Cycling on paths and other cycling issues (updated title)

AndrewJRenko · 31-08-2020 08:35PM

I'm just oozing with pride for the drivers of Dublin

https://twitter.com/lhgluke/status/1300454165139927041?s=19

Thelonious Monk · 31-08-2020 08:35PM

PeadarCo wrote: »

Cyclists are not a major danger to pedestrians at least when compared to cars. To repeat its the guts of 2 decades since a pedestrian was killed by a bike. On the other hand pedestrians are killed every couple of weeks by cars. Sometimes even more often. If you are really serious about keeping pedestrians safe you need to look at the vehicles and drivers that kill them on a regular basis.

There was a pedestrian killed in Phibsboro at the weekend by a motorist. Someone on twitter was saying their kids saw the body. A couple of people killed in car accidents too in the last few days. Barely amounts to any discussion anywhere. People go raving mad over a few bikes on footpaths though, I don't understand it.

breezy1985 · 31-08-2020 08:47PM

TaurenDruid wrote: »

Ok, let's try this, then:

Parking on a cycling lane is a minor irritation. Nothing more.

When its something like a post man well he has to stop somewhere so I dont mind and wouldnt even call it an irritation. But when its somewhere like by Limerick train station where cars have decided to completely ignore the new parking spaces because they are too fat and lazy to park down the road and walk then ya its a problem as every evening its 3 to 4 cars and taxis when I pass.

Also happens when Garryowen rugby play despite a huge free carpark across the road at the Crescent shopping centre because again fat and lazy

07Lapierre · 31-08-2020 09:13PM

breezy1985 wrote: »

When its something like a post man well he has to stop somewhere so I dont mind and wouldnt even call it an irritation. But when its somewhere like by Limerick train station where cars have decided to completely ignore the new parking spaces because they are too fat and lazy to park down the road and walk then ya its a problem as every evening its 3 to 4 cars and taxis when I pass.

Also happens when Garryowen rugby play despite a huge free carpark across the road at the Crescent shopping centre because again fat and lazy

just watched "big life fix" on RTE. A woman who is visually impaired featured on it and it made me realise that even postmen parking for a few minutes on the pavement could be a huge inconvenience for the visually impaired, wheelchair users, the elderly (who might have to walk with a cane) and even adults pushing prams etc. Cars parked illegally never really bothered me, as I'm able to see them and can manoeuvre around them. others are not so lucky!

kenmm · 31-08-2020 09:53PM

07Lapierre wrote: »

just watched "big life fix" on RTE. A woman who is visually impaired featured on it and it made me realise that even postmen parking for a few minutes on the pavement could be a huge inconvenience for the visually impaired, wheelchair users, the elderly (who might have to walk with a cane) and even adults pushing prams etc. Cars parked illegally never really bothered me, as I'm able to see them and can manoeuvre around them. others are not so lucky!

Ye exactly. Stroll around town alongside someone in a wheelchair and you will know what inconvenience is. Especially ones that bump up on the corners, usually where the dropped kerbs are, causing wheelchair users to go massively out there way or to bounce off and potentially aggravated whatever injury/disability they have.

07Lapierre · 31-08-2020 10:03PM

kenmm wrote: »

Ye exactly. Stroll around town alongside someone in a wheelchair and you will know what inconvenience is. Especially ones that bump up on the corners, usually where the dropped kerbs are, causing wheelchair users to go massively out there way or to bounce off and potentially aggravated whatever injury/disability they have.

It makes you think about that so called cycle lane in North Strand. North Strand is a "mature" residential area. How many elderly people live in that area? (I assume quite a lot). Makes you wonder why anyone would think putting a cycle lane on a narrow pavement that's frequently used by the elderly (and judging by the photos posted recently, kids also use it) was a good idea. The answer of course is that there was zero consideration given to pedestrians or cyclists and the main priority was to direct cyclists off the road, regardless of the consequences.

Stark · 31-08-2020 10:11PM

Sure cyclists "menacing" pedestrians is only an issue when there's no sign there.

