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Galway's traffic issues
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Honest to God. You make a comment on a video posted online about the behaviour of a person on a bike( and I stand over it) and every " Cyclists" antenna pings and they get the tribal rage.
Every lycra clad skinny wheeled Sean Kelly wanna be hears anything that might criticise one of the clan and like some self proclaimed expert superheros they faff about getting their knickers in a twist.. Cyclists Assemble!
Spending a couple of grand on a bike and some some stretchy fabric does not make you an authority on road safety.
You're right John Rambo, I'm not a cyclist. I own a bike and I cycle it. I own a car and drive it. I'm a road user. I use the same levels of common sense, concentration, awareness and respect for fellow road users in both. And expect the same.
Petty comments and searching my posting history.
From a grown man.
Jesus wept.
John Rambo. Apt username for a keyboard warrior.
You and the rest of the day-glo pedal posse can keep peddling.0 -
fergiesfolly wrote: »Honest to God. You make a comment on a video posted online about the behaviour of a person on a bike( and I stand over it) and every " Cyclists" antenna pings and they get the tribal rage.
Every lycra clad skinny wheeled Sean Kelly wanna be hears anything that might criticise one of the clan and like some self proclaimed expert superheros they faff about getting their knickers in a twist.. Cyclists Assemble!
Spending a couple of grand on a bike and some some stretchy fabric does not make you an authority on road safety.
You're right John Rambo, I'm not a cyclist. I own a bike and I cycle it. I own a car and drive it. I'm a road user. I use the same levels of common sense, concentration, awareness and respect for fellow road users in both. And expect the same.
Petty comments and searching my posting history.
From a grown man.
Jesus wept.
John Rambo. Apt username for a keyboard warrior.
You and the rest of the day-glo pedal posse can keep peddling.
Nasty comments fergiesfolly.
They're not experts, no Lycra, no dayglo superheroes, no Sean Kelly wannabe's, no skinny tyres, no faffing, no over spend on bikes. (as if any aspirations or spend on bikes is a crime)
They're children cycling on sub €200 bikes in a dedicated cycle lane with their parents adhering to the rules of the road and alleviating traffic. Each of those bikes cost a fraction of the cost of the cars they are overtaking and cause less than a fraction of the damage the cars cause.
As a grown man you should take a step back, reconsider your attitude and commend them and their efforts instead of trying to find fault with them and conjure up petty, fanciful near death situations under the guise of a seasoned cyclist which you are self admittadly not.
As a fellow motorist I find your comments inflammatory, sensationalist and unfair. The cycle bus is a healthy, fantastic way for kids to get to school, it normalises cycling as a positive and low carbon mode of transport.
I'd suggest you should start your own thread castigating the cycle bus where we can discuss if further so you don't pull this thread further off topic.
Respectfully. JR.0 -
Johnny_BravoIII wrote: »Bizarre.
Returned to Galway last year after 6 years away. Its the most disappointing aspect to living here. I'm here for the foreseeable but it makes me question my decision. Galway is possibly the worst planned city in Ireland with the worst traffic. Its truly horribly with no signs of improvement. The plan to build a road through an dangan over the corrib is near- sighted and likely the end of the romantic version of Galway.
Its just another polluted cogested city with reduced quality of life for its citizens compared to many other EU cities.
I believe another bridge over the Corrib is necessary to cope with traffic.
Regarding the romantic version of Galway - lovers can still take a boat up to Menlo Castle0 -
fergiesfolly wrote: »Honest to God. You make a comment on a video posted online about the behaviour of a person on a bike( and I stand over it) and every " Cyclists" antenna pings and they get the tribal rage.
Every lycra clad skinny wheeled Sean Kelly wanna be hears anything that might criticise one of the clan and like some self proclaimed expert superheros they faff about getting their knickers in a twist.. Cyclists Assemble!
Spending a couple of grand on a bike and some some stretchy fabric does not make you an authority on road safety.
You're right John Rambo, I'm not a cyclist. I own a bike and I cycle it. I own a car and drive it. I'm a road user. I use the same levels of common sense, concentration, awareness and respect for fellow road users in both. And expect the same.
Petty comments and searching my posting history.
From a grown man.
Jesus wept.
John Rambo. Apt username for a keyboard warrior.
You and the rest of the day-glo pedal posse can keep peddling.
Surely a contender for rant of the day.0 -
Mrs OBumble wrote: »Most organisations that work with children have policies about posting images online, for very good reasons.
Thankfully no such policy has any jurisdiction whatsoever on taking a video or photo in a public place.0 -
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I believe another bridge over the Corrib is necessary to cope with traffic.
