Grand Canal Cycle Path - Be Careful

Nika Bolokov · 23-08-2018 7:14pm

Brilliant idea. Would certainly embarrass the council if the media filmed the state of a lot of it

LollipopJimmy · 10-09-2018 1:13pm

Gardai and ambulance went tearing up the canal path at Blackhorse going towards Bluebell this morning at about 8.20. Hopefully the ambulance was for a scrote rather than a victim of a mugging

coward · 10-09-2018 1:46pm

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

Gardai and ambulance went tearing up the canal path at Blackhorse going towards Bluebell this morning at about 8.20. Hopefully the ambulance was for a scrote rather than a victim of a mugging

A fire engine reversed back towards Blackhorse when they got to the kissing gates.

Another engine and its crew had parked on Kylemore Road bridge and were heading down to look around the canal. The Blachhorse engine reversed when the cyclists had told them there was one at the other bridge.

So no mugging or victim that I could see - but hopefully a good outcome for whoever was involved.

coward · 10-09-2018 2:17pm

..and it was a nice outcome!

https://twitter.com/DubFireBrigade/status/1039117077053931520

silverharp · 10-09-2018 5:07pm

how in a civilised country is this kind of nonsense allowed. To own a horse you should have to prove you have legal access to land or looked after by a licenced stable. only about 2 weeks ago I saw 2 local yoof walking a horse down the canal by Park West. I'd prefer to have the poor feckers in my burgers than see them maltreated

benjamin d · 10-09-2018 5:13pm

I totally agree there should be a minimum amount of space available before anyone can own a horse (I've heard an acre is the rule of thumb per horse?). Anyway that's off topic.
Unfortunately the overlap of the Venn diagram between those who keep mistreated horses in urban areas and those who rob and intimidate innocent citizens is very large.

van_beano · 10-09-2018 6:43pm

Just home now from cycling that way. Got cleaned out of it by an adult on one of those micro scooters whilst looking at his phone. My ass took the fall, will feel that in the morn. All apologetic he was. Bike survived.

niallo32 · 10-09-2018 9:06pm

silverharp wrote: »

how in a civilised country is this kind of nonsense allowed. To own a horse you should have to prove you have legal access to land or looked after by a licenced stable. only about 2 weeks ago I saw 2 local yoof walking a horse down the canal by Park West. I'd prefer to have the poor feckers in my burgers than see them maltreated

Same thing happened about two months ago in the same place - Fire Brigade got the horse out safe in the end

coward · 10-09-2018 9:11pm

I've said in another thread that I think bollards would be better instead of kissing gates on the Grand Canal Greenway. If there is a problem with motor bikes then deal with it by other means, e.g. policing.

I was in America recently and used a greenway in illinois, the Prairie Trail, which is 42 km according to wikipedia. I only used about 6 km of it but it was a thing of beauty!

There was no broken glass, no graffiti but the best thing was no kissing gates or obstacles. It crossed over two roads in the small section I used and simple bollards was all they used to stop motor traffic from using it. Just how I'd like to see the Grand Canal Greenway. There were no barriers when it passed by houses. The grass areas around the houses simply ran right down to the greenway path. I'll attach some small sized photos of this below.

Today on the Grand Canal Greenway at the Lucan end, I see the kissing gate was removed. It looked like it had been broken off rather than nicely removed. So unfortunately not the start of something good - at least not officially anyway :P

lucan-no-gate.jpg

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whomenonotme · 14-09-2018 11:38am

niallo32 wrote: »

Same thing happened about two months ago in the same place - Fire Brigade got the horse out safe in the end

another incident where fire brigade pulled a young horse out of the water yesterday. madness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDCWbXJ3nHw

mloc123 · 14-09-2018 11:40am

whomenonotme wrote: »

another incident where fire brigade pulled a young horse out of the water yesterday. madness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDCWbXJ3nHw

I like animals, but I would prefer to see horses like that put down than live in the conditions they are kept in on that scrap land along the canal.

whomenonotme · 14-09-2018 11:46am

mloc123 wrote: »

I like animals, but I would prefer to see horses like that put down than live in the conditions they are kept in on that scrap land along the canal.

