S2S Cycleway - northside

hardCopy · 19-02-2015 10:50am

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Cars are banned from the beach now as far as I can remember, or at least strictly limited access....

Caused a furore when it was introduced though! :eek:

I have to admit I thought it was overkill when they closed the road to the beach but having been to the beach the last two weekends, it is greatly improved.

Tenzor07 · 19-02-2015 10:54am

surpy wrote: »

I cycle / drive the route regularly and almost all cyclists seem to prefer the dedicated lane.
I think they had a counter for a while at the (to see how many were still on the road) James larkin section so maybe they are taking into account the apparent low Road usage by cyclists when considering narrowing the driving lanes?

Using the off-road cycle lane is all well and good for the majority of users, though if I see a group of 4+ doing "up and overs" on it instead of the road, then I ain't movin'! :pac:

ted1 · 19-02-2015 11:11am

hardCopy wrote: »

I have to admit I thought it was overkill when they closed the road to the beach but having been to the beach the last two weekends, it is greatly improved.

Try it again on a sunny day. No parking. Try kitesurfing there, we now have to lug our gear a good distance and the cars are being broken into

buffalo · 19-02-2015 12:19pm

ted1 wrote: »

Try it again on a sunny day. No parking. Try kitesurfing there, we now have to lug our gear a good distance and the cars are being broken into

Get a cargo bike.

ted1 · 19-02-2015 1:09pm

buffalo wrote: »

Get a cargo bike.

Very tempted.but it would be empty when I get back off the water. Kites cost about 1200 each and you usually bring 3 to the beach

odyssey06 · 19-02-2015 8:52pm

ted1 wrote: »

They are totally banned now. Came in to place at the end of the summer

That was the case in autumn but ban has been lifted and you can drive onto 'near' part of beach from Wooden Bridge end of island.

mrcheez · 09-04-2015 10:32am

mrcheez wrote: »

April 1st is now the date to begin. Can't wait to be fooled again.

Wow, against all odds and completely unexpected behaviour for Dublin City Council, they've actually finally started work on this at the date they promised! Only took about 10 years.

Spotted a full team of workmen laying out traffic cones and digging up the path.

And here I was thinking they were going to find some other excuse to move it to 2016 ...17...yadda yadda.

too late to say April Fools??

Rogue-Trooper · 09-04-2015 11:43am

mrcheez wrote: »

Wow, against all odds and completely unexpected behaviour for Dublin City Council, they've actually finally started work on this at the date they promised! Only took about 10 years.

Spotted a full team of workmen laying out traffic cones and digging up the path.

And here I was thinking they were going to find some other excuse to move it to 2016 ...17...yadda yadda.

too late to say April Fools??

How dare you give us false hope! :rolleyes:

Just thinking this morning how much worse that section of road is getting there. Wish they'd hurry up - I'm sick of replacing spokes............

mrcheez · 09-04-2015 12:20pm

Rogue-Trooper wrote: »

How dare you give us false hope! :rolleyes:

sorry :pac:

I don't honestly know why they constantly promise dates to start if they never meet them.

It's pretty simple: Don't specify a date to start until you've organised contractors and have written agreement from them that they will start on X. Once X has been agreed THEN announce when the work will begin.

TBH I wouldn't mind if the work started on 1st October, as long as that was a solid, agreed-upon date!

I take it this is just how the civil service operates?!? Must be a fun place to work.

mrcheez · 10-04-2015 9:28pm

Moved to *after* May 14th. I actually give up...

Raam · 10-04-2015 9:30pm

mrcheez wrote: »

Moved to *after* May 14th. I actually give up...

You'll just have to wait at the causeway until it's done so that you may continue your cycle.

Lusk_Doyle · 10-04-2015 10:19pm

Raam wrote: »

You'll just have to wait at the causeway until it's done so that you may continue your cycle.

Roads are great things.

mrcheez · 10-04-2015 10:24pm

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Roads are great things.

Yep I always like a bit of pothole dodgems on my cycle home. Perhaps if I remove the rubber from my wheels I can use the tramlines as intended.

a148pro · 11-04-2015 2:28am

fcuk me this thread is a depressing read

Raam · 11-04-2015 8:31am

I think have a mental map of all the potholes and tramlines burned into my brain at this stage.