Regarding the romantic version of Galway - lovers can still take a boat up to Menlo Castle
My first post in the galway traffic thread 9 months ago!
But ok,
There's snide tone to the above response. I take it you don't believe in a 'romatic' version of Galway? A place which like any other is defined by it's landscape and peoples interaction with? The route of the intended motorway crashes throughs an dangan playing fields over the high roads and ends with a motorway roundabout in an spideal. Will there be anything left for future generations to enjoy? Are we all just robots in cars getting to work on time to pay mortgages in bigger and bigger houses further and further away from towns and villages chasing our own plot of 'freah air' and country living?. Should we also build a motorway to clifden to 'reduce commuter time'?
It is particulary sad to consider when the bridge is unnecessary. The bridge will increase traffic in the medium to long term through 'induced demand'. It will also massively increase one-off houses within a wider commuter range of the new motorway.
Commuter times and distances will get longer reducing the quality of life for citizens. Has the M50 increased the quality of life for people living in portlaoise working in Dublin?
There are better models which would resolve traffic issues in a manner which increases quality of life and makes galway a less polluted nicer place to live. This has been done in many other places worldwide.
I'm sure I've said all this previously.0 -
I don't think it would take very much to get a massive increase in bicycle usage in the city by sorting out some key pinch points. The kirwan roundabout, browne roundabout and Joyce roundabout need to be sorted out to make them more cycle friendly, this would begin to form an actual cross city cycle route to encourage people on to the bike and feel relatively safe. I know there are plans for all of these to be sorted out in the medium term.
Other measures which I think would help is building a bridge from dyke road to the college over the stacks for pedestrians and cyclists, this could reduce pressure on salmon weir bridge.
Also completing the greenway from Oranmore through Renmore all the way into town would do wonders. Cycle infrastructure needs to make sense and feel safe, you need to feel like the route from where you live to where you're going is nice and easy otherwise you'll opt for the car every time. It's a win win really, bikes get taken off the roads away from drivers so they can feel safe and motorists won't get frustrated.
https://www.galwaycity.ie/uploads/downloads/news_items/Traffic-Transport/GTS/GTS%20PC%20Boards%20-%20English.pdf
It's been the aim of the council for a long time now to complete these measures, their latest publications show that. However I feel they are riding a lot on the ring road being constructed.0 -
Pinch Flat wrote: »Risking life and limb at 10 kph. The things people do, eh?
And all those lovely fumes going straight up the kids noses.0 -
And all those lovely fumes going straight up the kids noses.
Good point. Another reason to dramatically cut down on single occupant fossil fuel cars. One bus = 90 cars off the road and modern buses pollute less than one diesel car. I'd be very keen for a hefty congestion charge for each car in our cities.0 -
Any chance of building a bridge over the Corrib using the pillars of the former railway bridge?0
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And all those lovely fumes going straight up the kids noses.
It's proven that you are more exposed from car fumes when stuck in a car than any other form of transport.
just saying.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311651813_Levels_of_ambient_air_pollution_according_to_mode_of_transport_a_systematic_review
Commuters using motorised transport lost up to 1 year in YLE more than did cyclists.0 -
Any chance of building a bridge over the Corrib using the pillars of the former railway bridge?
Yes, there was supposed to be one built for the millennium but it never materialised. It's still the plan to build one but there's no timeline for this. I think there was dispute with the land on the rowing club side last time I heard anything.0 -
John_Rambo wrote: »Good point. Another reason to dramatically cut down on single occupant fossil fuel cars. One bus = 90 cars off the road and modern buses pollute less than one diesel car. I'd be very keen for a hefty congestion charge for each car in our cities.
Do the double decker buses hold 90 people?0 -
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John_Rambo wrote: »Nasty comments fergiesfolly.
They're not experts, no Lycra, no dayglo superheroes, no Sean Kelly wannabe's, no skinny tyres, no faffing, no over spend on bikes. (as if any aspirations or spend on bikes is a crime)
They're children cycling on sub €200 bikes in a dedicated cycle lane with their parents adhering to the rules of the road and alleviating traffic. Each of those bikes cost a fraction of the cost of the cars they are overtaking and cause less than a fraction of the damage the cars cause.
As a grown man you should take a step back, reconsider your attitude and commend them and their efforts instead of trying to find fault with them and conjure up petty, fanciful near death situations under the guise of a seasoned cyclist which you are self admittadly not.
As a fellow motorist I find your comments inflammatory, sensationalist and unfair. The cycle bus is a healthy, fantastic way for kids to get to school, it normalises cycling as a positive and low carbon mode of transport.
