Cyclist death on north quay on Friday

Trojan

As a regular cyclist in the North Wall and East Wall area I'm a little perturbed by the guy getting killed on Friday morning by an articulated truck (poor guy).

Does anyone know exactly what happened, i.e. was the truck turning left and not see him, etc?

robfitz

I went down to have a look at the scene later Friday afternoon.

It's not very clear from the markings on the ground. I think the cyclist was coming from East Link Bridge onto East Wall Road. The truck was turning onto North Wall Quay, it may have come from East Wall Road or East Link Bridge though it seems to have taken a very wide (late?) turn.

The cyclist seems to have been cycling near the outside edge of the roundabout and was hit from the side by the front of the truck on the drivers side.

These are some photos of the scene:





These are some news items in relation to the accident.

Dublin: Cyclist dies after collision with truck
Cyclist's death prompts lorry safety plea
Dublin crash victim named


These are the details for the most recent cyclist deaths.

2005-08-05, 58, Male, North Wall Quay & East Wall Road, Dublin, Truck
2005-02-15, 60s, Female, Swinford, Co Mayo, Truck
2005-02-09, 79, Male, Thurles, Co Tipperary, Car
2005-02-08, 32, Male, Nort Strand Road & East Wall Road (Annesley Bridge), Dublin, Truck
2005-01-20, 27, Male, East Wall Road & Alexandra Road, Dublin, Truck
2004-12-30, 70s, Male, Grand Canal Place & Echlin Street, Dublin, Truck

hawkmoon269

I don't mean to be insensitive in any way but as a cyclist myself I tend to avoid cycling in the city centre and particularly avoid places with a high truck density. Which would include North Quays, East Wall, etc.

Roll on the Port Tunnel.....

cyclopath2001

There are recessed rail tracks there and there used be a cycle lane. The layout was designed to help cyclists find a safe angle of travel across the rail tracks.

Has anyone any idea why the cycle lane was removed?

Trojan

Hawkmoon: It's hard to avoid cycling in these places if you live or work beside them.

--

I cross that roundabout 2-6 times a week on bike (East Wall Road to East Link Bridge and vice versa), so I'm very interested.

He lived in Sandymount, so I'd hazard a guess that he was on his way from there to work in East Point or somewhere that direction.

Rob, do you know if he was wearing a hi-vis bib (and would it have made a difference)?

Generally trucks at that roundabout are going 2 directions:

They come off ferry and onto East Wall Road:
- If they're going south along the coast they go East Wall Road to East Link Road
- If they're going west or possibly north-west they go East Wall Road to North Wall Quay
(North bound go out Alfie Byrne Road).

And going onto the ferry it's the opposite, so from from either East Link (trucks in the 1st photos) or North Wall Quay to East Wall Road.

Whiteboarding this... I know that when I'm on the roundabout (like he was, going north) I dip to the left just before the rail lines so that I hit them at 50-70 degree angle.

I find it hard to believe that a truck coming from East Wall Rd, around the roundabout, would have enough speed to hit a cyclist who was on the roundabout already.

Any more info Rob? What do the yellow lines signify (coincidental, or Garda painted)? Thanks for the photos.

Al.

seamus

Trojan wrote:

I find it hard to believe that a truck coming from East Wall Rd, around the roundabout, would have enough speed to hit a cyclist who was on the roundabout already.

The truck wasn't going fast. It's only clicked with me now, but a mate of mine told me on Saturday that he'd seen this happen. I don't think my mate knows the guy was killed.

The truck wasn't going fast, but it did knock the cyclist. The impact itself was minor, not even enough to break some limbs apparently, but it's a truck, and he's a tiny person, so the cyclist came off and landed headfirst, helmetless against the edge of the kerb.

I'll spare you the gory details

Trojan

Thanks seamus. Well, there's my helmet getting tightened properly for one thing. Appreciate sparing those details, the ones you did give us are important.

Trojan

Cycle commuting colleague wrote:

50% of cycling fatalities killed in the republic over the last 8 months
died on the east Wall Road.

Holy sh!t that is one f#cking dangerous piece of tarmac.

What he said.

Zaph0d

Will the port tunnel change the truck traffic on the East Wall Road?

Jonny Arson

Sadly I knew the man who died in this tragic accident on Friday. He cycled to work every day for so many years. Cycling is so dangerous these days especially in the city.

robfitz

Trojan wrote:

Rob, do you know if he was wearing a hi-vis bib (and would it have made a difference)?

I don't know, but I'm not sure if it would have made any difference.

Trojan wrote:

Any more info Rob? What do the yellow lines signify (coincidental, or Garda painted)?

The marks are by the Garda, they are used to highlight the vehicles location, skid marks, drag marks, important debris, etc.

Zaph0d wrote:

Will the port tunnel change the truck traffic on the East Wall Road?

Yes, it should make a big difference to trucks all across the city as long as they (are forced to) use it.

RicardoSmith

The problem usually is the truck doesn't see the cyclist at all. They are simply not in their line of sight.

robfitz

Another? http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0809/rta.html

2005-08-09, 30, Male, Ballincollig, Co Cork, Car
2005-08-05, 58, Male, North Wall Quay & East Wall Road, Dublin, Truck
2005-02-15, 60s, Female, Swinford, Co Mayo, Truck
2005-02-09, 79, Male, Thurles, Co Tipperary, Car
2005-02-08, 32, Male, Nort Strand Road & East Wall Road (Annesley Bridge), Dublin, Truck
2005-01-20, 27, Male, East Wall Road & Alexandra Road, Dublin, Truck
2004-12-30, 70s, Male, Grand Canal Place & Echlin Street, Dublin, Truck

cyclopath2001

robfitz wrote:

Yes, it should make a big difference to trucks all across the city as long as they (are forced to) use it.

