Meanwhile on the Roads...

Pinch Flat

Anything goes these days. On a group ride around meath / louth yesterday (7 of us) the aggression (beeping and something thrown at us at donore) and risk taking was unreal. Two almost head on collisions with drivers overtaking us - one around a blind corner on a continuous white, the second up a hill with a blind brow on top. Crazy stuff. Plenty of close / punishment passes,even when we singled up

fat bloke

Today was off the scale altogether in terms of aggression on the roads. Close passes, cars coming the OPPOSITE direction beeping, giving us the finger, shouting at us to get off the road. Dunno what the fcukin story was.

nicksnikita

Sounds like the Wild West over in Leinster.

Meanwhile in the actual west, I was out for a 30k loop earlier and hardly met a car.

I did get beeped at one point after heedlessly drifting into the middle of the road and holding a car up for a bit. But I felt it was more of a “wake up” beep as opposed to a “get off the road before I mow you down” kind of beep

sy_flembeck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121753087#Comment_121753087

I could repeat this verbatim for Wicklow yesterday, don't know what was going on. Group ride was the most scary, freaky experience. Probably shouldn't be too surprised really in a country where there are no consequences no matter what you do

traco

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121745909#Comment_121745909

Well look at this - hot off the email presses to my inbox! I wonder what the realistic time frame of "coming weeks" actually is?

Hi ,

Thank you for your email. I wish to confirm that works are set to be carried out on this stretch of road in the coming weeks by the Operations Department.

I trust this to be of assistance to your query.

Kind Regards,

Paddigol

We were talking recently on here about the lack of reporting around serious RTAs causing life changing injuries and the ripple affect of same through families... this report includes vivid testimony from a survivor. She - and the others affected - won't be publicly mentioned anywhere when it comes to statistics. It'll be 'just' the single fatality as a result of unbelievably shocking behaviour.

Teen drove 170kmh wrong way down M8 before horror crash that killed passenger and left woman with life-changing injuries (msn.com)

Cabaal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761446#Comment_121761446

It got some media attention a few months back, the number from what I remember is for every ONE death there's TEN people left with life changing injuries.

So far this year there are 22 road deaths and 220 people left with life changing injuries. Thats bloody grim.

Paddigol

Speeding fears emerge in Monaghan’s tidiest town as concerns rage over enforcement levels (msn.com)

" Cllr Conlon did, nonetheless, confide that perhaps the biggest obstacle in reducing serious road traffic incidents was that of driver behaviour.

“Let’s make no mistake about it, it’s human nature." "

Paddigol

I sometimes think I'm the only one who see the madness in this kind of mindset!

Cork bridge that is scene of regular incidents is ‘serious threat to road users’ | Independent.ie

“You’re coming into it at 80km. OK, the excuse the council are saying is it’s a 60km zone, but that’s right at the bridge [where] the sign is."

I think I've cracked the cause of all these accidents... clue... it's not the vindictive, malevolent, psychopathic bridge.

Mefistofelino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121769946#Comment_121769946

I know the road and the bridge in question and have both driven and ridden through it on many occasions To be fair to the local quoted, he's not completely wrong in stating that the signage on the North / Millstreet is very late - the speed limit sign is right at the entry to the bend (and frequently hidden by the hedge). Moving it back 100m would avoid much of this, as would cutting the hedges around the signs.

If you are either a local or approaching from the south, there are fewer excuses if you screw it up.

secman

On my commute last night, very murky, poor visibility with heavy rain, decided to use cycle lanes for safety reasons. Coming through Citywest on the cycle lane which carried across an entrance/ exit of a housing estate. A car pulled out to turn left on to the main road and didn't stop before cycle lane, I had to brake hard and pull out on to the road to avoid collision. I got back onto cycle lane and in fairness to the driver he pulled up beside me and profusely apologised to me. Said he has to be more careful when pulling out and make sure no cyclists are coming. Said he didn't see me because he wasn't looking for cyclist. I had 2 front lights on, a flashing, to be seen light under the Garmin and a full on bright, to see light. And of course a rere bright flashing red light. Later on, I was coming back up the Lucan to Tallaght link road and as I was still on the cycle lane, approaching the slip road up from Naas road N7 a very large truck slowed up and stopped to alow me to cross on to the cycle lane.

Tombo2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121595233#Comment_121595233

Thats interesting - am guessing what you saw happened in County Dublin.

Had a similar thing where a bike was stolen 200 yards from Harcourt St Garda Station and I was told to go down to Pearse St to report it.

magicbastarder

yes - happened in NCD; the area where it happened is nominally under the 'jurisdiction' of garristown garda station, but that's only a part time station, and was closed when i reported it. balbriggan take care of garristown calls in that situation.

i emailed the garda press office to ask was this standard practice; i received an apologetic email stating that what should have happened was the garda in ashbourne should have taken the details and passed it to a despatch office, and that they would raise the issue with local superintendents.

the incident itself was two germans in a hire car had drifted onto the wrong side of the road rounding this bend, and hit a car coming the oppostire direction; thankfully a split lip was the worst injury i saw, but one of the cars was totalled and blocking the road.

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.5110917,-6.3513509,3a,75y,288.49h,65.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sK1Uf1cEggWD3jCvAF2SZIA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

the germans were saying to my wife that they were amazed no-one was shouting at them.

RobertFoster

https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/0218/1433021-dublin-cyclist/

RIP

I was driving over this way this evening and was wondering about the closure.

