Galway traffic

Time wrote: »

They're more smug too

It's hard not to be when you're cycling by thousands of mouth breathers in cars wondering why there's so many mouth breathers in cars.

cal naughton

John_Rambo wrote: »

Sure. They can even use google.

https://bettercitiesnow.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/are-cyclists-richer-more-educated-bigger-spenders/

"cyclists are not only more educated than average, but also earn a higher than average income and spend more than average at local shops (full details below, courtesy of this article):
• Studies have shown that pedestrians and cyclists stay longer and spend more money at local shops than drivers do.
• According to a study by Mintel, regular cyclists – those who cycle at least once a week – are disproportionately likely to be well educated, have a household income of at least $75,000 per year"

They also break far more rules than drivers.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/#15484c804bfa

They also make much better drivers than non-cycling motorists.

https://gearjunkie.com/study-cyclists-better-drivers-than-motorists

So, you need to thank cyclists not only for freeing up the roads, but for the higher rate of tax they pay to maintain the roads AND for keeping them safer.

As stated in the blog post "clearly the Vancouver area cycling coalition is a biased source,so it's findings should be taken with a pinch of salt"

Any peer reviewed studies to support the ludicrous claim?

ben.schlomo

Traffic around the city supposed to be have been made much worse today by Applegreen doing a fuel price promotion from 2-3pm. Doing it in Dublin and Cork too, the guards at one location in Dublin have stopped them doing it as it's blocking the roads so badly.

Faze11

So bad at the moment. Snails pace. Absolutely ridiculous.

Zzippy

Got stuck at Woodquay for 20 minutes. Was so long in one spot that Google asked me "How was Salmon Weir Hostel?" :pac:

Doctors room ghost

Faze11 wrote: »

So bad at the moment. Snails pace. Absolutely ridiculous.

They’re saying on the wireless that town is a disaster today and avoid it if possible

Whereisgalway

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Traffic around the city supposed to be have been made much worse today by Applegreen doing a fuel price promotion from 2-3pm. Doing it in Dublin and Cork too, the guards at one location in Dublin have stopped them doing it as it's blocking the roads so badly.

They’ve a makeshift barrier across the entrance to Apple green to stop vehicles entering on the tuam road now

John_Rambo wrote: »

It's hard not to be when you're cycling by thousands of mouth breathers in cars wondering why there's so many mouth breathers in cars.

Didn't see too many smug cyclists in the weather this evening John.

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Didn't see too many smug cyclists in the weather this evening John.

That's because they cycled home instead of sitting in traffic fergiesfolly.

Who's cleverer do you think?

Johnny_BravoIII

I've followed this thread for a couple of years.
It's bizarre that some people in here don't consider cars as a factor in Galway's traffic problems.
The city is screwed until the council accepts that the city needs massive investment in public transport and reduces the number of cars accessing the city.
The solutions to Galway's traffic problems don't require new solutions.
There are countless examples of best practice from other cities worldwide.

what_traffic

Johnny_BravoIII wrote: »

I've followed this thread for a couple of years.
It's bizarre that some people in here don't consider cars as a factor in Galway's traffic problems.

They don't consider themselves "traffic" either as the drum drum drum the fingers on the steering wheel waiting for the other cars to move.

what_traffic wrote: »

They don't consider themselves "traffic" either as the drum drum drum the fingers on the steering wheel waiting for the other cars to move.

And if the cyclists payed road tax the traffic would be much lighter!

John_Rambo wrote: »

Who's cleverer do you think?

The person not getting soaked to the skin in their car.

"road tax" lol

Do cyclist think there would be any sort of road network without cars?
I know car tax isn't ring fenced for road building, but do you think we'd have the roads we have without the billions raised in taxes from the motor industry in the last 40-50 years?
How would the skinny wheeled coat hangers our lycra clad brethren clamber on to, cope on the dirt tracks of our forefathers?

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Do cyclist think there would be any sort of road network without cars?
I know car tax isn't ring fenced for road building, but do you think we'd have the roads we have without the billions raised in taxes from the motor industry in the last 40-50 years?
How would the skinny wheeled coat hangers our lycra clad brethren clamber on to, cope on the dirt tracks of our forefathers?

Lets not run away with yourself fergiesfolly. Don't forget the roads that cost the most money are exclusively for motorists. Our forefathers cycled the byroads and the city roads long before motorists did. Cyclists still cycle the byroads and the city roads, they always will, you'll just have to learn to share the roads with the cyclists that have been using them longer than you have.

Reminder, this is a thread on Galway City traffic.

John_Rambo wrote: »

Lets not run away with yourself fergiesfolly. Don't forget the roads that cost the most money are exclusively for motorists. Our forefathers cycled the byroads and the city roads long before motorists did. Cyclists still cycle the byroads and the city roads, they always will, you'll just have to learn to share the roads with the cyclists that have been using them longer than you have.