I'd suggest you should start your own thread castigating the cycle bus where we can discuss if further so you don't pull this thread further off topic.
Respectfully. JR.
Quote the posts where I criticised the bicycle bus itself or the children on it, or the cost of the bikes the children are cycling.
I made a comment on the video posted regarding road safety and I got jumped on.
And it is was anything but respectful.
I'll leave it at that.0 -
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fergiesfolly wrote: »Quote the posts where I criticised the bicycle bus itself or the children on it, or the cost of the bikes the children are cycling.
I made a comment on the video posted regarding road safety and I got jumped on.
And it is was anything but respectful.
I'll leave it at that.
It's obvious what you were at and a good few people called you out on it. Suck it up and move on.0 -
Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »Thankfully no such policy has any jurisdiction whatsoever on taking a video or photo in a public place.
Irrelevant. Volunteers working for an organisation are held to far higher standards than the law. What matters is the child protection policy of the organisation which is responsible for the children, and organises vetting of volunteers. I'm assuming that it's the school - and as such am surprised that videos of identifiable children can be widely shared.Have you actually come out of Ireland or at least County Galway to see and experience a pedestrianised city? I would advise you to do so before posting here.
I'm not Irish. Lived overseas for 40 years, in a city which had a central pedestrian mall since the 1970s, ie as long as I can remember. It too, like Galway, used to have residents in that street, but they all slowly moved out as the night time anti-social behaviour became too much.Johnny_BravoIII wrote: »Ah com'on.... the "my granny needs to get to the shops" argument.
What number of older people living in those areas are so physically diabled that the can only make it to the car parked directly on the street outside and not the bus stop 200 metres away? How are they even able to drive if they can only walk 5 metres? Should they not be provided with mobility mopeds etc.
The benefit of removing cars from city centre is about as age friendly as it gets. It's less intimidating for old, young and disabled to move about without needing to look out for cars.
Whether you like it or not solving traffic issues means reducing car's and moving people onto public transport.
Ps
Can we just assume that there will still be access for emergency services, street cleaners, goods delivery, funeral cars etc.
1) Assuming is the mother all all f***ups. Banning cars means banning all vehicles. Time-limiting access is quite different: if that's what you mean, that's what you should say.
2) It doesn't really matter about what number are mobility-limited at any time. I'm only middle-aged, but in the last five years, I've had two periods (one post surgery, one an injury) when I could not walk a significant distance at all for a couple of weeks Other people in any population will have similar, on and off.
fwiw, as a middle-aged person who is there every single day, I far prefer the footpath in Abbeygate / Augustine/Middle streets to the mess that is Shop St. Partly it's because of the tiles (being fixed, slow), partly it's the cyclists who can come as you from any direction on Shop St.
also fyi, mobility scooters etc can have limited usefulness. Years ago we tried one out for an older relative of mine, and she simply couldn't learn to steer it. The staff that was quite common for people who hadn't driven vehicles when they were younger.
3) I am very much in favour of reducing car use and moving people onto public transport, and have done significant amounts to encourage this.
But here's the kicker: banning car from the very inner city streets won't achieve it. The streets inside the inner ring aren't the car magnets - the big carparks are at the Cathedral, Merchants/Dock Rd, Headford/Dyke Rd, ie on or outside the ring. In fact, when traffic is particular heavy on the city fringe (the bridge, Tuam Rd, Dock Rd etc) - the very inner city streets are often at their quietest.
All banning cars from the very inner streets would do is open up a large ASB zone. At a time when on-line sales means that retail is changing dramatically and shop foot-prints are shrinking - there's just no need for a larger pedestrian zone with it's attendant negative effects on residents. Especially on streets where there are homes at ground floor level (Eyre St, Middle St, Augustine St) - there is no justification for creating hang-out zones immediately outside people front windows.0 -
Pretty much all the issues you raised are addressed in the couple of articles I posted the last day.Mrs OBumble wrote: »I'm not Irish. Lived overseas for 40 years, in a city which had a central pedestrian mall since the 1970s, ie as long as I can remember. It too, like Galway, used to have residents in that street, but they all slowly moved out as the night time anti-social behaviour became too much.
1) Assuming is the mother all all f***ups. Banning cars means banning all vehicles. Time-limiting access is quite different: if that's what you mean, that's what you should say.
