s=19

One can only assume this is in conjunction with a crackdown on speeding, mobile phone use, red light running (by any vehicle user), parking on footpaths, driving on footpaths, parking on double yellows, using loading bays for non commercial vehicles and so on?

Wildly Boaring

The amount of bikes on paths at the minute is a bit annoying.
Even announcing that they'll keep an eye on it might remind people the rules exist.

There's an element of people at it who simply won't give to buggies or toddlers and generally fall into the selfishness about the roads.

Seth Brundle

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

The amount of bikes on paths at the minute is a bit annoying.

I've only seen kids doing it and to be honest unless there is something done about driving habits in Ireland then I think the kids are better off there

Eamonnator

CramCycle wrote: »

One can only assume this is in conjunction with a crackdown on speeding, mobile phone use, red light running (by any vehicle user), parking on footpaths, driving on footpaths, parking on double yellows, using loading bays for non commercial vehicles and so on?

In fairness to the man, when he took up his current position a couple of years ago, the nominal strength of the Roads Policing Units in his division was 4 Sergeants and 24 Gardai. The actual strength was 1 Sergeant and about 9 Gardai. Despite all that has happened in the meantime with drugs, gangs, covid etc. the strength of those units is now 2 Sergeants and about 20 Gardai.

breezy1985

Seth Brundle wrote: »

I've only seen kids doing it and to be honest unless there is something done about driving habits in Ireland then I think the kids are better off there

There's a couple of adults do it round my way. It gets worse in the winter cause they don't want to go on the road cause they rarely have lights too.

I doubt the gardai will pull many over this unless they are flying round paths like complete Muppets or engaging in unsociable activities

magicbastarder

there's no provision in law for postmen and women to cycle on the footpath. so i expect if the garda are going to adopt a zero tolerance approach, they'd better clamp down on this too.

Wildly Boaring

Seth Brundle wrote: »

I've only seen kids doing it and to be honest unless there is something done about driving habits in Ireland then I think the kids are better off there

Ah there's a few out this way at it.
Particularly teenagers. Some adults.
I'd have no bother with a guard pulling one of them about it.

I've no bother with kids at it

AndrewJRenko

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

The amount of bikes on paths at the minute is a bit annoying.
Even announcing that they'll keep an eye on it might remind people the rules exist.

There's an element of people at it who simply won't give to buggies or toddlers and generally fall into the selfishness about the roads.

Maybe they should be announcing that they'll be keeping an eye out on speeding drivers so?

Wildly Boaring

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Maybe they should be announcing that they'll be keeping an eye out on speeding drivers so?

It's not an either or scenario

Wildly Boaring

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Maybe they should be announcing that they'll be keeping an eye out on speeding drivers so?

Are you ok with cycling on paths?
I'd never do it.

Not a fan of behaviour of some drivers.
But I cycle on the road or a cycle lane if it's good enough.

I'd be happy to see an announcement of clampdown on unsafe passes.

But I've nothing against the guards enforcing the law