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Cycling/Walking around the city

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    #752
    galwaycyclist
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,912 ✭✭✭galwaycyclist


    galwaycyclist wrote: »
    The annual European Mobility Week initiative has been running from 16th to 22nd September.

    The Galway Cycling Campaign will be marking the event with a stand somewhere down town tomorrow. It will be city centre I'll post the location when we're set up.

    We'll have maps and leaflets on safe cycling skills etc. If anyone wants to swap ideas and stories on cycling (or walking) around the city they are welcome to come along.

    Stand is on Raven Terrace opposite Maguire's shop (Daybreak). Its the last section of canal before you reach Claddagh.

    There are deck chairs, potted plants and rugs. You can't miss it.

    Its a beautiful day for a cycle into town!


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    #753
    galwaycyclist
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,912 ✭✭✭galwaycyclist


    dastardly00 wrote: »
    Just thought I'd add to this particular topic by mentioning my most recent trip on SQR whilst on my bike.

    I was cycling east on Bishop O'Donnell road & SQR at about 6.30pm on a Tuesday evening a few weeks ago. I was in the bus lane as I didn't want to use the cycle path (due to reasons mentioned by other posters above). Anyway, I got a beep of a horn from behind from the 405 BE bus (at the junction with the Rahoon road). I continued to cycle on and then the bus driver decided to very narrowly overtake me (we were along by the Westside pitches (or what's left of them) at this point). He barely crossed over into the other lane even though it was clear and there were no cars. Naturally I thought 'fcuk that was close, but at least he's gone now'.

    Then, as I cycled along by the Westside Recreation Centre, I noticed that the bus wasn't too far ahead of me and he started to slow down for no apparent reason. At this point he had crossed over to the other lane (presumably because he needed to be in the correct lane when approaching the Browne roundabout). The bus driver then stopped the bus as I was coming closer and he unbelievably opened the doors. I decided to stop (I really should have just kept cycling). The bus driver then called me every name under the sun, and said I should be on the cycle path, and said that 'I was giving cyclists a bad name' for being in the bus lane. After about 30 seconds of him ranting at me, he closed the bus doors and drove on. And in case you were wondering, the bus was in service and there were passengers on-board.

    What a nutjob.

    This came up in a different context today and I thought of this post and a few others on the same topic.

    The Department of Transport has posted this Freedom of Information response concerning the Seamus Quirke Rd on their website. It consists of correspondence from the city council to the Department.

    http://www.transport.ie/sites/default/files/foi-decisions/foi-2012-0048-part-2.pdf

    It looks like the City Council told the Department that what they were building was combined bus and cycle lanes. eg a wider on-road solution to serve both cyclists and buses on the same surface without the raised cycle tracks.


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    #754
    Mr_A
    Registered Users Posts: 500 ✭✭✭Mr_A


    Had a similar experience to dastardly00 yesterday on the Doughiska Road. A motorist got incredibly irate with me because I was on the road rather than the cycle path. Lots of beeping and shouting involved which is initially very off putting. Not the first time it has happened either.


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    #755
    Iwannahurl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    I am aware of two locations in Galway City where it illegal to cycle to school in one direction, or to cycle home again via the route you used to get there.

    One is the Jes primary school in Raleigh Row, and the other is the Bish.

    Are there others?


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    #756
    galwaycyclist
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,912 ✭✭✭galwaycyclist


    Iwannahurl wrote: »
    I am aware of two locations in Galway City where it illegal to cycle to school in one direction, or to cycle home again via the route you used to get there.

    One is the Jes primary school in Raleigh Row, and the other is the Bish.

    Are there others?

    Market St. (Boys school)


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    #757
    Iwannahurl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    Mr_A wrote: »
    Had a similar experience to dastardly00 yesterday on the Doughiska Road. A motorist got incredibly irate with me because I was on the road rather than the cycle path. Lots of beeping and shouting involved which is initially very off putting. Not the first time it has happened either.


    How dare you ignore such world-class cycle facilities. :)


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    #758
    Iwannahurl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    galwaycyclist wrote: »
    Market St. (Boys school)


    Duh. How could I forget St Pat's?


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    #759
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 24,715 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Mr_A wrote: »
    Had a similar experience to dastardly00 yesterday on the Doughiska Road. A motorist got incredibly irate with me because I was on the road rather than the cycle path. Lots of beeping and shouting involved which is initially very off putting. Not the first time it has happened either.

