Irish Times and Bus Lanes

Victor · 12-04-2014 05:41PM

AlekSmart wrote: »

BTW,It's perhaps worth noting that the Luas BXD extension may well have a stand-alone Fare Structure also....:rolleyes:

No it won't. Red and Green line fares are already being aligned.

bambergbike · 14-04-2014 06:55AM

Yet another of these bizarre letters:

http://www.irishtimes.com/debate/letters/cycling-safety-and-bus-lanes-1.1760667

So, now we know:

+ Motorists break red lights, but usually only when it is safe to do so
+ Motorists pay insurance, "road" tax and maintenance costs and have more to lose than cyclists*
+ Cycle lanes are not always available - there is a financial crisis on
+Traffic other than buses and taxis are forced into 10-15 min diversions at rush hour by bus lanes that increase pollution

I can only hope against hope that the Irish Times published this in order to give somebody else a springboard to write in and debunk it.

*This is the weirdest bit, although the rest is weird, too. The writer points out that motorists have more to lose than cyclists and then goes on to observe that cyclists are more vulnerable to accident and injury than motorists.

monument · 14-04-2014 08:00AM

I would think the strangest thing in that letter is:

"— if there’s a more wasteful bus lane than the one at the junction of George’s Street and Dame Street in Dublin I have yet to see it."

bambergbike · 14-04-2014 08:47AM

It's as if the letter writer had a bet on with a friend to see how many really outlandish claims he could squash into a small space. Or maybe as to how many dubious arguments the paper of record would publish.

Tenzor07 · 14-04-2014 08:55AM

bambergbike wrote: »

Yet another of these bizarre letters:
http://www.irishtimes.com/debate/letters/cycling-safety-and-bus-lanes-1.1760667
So, now we know:
+ Motorists break red lights, but usually only when it is safe to do so
+ Motorists pay insurance, "road" tax and maintenance costs and have more to lose than cyclists*
+ Cycle lanes are not always available - there is a financial crisis on
+Traffic other than buses and taxis are forced into 10-15 min diversions at rush hour by bus lanes that increase pollution
I can only hope against hope that the Irish Times published this in order to give somebody else a springboard to write in and debunk it.
*This is the weirdest bit, although the rest is weird, too. The writer points out that motorists have more to lose than cyclists and then goes on to observe that cyclists are more vulnerable to accident and injury than motorists.

That's hilarious!!

I didn't realise the letters section of the Times was now given over to "Comedy Corner"... This person lives in his own little bubble!

:rolleyes:

Sam Russell · 14-04-2014 12:35PM

hfallada wrote: »

OAPs shouldnt have free travel. It happens no where else in Europe. Not even in socialist France. A poor broke student only gets a 25% reduction in an adult fare ticket(usually 50% everywhere else in Europe and even in the US). But a wealthy OAP gets free travel. That isnt equality, but stupidity,

Well it happens in the UK (if that is still part of Europe). If you live in a London borough, you get free travel over all of London, and free local buses.

It is not just OAPs that free travel here.

zil · 14-04-2014 10:11PM

iba wrote: »

IMO the problem is too many motorists driving to work, doing the school run etc.

If more people took the bus it would be better for everyone and teh enviroment.

And before people complain that tehre are not enough buses, bus services would increase as demand increases therefore creating employment.

The quays are jam packed all the time and I notice the return of many HGV's on them too.

It is IMO about time that a city tax be imposed to stop the amount of cars in Dublin City Center; like in London.

Is there really a 24/7 bus lane?

Whatever about the farcical claims in the quoted letters I have to call out this opinion. The bus service has significantly declined in recent years and I feel this has led to peoples poor opinion of bus-based public transport in Ireland. During early rush hour, there seems to be a 50/50 chance of buses passing by my stop full, and I generally obtain a seat about 10% of the time (not that standing particularly bothers me, but it is notable to highlight the lack of capacity). With the constant increases in fares it makes things even more frustrating. With these delays and increases in cost it is now both faster and cheaper (at least in terms of marginal cost, as I require a car at the weekends, so tax/insurance are givens no matter whether I use the car during the week) for me to commute by car. I feel slightly sheepish driving into the centre of a European capital every day but the realities of the bus service leaves me little choice.

iba · 15-04-2014 08:33PM

zil wrote: »

Whatever about the farcical claims in the quoted letters I have to call out this opinion. The bus service has significantly declined in recent years and I feel this has led to peoples poor opinion of bus-based public transport in Ireland. During early rush hour, there seems to be a 50/50 chance of buses passing by my stop full, and I generally obtain a seat about 10% of the time (not that standing particularly bothers me, but it is notable to highlight the lack of capacity). With the constant increases in fares it makes things even more frustrating. With these delays and increases in cost it is now both faster and cheaper (at least in terms of marginal cost, as I require a car at the weekends, so tax/insurance are givens no matter whether I use the car during the week) for me to commute by car. I feel slightly sheepish driving into the centre of a European capital every day but the realities of the bus service leaves me little choice.

Would be grateful if you would substantaite your claims with evidence that the bus service has significantly declined in recent years please.

Fares increase normally once a year which does not fall into the catergory of constant. Increases are necessary in order to buy new buses as the cost of new buses increases year on year, as does petrol/diesel increase, public liability insurance, gas and electricity and people's wages to name but a few.

I too often have buses going past me in a so called full state. I say so called because there seems to be a common new phemona whereby passengers upstairs on the bus sit on the outside seat making it not so obvious that the inside seat is empty. In addition, passengers stand at the front of the bus unlike 10/15 years ago where passengers would stand at the back of the bus so more people could get on. And also, like lemmings jumping off a cliff, so many people stand on the bus because they see other people standing without looking for themselves if there are empty seats upstairs which invariably there are.

BTW the solution I came to to get a seat on the bus, was to get up a little bit earlier; not exactly rocket science.

Banjoxed · 15-04-2014 09:39PM

AngryLips wrote: »

Why are the IT publishing multiple letters from this guy?

They are generating controversy by publishing views contra to their base, therefore getting talked about and selling a few more copies. Pretty much why they employed Waters and BO'B.

Irish Times and Bus Lanes

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