Lusk_Doyle · 11-04-2015 3:37pm

mrcheez wrote: »

Yep I always like a bit of pothole dodgems on my cycle home. Perhaps if I remove the rubber from my wheels I can use the tramlines as intended.

Never suffered a puncture there.

mrcheez · 11-04-2015 6:03pm

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Never suffered a puncture there.

Actually you're right and everyone else is wrong, the road is perfect as is :rolleyes:

a148pro · 11-04-2015 9:24pm

The reality is that that cycle lane is the best in Dublin, its a great spin, to a great destination (Howth) with great views on a sunny day across the sweep of Dublin Bay.

And yet I cannot cycle it without being reminded of how ****e our local governance is. Bins throughout the tracks, large poles and signs marking the end of the cycle lane and then the start of it again five feet later because a narrow lane traverses it (presumably some Fianna Failer held the contract for signs with the local authority). The abrupt end of the track at the wooden bridge without any thinking as to how the cyclists get on to the road based track on the other side of the road, or back across the road when the segregated lane starts again. The steps that intersect part of the lane without warning around Bayside (could genuinely kill someone cycling along while talking to a companion).

Or the fact that there's no thinking about the lane as regards other users. I have been out and back that lane probably almost a hundred times, I'm a committed cyclist, but I met my missus and toddler out there for fish and chips the other day and when he got out of the car I told him to walk over to me, forgetting the fecking thing was a cycle lane and having a cyclist come around the bend of the particular car park which adjoins the lane at high speed. I'm a cyclist and I forgot it was a cycle lane. What hope do the average car full of kids have when they park there? What hope does a cyclist traveling at speed have when a kid runs out from behind a car parked behind a van? There's no marking or segregation there to give the impression its anything other than a footpath.

I dream of a full segregated cycle lane, from the city centre to North County Dublin, and to South County Dublin. And similar lanes going throughout the city to allow commuters to travel around otherwise than in a heavy chunk of polluting metal, alone.

And I'm fcuking tired of waiting for something which really should be simple.

Lusk_Doyle · 11-04-2015 9:45pm

mrcheez wrote: »

Actually you're right and everyone else is wrong, the road is perfect as is :rolleyes:

I never stated that the road was perfect as is so please don't misrepresent me.

neris · 11-04-2015 9:52pm

a148pro wrote: »

The reality is that that cycle lane is the best in Dublin, its a great spin, to a great destination (Howth) with great views on a sunny day across the sweep of Dublin Bay.

And yet I cannot cycle it without being reminded of how ****e our local governance is. Bins throughout the tracks, large poles and signs marking the end of the cycle lane and then the start of it again five feet later because a narrow lane traverses it (presumably some Fianna Failer held the contract for signs with the local authority). The abrupt end of the track at the wooden bridge without any thinking as to how the cyclists get on to the road based track on the other side of the road, or back across the road when the segregated lane starts again. The steps that intersect part of the lane without warning around Bayside (could genuinely kill someone cycling along while talking to a companion).

Or the fact that there's no thinking about the lane as regards other users. I have been out and back that lane probably almost a hundred times, I'm a committed cyclist, but I met my missus and toddler out there for fish and chips the other day and when he got out of the car I told him to walk over to me, forgetting the fecking thing was a cycle lane and having a cyclist come around the bend of the particular car park which adjoins the lane at high speed. I'm a cyclist and I forgot it was a cycle lane. What hope do the average car full of kids have when they park there? What hope does a cyclist traveling at speed have when a kid runs out from behind a car parked behind a van? There's no marking or segregation there to give the impression its anything other than a footpath.

I dream of a full segregated cycle lane, from the city centre to North County Dublin, and to South County Dublin. And similar lanes going throughout the city to allow commuters to travel around otherwise than in a heavy chunk of polluting metal, alone.

And I'm fcuking tired of waiting for something which really should be simple.

and dont forget now with the flowers in bloom the sutton bound side will be full of bushes/flowery things

a148pro · 11-04-2015 10:01pm

neris wrote: »

and dont forget now with the flowers in bloom the sutton bound side will be full of bushes/flowery things

I have to confess I am regularly distracted by bush on a Sunny Day's cycle, on that route in particular

BrianHenryIE · 12-04-2015 2:02am

a148pro wrote: »

The reality is that that cycle lane is the best in Dublin ...