    And he was right, you cant win with cyclists. Cycle lane provided and still decide to obstruct traffic.


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    #760
    joeKel73
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,689 ✭✭✭joeKel73


    Camilo Tight Shrew wrote: »
    And he was right, you cant win with cyclists. Cycle lane provided and still decide to obstruct traffic.

    Obstruct traffic? The cyclist is traffic.


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    #761
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 24,715 ✭ [Deleted User]


    J o e wrote: »
    Obstruct traffic? The cyclist is traffic.

    Proper traffic being obstructed by a bike for no reason is whats being promoted here. If there is a cycle lane use it, lord knows ours streets are being ruined (all around the country and money wasted) installing cycle lanes and they aren't even used. It should be the law to use a cycle lane if provided and I'd imagine such a rule is not too far away either.


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    #762
    joeKel73
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,689 ✭✭✭joeKel73


    The cycle lane on Doughiska Road is a joke, I'd always use the road here.

    doughiska_galway.jpg

    "Proper traffic"? :rolleyes:


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    #763
    Iwannahurl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    Camilo Tight Shrew wrote: »
    Proper traffic being obstructed by a bike for no reason is whats being promoted here. If there is a cycle lane use it, lord knows ours streets are being ruined (all around the country and money wasted) installing cycle lanes and they aren't even used. It should be the law to use a cycle lane if provided and I'd imagine such a rule is not too far away either.


    Cyclists are proper traffic, for a host of reasons.

    What's not "proper" about a mode of travel which creates no pollution, adds nothing to CO2 emissions, makes the roads safer and alleviates traffic congestion?

    You're also well behind the curve (and in the realm of silliness) with regard to mandatory use of cycle tracks in Ireland. The mandatory use provisions on the Statute Book were repealed in 2012, and rightly so.

    Crap cycle "facilities" such as the ones in Doughiska are ample evidence of the stupidity of that law as well as the shoddy engineering standards which still prevail in this country.


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    #764
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 24,715 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Iwannahurl wrote: »
    Cyclists are proper traffic, for a host of reasons.

    What's not "proper" about a mode of travel which creates no pollution, adds nothing to CO2 emissions, makes the roads safer and alleviates traffic congestion?

    You're also well behind the curve (and in the realm of silliness) with regard to mandatory use of cycle tracks in Ireland. The mandatory use provisions on the Statute Book were repealed in 2012, and rightly so.

    Crap cycle "facilities" such as the ones in Doughiska are ample evidence of the stupidity of that law as well as the shoddy engineering standards which still prevail in this country.

    I have no problem with cycling, in fact I have done it myself on occasion however to me its an extension of walking rather than falling in the realm of mechanically propelled vehicles which make up traffic and like walking the "path" should be used where provided. That said I totally disagree with destroying our streets with almost completely unused cycle lanes and in the process causing additional traffic and making life difficult for car drivers. Cork city has been destroyed by cycle lanes, traffic around the city has been made worse and for what basically the cycle lanes are being used as additional footpaths as there aren't anywhere near enough people interested in using a bike to make them viable.

    Removing car lanes to make bike lanes is a cardinal sin in my books.


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    #765
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,658 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Camilo Tight Shrew wrote: »
    Proper traffic being obstructed by a bike for no reason is whats being promoted here. If there is a cycle lane use it, lord knows ours streets are being ruined (all around the country and money wasted) installing cycle lanes and they aren't even used. It should be the law to use a cycle lane if provided and I'd imagine such a rule is not too far away either.

    Such a law was redacted in the not too distant past (October 2012) as the then Minister for Transport upon reviewing the situation realised how stupid the law was considering the facilities provided.

    Bikes are traffic. The reasons they are on the roads are plentiful and with reasonable justification aside from the legal aspect, the main one being safety.


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    #766
    joeKel73
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,689 ✭✭✭joeKel73


    Camilo Tight Shrew wrote: »
    I have no problem with cycling, in fact I have done it myself on occasion however to me its an extension of walking rather than falling in the realm of mechanically propelled vehicles which make up traffic and like walking the "path" should be used where provided.

