Journalism and Cycling 2: the difficult second album

magicbastarder · 22-12-2022 03:56PM

i caught a section on RTE radio this morning, phillip boucher hayes talking to an engineer (whose name escapes me) and conor faughnan about the government's climate action plan and transport.

you can see faughnan learned his trade well; he comes across as reasonable and polished, but was trying to run with the fox and hunt with the hounds a bit too much; the engineer mentioned that we need to get cars off the road, partly to make space for active modes of transport, and made some offhand quip about 'the leafy suburbs' being where e-car sales do the best; and faughnan went off on one a little about the demonisation of cars. even though he agreed several times in the piece that ireland has gone way overboard in its car dependency.

Macy0161 · 22-12-2022 05:21PM

There seems to be a blind spot that e-cars are better, but not exactly zero carbon. And obviously do nothing for congestion, if it is just a swap from petrol and diesel to e-cars.

Seth Brundle · 22-12-2022 05:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120025980#Comment_120025980

The only thing that e-cars will save is the motor industry

AndrewJRenko · 22-12-2022 09:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119999416#Comment_119999416

I don't recall any further information on that N24 incident ever coming into the public domain, the kind of detail you would usually expect from a Coroner's inquest. Has anyone got any further details on this?

Large bottle small glass · 22-12-2022 10:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120026756#Comment_120026756

I could but I won't.

I'm not sure there was a hearing in the Coroner's court, or is there proceedings due in the civil court or a prosecution in the criminal courts.

Coroner's court are a pretty hamstrung means of getting to the truth in any event; between the legislation under which they operate and various decisions of our highest courts on their operation. It must be a frustrating venue for family and friends of the Deceased.

I've been involved in a few and normally the Coroner isn't looking for a full investigation but a pretty narrow focus on technical recommendations to prevent a reoccurrence for example; which is just usually hot air to make the coroner look good but no one of importance or power anywhere is going to act on or is compelled to act on.

Thelonious Monk · 23-12-2022 02:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120026756#Comment_120026756

it's amazing how often anti-cyclists bring that case up since it happened. There was another pensioner pedestrian killed by a motorist yesterday in Tralee and 2 or 3 last week and they'll never be heard about again. I see many pedestrians killed seem to be in rural towns. Many of them are just a drag strip through the town that you could put the foot down on, some of them really need to be redesigned to stop speeding and to be more pedestrian friendly.

micar · 23-12-2022 05:37PM

5 or 6 pedestrians have died on Irish roads in the last few weeks and Pat Kenny will always bring up the death of a pedestrian resulting from a collision with a cyclist that occurred 20+ years ago.

27-12-2022 08:24PM

I got that notification on the phone there too .

magicbastarder · 28-12-2022 12:00AM

i don't know what it is with the driving out there at the moment, but i've been brake tested twice (while driving) in the last week or so. some angry men out there (and it's usually men)

zell12 · 30-12-2022 10:20AM

Mail screams.. Comments reflect that the cyclist should've pulled over to let the car past

magicbastarder · 30-12-2022 10:38AM

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/2022/12/30/plan-for-liffey-cyclepath-with-boardwalks-set-to-be-shelved-after-80m-overrun/

..

Grassey · 30-12-2022 11:22AM

"We have put a significant degree of cycling priority on the quays without any grandiose scheme. I’m not sure if we will ever build the gold-plated scheme.”

Ara shuuure 'tis grand....

McGrath5 · 30-12-2022 11:46AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045811#Comment_120045811

If only the same logic was applied to car infrastructure. If DCC believe they could accommodate cyclists then why was scheme concocted in the first place, feels like they are paying lip service here.

magicbastarder · 30-12-2022 12:19PM

i'm not sure i'd want a boardwalk scheme (without knowing how they deal with bridges) - surely what they put in place is no worse than a boardwalk cycleway which would shunt cyclists back onto the road every time a pesky bridge got in the way?

CramCycle · 30-12-2022 12:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120038531#Comment_120038531

My brother in law had one and gave me a test drive. The A pillar made me question my theory that blind spots in cars are just laziness.

As for the Ford Raptor, we have one in work and for such a large vehicle it has a truly tiny area to sit in, and the actual clearance for viewing is abysmal. I imagine it's what driving an F1 car or flying an Xwing is like.

cletus · 30-12-2022 01:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046158#Comment_120046158

I mean, blind spots definitely exist. They're just areas of reduced visibility based on you (or your head) being in any specific situation.