Quite telling that the only people defending it are the ones obsessing over the issue of cyclists on footpaths. Almost like they care more about having an excuse to rant than actually improving conditions for pedestrians.

Like in all of those pictures posted of cars blocking the cycle lane, the immediate response from those playing the pedestrians' white knight is to go around on the footpath part rather than go around on the road.

AndrewJRenko · 31-08-2020 11:09PM

07Lapierre wrote: »

just watched "big life fix" on RTE. A woman who is visually impaired featured on it and it made me realise that even postmen parking for a few minutes on the pavement could be a huge inconvenience for the visually impaired, wheelchair users, the elderly (who might have to walk with a cane) and even adults pushing prams etc. Cars parked illegally never really bothered me, as I'm able to see them and can manoeuvre around them. others are not so lucky!

A friend of mine who is blind, and uses the white cane, would regularly show me the cuts and bruises on his shins from hitting off parked cars, where the sweeping motion of the cane missed the vehicle until it was too late.

TaurenDruid · 31-08-2020 11:39PM

PeadarCo wrote: »

So people who cycle on the path are too lazy to follow the rules of the road.???? You have ignored the biggest problem for cyclists on the road which is a small subset of drivers who feel anyone slower than them whether it be car/bike/pedestrian etc should not be on the road.

/snip wall of text

No, I haven't.

/snip other wall of text

Reminder, this is a thread about cycling on footpaths.

TaurenDruid · 31-08-2020 11:41PM

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I'm just oozing with pride for the drivers of Dublin

https://twitter.com/lhgluke/status/1300454165139927041?s=19

Is this the bit in the cycle (HA see what I did there?!) where some of us go #notalldrivers and then when someone criticises cyclists, you get irate again and go #notallcyclists?

TaurenDruid · 31-08-2020 11:45PM

breezy1985 wrote: »

When its something like a post man well he has to stop somewhere so I dont mind and wouldnt even call it an irritation. But when its somewhere like by Limerick train station where cars have decided to completely ignore the new parking spaces because they are too fat and lazy to park down the road and walk then ya its a problem as every evening its 3 to 4 cars and taxis when I pass.

Also happens when Garryowen rugby play despite a huge free carpark across the road at the Crescent shopping centre because again fat and lazy

Yup, places like that need a few weeks of good, strong, enforcement and ticketing. Commonly see all decency flouted outside GAA grounds, widely reported on social media, and nothing happens. I've called the council several times about a local all weather pitch where there'd be cars parked outside, on the cycle lane and buslane, despite a free car park being literally 100 metres away. The council put in bollards, so now they just park on the bus lane... :rolleyes:

TaurenDruid · 31-08-2020 11:46PM

07Lapierre wrote: »

It makes you think about that so called cycle lane in North Strand. North Strand is a "mature" residential area. How many elderly people live in that area? (I assume quite a lot). Makes you wonder why anyone would think putting a cycle lane on a narrow pavement that's frequently used by the elderly (and judging by the photos posted recently, kids also use it) was a good idea. The answer of course is that there was zero consideration given to pedestrians or cyclists and the main priority was to direct cyclists off the road, regardless of the consequences.

It is by no means a narrow pavement.

TaurenDruid · 31-08-2020 11:51PM

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

A friend of mine who is blind, and uses the white cane, would regularly show me the cuts and bruises on his shins from hitting off parked cars, where the sweeping motion of the cane missed the vehicle until it was too late.

I've told a cyclist busy unlocking his bike from a bus stop on George's Street that it was a bit of a dick move locking his bike to it. "What? What the **** are you talking about?!" Pointed at the blind woman with guide dog approaching, who regularly uses the stop. Light dawns in the guys' eyes. "Oh. Er, yeah, sorry."

Parts of the footpath on some city centre streets are so narrow (actually narrow, not pretend narrow for hyperbole reasons like Lapierre talking about North Strand) that people have hung "Please do not lock a bike to this" signs on poles. And they get ignored.

07Lapierre · 01-09-2020 12:00AM

TaurenDruid wrote: »

It is by no means a narrow pavement.