    Well you're clearly well off the mark here and your personal classification of cyclists isn't in line with the ROTR etc.
    Camilo Tight Shrew wrote: »
    That said I totally disagree with destroying our streets with almost completely unused cycle lanes and in the process causing additional traffic and making life difficult for car drivers. Cork city has been destroyed by cycle lanes, traffic around the city has been made worse and for what basically the cycle lanes are being used as additional footpaths as there aren't anywhere near enough people interested in using a bike to make them viable.

    Removing car lanes to make bike lanes is a cardinal sin in my books.

    There are two issues here. One is the quality of some cycle lanes being installed is very poor and serve nobody well. Cyclists are frustrated as it's much less safe to use than the regular road and motorists are frustrated as they think the cyclists should be on the perfect cycle lane that's been provided for them.

    The second issue is there's a chicken and egg situation with cycle lanes in a city. Like most cities Galway has bad congestion problems and cycling and public transport is one of the obvious solutions. People won't use these options until there are good facilities in place, but facilities are slow to come in if there aren't enough bikes..... New roads have attempted to cater for public transport and bikes but retro-fitting older roads is slow and usually difficult. Over time upgraded road segments will link together.

    I suspect the new city bike scheme will throw so many new bikes onto the roads that provision for proper cycling facilities will work its way up the agenda.


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    #767
    galwaycyclist
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,912 ✭✭✭galwaycyclist


    Iwannahurl wrote: »
    I am aware of two locations in Galway City where it illegal to cycle to school in one direction, or to cycle home again via the route you used to get there.

    One is the Jes primary school in Raleigh Row, and the other is the Bish.

    Are there others?

    Also the lane at the back of Scoil Fhursa but I can't remember if the school has a gate out onto that.


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    #768
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    galwaycyclist wrote: »
    Also the lane at the back of Scoil Fhursa but I can't remember if the school has a gate out onto that.
    There ain't no gate.


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    #769
    Mr_A
    Registered Users Posts: 500 ✭✭✭Mr_A


    For the record, the oncoming traffic was light and the motorist could very easily have passed without the slightest delay, hence arriving at his destination a few hundred metres further on anything up to five seconds earlier. Not that he would have been right if it hadn't of course.

    And yeah, I chose not to use the path because frankly it's terrible.


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    #770
    galwaycyclist
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,912 ✭✭✭galwaycyclist


    I nearly got taken out by a wrong-way cyclist this morning on the Seamus Quirke Road.

    Was turning into Rahoon Rd/Shantalla and missed him between checking gaps in the normal traffic.

    I suppose I could jump up and down and rant about where the Guards were and what are they doing for our taxes? On the other hand I would suspect many of them would not understand what the problem was.

    Ultimately the main problem is with officials who install profoundly badly engineered road designs and then dump the problem of policing them on the Guards.

    That said it would be nice to see the Guards do their job - just once - for token effect like.


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    #771
    galwaycyclist
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,912 ✭✭✭galwaycyclist


    galwaycyclist wrote: »
    That said it would be nice to see the Guards do their job - just once - for token effect like.

    Before anyone points it out, I realise that there is serious cause for doubt regarding the level of understanding of traffic law among some members of the Garda. So I realise that if some of them went out to "enforce" their "understanding" of the law it could create a worse mess.

    I am just fantasizing that it would be nice if some that do understand traffic law could make a token effort once in a while.


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    #772
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    Big arsed electronic sign blocking the footpath yet again outside Pillo Hotel. Infacta it looks exactly like this from two years ago. Maybe I've gone back in time.


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    #773
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 24,715 ✭ [Deleted User]


    snubbleste wrote: »
    Big arsed electronic sign blocking the footpath yet again outside Pillo Hotel. Infacta it looks exactly like this from two years ago. Maybe I've gone back in time.

    Just walk around the damn thing. Honestly anyone who even notices the sign (and doesn't just walk around it without even thinking) has too much time on their hands.


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    #774
    Iwannahurl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    Camilo Tight Shrew wrote: »
    Just walk around the damn thing. Honestly anyone who even notices the sign (and doesn't just walk around it without even thinking) has too much time on their hands.


    Unfortunately a similar attitude pervades Local Authorities all over this country.
    For many people who are blind or who have low levels of vision, the negotiation of unfamiliar buildings, streets or thoroughfares is an extremely stressful experience.