I'm always disappointed to hear of new cycle lanes. Ones like Clontarf are so close to perfect, I think an investment making them seamless would be the best the council could make. The turns are too sharp, the junctions aren't pleasant and the segregation isn't adequately signposted, but I think that's the last 20%.

Leroy42 · 12-04-2015 7:33am

brian.henry wrote: »

The turns are too sharp, the junctions aren't pleasant and the segregation isn't adequately signposted, but I think that's the last 20%.

So apart from being badly designed, poorly thought out and inadequate consideration given to other users of the space they are perfect?

alentejo · 12-04-2015 9:23am

as bad as things are now between the 2 cycle paths, I am dreading the 18 months to 2 years to complete this work and all the messing that goes with same. Once this works begin, I am going to use the Howth Rd for rides to Howth

mrcheez · 12-04-2015 1:59pm

I gotta say, the Howth Road is lovely now. I use it most days heading into the city (to avoid the southerly winds when cycling on the coast). Perhaps the best section of bike path in Dublin City?

Not as great coming from the city heading toward Howth (still a few rough patches), but there's a section approaching Raheny that has the widest cycle lanes I've ever seen (about 3 bikes wide).

The bike lane from Fairview to Wooden Bridge is a joy compared to the bumpy patchwork of concrete slabs (it's not even tarred in sections?) that is considered a "road" so it'll be a pleasure once they let us skip the lot. I agree that some of the points are ridiculously tight and stupid sign-posts positioned directly in the middle of flow of traffic.

Also who do we ask to trim back the palm trees that block visibility of *that* corner section (we all know the one I mean)

After Kilbarrick, the bike lane eventually gets pretty crap. Safer to be out in the pedestrian lane when no leashless dogs are about rather than deal with a 1ft wide bike path.

Back to the thread discussion, there's no way they are going to start work on this "after May 14th" as the Battle for the Bay is on around the 24th May, then there's the whole host of activities going on during the summer.

Once the summer is over they'll say they have to delay due to bad weather in Autumn... then Winter will be the same... so eh... maybe time to close the thread before we get more depressed?

Shep_Dog · 12-04-2015 5:38pm

a148pro wrote: »

What hope do the average car full of kids have when they park there? What hope does a cyclist traveling at speed have when a kid runs out from behind a car parked behind a van? There's no marking or segregation there to give the impression its anything other than a footpath.

That car park use be separated from the cycle track by a hedge and a fence, but the council redesigned it and removed the boundaries. Many cars park with their wheels up against the kerb such that the rear overhangs onto the cycle track.

I think optics rather than usability are to the fore when our councils 'design' cycle facilities.

Even when there is signage, there are joggers who deliberately ignore them.

mrcheez · 12-04-2015 6:47pm

Shep_Dog wrote: »

Many cars park with their wheels up against the kerb such that the rear overhangs onto the cycle track.

This is solved easily by installing concrete stoppers:

35b099_885a0754ca122864b8c228f9ea3202e3.jpg_512

Might be worth bugging your local councillor to get these installed.

Mec-a-nic · 12-04-2015 7:58pm

Shep_Dog wrote: »

Many cars park with their wheels up against the kerb such that the rear overhangs onto the cycle track.

During twilight last Feb, one of you fellow fcukers parked there with an empty bike rack sticking two feet into the bike path at face height - apologies again for taking it down before it caused serious injury. (video/gif if you don't believe me: http://gfycat.com/PartialWellgroomedEeve )

a148pro · 13-04-2015 8:58pm

mrcheez wrote: »

This is solved easily by installing concrete stoppers:

Might be worth bugging your local councillor to get these installed.

I think the fencing makes more sense as with the bumps people will still walk straight on to the cycle track without realizing its a cycle track

hardCopy · 13-04-2015 10:15pm

Mec-a-nic wrote: »

During twilight last Feb, one of you fellow fcukers parked there with an empty bike rack sticking two feet into the bike path at face height - apologies again for taking it down before it caused serious injury. (video/gif if you don't believe me: http://gfycat.com/PartialWellgroomedEeve )

Death trap. I hate that spot. It's always full of people hopping out of their cars. A few years ago I used to encounter a running club stretching on the cycle track there.

S2S Cycleway - northside

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