Are there any roads you will refuse to cycle on?

Jeremy Sproket · 06-05-2021 8:40pm #1

I live in Malahide and I took a spin out to Donabate once.

Turvey avenue is too dangerous for cyclists IMO. It's shame some drivers are so wreckless on that road.

https://goo.gl/maps/6EqWHeRLgMdxLYWe9

I'll be avoiding this like a disease.

Eamonnator · 06-05-2021 8:50pm

Blakes Cross - Lusk.

Smee_Again · 06-05-2021 8:54pm

Any road with an incline.

bbuzz · 06-05-2021 8:55pm

The N11 between Greystones and Newtown Mount Kennedy. Just too risky and unpleasant for my liking.

Luxman · 06-05-2021 9:02pm

The N2 north of Ashbourne pretty much all the way to Slane, hate it. Luckily there are 'parallel' alternatives to get up that direction.

MangleBadger · 06-05-2021 9:15pm

bbuzz wrote: »

The N11 between Greystones and Newtown Mount Kennedy. Just too risky and unpleasant for my liking.

I second this. Just no enjoyment in it. And quite easy to skip it if you like hills.

at1withmyself · 06-05-2021 9:18pm

The N20 between limerick and Cork, I hate driving it but I would never cycle it

Wishbone Ash · 06-05-2021 10:33pm

Jeremy Sproket wrote: »

...Turvey avenue is too dangerous for cyclists IMO. It's shame some drivers are so wreckless on that road....

Eamonnator wrote: »

Blakes Cross - Lusk.

Both roads on my commute and both are fine relatively speaking.

Wishbone Ash · 06-05-2021 10:42pm

The last two thirds of this segment. Not pleasant as speeding motorists assume it's a motorway (it isn't) and there is no hard shoulder. According to Strava I haven't done it since 2013.

https://www.strava.com/segments/1771163

06-05-2021 10:51pm

Luxman wrote: »

The N2 north of Ashbourne pretty much all the way to Slane, hate it. Luckily there are 'parallel' alternatives to get up that direction.

I'd ride it occasionally between Slane and the turn for Duleek and almost always at weekends in the morning and find it's ok. Not sure I'd like it so much if I had to deal with the draft off of a speeding truck given the width of the hard shoulder though.

magicbastarder · 06-05-2021 11:04pm

turvey avenue is the preferred option to cycling the R126 from the M1 junction to donabate, surely?

and the N2 between ashbourne and slane is one of the most cheerless roads i've ever cycled.

crosstownk · 06-05-2021 11:14pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The last two thirds of this segment. Not pleasant as speeding motorists assume it's a motorway (it isn't) and there is no hard shoulder. According to Strava I haven't done it since 2013.

https://www.strava.com/segments/1771163

I've cycled it a few times. Horrible. It's a no brainer to just go through Santry Village. More traffic lights but much calmer.

Wishbone Ash · 06-05-2021 11:18pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

turvey avenue is the preferred option to cycling the R126 from the M1 junction to donabate, surely?...

Yes, the Hearse Road is much worse than Turvey Avenue.

nomdeboardie · 06-05-2021 11:38pm

(Dublin) I’m in the process of banishing from my life the half of Leopardstown Road between its junction-from-hell with BurtonHall/Brewery and its N11 end. Experimenting with using Brewery Road and a meander through housing estates to connect with Newtownpark Avenue :mad:

AndrewJRenko · 06-05-2021 11:42pm

M50 - couldn't hear a word on my phone call with the noise of all those feckers beeping.

Obi Kenobi · 06-05-2021 11:51pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

M50 - couldn't hear a word on my phone call with the noise of all those feckers beeping.

Especially in the fast lane.

nomdeboardie · 06-05-2021 11:55pm

The road to hell (in a handbasket)

The road to nowhere (unless listening to Talking Heads

)
The long and winding road (covers most of the country :rolleyes:)
The road less travelled (no, wait, that sounds good...

