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Documenting Ireland's cycle lanes
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It's a really good site. I have the book based on it. Nice little stocking filler for Christmas.
Mentioned here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=62638371
I posted my favourite back then:
This one is my favourite. It's the baroque madness of it. And the pleasing symmetry of the Cyclist Dismount signs dipping over the horizon, perhaps continuing forever ...0 -
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This is an update on DirkVoodoo's post of cycle tracks beside the Luas tracks at Blackthorn Avenue, Sandyford Industrial Estate. It's just after the Sandyford Luas stop.
It starts as an ok looking cycle track beside a footpath, but why they keep providing footpaths and cycle tracks at the same level without any kind of space or barrier is beyond me. Note how the footpath gets smaller along the section with the cycle track.
The on ramp is ok, could be better. Since the last photo, there's still signs of poor maintenance, but it's not half as bad as at that time:
But then you're stopped by this following crossing (shown here under the large road signs is DirkVoodoo's "mediterranean villa roof tiles" on the ground).
How this is ok under policy which says design should keep cyclists moving is questionable.
Pedestrians also don't seem to know what to do here, these people who seemed like tourists just kept walked past the crossing and the sign, they ended up crossing the tracks just a few meters up.
The RPA really do not seem to have learned anything about how people act from what happens on the red line. But I'm guessing they or the council will put barriers up, spending more money to fix their poor design.
After the crossing, something strange (or not so strange, if you're a Dublin cyclist) happens. The cycle track ends.
And we get one of the footpath cycling signs which has no legal bases (also note the same people crossing where the RPA don't want them to):
I should have taken a photo at the corner to show how small the path is at this stage, but this gives a good idea of it:
Then to top off the design, the cyclefootpath ends, not just at a bus stop, but a bus pull in area just after a corner in the road, and cars go fairly fast around here:
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SerialComplaint wrote: »It is not the responsibility of the Dept Transport to oversee local authorities. The Dept set the standards, and them leave them to it.
I know they don't and they don't have the resources to do so, but I think they should have the responsibility to act when they are handing out money (directly, indirectly or both) and councils and the NTA are going against a national policy. Or at least to step in where councils are going beyond their powers.
The NTA (formally the DTO) set the standards in way of their Cycle Manual, a new version of which is currently being produced. The new one is a long time coming and like the old one it is likely to allow a lot and not have a lot of minimum standards. The draft was a tome, it was due to be cut massively to something usable, but it's unclear what state it is in now.SerialComplaint wrote: »However, there is a regulator of sorts for all public bodies - the Ombudsman. They can investigate and respond to complaints. So if you've made a complaint (or you will make a complaint) to a local authority and it doesn't get a proper investigation, you can refer the matter to the Ombudsman. She kicks ass.
I did not think of the Ombudsman. Hmm...DirkVoodoo wrote: »Yeah there is a marked cycle lane in the contra flow lane. It can't be accessed though as the Stephen's green approach is unmarked for bikes, so the only way onto it is to dismount first and walk the bike on. Then when you reach the top of the road, the lights are only triggered by vehicles.
Can also be accessed by people who work in the buildings on or just off the street, like the Department of Transport.
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And received the following reply today:
The 3 signs shown in the pictures do not appear to be compliant with the Traffic Signs Manual. However, if the location of these signs is provided, Dublin City Council will investigate and take remedial action.
I've noticed that a lot of the illegal bus-only sign posts along my cycle (Swords road) have been modified to add a bike symbol or replaced with legal versions of the sign posts. The illegal shared space signs still exist though. I'm at a loss why they don't replace some of them with proper cycle lane/track signs where it's realistic to do so.
Good work on you! 0 -
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Yes, once again, excellent work, monument.I've noticed that a lot of the illegal bus-only sign posts along my cycle (Swords road) have been modified to add a bike symbol or replaced with legal versions of the sign posts. The illegal shared space signs still exist though. I'm at a loss why they don't replace some of them with proper cycle lane/track signs where it's realistic to do so.