2) It doesn't really matter about what number are mobility-limited at any time. I'm only middle-aged, but in the last five years, I've had two periods (one post surgery, one an injury) when I could not walk a significant distance at all for a couple of weeks Other people in any population will have similar, on and off.
fwiw, as a middle-aged person who is there every single day, I far prefer the footpath in Abbeygate / Augustine/Middle streets to the mess that is Shop St. Partly it's because of the tiles (being fixed, slow), partly it's the cyclists who can come as you from any direction on Shop St.
also fyi, mobility scooters etc can have limited usefulness. Years ago we tried one out for an older relative of mine, and she simply couldn't learn to steer it. The staff that was quite common for people who hadn't driven vehicles when they were younger.
3) I am very much in favour of reducing car use and moving people onto public transport, and have done significant amounts to encourage this.
But here's the kicker: banning car from the very inner city streets won't achieve it. The streets inside the inner ring aren't the car magnets - the big carparks are at the Cathedral, Merchants/Dock Rd, Headford/Dyke Rd, ie on or outside the ring. In fact, when traffic is particular heavy on the city fringe (the bridge, Tuam Rd, Dock Rd etc) - the very inner city streets are often at their quietest.
All banning cars from the very inner streets would do is open up a large ASB zone. At a time when on-line sales means that retail is changing dramatically and shop foot-prints are shrinking - there's just no need for a larger pedestrian zone with it's attendant negative effects on residents. Especially on streets where there are homes at ground floor level (Eyre St, Middle St, Augustine St) - there is no justification for creating hang-out zones immediately outside people front windows.
"Banning cars" is shorthand for removing the thoroughfares they currently are. Local access can still be allowed for. Removing cars from the city centre will improve traffic by allowing for and encouraging the use of efficient public transport. Nobody thinks Galway traffic is all down to people trying to drive into Eyre Square. Car traffic won't just reduce if we hope hard enough though. The reason Shop Street is so full of people is because it's the only pedestrianised street. If the parallel streets were also pedestrianised, people would spread out to use them more and improve commercial opportunities in these areas. I think the Cornstore is currently
You might find the footpath to your liking, but what about the elderly who struggle with the path height and crossing the street at speed? I recently saw an old man on a walker get blasted out of it by a driver because he was taking too long to cross the road. This was on Domnick Street so he there was literally no pedestrian crossing option for him.
Out of interest, how did you get around during your periods of disability? I only ask because if you're not fit for walking you're unlikely to have been fit for driving (at least without a modified car). Improved access to public transport for the elderly and disabled is usually seen as one of the benefits of pedestrianisation.0 -
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Commonly solution for this is special category of parking permits provided only to the residents/business owners. Plus time limit also. Nothing complicated.xckjoo wrote:"Banning cars" is shorthand for removing the thoroughfares they currently are. Local access can still be allowed for.0 -
Mrs OBumble wrote: »Irrelevant. Volunteers working for an organisation are held to far higher standards than the law. What matters is the child protection policy of the organisation which is responsible for the children, and organises vetting of volunteers. I'm assuming that it's the school - and as such am surprised that videos of identifiable children can be widely shared.
You really do love making mountains out of molehills.
Why are you so surprised? Must be very hard watching the TV on St Patricks day - wont somebody think of the children been show on TV as the floats pass by.
Rather than assume - why don't ya pick up the phone and ask the school. Or perhaps even tweet at the Cyclebus and ask them?
Might be a shocker for ya - but I say the vast majority of the the Cyclebus marshalls are parents of said children. :eek:0 -
John_Rambo wrote: »It's obvious what you were at and a good few people called you out on it. Suck it up and move on.
Ok J_R.
Quote one post where I'm doing as you claimed.
Just one. Can't be that hard. You've already gone through my posting history.0 -
fergiesfolly wrote: »Ok J_R.
Quote one post where I'm doing as you claimed.
Just one. Can't be that hard. You've already gone through my posting history.
I don't need to. You were painting the Bike Bus as dangerous, you were seeing danger in the video where there wasn't and presenting faux concern for the cycliests. This has been pointed out to you on numerous occasions by numerous people.
On yer bike.Mrs OBumble wrote: »Irrelevant. Volunteers working for an organisation are held to far higher standards than the law. What matters is the child protection policy of the organisation which is responsible for the children, and organises vetting of volunteers. I'm assuming that it's the school - and as such am surprised that videos of identifiable children can be widely shared.
The Cycle Bus in Galway isn't an organisation, it's parents cycling to school with their kids and friends kids. There's no reason to panic about photographs of children. You've posted about your dislike of cyclists and you constantly and inexplicably complain about them and the dangers they present to you as a pedestrian along with the many many many near misses (with no actually hits!!).