)

Mundo7976 · 07-05-2021 12:00am

Anywhere around the back of the airport, too busy and too many not paying attention whilst dreaming of being on the planes

Hurrache · 07-05-2021 12:15am

Was always Dublin north and south quays, would happily take a longer alternative.

Haven't had a chance to try the new north quay layout since lock down though.

monkeybutter · 07-05-2021 12:19am

M50, great for getting from a to b

Oberkon · 07-05-2021 12:27am

Blake’s cross in direction of swords . Always get a flutter in heart passing the junction to Lusk ..

sharingan · 07-05-2021 12:27am

I have done the N25 out of Cork going east to glounthaune/little island exit but going over the Dunkettle flyover. Won't do that again, ever. The Dunkettle roundabout under neath it, is OTOH not terrible (signal controlled). But I did it once with my son on the back of the e-bike and its one of the most stressful rides I have ever done.

I checked my heartrate afterwards through the fitbit app, and it was ~100/110 on the flats doing about 28km/hr, and about 150 stopped at the lights at the dunkettle.

FYI its not against the rules of the road (but possibly will be when they finish the works there).

Weepsie · 07-05-2021 12:33am

Blake's closs to lusk room only done it twice. Not remotely enjoyable.
Kilshane cross I despise, but most of the airport roads I'm okay with.

Parts of the n20 are absolutely diabolical, parts are grand.

The n18, jaysus, I hate it. Got pulled over on it to let through some Chinese diplomats being escorted to the airport. One of the Garda had done our charity cycle previously and managed to get us an escort.

It becomes an m road a bit before bunratty, but the driving is like that well before there.

Any road into and out of Galway city centre. I find it the least hospitable place in the country for being on a bike. Again, only times I've enjoyed it is with a Garda escort.

Seaswimmer · 07-05-2021 8:25am

nomdeboardie wrote: »

(Dublin) I’m in the process of banishing from my life the half of Leopardstown Road between its junction-from-hell with BurtonHall/Brewery and its N11 end. Experimenting with using Brewery Road and a meander through housing estates to connect with Newtownpark Avenue :mad:

I second that. Its amazing how such a relatively short section has caused so much comment since it was built (probably well over 20 years at this stage)

paddydriver · 07-05-2021 9:05am

Up Glenamuck Rd in Carrickmines - approaching from Foxrock side, you've got a few roundabouts and a cycle lane that's in bits and then it abruptly ends and dumps you onto the long slog up Glenamuck Rd with a brutal surface in some parts. Even though the whole road is now 50kmh there are still drivers flying up it.

It's not too bad coming down as you get it over with quickly but I would take any route to avoid going up it.

Duckjob · 07-05-2021 9:19am

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Yes, the Hearse Road is much worse than Turvey Avenue.

The naming of the road is unfortunate as well. Always feels like you're tempting fate every so slightly by going on it.

Johnny Jukebox · 07-05-2021 9:25am

Lambs Cross to Lamb Doyles - bad surface, narrow, a kicker at the top and always, always an aggressive queue of traffic up your hoop.

If I'm coming from Stepaside, I always take the left before the school to avoid it.

teroknor83 · 07-05-2021 9:28am

Farranfore to Killarney on the main N22. Forget about it. Heavy Traffic, very little margin for cycling in and unfortunately a history of fatal cycling incidents with motor traffic. No thanks!

EDit · 07-05-2021 9:33am

N55 section just after Ballykeeran going in the direction of Glasson (after passing the Dog and Duck on the left). There is a very steep hill (ie, you are forced down to a crawling pace as you slog up it) and the road substantially narrows (barely enough room for cars to pass each other). Add in the fact that the road is frequented by a lot of lorries and its nerve racking

Fortunately, there is an alternative route going via the Wineport Lodge that is much quieter and safer

greenspurs · 07-05-2021 9:53am

Carrick on Suir . ( a bit ironic considering Kelly and Bennett are from here!!)

"Traffic Calming" on the way in and out of the town, Close pass EVERY fcuking time !!!
Just another one yesterday evening, where a stupid OAP in a Qashqai thought he could squeeze between me and an oncoming car.
He knew he couldnt "squeeze by" when i was banging on his windows....... These cnuts dont care/realise ......