Good work on you!0 -
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Inspired by DirkVoodoo and monument, I had a little time on my hands today and decided to pick up the camera and head out on the bike.
I started at Cherrywood on the N11 and cycled directly into St Stephen's Green (via Stillorgan, Donnybrook etc) and then came out by Ranelagh, Sandyford Ind Estate and rejoined the N11 at White's Cross to take me back to Cherrywood.
I took photos fairly regularly, even if there wasn't something bad to report - trying to tell the story of the journey without skipping anything. I didn't take a photo of every little dent and dip, but I tried to capture the major ones.
I've never consciously followed the cycle paths before - I'd normally pick and choose between cycle path and road depending on which served me better - and I was amazed at some of the stuff I saw.
These are my key observations:
-the amount of times the lane sends you down the inside of left-turning traffic is shocking. Consider most cyclist deaths are due to left-turning traffic, I think this is a big deal
-there are many times the lane "just ends", or dumps you on the road without warning only to put you back on the path 100m later
-some of the surfacing is terrible, and the undulations (especially from White's Cross to Westminster Road) are so bad you spend your time being jarred quite badly. If I had to do that route regularly I'd definitely be on something with fat tyres rather than my road bike
-there are many, many instances of people parking on the lanes (for deliveries etc.). Prior to this I never noticed it before, they were just more obstacles to navigate, but when you're consciously observing, they stand out like a sore thumb
-there are many places where the lane leaves you directly in the "door zone" of parked cars, especially in places like Donnybrook
-whoever is doing roadworks is entirely oblivious to cycle lanes or cyclists' needs. There were many examples of roadworks, and every single one of them, when given the option to block path, road or cycle path chose the cycle path. They were happy to just shove you out on the road without warning or protection
-sometimes a bike is a vehicle, sometimes it's a pedestrian. There's no consistency
-others will have a more educated opinion than I, but I felt that there was a lot of signage missing or contradicting itself. Sometimes the bike yields for bus stops, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes the bus stop is in the mandatory cycle lane (or whatever you call it). There are several places where I had no idea who had priority - cyclists or cars
-there are also some excellent sections where smooth tarmac runs completely unobstructed for hundreds of metres. Those sections are wonderful
Anyhoo, enough waffle. Pics are here for anyone with a couple of minutes spare.
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Inspired by DirkVoodoo and monument, I had a little time on my hands today and decided to pick up the camera and head out on the bike.
I started at Cherrywood on the N11 and cycled directly into St Stephen's Green (via Stillorgan, Donnybrook etc) and then came out by Ranelagh, Sandyford Ind Estate and rejoined the N11 at White's Cross to take me back to Cherrywood.
I took photos fairly regularly, even if there wasn't something bad to report - trying to tell the story of the journey without skipping anything. I didn't take a photo of every little dent and dip, but I tried to capture the major ones.
I've never consciously followed the cycle paths before - I'd normally pick and choose between cycle path and road depending on which served me better - and I was amazed at some of the stuff I saw.
These are my key observations:
-the amount of times the lane sends you down the inside of left-turning traffic is shocking. Consider most cyclist deaths are due to left-turning traffic, I think this is a big deal
-there are many times the lane "just ends", or dumps you on the road without warning only to put you back on the path 100m later
-some of the surfacing is terrible, and the undulations (especially from White's Cross to Westminster Road) are so bad you spend your time being jarred quite badly. If I had to do that route regularly I'd definitely be on something with fat tyres rather than my road bike
-there are many, many instances of people parking on the lanes (for deliveries etc.). Prior to this I never noticed it before, they were just more obstacles to navigate, but when you're consciously observing, they stand out like a sore thumb
-there are many places where the lane leaves you directly in the "door zone" of parked cars, especially in places like Donnybrook
-whoever is doing roadworks is entirely oblivious to cycle lanes or cyclists' needs. There were many examples of roadworks, and every single one of them, when given the option to block path, road or cycle path chose the cycle path. They were happy to just shove you out on the road without warning or protection
-sometimes a bike is a vehicle, sometimes it's a pedestrian. There's no consistency
-others will have a more educated opinion than I, but I felt that there was a lot of signage missing or contradicting itself. Sometimes the bike yields for bus stops, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes the bus stop is in the mandatory cycle lane (or whatever you call it). There are several places where I had no idea who had priority - cyclists or cars
-there are also some excellent sections where smooth tarmac runs completely unobstructed for hundreds of metres. Those sections are wonderful
Anyhoo, enough waffle. Pics are here for anyone with a couple of minutes spare.
