Cycle infrastructure planned for south Dublin

Economics101

Months ago I drew attention to the forever ongoing works at Grange Road Rathfarnham, apparently to provide fro better cycling facilities. Well, the works are still going on, with lots of people on site, controlling traffic, digging holes but very little sign of anything near completion, after 7 months of "work".

To-day I managed to get a photo of where that have widened the footpath and narrowed the space for cyclists. Th overall width of the road is less than before, and they will probably paint very wide cycle lanes with space of cars and buses which will be less than the width of the vehicles.

20211123_120933_002.jpg

The level of waste and incompetence is simply staggering.

Economics101

Sorry for the mis-oriented pic. Even sideways it's obvious what a **itshow this is.

magicbastarder

looks like they've provided ample lorry parking though.

ARX

This country would sh1t its pants if parking laws were enforced.

Shane Ross once came banging on my door after dark looking for my vote. When I started on the non-enforcement of parking laws he nearly fell over himself trying to get away. He got Stepaside Garda station reopened and yet there are cars and lorries illegally parked on the footpath a stone's throw from the station. Same in Dundrum where there are cars parked on the footpath across the road from the Garda station. I'm sure the Gardai are great at keeping a lid on gangland murders but they're useless for traffic enforcement.

Diarmuid

I live right at that pinch point on Grange road. I don't know, first hand the cause of the delays. One of the local shopkeepers said they they hit some pipes but I'm not sure I believe it.

I'm struggling to see how the changes are going to make more room for cyclists on that road. I guess it's partly to stop the "just dropping the kids off" double parking that happens every morning outside the school.

Here's the original proposal and all the gory details . I couldn't find the big picture in all details http://www.sdublincoco.ie/Media/Item/34044

Seth Brundle

https://twitter.com/Niels_JW/status/1463424909783318530

magicbastarder

FEWER

Economics101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118214653#Comment_118214653

This is misleading: the 2,100 cyclists should be compared with (a) the number of people in the 1,400 cars plus (b) the number of buses and the number of people in them (probably quite large) plus (c) the number of delivery vehicles.

Anyhow the geniuses in Grange Road don't seem to follow any sort of logic.

p15574

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118214745#Comment_118214745

I think it'd be safe to say that the 1,400 cars contain less than 1,450 people, if even that.

tomasrojo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118214745#Comment_118214745

The average occupancy of a car in Dublin city centre is about 1.25, so the route would still be carrying more people by bike than car. But buses carry most people into the city centre(*), so I'd be surprised if buses didn't tip the balance firmly in favour of motorised travel.

But then again, if you look at it from the point of view of sustainable travel, private motor vehicles would look even worse.

(*) EDIT: I mean, buses are the most important single transport category for carrying people into the city centre. Or were before covid.

tomasrojo

Private cars are fundamentally a very inefficient use of space, both in motion, and more particularly at rest. And there's no way to get around this, unless you have a lot of cheap space.

Macy0161

I don't think it's at all misleading - the stat was cars v bikes, not all motorised transport v bike. Not one of those 5 lanes is a dedicated bus lane at that intersection.

I was on a bus down Lesson Street yesterday evening - it took the guts of 15 minutes (valuable and rare) drinking time to get to the Green. It wasn't bikes or buses causing the issue.

tomasrojo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118214950#Comment_118214950

Yeah, if there is any broader grouping used in analyses, it would be more usual to group public transport in with walking and cycling, rather than group public transport with private motor vehicles. Because of the space issue mostly, though climate change issues favour the former grouping as well.

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118214716#Comment_118214716

buffalo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118214745#Comment_118214745

Don't forget the passengers in the cargo bikes too so, and the people getting backers! 😄

tomasrojo

The Word Matters (*) podcast dealt with fewer vs less a while ago. They said that it seemed to originate with Robert Baker in the late 1700s. He expressed a preference for "fewer" when dealing with countable things (a preference rather than a rule) and over time it hardened into a rule.

They also said that there are a few cases that should be clear cut "fewer" scenarios (some cases like "less than ten dollars" are explained by saying it's equivalent to "less than the sum of ten dollars"), but most people use "less", such as "an essay of x words or less".

EDIT: I originally wrote "Words Matter podcast", but that's a different podcast.

cletus

I had never heard of that podcast, but I am now subscribed. Thank you

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118211405#Comment_118211405

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118211417#Comment_118211417

Certainly the vans from Heatco are regularly blocking footpaths and cycle lanes at that location

tomasrojo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118215674#Comment_118215674

I edited the post, as I originally wrote "Words Matter podcast", but that's a different podcast; it's "Word Matters" from NPR.

McGrath5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118214898#Comment_118214898

Sometimes councils give the space away for free, SDCC has ran a "trail" for 30 mins free parking in Rathfarnham "village" (I use that term lightly) since 2016. Obviously if motorists need more time they can just go to the ticket machine again and get another free 30 mins hence the system is abused. Its turned the village into a glorified car storage facility when in fact it could be a far more charming place to spend time.

Economics101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118216246#Comment_118216246

If they get rid of the 30-minute "free" concession, then how much business would be lost to nearby shopping centres with free parking? Rathfarnham village could become a real desert. Why cannot anyone enforce rules properly, including rules about a limited free parking time? A few clampers would work wonders.

Oh, I forgot, we should cycle to Rathfarnham to save the planet. Does that include the over-75s on a wet winter's day?

Seth Brundle

Oh, I forgot, we should cycle to Rathfarnham to save the planet. Does that include the over-75s on a wet winter's day? Plus it was cold and wet today but still they went by.

Working from home, I see a lot of elderly people cycle past the front of my house and I live on a hill. Now I know many elderly people simply cannot or will not cycle but don't imply as if they all have an inability to cycle.

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118216726#Comment_118216726

My Dad cycles around at 72, I plan on doing the same in my 70s. Should we not be encouraging this? Why do you even post in here?

Economics101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118216919#Comment_118216919

How dare you question my right to post here? I also cycle in my 70s, but there are loads of people who can't. And I wish you luck on a wet and windy December day.

I'm fed up with intolerant and self-righteous cyclists. (Nothing wrong with tolerant cyclists, otherwise I wouldn't have complained about the anti-cyclist carry-on on Grange Road)

Fighting Tao

Wet and windy December didn’t stop a woman I knew cycling 8.5km into Dundalk and the same back 3-4 times a week into her late 80’s. She passed away in her early 90’s.

Macy0161

It's 100% FACT that it's only over 75's that drive to any shops in South Dublin.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118216957#Comment_118216957

TBF the question was 'why do you even post here?' and was not about your right to post here.

Effects

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118216818#Comment_118216818

That's where battery assist bikes are great. They can help older people who couldn't cycle otherwise.

McGrath5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118216726#Comment_118216726

Plenty of studies have shown if people are catered for over cars, then trade actually increases.

Rathfarnham village is in a highly populated area, saying it will turn into a desert if car access is restricted is just hyperbole.

Economics101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118217080#Comment_118217080

Well, it was in keeping with the ad hominem tone of so much discussion on this thread to-day. Clearly some people do no like being challenged.