Don't Chute! · 07-05-2021 10:11am

Johnny Jukebox wrote: »

Lambs Cross to Lamb Doyles - bad surface, narrow, a kicker at the top and always, always an aggressive queue of traffic up your hoop.

If I'm coming from Stepaside, I always take the left before the school to avoid it.

Agree on this one. Hate it. Good tip on the alternative!

corelokttikka · 07-05-2021 10:16am

greenspurs wrote: »

Carrick on Suir . ( a bit ironic considering Kelly and Bennett are from here!!)

"Traffic Calming" on the way in and out of the town, Close pass EVERY fcuking time !!!
Just another one yesterday evening, where a stupid OAP in a Qashqai thought he could squeeze between me and an oncoming car.
He knew he couldnt "squeeze by" when i was banging on his windows....... These cnuts dont care/realise ......

The cycling lanes in Waterford and around carrick and into piltown are brutal. Every kind of crap ends up in the cycle lanes and there full of cracks too.

Wildly Boaring · 07-05-2021 10:22am

Luxman wrote: »

The N2 north of Ashbourne pretty much all the way to Slane, hate it. Luckily there are 'parallel' alternatives to get up that direction.

Amen
In particular northbound around Kentstown

nomdeboardie · 07-05-2021 12:16pm

paddydriver wrote: »

Up Glenamuck Rd in Carrickmines - approaching from Foxrock side, you've got a few roundabouts and a cycle lane that's in bits and then it abruptly ends and dumps you onto the long slog up Glenamuck Rd with a brutal surface in some parts. Even though the whole road is now 50kmh there are still drivers flying up it.

It's not too bad coming down as you get it over with quickly but I would take any route to avoid going up it.

That series of roundabouts above the M50 is vile for both pscychlists and pedestrians! The half-hearted set of cycle lanes, some bits 2-way, which don't join up /dump you at exits/entrances etc is a work of pure cynacism

07Lapierre · 07-05-2021 1:17pm

The R139 between Malahide road/northern cross and Clonshaugh road.

I used to cycle along it towards Northern cross. It was fine until the l lights at the Clonshaugh Road end turned red after I’d passed through them. Once they turned green, you’d have two lanes of traffic accelerating up to 100kph and I’d always get at least one close pass.

Also in mornings when the sun is just rising (especially in Autumn), the sun would be in both my eyes and the eyes of all the cars speeding towards me from behind.

A horrible road.

Kop Idol · 07-05-2021 1:53pm

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

Amen
In particular northbound around Kentstown

I'll second this. There's a section (or two?) where the hard shoulder disappears so you could actually reach out and touch the artics as they thunder past you at stupid speeds if you were that way inclined. Hate it. Avoid. :mad:

magicbastarder · 07-05-2021 2:00pm

that's an example of a great missed opportunity with the building of the M3 - the N2 and N3 run/ran in parallel only about 8km apart from dublin to slane and navan. they could have built the motoway halfway between the two and served both, and would have taken most of that heavy traffic off the N2.

De Bhál · 07-05-2021 2:19pm

crosstownk wrote: »

I've cycled it a few times. Horrible. It's a no brainer to just go through Santry Village. More traffic lights but much calmer.

Don't know why they couldn't have put a nice segregated cycle lane on that stretch as there's plenty of room. I cycled it once or twice but nah, never again. Way too risky.
Cycling up through Santry is better but has it's own issues, especially the enterance to the Omni with traffic able to enter the slip road into it at speed thereby cutting through any cyclists going straight on. You need your wits about you going by that slip road.