Reminder, this is a thread on Galway City traffic.

I doubt very much that you'd put your bike on the roads of 40-50 years ago.
It'd snap like a twig.
Incidentally, the roads that cost the most are Motorways. Where motorist are charged a fee to use. Also not in the city, so no place in this thread.
Remind me what fees cyclist have to pay to put their vehicles on the road. Bike tax? Insurance? NCT?

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Do cyclist think there would be any sort of road network without cars?

Romans

fergiesfolly wrote: »

I doubt very much that you'd put your bike on the roads of 40-50 years ago.
It'd snap like a twig.

Wrong again. My bike and lots of other bikes are suitable for mountains, beaches, off-road and rough terrain. I cycle my bike to places my 4x4 can't.

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Incidentally, the roads that cost the most are Motorways. Where motorist are charged a fee to use. Also not in the city, so no place in this thread.

This is a thread about Galway City traffic! You're bringing up the roads the motorists allegedly pay for. Incidentally, not all motorways are tolled.

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Remind me what fees cyclist have to pay to put their vehicles on the road. Bike tax? Insurance? NCT?

We all pay tax fergiesfolly. Even when we buy bikes. I pay motor tax on three vehicles & like me, the majority of cyclists have cars and pay lots of taxes. A lot of club & road bike users have insurance. You're also forgetting, the more cyclists on the road the less damage done to the roads.

Mandatory insurance on cars is a given considering the damage they do every day. Peddle bike riders don't cause as much death and injuries as car drivers do due to the nature, speed, and weight of the vehicles.
Surely you understand the simple physical nature of a one tonne vehicle with 140 plus break horse power versus a light, manually propelled 1 break horse power bike and the consequences when there's a collision? Thus the reason for insurance for powerful motorised vehicles.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Romans

Sorry DaCor, but they didn't quite make it this far west.
And you certainly wouldn't cycle a bike on their roads.

But kudos for bringing the Roman empire into a thread on Galway city traffic.

John_Rambo wrote: »

Wrong again. My bike and lots of other bikes are suitable for mountains, beaches, off-road and rough terrain. I cycle my bike to places my 4x4 can't.

This is a thread about Galway City traffic! You're bringing up the roads the motorists allegedly pay for. Incidentally, not all motorways are tolled.

We all pay tax fergiesfolly. Even when we buy bikes. I pay motor tax on three vehicles & like me, the majority of cyclists have cars and pay lots of taxes. A lot of club & road bike users have insurance. You're also forgetting, the more cyclists on the road the less damage done to the roads.

Mandatory insurance on cars is a given considering the damage they do every day. Peddle bike riders don't cause as much death and injuries as car drivers do due to the nature, speed, and weight of the vehicles.
Surely you understand the simple physical nature of a one tonne vehicle with 140 plus break horse power versus a light, manually propelled 1 break horse power bike and the consequences when there's a collision? Thus the reason for insurance for powerful motorised vehicles.

There are loads of "road bikes"in the city that aren't suitable for regular roads. It's why their riders veer so far from the edge looking for smoother sections.

Motorists "allegedly" pay. No John, they actually pay.

Yes John, we all pay tax. But motorists pay a specific tax and without it aren't allowed drive their vehicle on a public road. No such specific tax exists for bikes.
And yes cars are intrinsically more dangerous than bikes. But insurance premiums that motorists pay are based on certain criteria, such as age of driver, age of car, power of car etc. The higher the risk, the higher the premium. So basically you're saying cyclists shouldn't pay insurance because cycling/cyclists pose zero risk. Which patently isn't true. Cyclist have damaged cars injured pedestrians, and other cyclists.

ben.schlomo

fergiesfolly wrote: »

There are loads of "road bikes"in the city that aren't suitable for regular roads. It's why their riders veer so far from the edge looking for smoother sections.

Motorists "allegedly" pay. No John, they actually pay.

Yes John, we all pay tax. But motorists pay a specific tax and without it aren't allowed drive their vehicle on a public road. No such specific tax exists for bikes.
And yes cars are intrinsically more dangerous than bikes. But insurance premiums that motorists pay are based on certain criteria, such as age of driver, age of car, power of car etc. The higher the risk, the higher the premium. So basically you're saying cyclists shouldn't pay insurance because cycling/cyclists pose zero risk. Which patently isn't true. Cyclist have damaged cars injured pedestrians, and other cyclists.

Have you examples from the other countries that have implemented cycling tax or insurance to show how it's gone? I mean what's the end goal with it? To discourage people from cycling, have more unhealthy people clogging up the health system, more cars added to your car traffic. Bizarre stuff.

