Walking & cycling figures up in our five largest cities...
Ah the comments section.....
https://www.thejournal.ie/walking-cycling-report-national-transport-authority-6317113-Mar2024/
By the standards of the Journal, that comments section was quite reasonable. The usual shitgibbons flailing around but generally getting pulled up for their spittle-flecked outpourings. I've seen far worse in there - either the Journal is doing some moderating or perhaps people are gradually getting the message.
I think some people are getting the message but the noise from the usual trolls etc has seriously gotten worse year on year on the journal. It wasn't anywhere near as bad in say 2018. I think they'd be better off closing comments on everything now, its turn into a **** show.
If they disabled comments you'd get people claiming censorship and freedom of speech infringement. Look at the thread from when the Irish Times turned off theirs: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058247654/irish-times-website-no-longer-allowing-comments
Meh. People are a bit stupid if they equate disabling comments with infringement of free speech. Don't indulge stupidity. Let them take a case to the High Court if they feel so passionately about it. Ranting on Boards just kind of proves the point that a lot of people are contrarian idiots. Half of the trending threads on Boards at any given time are just populated with trolls and bullies.
Like, what did people do before the internet? Maybe they actually got off their arses and agitated on issues they felt strongly about. As opposed to hiding behind anonymous accounts online, on their couches, spewing out ill-informed nonsense and then hiding.
I'd rejoice if comment sections disappeared overnight. I'd miss this cycling forum, but the world would probably be a better place for less Boards type websites too.
Following on from Eamon Ryan's comments regarding the "cycling community" taking responsibility for the actions of some cyclists, Dublin City Councillor Damian O'Farrell (Ind) has asked about the idea of mandatory registration and insurance (or at least adult cyclists).
This is the same clever councillor who asked the council's transport committee to back the RSA'a push to get pedestrians & cyclists to wear hi-viz in the city.
What a daft cretin. And this type of character manages to get elected to local office? How much would he be on? Maybe I should pack in the day job and run for election just so I can push my personal agendas with no real care or regard for the benefit to society as a whole...
Would like to hear if the people who were fooled into voting for OFarrell actually support his nutbag ideas?
30k a year base plus another 30k in expenses/allowances roughly
Nice gig requiring zero qualifications it seems so.
Perhaps, but would YOU do it? I wouldn't, opening myself and my family up to abuse from all sides. A lot of time taken up too.
I'd rather clean sewer pipes
Zero qualifications, but you need to get a couple of thousand people to vote for you, which can be a little bit tricky.
Then five years later, you need to get them to vote you for again.
I'm not sure potential abuse would put me off, but it is a very big time commitment/ suck on family life that would put me off more tbh.
Easy... I'll just blame cyclists and Eamon Ryan and blather on about housing.
What happens if you don't turn up for meetings? Pretty sure there's a sliding scale of councillors who do trojan work, put in long hours and are passionate about improving things - and councillors who do sweet f.a. above the bare minimum but push the right buttons come election time.
Another FF councillor who is in favour of cycle lanes as long as they are somewhere else...
Some of my best friends are cycle lanes
"they should have put the cycle lane on the footpath". Cue cries of cyclists "terrorising" pedestrians on footpads.
The same councillor was first out of the traps to take credit for the installation of lane separators along Childers' Rd a couple of years ago. A few months later she wanted taken out. She's Dillie O'Wea's PA so learning from the master of local populist politics.
Quick follow-up to the above article...
We had similar here in Cork. Local FF councillor fought hard against the pedestrianisation of a riverside road. Once he realised that the battle was lost , he made damn sure to be joint guest of honour in the publicity photos of the opening of the new pedestrianised road.
Shane O'Callaghan also has form for this kind of thing IIRC. When the cycle lanes went in in Ballincollig he was up in arms saying they had never been consulted, but a few months prior when they were announced he was happily taking credit.
Interesting insights into the mindsets of a selection of local councillors here...
Success of Wicklow e-bike scheme paves way for e-scooters, but not all councillors on board (msn.com)
"As anyone who has used a a Bolt e-bike will have noticed, the speed can vary from one location to another, which is a control feature on the bikes for certain areas of the town.
Strand Road, for example, has a maximum speed set at 15 km/h given the volume of pedestrians, while Bray Commons is set to a near walking pace of 8km/h. There are also ‘no-go zones’, such as the promenade, where the power will cut out if you venture into them."
Absolutely astounding how easily we can install this technology for ebikes and yet - For Cars? Computer says NO
Fully suspended sentence for man whose careless driving caused death of young French woman https://jrnl.ie/6324543
I can't even...
Dreadful, and your man was driving one of those awful Ford Ranger's that should be banned from the city.
Judge Martin "suspended sentence" Nolan strikes again!
Any criminal who's case is up before him must do a dance for joy when they come up in front of him...
It's the acceptance of careless driving charge, which has a maximum sentence of 2 years versus dangerous driving with 10 which is the problem.
Nolan didn't give a sentence here, plenty of judges don't for a careless charge.
The bar for dangerous driving needs recalibration. How can not seeing two pedestrians and driving at them in broad daylight at a junction not be dangerous.
he had been in the area at the time for the purpose of selling drugs.
...
[The judge] said it seemed the young man had mostly led a pro-social life and had a future before him.
Being a drug dealer counts as mostly pro-social now? Just a little bit anti-social. Grand really.
A forensic collision report found the pedestrians were on the road for seven seconds prior to the collision and were available to be seen. The vehicle stopped 2.79 seconds after impact.
Nearly ten seconds of driving without seeing what's in front of you or reacting is not "inattention". Hitting pedestrians in the middle of the city centre should not go unpunished - I know a suspended sentence is not no punishment, but **** me, it's definitely not justice.
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://www.boards.ie/applications/dashboard/design/images/banned.png)