Around 90% of the horses seized from public land are put down - biggest problem is the never ending supply. Over 6,000 horses seized in Ireland in last three years. Great use of taxpayers money...

a148pro · 15-09-2018 9:37am

benjamin d wrote: »

I totally agree there should be a minimum amount of space available before anyone can own a horse (I've heard an acre is the rule of thumb per horse?). Anyway that's off topic.
Unfortunately the overlap of the Venn diagram between those who keep mistreated horses in urban areas and those who rob and intimidate innocent citizens is very large.

I don't know if this is true to be honest, I think a lot of lads who keep horses find it keeps them out of trouble, its a hobby

Moflojo · 15-09-2018 12:35pm

a148pro wrote: »

I don't know if this is true to be honest, I think a lot of lads who keep horses find it keeps them out of trouble, its a hobby

Yeah, just like the Guinness ad says, "Did I save the horse, or did the horse save me?"

smacl · 11-12-2018 12:16pm

Anyone cycled the Grand Canal from Dublin recently or knows whether there is significant mugging risk? Last I could find was this from the Journal in July and vague talk of CCTV on Dublin Cycling. I'd fancy the spin out to the aqueduct and back over the coming weeks, but don't really want to go looking for trouble.

silverharp · 11-12-2018 12:26pm

smacl wrote: »

Anyone cycled the Grand Canal from Dublin recently or knows whether there is significant mugging risk? Last I could find was this from the Journal in July and vague talk of CCTV on Dublin Cycling. I'd fancy the spin out to the aqueduct and back over the coming weeks, but don't really want to go looking for trouble.

I started cycling it in the morning about a month ago, after a colleague said he had been walking it all summer (in the morning) and never saw anything. Last week I decided to give the evening a try because the weather was kind of manky and again no problems, this is between 5.30pm and 6.30pm I wouldn't use it later than that. It could do with more lighting but there is a decent stream of bicycles so my logic is if they are there it must be ok. Its probably the summer months where the evenings wont be safe

irlirishkev · 11-12-2018 1:31pm

smacl wrote: »

Anyone cycled the Grand Canal from Dublin recently or knows whether there is significant mugging risk? Last I could find was this from the Journal in July and vague talk of CCTV on Dublin Cycling. I'd fancy the spin out to the aqueduct and back over the coming weeks, but don't really want to go looking for trouble.

I've been on it a few times recently, morning and evening rush hour times.
It's been fine (touch wood) so far, and it's pretty busy as well the closer you get to town.

coward · 14-12-2018 10:02am

The gates are open!

They are making new holes in the ground so that the gates have a wider gap for you to pass through. Who ever is in charge of this, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! As someone who has to use the kissing gates, this made me very happy this morning.

It is such a positive step for cycling on this route.

They are currently working around Park West. The first few gates around Clondalkin are done.

mloc123 · 14-12-2018 10:06am

coward wrote: »

The gates are open!

They are making new holes in the ground so that the gates have a wider gap for you to pass through. Who ever is in charge of this, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! As someone who has to use the kissing gates, this made me very happy this morning.

It is such a positive step for cycling on this route.

They are currently working around Park West. The first few gates around Clondalkin are done.

Good news. This is the way the gates are setup further out (hazelhatch - ardclough) and it works well.

silverharp · 14-12-2018 10:26am

cool, there was one day last week where 2 of the gates were open and it makes a big difference

dhaughton99 · 14-12-2018 11:11am

Yay! Just in time for the Christmas Scramblers.

mloc123 · 14-12-2018 11:19am

dhaughton99 wrote: »

Yay! Just in time for the Christmas Scramblers.

Scramblers had no issue getting on there with the gates...

dhaughton99 · 14-12-2018 12:51pm

mloc123 wrote: »

Scramblers had no issue getting on there with the gates...

All depends on where the gates are. I’m just after passing from bluebell to 9th lock and don’t see any extra holes cut out. Although the council are working on the lights at bluebell.

coward · 14-12-2018 2:32pm

The lone gate at Kilcronan and both gates in Clondalkin either side of the Ninth Lock Road were finished this morning. I seen a van and workers at the top of the slip for leaving / entering the greenway somewhere around Park West. So I hope they continue their way along it towards the city.