In the meantime, It's tragic that the City Council does not take action to protect cyclists & pedestrians from the constant risk.

Is this a case of business interests having a taking priority over the safety of citizens?

robfitz

This is what they want to happen.

http://www.dublincity.ie/press_news/press_releases/draft_heavy_goods_vehicle_management_strategy.asp]Draft Heavy Goods Vehicle Management Strategy

Dublin City Council launched its draft Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) Management Strategy today. The strategy, developed by Declan International, will be implemented to coincide with the opening of the Dublin Port Tunnel (DPT) in 2005. Stakeholder and Public Consultation will begin on this draft strategy next week.

The main objectives of the Strategy are to ensure that the full potential of the Dublin Port Tunnel is realised in terms of removing Port related HGV traffic from the city and that the volume of non port related HGV traffic in the city centre is reduced at least during the period 07.00 to 19.00hrs. The objectives can be summarised as follows:

· to maximise use of the DPT and minimize use of the city streets by HGVs travelling to and from Dublin Port,

· to manage the small number of ‘over height’ HGVs, that cannot use the DPT, on the city’s streets,

· to effectively manage diverted HGVs under partial or full DPT closure conditions.

· to minimize the number of non Port related HGV trips on the city’s streets during the period 07.00 to 19.00hrs and

· to minimize the conflicts between delivery and service requirements of businesses and the needs of all other road users.


For the purpose of the Strategy the City Council is proposing to define HGVs as vehicles with 3 or more axles or a gross vehicle weight (GVW) over 17 tonnes.

The preferred option in the draft strategy is to prohibit all HGV movements into the Canal Cordon between 07.00 and 19.00hrs. Thus HGVs would not be permitted to cross the Canal Cordon towards the city or to head into the City Centre from the Port between 07.00 and 19.00hrs. Provision is made in the Strategy for permits to be issued to cover a number of exceptions. (The extent to which exceptions will be made in respect of particular categories/classes of HGV movements will be decided after the public consultation process.)


The City Council is now proposing to

· Undertake a major stakeholder/public consultation exercise to assess the reaction to the proposed strategy and the preferred option. This will commence next week,

· Collect additional data on the origins and destinations of HGV trips throughout the city and on the classes of HGVs that are being used for delivery trips within the Canal Cordon,

· Evaluate and review the appropriateness of the proposed 17 tonne GVW or 3 or more axle definition of a HGV,

· Carry out further evaluation of the impacts of implementing the Strategy both within and outside the Canal Cordon,

· Refine the Canal Cordon boundary as appropriate,

· Develop proposals for a new legislative framework to support the required enforcement regime,

· Develop the permit process and define the list of exceptions,

· Develop the enforcement process in consultation with An Garda Siochana,

· Assess the need for the imposition of additional 3 tonne limit restrictions on residential streets outside the Canal Cordon, and

· Develop a more detailed HGV Management Strategy for implementation.

Capt'n Midnight

to manage the small number of ‘over height’ HGVs, that cannot use the DPT, on the city’s streets,

couldn't they just ban them on safety grounds ?

Most cyclists and pedistarians killed in the City have been by Buses or Trucks. Does any one know how many are by on bus routes or by tour buses/private hire ?

vector

cyclopath2001 wrote:

In the meantime, It's tragic that the City Council does not take action to protect cyclists & pedestrians from the constant risk.

Is this a case of business interests having a taking priority over the safety of citizens?

Yes, mechanically propelled vehicles pay motor tax to their local authority, while bicycles do not.

Also, how many councillors cycle? (and I don't mean just for photo shoots)

Just wait until petroleum gets up to EUR 2.00 per litre* and you'll see a 1970s style increase in cyclists.

*as a motorist and consumer of non-locally produced goods I don't want that to happen

Victor

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

couldn't they just ban them on safety grounds ?

As I see it the only real issue with overheight vehicles is the risk they pose to stationary objects (e.g. the guy in the Jack Lynch Tunnel), not to people or other vehicles. They are higher, not necessarily longer, wider or heavier.

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Most cyclists and pedistarians killed in the City have been by Buses or Trucks. Does any one know how many are by on bus routes or by tour buses/private hire ?

Scheduled services make up the vast majority of bus movements. I don't know about bus - v - cyclist, but busses account for a tiny proportion of deaths.

Capt'n Midnight

The safety issue is to not have them drive down the quays.
http://www.irishtrucker.com/news/2005/february/280205.asp ICC spokesman David Maher says 78 per cent of cyclist deaths in the capital over the last eight years have involved HGVs, while HGVs account for 25 per cent of all road deaths.

cyclopath2001

seamus wrote:

The truck wasn't going fast. It's only clicked with me now, but a mate of mine told me on Saturday that he'd seen this happen. I don't think my mate knows the guy was killed.

Hi seamus, could you get your mate to contact the Gardai, if he's not already done so?

Gardaí investigating the death of a 58-year-old man in a road accident near the Point Depot in Dublin ten days ago are appealing for witnesses.

Peter Heffernan was fatally injured when the bicycle he was riding was involved in a collision with an articulated lorry at North Wall Quay just before 8am on Friday, 5 August.

Anyone who may have seen the accident is asked to contact Store Street Garda Station on 01-6668000.