TwoWheeledTim

I went into my local pub the other day and there was a group at a table drinking mocktails, coffee and a sprite. They paid NO exise duty on any of their drinks yet they sat smugly at a table where people should have been drinking pints. That pub would not have been there but for the people drinking pints over the years. What did they contribute? Nothing!!

One bar in town was getting really busy and they had no space to expand so they removed a line of the seats alongside the bar so more could stand and access the bar, now they can get more through the bar every night. I sat at that bar for 30 years and paid my exise duty on my pints. How dare these coffee and mocktails drinkers come in and order where I used to sit. I'd even sit right at the bar and have lunch sometimes. They contribute nothing.

There is a Spar shop that sells coffee and soft drinks, do you see all those people meeting up there? NO! It has everuthing they need! They're smugly sitting in the pubs despite paying no excise duty on their purchases.

TwoWheeledTim

TwoWheeledTim wrote: »

One bar in town was getting really busy and they had no space to expand so they removed a line of the seats alongside the bar so more could stand and access the bar, now they can get more through the bar every night. I sat at that bar for 30 years and paid my exise duty on my pints. How dare these coffee and mocktails drinkers come in and order where I used to sit. I'd even sit right at the bar and have lunch sometimes. They contribute nothing.

And just to be clear, the bar HAS a plan to extend upwards. A €200k project. It's slowly working through planning. I don't mind them taking away the seats at the bar but NOT until the extra floor is added with stools for pint drinkers. MADNESS taking away any seating for pint drinkers before then, nobody will have anywhere to sit. What about people with mobility? I have an elderly relative who drank at the bar for years, now they're stuck drinking at one of the 300 other seats because of these smug customers in the bar.

If the mocktails drinkers want to drink in the pub they should be made pay exise duty on their "drinks" like everyone else.

Whereisgalway

TwoWheeledTim wrote: »

And just to be clear, the bar HAS a plan to extend upwards. A €200k project. It's slowly working through planning. I don't mind them taking away the seats at the bar but NOT until the extra floor is added with stools for pint drinkers. MADNESS taking away any seating for pint drinkers before then, nobody will have anywhere to sit. What about people with mobility? I have an elderly relative who drank at the bar for years, now they're stuck drinking at one of the 300 other seats because of these smug customers in the bar.

If the mocktails drinkers want to drink in the pub they should be made pay exise duty on their "drinks" like everyone else.

O Connells?

fergiesfolly wrote: »

There are loads of "road bikes"in the city that aren't suitable for regular roads. It's why their riders veer so far from the edge looking for smoother sections.

Motorists "allegedly" pay. No John, they actually pay.

Yes John, we all pay tax. But motorists pay a specific tax and without it aren't allowed drive their vehicle on a public road. No such specific tax exists for bikes.
And yes cars are intrinsically more dangerous than bikes. But insurance premiums that motorists pay are based on certain criteria, such as age of driver, age of car, power of car etc. The higher the risk, the higher the premium. So basically you're saying cyclists shouldn't pay insurance because cycling/cyclists pose zero risk. Which patently isn't true. Cyclist have damaged cars injured pedestrians, and other cyclists.

Yes, that's what I'm saying. Not zero risk, but very little. More people injure themselves tripping up while drunk. Cycle led injuries are so minuscule in comparison the injuries and deaths that cars cause there's no compulsory insurance.

And there never will be. That's the way it's going to remain. Move on, worry about something important.

sasal

topcat77 wrote: »

These are a few fanciful measures that i think would greatly reduce traffic in the city.

Students going to Primary schools would have to be within a certain distance to attend.

We can see a primary school from our kitchen window.
Unfortunatly we couldn't get our daughter in there. So every morning I had to get her and her toddler sister in a buggy onto the bus to go to another school. The bus was often held up by car traffic. Then had to do it over again for the half one pick up.

It's a massive waste of time and money.

The point I was trying to make JohnR is that the road network we have and it's upkeep, is there because of taxes paid by car/truck/bus owners.
The same motorists pay heavily( car tax, insurance, huge excise on fuel etc) to use these roads, whereas cyclists pay nothing, but would treat motorists like a nuisance.
I'm not advocating tax or insurance on bikes. But have some appreciation for the road users who do.

And whoever was making the pub analogy...that was just poorly thought out and executed

TwoWheeledTim

fergiesfolly wrote: »

The point I was trying to make JohnR is that the road network we have and it's upkeep, is there because of taxes paid by car/truck/bus owners.
The same motorists pay heavily( car tax, insurance, huge excise on fuel etc) to use these roads, whereas cyclists pay nothing

Nope and nope

fergiesfolly wrote: »

And whoever was making the pub analogy...that was just poorly thought out and executed

Exactly