Yes, there could be more scramblers. But I'd like to think that could be handled by policing. I don't think it's fair at the moment to inconvenience more people that may cycle for the few that abuse it to scramble. I do pass one chap some mornings with a kid in a trailer behind his bicycle. He has to disconnect the trailer from the bicycle and steer it through the kissing gates. That's a bloody awful procedure to be doing 9 or so times if you were travelling the full route.

With the new wider gates, it would mean that gardai on motorcycles could use the greenway to travel between Ballyfermot, Lucan and Clondalkin the odd time. Lets see how it goes. But today I'm excited and happy to see it open up to more bicycle users - trailers, cargo and double pannier users now have an easier option.

irlirishkev · 14-12-2018 2:35pm

coward wrote: »

The lone gate at Kilcronan and both gates in Clondalkin either side of the Ninth Lock Road were finished this morning. I seen a van and workers at the top of the slip for leaving / entering the greenway somewhere around Park West. So I hope they continue their way along it towards the city.

Yes, there could be more scramblers. But I'd like to think that could be handled by policing. I don't think it's fair at the moment to inconvenience more people that may cycle for the few that abuse it to scramble. I do pass one chap some mornings with a kid in a trailer behind his bicycle. He has to disconnect the trailer from the bicycle and steer it through the kissing gates. That's a bloody awful procedure to be doing 9 or so times if you were travelling the full route.

With the new wider gates, it would mean that gardai on motorcycles could use the greenway to travel between Ballyfermot, Lucan and Clondalkin the odd time. Lets see how it goes. But today I'm excited and happy to see it open up to more bicycle users - trailers, cargo and double pannier users now have an easier option.

It's been great just being able to cruise through the gaps rather than having to slow down and awkwardly shuffle your way through.

I did see a couple of scramblers last night between Clondalkin and Ballyfermot. They were nice enough to wait for me to pass though before revving off!

Glencarraig · 14-12-2018 4:29pm

Brainz wrote: »

I was attacked here about two months ago cycling from town towards clondalkin.
A group of lads were walking on the path and they moved off into the field at bluebell, as soon as I got up to the location one of them stepped out in front of me.
I jamed on the brakes and stopped a few feet away from him and he started swinging punches at me and tried to smash my bike up whilst abusing me calling me a fat b***ard and to watch where the fcuk I was going. I'm not one to back down and would have taken the little scrote out only for there was about 10 of them, luckily got on the bike quick enough and sped off with the little scummer trying to catch me. In hindsight I should have let him get as near to me as possible then teach him a lesson but was happy to get out unscathed.
I havent cycled that route since nor will I ever.

I wonder can they swim, would be a great opportunity to find out.

nak · 14-12-2018 6:13pm

Tenzor07 wrote: »

A lot of these issues could be resolved by CCTV along the canal, as well as regular Garda bicycle patrols until the local scrotes moved on..

It seems that councils and Garda aren't interested in spending the money to stop places from becoming No-Go Areas..

The cameras are monitored by a security team in Grange Castle through SDCC. Garda from Clondalkin did patrol the area when the path was resurfaced but it died off pretty quickly.

tampopo · 14-12-2018 9:56pm

smacl wrote: »

Anyone cycled the Grand Canal from Dublin recently or knows whether there is significant mugging risk? Last I could find was this from the Journal in July and vague talk of CCTV on Dublin Cycling. I'd fancy the spin out to the aqueduct and back over the coming weeks, but don't really want to go looking for trouble.

What aqueduct?

KevRossi · 15-12-2018 9:21am

tampopo wrote: »

What aqueduct?

I think he means the Leinster Aqueduct to the west of Sallins. Nice spin out there.

smacl · 15-12-2018 12:34pm

KevRossi wrote: »

I think he means the Leinster Aqueduct to the west of Sallins. Nice spin out there.

Yep, cycling along what feels like the banks of a river on a bridge over an actual river feels pretty surreal. Only about 10 minutes on from Sallins so a handy enough return trip from Dublin. ( or you can also follow a branch of the canal back to Naas, and backroads from there to Blessington and the hills for a nice circuit) Excuse my crap photography skills which totally fail to do it justice

Can be a bit of a pain after the rain on slick tyres though, as they'll just spin on the muddy sections. One of the nicest times to do it is in the very cold weather when the canal freezes over.

Grand Canal Cycle Path - Be Careful

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