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Former bus driver here, cyclists at traffic lights.

  • 13-10-2022 7:33pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 926 ✭✭✭d51984


    Howdy all, former Dublin Bus driver here. Was having a think about cyclists at red lights. Would it not make more sense to give cyclists a separate green light ahead of main traffic. Say if a bus and a cyclist were at a red together, give the cyclist about a 5 second head start? That way the cyclist is safely away from heavy traffic at lights.

    I started cycling myself having always driven and im amazed the amount of near death experiences on a daily basis cyclists around the city face. Im also amazed that my daily commute on a push bike is actually faster than the car.

    Its a disgrace Joe!



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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 3,734 ✭✭✭standardg60


    Welcome to the club OP, just another couple of million to have their eyes opened to go



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  • Registered Users Posts: 926 ✭✭✭d51984


    My new daily commute is quicker than driving, im actually amazed by this.

    Its a disgrace Joe!



  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,421 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    yep, quite a few junctions near me have lights which go green for cyclists before motorists - albeit not that much before, probably less than a second.

    you can see it here:

    https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3877948,-6.2587275,3a,73.5y,110.15h,78.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spX1_zclUqTD6ybCfwj2gCg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,271 ✭✭✭downtheroad


    Plenty of advance boxes for cyclists exist around Dublin. Frequently occupied by vehicles.



  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,421 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    advanced stop boxes have been around for years; but the OP was talking about lights.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,868 ✭✭✭micar


    When I was cycling to work, I got used to the light sequences and always was ready to set off about 1-2 seconds before the light turned green in order to get ahead of the motor traffic.

    It doesn't need to be 5 seconds.....3 seconds is plenty.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 24,435 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    Well most cyclists dont bother to stop at red lights anyway... I say that as someone who cycles extensivly and always stops at lights. Have seen too many times the consequences of not stopping, I don't want to be another statistic.



  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,421 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    the thing about being a cyclist too is that because you're usually sitting right up the front at a junction anyway, you've a better view of the light sequences so would often have a better idea when lights are going to change anyway.



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,217 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    Interesting how you are only noticing this now that you've started cycling.

    I know police forces in other countries do cycling as part of their training, particularly on busy roads, so that basically - they'll know how it feels.

    I am sure you'll appreciate now that all those drivers who are total experts at everything relating to cyclists, without ever actually cycling, could do with more than a bit of self examination.



  • Registered Users Posts: 849 ✭✭✭petronius


    As a cyclist and a motorist, I think educating both better to be aware and facilitate each other, would also be a help. While having a separate section and lights ahead of the cars, is a help at bigger junctions, it is not going to be implemented everywhere. Common sense and courtesy is to allow a cyclist to go at the junction first, especially if the either or both are turning left, I have cycled and turned left, to be have a car turn so acutely they push me into the kerb. And cyclists and scooterists! should use hand signals, to indicate where they are turning or going on straight etc. Scooterists looking over your right shoulder (often as they are turning) does not indicate you are turning right!



  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,421 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    having never been on a scooter - how stable are they when moving, when you take one hand off the bars to indicate?



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,104 ✭✭✭Furze99


    I think many cyclists have always jumped the lights a bit i.e. taken advantage of the gap between when they go red for other flow and before they go green for cyclist and other traffic.

    But call me a cynic if you will, the OP sounds just too convenient for me. Reads like a makey up story to promote an agenda :)



  • Registered Users Posts: 9,100 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    This used to be the way, but motorists are so often still coming through the red when those going across the junction have green you have to be careful. I'd prefer enforcement of the advance stop lines to be honest - never mind block them, so many motorists are over the the advance stop line it's self.



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  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,421 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    i'm always bemused by that 'slowly creeping forwards at lights' some motorists do. it saves zero time. and is probably putting a little extra wear on the clutch.



  • Registered Users Posts: 603 ✭✭✭noelfirl


    Particularly at that junction, where those advance lights are a Godsend, if those guys who pull forward end up blocking the rest of the stream as a result, it might just be me but it takes a fair bit of self-control to not want to yell at them as you edge past...



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,168 ✭✭✭bikeman1


    I cycle to and from work. I know the "pinch" spots and can guarantee that most days there will be an issue at one or more of those pinch spots. The start ahead lights are great. I do similar when they don't exist by watching the amber light come on, watch the road and away a second or two ahead of cars. When you cycle you are infinitely more away of the traffic, lights and people around than driving. I say that as a driver too.

    It is amazing what some white lines (not the gold standard) do for drivers. I have two sections which don't have white lines and in one case does again for a bit and then not. Once the white lines on the drivers left are gone, many tend to pull left towards the gutter and cut off you cycling (very dangerous) or don't leave a way past in traffic. And i'm talking about a lane where there is plenty of space for a bike lane and the car to drive. Just drivers totally oblivious.

    Another great one is cars driving like mad, doing a big overtake move revving like mad, only to be stopped about 300m down the road in traffic and you sail by. Some drivers don't read the road and traffic ahead of them and unnecessarily drive dangerously.

    All of this happens daily on my commute. Needless to say, I am a FAR more considered driver in towns and cities as a result.



  • Registered Users Posts: 26,512 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    Are you talking about the ones that give cyclists a nanasecond or two of green before the main traffic green, like on Portobello Bridge for traffic heading into Rathmines?



  • Posts: 0 Jasiah Dirty Yard




  • Registered Users Posts: 4,719 ✭✭✭cython


    I don't know that specific one, but I know of several on the quays that afford several seconds of a headstart. From your tone, I have to ask, do you take issue with the entire concept, or merely one flawed implementation that you elect to call out?



  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,421 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    i know several around D9 that probably give less than a second head start. i don't think i've seen any yet that give several seconds, but i rarely cycle closer to the city centre than griffith avenue.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 26,512 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    I don't think I've seen the concept as you describe it working, so I'm not really able to comment on it. The one in Dundrum village, for cyclists who have come up the contraflow bike lane is similar, about a second before the main traffic gets green also.



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