Road from Phibsborough all the way out and past Finglas is a road I avoid if I can. On path cycle lanes, speeding traffic, enterance to a large Tesco, a dual carraigeway, busses pulling in on top of you. Awful road

magicbastarder · 07-05-2021 2:21pm

yeah, i've had a couple of near misses in santry; there's a lot of traffic on that road which at times is squeezed into multiple lanes which there really isn't the room for.

silverharp · 07-05-2021 2:26pm

The N11 up to Greystones is a nonsense for cyclists, its basically a motorway. Blessington to Tallaght isnt as bad but would avoid as well

Seaswimmer · 07-05-2021 3:10pm

silverharp wrote: »

The N11 up to Greystones is a nonsense for cyclists, its basically a motorway. Blessington to Tallaght isnt as bad but would avoid as well

Decent hard shoulder though..Not pleasant cycling with all the traffic noise but I always felt reasonably safe on it.

Macy0161 · 07-05-2021 3:45pm

None that I refuse to use, but really hate the Roundwood-Kilmac road in both directions (which is quite problematic for me!) and the Glenealy-Rathdrum roads. Never used them without at least one close pass, and the only roads that my "recording my journey" stayin alive at 1.5 gillet seem to have no impact.

The N11 is zero fun, but main issue is punctures. As it is at the moment, I wouldn't use Bray South to Kilmac though.

Seaswimmer · 07-05-2021 4:44pm

Macy0161 wrote: »

None that I refuse to use, but really hate the Roundwood-Kilmac road in both directions (which is quite problematic for me!) and the Glenealy-Rathdrum roads. Never used them without at least one close pass, and the only roads that my "recording my journey" stayin alive at 1.5 gillet seem to have no impact.

The N11 is zero fun, but main issue is punctures. As it is at the moment, I wouldn't use Bray South to Kilmac though.

Do you ever use the more inland one (The Old Long Hill I think)

I have always found that a lot quieter. Still a stiff climb but a nicer cycle.

Doublebusy · 07-05-2021 4:48pm

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/thugs-run-cyclist-road-before-16812935.amp

Heard of this happening on a few occasions so id probably avoid that cycling route

billyhead · 07-05-2021 6:43pm

The road past the coachman's Inn as your heading Southbound. The lane switching can be hairy at times. The roundabout isn't great either.

py · 07-05-2021 8:07pm

Another vote for N11. Have never had a positive experience on it. Close passes by taxi/buses/motorbikes.

retalivity · 07-05-2021 8:10pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

that's an example of a great missed opportunity with the building of the M3 - the N2 and N3 run/ran in parallel only about 8km apart from dublin to slane and navan. they could have built the motoway halfway between the two and served both, and would have taken most of that heavy traffic off the N2.

Half the traffic on the M2/N2 are toll dodgers going to/from Navan and turning off at Kentstown

Wishbone Ash · 07-05-2021 9:50pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The last two thirds of this segment. Not pleasant as speeding motorists assume it's a motorway (it isn't) and there is no hard shoulder. According to Strava I haven't done it since 2013.

https://www.strava.com/segments/1771163

crosstownk wrote: »

I've cycled it a few times. Horrible. It's a no brainer to just go through Santry Village. More traffic lights but much calmer.

De Bhál wrote: »

Don't know why they couldn't have put a nice segregated cycle lane on that stretch as there's plenty of room. I cycled it once or twice but nah, never again. Way too risky....

It wouldn't really be good value for money to put a cycle track there. Apart from the fact that there are parallel alternative routes, it would just lead onto the M1 or a busy roundabout. The vast majority of cyclists would continue to go via Santry. If there was a cycle track on it, cyclists would have to access it interacting with the fast moving motorists taking the slip road to Santry,

crosstownk · 07-05-2021 9:59pm

billyhead wrote: »

The road past the coachman's Inn as your heading Southbound. The lane switching can be hairy at times. The roundabout isn't great either.

I can see why cyclists would be wary there but I've never really had a problem on that section. In fact it's probably the one section of road that I associate with courteous motorist who very regularly flash to let me cross lanes when they see me looking over my shoulder for an opportunity to move right.

micar · 07-05-2021 10:02pm

Cycling up Mobhi Rd in Glasnevin...always use the footpath

magicbastarder · 07-05-2021 11:22pm

ah, i've always used the road. i think of the cars behind me as the motivation to reach for a new PR.

Are there any roads you will refuse to cycle on?

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