True...it's wide enough for a van!

https://mobile.twitter.com/moran_anto/status/1060454647066955776/photo/1

jackofalltrades · 01-09-2020 03:33AM

PeadarCo wrote: »

Depends on what you mean by a "non-issue"?

I've haven't used the word, except to quote you.

If you want to talk about cycling and footpaths and especially teenagers and adults cycling on footpaths you need to ask why they are on the footpath and not on the road. The minute you start asking why one of your answers is driver behavior real or perceived and how it endangers cyclists. These people consider the road too dangerous then cycle on the footpath. So if you are serious about stopping cycling on footpaths you have to look at driver behaviour and enforcing the rules of the road full stop.

I'm happy to hear the stories of cyclists who use paths due to a fear of their safety.
These posts, while an important part of the discussion, are in a tiny minority.
Drowned out by others determined to take the thread off topic.

kenmm · 01-09-2020 08:27AM

Ok so back on topic:

It's acknowledged a few dicks cycle on paths/pavements. These people are dickheads.

Is that it? I mean I feel the thread has reached a conclusion, but I don't really want to see it go yet, it's been such a constant in my life.

magicbastarder · 01-09-2020 08:29AM

jackofalltrades wrote: »

I'm happy to hear the stories of cyclists who use paths due to a fear of their safety.

i don't think that's a large number of people, if you simply compare it to the number of people who do not want to cycle at all, for fear of their safety. which is the bigger concern.

a stat i'm constantly repeating - more female secondary school students drive to school, than cycle, based on the last census returns. IIRC, i think the total is less than 600 nationwide (which i would hazard a guess is an average of less than one student per school, but i don't know how many secondary schools there are in the country).

07Lapierre · 01-09-2020 08:32AM

kenmm wrote: »

Ok so back on topic:

It's acknowledged a few dicks cycle on paths/pavements. These people are dickheads.

Is that it? I mean I feel the thread has reached a conclusion, but I don't really want to see it go yet, it's been such a constant in my life.

That’s it and nobody gives a toss as their are bigger issues to be concerned about.

magicbastarder · 01-09-2020 08:40AM

i do see the occasional cyclist on the footpath outside my house, and i suspect it's a combination of safety and laziness/convenience. i live on a wide road, one of the main ones in and out of dublin (i.e. it's one that is retaining the 50km/h limit), with an on-road cycle lane lane, bus lane and two traffic lanes in each direction, on it. and there's a not insignificant junction near me.

rather than having to negotiate that junction, and then a few hundred yards later take a right across the road, which many will want to do, and which if you're a confident cyclist, involves pulling out across the bus lane, and two lanes of traffic, to get into the right filter lane; some cyclists opt to take the footpath instead (which is about 3m wide). they probably don't feel safe pulling out across the traffic in the manner i described. i've been beeped at numerous times for daring to be out of the cycle lane on that road, in order to make that right, and i'd be doing at least 35km/h each time.

the obvious argument is that when the cyclist reaches the right hand turn, they could dismount and use the light controlled pedestrian crossing, but i'd argue that if you're going to be sending signals to cyclists that they should revert to being pedestrians for their own safety, you're blurring the lines between pedestrians and cyclists and it's probably inevitable that that blur leads some people to cycle on the path.

breezy1985 · 01-09-2020 08:44AM

TaurenDruid wrote: »

I've told a cyclist busy unlocking his bike from a bus stop on George's Street that it was a bit of a dick move locking his bike to it. "What? What the **** are you talking about?!" Pointed at the blind woman with guide dog approaching, who regularly uses the stop. Light dawns in the guys' eyes. "Oh. Er, yeah, sorry."

Parts of the footpath on some city centre streets are so narrow (actually narrow, not pretend narrow for hyperbole reasons like Lapierre talking about North Strand) that people have hung "Please do not lock a bike to this" signs on poles. And they get ignored.