    Problems encountered include inappropriately placed street furniture and obstacles on circulation routes.

    http://www.ncbi.ie/information-for/architects-engineers/guidelines-for-accessibility-of-the-built-environment


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    #775
    Micilin Muc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Has anyone got advice for a cyclist negotiating the road from Kirwan Roundabout westbound from Bóthar na dTreabh direction towards Quincentennial Bridge (A to B on the attached map).

    The cycle lane just randomly ends at the roundabout and becomes a footpath and pedestrian crossing, which is fine if you're accompanying a two-year-old.

    On the far side of the roundabout (on Headford Road) there's no way to access the cycle lane from the road until the entrance to Dunnes.

    Here's what I do:

    * Just before Kirwan Roundabout, I leave the cycle lane via the dished kerb before the pedestrian lights.
    * I enter the roundabout via the left lane.
    * I exit the roundabout and take the left lane heading towards Quincentennial Bridge
    * I join the cycle lane at the entrance to Dunnes
    * I rejoin the road at the head of the queue of traffic and make my way over to the left lane of the two right-turning lanes.

    It's a real mess for cyclists as you can see!


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    #776
    joeKel73
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,689 ✭✭✭joeKel73


    Micilin Muc wrote: »
    * Just before Kirwan Roundabout, I leave the cycle lane via the dished kerb before the pedestrian lights.
    * I enter the roundabout via the left lane.
    * I exit the roundabout and take the left lane heading towards Quincentennial Bridge
    * I join the cycle lane at the entrance to Dunnes
    * I rejoin the road at the head of the queue of traffic and make my way over to the left lane of the two right-turning lanes.

    I do similar to this but after getting back to the cycle lane at Dunnes I stay on the cycle lane with traffic going towards town. Then peel off to the left into the cycle lane waiting to cross directly over the bridge. There's a turning box here for this but tbh I don't see why you'd use it here with the cycle lane in place.

    The problem here is the light sequence goes anti-clockwise so there's a bit of a wait before getting the second green.

    Alternatively take the Tuam Rd and come down the Sean Mulvoy Rd.


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    #777
    Micilin Muc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    J o e wrote: »
    I do similar to this but after getting back to the cycle lane at Dunnes I stay on the cycle lane with traffic going towards town. Then peel off to the left into the cycle lane waiting to cross directly over the bridge. There's a turning box here for this but tbh I don't see why you'd use it here with the cycle lane in place.

    The problem here is the light sequence goes anti-clockwise so there's a bit of a wait before getting the second green.

    Alternatively take the Tuam Rd and come down the Sean Mulvoy Rd.

    I'll check that out this evening. I like a few of the other turning boxes (Quin. Bridge to Newcastle Road, and Bishop O'Donnell Road to Rahoon Road outbound for example).

    I've tried Tuam Road-Seán Mulvoy Road a few times but there are too many junctions compared to the junctionless calm of Bóthar na dTreabh where all the traffic obeys the 50km/hr speed limit ;)

    Thanks for that!


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    #778
    joeKel73
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,689 ✭✭✭joeKel73


    Micilin Muc wrote: »
    * I enter the roundabout via the left lane.
    * I exit the roundabout and take the left lane heading towards Quincentennial Bridge


    Take care leaving the roundabout here - there's a very rough stretch of surface on the left of the road... you feel it on a road bike!


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    #779
    Micilin Muc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    J o e wrote: »
    Take care leaving the roundabout here - there's a very rough stretch of surface on the left of the road... you feel it on a road bike!

    It's pretty rough alright, probably look like a machine-gunner going over it!


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    #780
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    J o e wrote: »
    Take care leaving the roundabout here - there's a very rough stretch of surface on the left of the road... you feel it on a road bike!
    teeth chattering :o venture into the right lane to avoid it


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    #781
    galwaycyclist
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,912 ✭✭✭galwaycyclist


    J o e wrote: »
    Alternatively take the Tuam Rd and come down the Sean Mulvoy Rd.

    That tends to be my option going home. A variation on this is to turn into Liosbaun and then take a "shortcut" through the retail park (Kearney's bikes, Dunnes etc). You can get hung up at the lights for Dun Na Coiribe though.

    If I'm coming in the Headford Rd I just stay in the normal traffic lane and use the lights to turn right with the traffic. But that might not be everyones cup of tea. (Could it be he misses the thrill of turning right at the roundabout?)

    The box turn with the cycle lane is a good alternative.


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