They're really easily overcome by just moving your head so you can see more clearly. It's like checking over your shoulder before pulling out because your wing mirror and B pillar can create a blind spot.

CramCycle · 30-12-2022 03:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046409#Comment_120046409

100%, I'm not a great believer of the "you were in my blind spot" excuse as my father taught me to rock back and forth while maneuvering or at a junction. My point was simply that in those two vehicles (the raptor being far worse) it was actually uncomfortable for me how large they were compared to other vehicles. The raptor also having such a high bonnet, and large footprint and I have never had such an impeded view ( but like you said, can be overcome). I somehow doubt the wannabe hard men driving them to sites with nothing ever in the boot often stretch themselves to far to see though.

30-12-2022 05:51PM

Man who taught me to drive told me the same to lean forward and back to and not just move your head. It's funny on the Raptors and their like I am not seeing nearly as many on the roads in recent times.

Idleater · 30-12-2022 06:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046760#Comment_120046760

I sat into a display Challenger on a state fair stand and the view out was worthy of Dutch cloud painting

Dashboard bonnet horizon sky sky sky roof

Left and right, never mind behind, I can only assume are minor details for driving in the states.

Grassey · 03-01-2023 05:18AM

https://www.echolive.ie/corklives/arid-41037971.html

In a new six-part series, chef Neven Maguire travels along some of then, and meets more of Ireland’s best food producers and chefs.

In the first episode of Neven’s Greenway Food Trails on RTÉ1 on Wednesday at 8.30pm, he explores The Great Western Greenway... In the series... Neven also explores The Limerick, Waterford and Royal Canal Greenways; and follows the routes of future Greenways planned for south Kerry and Connemara in Co. Galway.

05-01-2023 08:39PM

A good overview of the changes London has gone through over the recent years. One thing I wasn't familiar with were the "bike gates". They might be an option for a lot of junctions here

https://youtu.be/ZU34ZKehWVA

06-01-2023 02:09AM

A hit n run in Meath leaves a 70 yr old man in hospital

Appeal for witnesses to hit and run in Co Meath that left cyclist in his 70s seriously injured

https://jrnl.ie/5962118

Seth Brundle · 06-01-2023 09:30AM

^^^ I saw the reports of that the other day and wondered why it has taken nearly a month for AGS to start asking people for dashcam footage, etc.

Seth Brundle · 06-01-2023 01:43PM

The IT have provided their ~~opposition~~ view on the proposed cycling infrastructure around Dublin...

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorials/2023/01/05/the-irish-times-view-on-new-cycling-infrastructure/

The above editorial (cut short in online version) is in relation to this article...

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/2023/01/05/bus-lanes-car-parking-to-be-reallocated-for-cyclists-from-ranelagh-and-ballsbridge-to-city-centre/

Squidgy Black · 06-01-2023 08:49PM

Full planning permission granted for the indoor velodrome, hallelujah! Hopefully they break ground on it soon and it doesn’t get dragged out

https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/full-planning-permission-granted-for-new-dublin-indoor-velodrome/

Thelonious Monk · 06-01-2023 10:41PM

80 year old woman hit and run in Galway today too. Wtf is wrong with people? I assume they're just pissed so that's why they don't stop?

Not one comment on the journal article. Imagine it was something involving bikes or e-scooters, banging on about how dangerous they are.

Grassey · 07-01-2023 11:10AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120076405#Comment_120076405

Since passed away unfortunately this morning.

On the pissed comment - there was something on the journal yesterday about 700+ under influence drivers caught last month... 1 per county per day average... If that's what got caught then the uncaught amount must be far higher. Only a small smattering of condemnation in the comments....

micar · 07-01-2023 11:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120076405#Comment_120076405

I would ove someone one to do a research project on public perception of cyclists vs motorists accidents

Get the journal to publish an article about a collision with pedestrian ....... (which didn't actually happen)

It would then compare the responses including volume vs that of accidents involving motorists and pedestrians where deaths have occurred.

Include the FB comments as well

Thelonious Monk · 07-01-2023 11:39AM

2 comments on the article. it will barely make the news. someone kills an old lady and flees. but because it's in a car no one f*cking cares. it's just hard to get your head around.

zell12 · 07-01-2023 01:18PM

This easy crime, and the fear of it happening, is compounded by lack of action by the police. Analysis...shows that 90% of all bicycle theft cases reported to police in England and Wales over the past year were closed without a suspect even being identified, and just 1.7% resulted in someone being charged.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/07/britain-cycling-bikes-stolen-police-cycle-theft-crime