It is important to make sure your bike isn't causing an obstruction which is why I'm really happy to see that in Limerick to council are now converting parking spaces for cycle racks rather than sticking them on paths

Thelonious Monk · 01-09-2020 09:41AM

https://www.thejournal.ie/hit-and-run-north-wall-quay-5192182-Sep2020/

Cyclist hit by some c*nt in a car who drove off last night, in serious condition. Pedestrian killed at weekend. Barely makes the news.
This is why some of us can't take complaints of the odd person cycling on a footpath, harming no one, seriously.
This is a joke of a thread. I cycle on the path sometimes, usually to get around cars that might kill me. If there were people on the footpath I'd go at walking speed or dismount. No one is getting hurt by bikes on footpaths.

07Lapierre · 01-09-2020 09:50AM

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

https://www.thejournal.ie/hit-and-run-north-wall-quay-5192182-Sep2020/

Cyclist hit by some c*nt in a car who drove off last night, in serious condition. Pedestrian killed at weekend. Barely makes the news.
This is why some of us can't take complaints of the odd person cycling on a footpath, harming no one, seriously.
This is a joke of a thread. I cycle on the path sometimes, usually to get around cars that might kill me. If there were people on the footpath I'd go at walking speed or dismount. No one is getting hurt by bikes on footpaths.

The sooner we have number plates on cars, so they can be easily identified the better! :rolleyes:

Duckjob · 01-09-2020 10:16AM

07Lapierre wrote: »

The sooner we have number plates on cars, so they can be easily identified the better! :rolleyes:

and insurance, and road tax.....

breezy1985 · 01-09-2020 10:20AM

07Lapierre wrote: »

The sooner we have number plates on cars, so they can be easily identified the better! :rolleyes:

Only thing I can think of is the car was stolen otherwise it would be crazy to leave the car abandoned.

Or I suppose the idiot driver is gonna fake a theft after the crash

Thelonious Monk · 01-09-2020 10:21AM

breezy1985 wrote: »

Only thing I can think of is the car was stolen otherwise it would be crazy to leave the car abandoned

Sounds like it was. That area seems to be getting worse. The cycle path from North Strand has already experienced lots of anti social behaviour, I don't think people will want to be using it once it's dark in the evenings.

kenmm · 01-09-2020 10:22AM

breezy1985 wrote: »

Only thing I can think of is the car was stolen otherwise it would be crazy to leave the car abandoned.

Around that area.. wouldn't be a surprise - been quite a lot of random violent incidents recently.

o1s1n · 01-09-2020 10:27AM

kenmm wrote: »

Around that area.. wouldn't be a surprise - been quite a lot of random violent incidents recently.

I decided to try out the new greenway there while cycling from Fairview over to Grand Canal Dock.

I was all 'ooohhhh, ahhhh, this is gorgeous' going over the long bridge part - then I hit the other side :eek:

There were about 30 feral youths sitting under the bridge with a flaming pile of something in the middle of the cycle track. What was really jarring is that it was the middle of the day!

Thelonious Monk · 01-09-2020 10:41AM

o1s1n wrote: »

I decided to try out the new greenway there while cycling from Fairview over to Grand Canal Dock.

I was all 'ooohhhh, ahhhh, this is gorgeous' going over the long bridge part - then I hit the other side :eek:

There were about 30 feral youths sitting under the bridge with a flaming pile of something in the middle of the cycle track. What was really jarring is that it was the middle of the day!

Yeah I've already seen fireworks thrown around there during day, horse sh*t all over the path, horses on the path...
I did predict it would be like this given how the people are that live in the area, but it really went downhill fast.

kenmm · 01-09-2020 10:47AM

Look out for them climbing that metal structure on sheriff st lower and throwing bangers down :pac:

Thats general kids being dicks, but there seems to be a lot more serious stuff going on (machete attacks, violent crime etc).

Stark · 01-09-2020 10:48AM

o1s1n wrote: »

I decided to try out the new greenway there while cycling from Fairview over to Grand Canal Dock.

I was all 'ooohhhh, ahhhh, this is gorgeous' going over the long bridge part - then I hit the other side :eek:

There were about 30 feral youths sitting under the bridge with a flaming pile of something in the middle of the cycle track. What was really jarring is that it was the middle of the day!

Used it yesterday after work and it was grand but they had Gardaí patrolling it.

Cycling on paths and other cycling issues (updated title)

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