07Lapierre

Malahide road at Kinsealy is part of my daily commute! Shocking to hear a cyclist killed!

billyhead

Just looking at the picture on the Indo. Where exactly did it happen. It's doesn't look like the Malahide Road. Was it the road past the driving range?

RobertFoster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121785207#Comment_121785207

The picture on the Indo website looks to be taken beside the Applegreen. Between there and Baskin Ln was closed.

Tenzor07

Very sad, an early morning spin and some poor soul has lost his life, could be any of us... may he rest in peace...

bilbot79

09:30 on a Sunday morning. I hate the way you don't get details of how these things happened. I feel like we need to know if it was bad cycling practice or bad driving practice (or both).

So sorry to hear it. I'm in my 40s too and try to stick to less busy roads when I can. After the Balgriffin Inn, Malahide Road basically loses its cycling infrastructure. No corner of Dublin should be left without a cycle lane.

Rest in Peace Mr

mod note - speculation removed; please don't suggest a possible cause.

eeeee

I think a 6 year old child was killed in that crash too.

Unspeakably horrific for their families and friends.

magicbastarder

that was a separate incident; she died of injuries received in a crash which happened nine days ago, in westmeath.

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121785447#Comment_121785447

That was a different crash. In Westmeath.

eeeee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121785468#Comment_121785468

Ah OK.

Still awful. And so utterly unnecessary

dahat

28 dead on the roads this year, all unnessecary tragedies.

magicbastarder

Heading for a bad year if this continues; based on current rates we'll breach 200 fatalities. If that happens, it will be the first time since 2010.

Paddigol

Hi-viz... helmets... road tax, blah blah blah. Meanwhile...

Fears over disqualified drivers behind the wheel as 76% ignore orders to surrender licences (msn.com)

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121785618#Comment_121785618

It's not getting much better... more men in their teens and early twenties and more pedestrians...

Man (20s) and teenager dead, two injured in Limerick car crash; man (40s) and child struck by car in Ballina, Co Mayo (msn.com)

Liam O

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121745909#Comment_121745909

Fwiw this looks like it worked as they filled in the side of the road there last week. It's a shame that you've to email about these things and someone isn't going around inspecting but I guess it shows they do respond when contacted.

Now to send them one about the glass that's been on the new lanes in Baldoyle for weeks, or the ones in Swords that it was the case for a month there. Is all road/cycle lane maintenance on request? The tree roots coming through most of them would take a full email to outline all the locations.

traco

Thats good - I did get one email saying that works would be carried out and I also got this long winded reply which to me says they will do nothing about the narrow roads and its the reposnibility of any developer in the future to make them wider. I understand that CPO's aren't a plan but it does raise the question about sustainable development if they can't address the infrastructure in the first place to support that development.

See below:

Good afternoon,

Further to your query below the A/Senior Executive Engineer, Planning and Strategic Infrastructure (Transportation Division), has reported as follows in relation to the Station Road upgrade:

 “The section of Station Road between the Station Road/R124 junction and the entrance off Station Road to the Earnan’s Wood development requires full carriageway widening and upgrading. This is a length of 180m approximately and needs to include footpaths on both sides of the road to replicate the remainder of Station Road which was upgraded previously by Developers. It will include upgrading of the R124 Drumnigh Road /Station Road junction. It will be of a similar design to what has been previously carried out on the lands bordering Station Road through developments such as the Links, Seabrook Manor, the Kilns and St Marnock’s Bay etc. Planning Permissions were granted to these Developers along the length of Station Road (except for this 180m) and they were conditioned as part of their Planning to upgrade the road & footpaths using a section of their land.  Developers on Station Road could only be conditioned to carry out footpath/road works on their own properties and therefore the road widening with associated footpaths has not yet been installed over this 180m stretch. The Planning Department cannot compel Developers to carry out works on third party private lands. The extension of the footpath and road widening for this 180m requires acquisition of third parties private properties, which the Developer or the Council do not currently hold.

 The Fingal County Council Planning & Strategic Infrastructure Department is now progressing the Station Road Upgrade Project as part of their Capital Programme. This is a full upgrade and widening of Station Road for this 180m length. I understand that the dates of the Project are as follows: their Project Procurement/Appointment of Consultants was carried out in 2023; and the Project design and Part 8 Planning process is planned to be carried out in 2024. Following this, they envisage that construction will commence on site in 2025. The construction start date is dependent on their successful land acquisition from the private householders/developers along the 180m length of roadway.  

 Whilst the Station Road Upgrade Project is being progressed, any Developers bordering the 180m stretch of road who submit Planning Applications to the Planning Department will continue to be conditioned to carry out the upgrading of this road and footpath on their respective properties.”

 Your query in relation to the R124 road condition has be referred to Operations Department.

CoffeeImpala

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121798570#Comment_121798570

"which to me says they will do nothing about the narrow roads and its the reposnibility of any developer in the future to make them wider."

I don't think you've read that correctly. The response clearly says

"Project Procurement/Appointment of Consultants was carried out in 2023; and the Project design and Part 8 Planning process is planned to be carried out in 2024. Following this, they envisage that construction will commence on site in 2025. The construction start date is dependent on their successful land acquisition from the private householders/developers along the 180m length of roadway."

To me this says they have started the process of upgrading that 180m stretch. The final paragraph is just saying that if a developer submits planning before the council have finished the work then the developer will build it at their cost.