Excellent report. I used to always use the bus lane from White's cross to Westminster road on my way home, the lane there is appalling and the merging with traffic at the foxrock church junction is truly appalling. The bus lane was fine, most buses and taxis were quite good about it, I only had one incident with someone trying to side swipe me, however they did some big pipe laying recently and I have decided to alter my route via Leopardstown road (which is worse, so I use the road).
Donnybrook freaks me out a lot, I've had doors swung open, cars leaving spots without exiting and trucks double parked for unloading. The particular stretch I'm talking about is the row of shops where Donnybrook fair is, although the Eddie Rockets section a few hundred metres back is just as bad for double parking and reversing cars. While the new "painted lane" is good as a mark for buses and taxis (they now give plenty of room), sometimes it is just safer to take the whole lane and I wish this was conveyed better to new cyclists who might be afraid to venture past the dotted line.
I have come to the conclusion that a lot of infrastructure was designed with slow moving cyclists on dutch bikes, possibly with sweaters tied in knots around their necks, in mind. As a reasonably swift moving commuter it presents a lot of dangers and if I was forced to cycle any slower or buy a different bike because of this, I would probably go back to driving everywhere.0 -
Huh?
+1 on the russian roulette of placing straight-ahead cyclists to the left of left-turning traffic. Its folly has been pointed out to the respective councils many times. They counter that it's a "standard" design -- i.e. they've used it plenty of times already.
That slideshow really reminds me why I stopped using the N11 almost twenty years ago. It's curious that a cycle infrastructure that was billed as being suitable for an unaccompanied ten-year-old actually requires more skill and alertness than using the road used to.0 -
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I've been cycling a lot of that route for a few years now, if I may offer some commentary:
Classic spot for broken glass after the weekend or people standing behind the bus shelter:
Beware this left turn, no one yields to cycle traffic and you have no view of what is around the corner until very late on, to me it's a major hazard and requires a "yield to cyclists" sign or similar:
A regular occurrence at any bus stop. Don't mind me, I'm happy to stop and wait for the bus to arrive and then for you to get on it:
Never follow the lights at White's cross, cars regularly (always) go through the lights, if you are looking at the green light you will get mowed down:
Lunacy, I had a bus nearly try and pull in on top of me yesterday despite being several yards ahead of him and going at speed. I yield when they are ahead of me and I expect the same from them:
Ah yes, the disappearing cycle lane. You basically merge with pavement then turn back onto cycle lane after the bus stop. There is a big kerb so going onto the bus lane is not an option:
Been nearly crushed here a few times by left turning traffic not yielding:
And here:
Yup here again, turning left into Esso station, twice by lads cutting out of traffic and trying fast left handers:
Here I hop onto the bus lane (if it's clear) and continue until the 2nd set of traffic lights. Much, much safer, trust me. Those driveways are lethal:
I saw this yesterday and was going to take a photo but was in a rush. Signs pointing to a lane closed to traffic for road works. Oh, the cycle path is not under any repairs, but it's ok to block it for signage:
This is where I nearly got taken out by an angry bus driver for using the bus lane. I have a total block about the cycle path here, I've seen cars come out of the side entrances there and they stop when they reach the stop sign. You can't see it in Chris' photo, but the walls obscure a lot of driver's field of vision and basically you are hoping they will yield at the cycle lane and not at the bus lane. I refuse to use them unless there is very heavy traffic and I slow to a crawl:
Ah, double parked, just like I said:
Followed by risk of dooring or car pulling out, lovely:
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