Questioning parents photographing their kids cycling and trying to squeeze a peadophile angle in there with (more) faux concern for the kids safety is low.
Fair play, didn't realise the hate ran that deep.0 -
Mrs OBumble wrote: »Irrelevant. Volunteers working for an organisation are held to far higher standards than the law. What matters is the child protection policy of the organisation which is responsible for the children, and organises vetting of volunteers. I'm assuming that it's the school - and as such am surprised that videos of identifiable children can be widely shared.
I'm not Irish. Lived overseas for 40 years, in a city which had a central pedestrian mall since the 1970s, ie as long as I can remember. It too, like Galway, used to have residents in that street, but they all slowly moved out as the night time anti-social behaviour became too much.
1) Assuming is the mother all all f***ups. Banning cars means banning all vehicles. Time-limiting access is quite different: if that's what you mean, that's what you should say.
2) It doesn't really matter about what number are mobility-limited at any time. I'm only middle-aged, but in the last five years, I've had two periods (one post surgery, one an injury) when I could not walk a significant distance at all for a couple of weeks Other people in any population will have similar, on and off.
fwiw, as a middle-aged person who is there every single day, I far prefer the footpath in Abbeygate / Augustine/Middle streets to the mess that is Shop St. Partly it's because of the tiles (being fixed, slow), partly it's the cyclists who can come as you from any direction on Shop St.
also fyi, mobility scooters etc can have limited usefulness. Years ago we tried one out for an older relative of mine, and she simply couldn't learn to steer it. The staff that was quite common for people who hadn't driven vehicles when they were younger.
3) I am very much in favour of reducing car use and moving people onto public transport, and have done significant amounts to encourage this.
But here's the kicker: banning car from the very inner city streets won't achieve it. The streets inside the inner ring aren't the car magnets - the big carparks are at the Cathedral, Merchants/Dock Rd, Headford/Dyke Rd, ie on or outside the ring. In fact, when traffic is particular heavy on the city fringe (the bridge, Tuam Rd, Dock Rd etc) - the very inner city streets are often at their quietest.
All banning cars from the very inner streets would do is open up a large ASB zone. At a time when on-line sales means that retail is changing dramatically and shop foot-prints are shrinking - there's just no need for a larger pedestrian zone with it's attendant negative effects on residents. Especially on streets where there are homes at ground floor level (Eyre St, Middle St, Augustine St) - there is no justification for creating hang-out zones immediately outside people front windows.
Ok, removing general traffic from the above zones with the general concessions for residents, emergency services, traders etc...
ASB's, hangout zones etc
I disagree with you here. Plenty of examples of cities who have removed cars from inner cities results in increasing the attractiveness of the urban environment as a place to live for all.0 -
John_Rambo wrote: »I don't need to. You were painting the Bike Bus as dangerous, you were seeing danger in the video where there wasn't and presenting faux concern for the cycliests. This has been pointed out to you on numerous occasions by numerous people.
On yer bike.
Third and last time John John....One quote.
You can't. Because I didn't.
I said the person filming the children was not being responsible.
As for "numerous" people. You and a couple others.
Hardly the march of the righteous.
Fair play though. You've got your agenda and you're sticking to it.0 -
Are we still going on about the clip of the cyclists? Jeez.0
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Your assertion that the camera man was acting dangerously/irresponsibly was ludicrous and not based in reality. Your repeated bemoaning of the fact you were called up on it is tedious.fergiesfolly wrote: »Third and last time John John....One quote.
You can't. Because I didn't.
I said the person filming the children was not being responsible.
As for "numerous" people. You and a couple others.
Hardly the march of the righteous.
Fair play though. You've got your agenda and you're sticking to it.0 -
Could a mod do the needful here and move the cycle bus posts to the cycle bus thread..... You know, the one where people are aghast that children are on the road on bikes in an organised manner and try to come up with ludicrous reasons (all unreasonable) for why they shouldn't be doing what they're doing0
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Deleted User wrote: »Could a mod do the needful here and move the cycle bus posts to the cycle bus thread..... You know, the one where people are aghast that children are on the road on bikes in an organised manner and try to come up with ludicrous reasons (all unreasonable) for why they shouldn't be doing what they're doing
I've suggested he start a new thread castigating the Bike Bus, but he's insisting on polluting this thread.
Back on topic. I'd be keen for a congestion charge in Dublin City. How would people feel about one in Galway City? A reduced one for commercial vehicles and obviously none for residents.0
![[Deleted User]](/applications/dashboard/design/images/defaulticon.png)
This discussion has been closed.
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