Does anyone else cycle on the R132 in North County Dublin between Swords and Lusk?

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 02-11-2017 10:35pm #1

I always cycling in the hard shoulder in this area. I moved straight in as I came off the roundabout. Cars and other vehicles almost ALWAYS veer into the hard shoulder when coming off this roundabout and cars in the right lane veer into the left lane (if that makes sense)...

I thought I was asserting my position, but a large lorry veered into the hard shoulder and sweeped past me, my elbows were almost touching the lorry. He nearly hit me. He just drove on like he never saw me.

A skip lorry driver behind him roared out as he passed me ... it's your own fault if you get killed, get off the road. "He would have seen you if you had a hi-vis"

I was so shaken after it. Close calls don't normally shake me and cars whiz by with inches to spare quite often but this was scary.

For anyone else who is going to take this route, please be careful and look out. People always veer into the hard shoulder coming off this particular roundabout. I just want to share it.

I'd hate for this route to be someone's first cycle and they become intimidated not to cycle again.

detones · 02-11-2017 10:51pm

Are you heading from swords towards turvey here? I always use cycle underpass and path until it merges with the r132 again. Cycle this a few times a week.

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 02-11-2017 10:52pm

detones wrote: »

Are you heading from swords towards turvey here? I always use cycle underpass and path until it merges with the r132 again. Cycle this a few times a week.

Yeah, I'm coming from Swords., I use the underpass too, but this section is after the underpass (the underpass is "behind" me in this screenshot).

Would it be selfish of me to own the left lane instead of the taking the hard shoulder to prevent this?

detones · 02-11-2017 10:57pm

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

Yeah, I'm coming from Swords., I use the underpass too, but this section is after the underpass (the underpass is "behind" me in this screenshot).

Would it be selfish of me to own the left lane instead of the taking the hard shoulder to prevent this?

There is still a cycle lane to left which brings you past this pinch point safely and joins with road and brings you onto hard shoulder. Do you hop off path into to merge with the road before the lights?

Wishbone Ash · 02-11-2017 11:02pm

Yes, I cycle it very regularly and know exactly what you mean. From the pic above you can see how the yellow line is worn away from encroaching vehicles. The best way to avoid it is to stay on the footpath for a few metres past the roundabout and then enter the hard shoulder near the bus stop where there is a little off ramp.

When I'm in the car, I sometimes get blown at by drivers on my right when I'm exiting that roundabout (even though I'm correctly positioned) as they expect me to be further to the left.

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 02-11-2017 11:04pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Yes, I cycle it very regularly and know exactly what you mean. From the pic above you can see how the yellow line is worn away from encroaching vehicles. The best way to avoid it is to stay on the footpath for a few metres past the roundabout and then enter the hard shoulder near the bus stop where there is a little off ramp.

When I'm in the car, I sometimes get blown at by drivers on my right when I'm exiting that roundabout (even though I'm correctly positioned) as they expect me to be further to the left.

I'm the same. I have dozens of videos on my dashcam where I'm blown away by people for not moving left into the hard shoulder.

rushfan · 02-11-2017 11:04pm

detones wrote:

There is still a cycle lane to left which brings you past this pinch point safely and joins with road and brings you onto hard shoulder. Do you hop off path into to merge with the road before the lights?

That's what i was wondering too. I use this route regularly. I use the northbound underpass and stay on the footpath until I'm past the second roundabout where there's a small section where I rejoin the road just before the pedestrian lights.

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 02-11-2017 11:05pm

detones wrote: »

There is still a cycle lane to left which brings you past this pinch point safely and joins with road and brings you onto hard shoulder. Do you hop off path into to merge with the road before the lights?

No there isn't. The cycle lane ends just before that roundabout. I'd have been in it if there was one here because it is a dangerous junction for cyclists.
This is the roundabout after the exit from the M1 for Swords / Donabate. I come off the path at the pedestrian / cycle crossing at this slip road.

Wishbone Ash · 02-11-2017 11:10pm

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

I'm the same. I have dozens of videos on my dashcam where I'm blown away by people for not moving left into the hard shoulder. Do you cycle here often yourself?

Yes, I'm there regularly.

The silver car on the right of the pic illustrates it perfectly. It would have been on the centre lane of the roundabout but is hovering between 2 lanes as it exits.

(PS - that pic is a few years out of date as there is a footpath now where the grass is up as far as the bus stop in the distance.)

Wishbone Ash · 02-11-2017 11:13pm

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

No there isn't. The cycle lane ends just before that roundabout......

The underpass, the bridge and the 'footpath' after the bridge are shared pedestrian/cycling areas. (I've never encountered a pedestrian there).

rushfan · 02-11-2017 11:13pm

Wishbone Ash wrote:

(PS - that pic is a few years out of date as there is a footpath now where the grass is up as far as the bus stop in the distance.)

Yes, I was confused looking at that picture, didn't seem to equate with the map graphic. Although I always use the off ramp there, I'm certainly very conscious of traffic accelerating away from the roundabout.

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 02-11-2017 11:20pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The underpass, the bridge and the 'footpath' after the bridge are shared pedestrian/cycling areas. (I've never encountered a pedestrian there).

This roundabout is after the underpass and the shared footpath though. I'd be quite certain there's no cycle lane / path at the roundabout I'm talking about but I'd stand corrected.

rushfan · 02-11-2017 11:22pm

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote:

This roundabout is after the underpass and the shared footpath though. I'd be quite certain there's no cycle lane / path at the roundabout I'm talking about but I'd stand corrected.

Would it be possible that it's the roundabout further north just before the petrol station on the left that you're referring to?

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 02-11-2017 11:25pm

rushfan wrote: »

Would it be possible that it's the roundabout further north just before the petrol station on the left that you're referring to?

Nope, the one just before that. The roundabout for Donabate.

detones · 02-11-2017 11:27pm

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

No there isn't. The cycle lane ends just before that roundabout. I'd have been in it if there was one here because it is a dangerous junction for cyclists.
This is the roundabout after the exit from the M1 for Swords / Donabate. I come off the path at the pedestrian / cycle crossing at this slip road.

Like wa said By cycle lane I meant the shared pedestrian/Cycle path which brings you past the pich point your referring to.i have never had any issues here by using path merging with traffic. I find the merge with traffic at the end of this hard shoulder at Tesco roundabout very dangerous. To be honest the whole r132 is a bit of a death trap for cyclists. I travel from Balrothery to town a few times a week. I have at least 1 very close call every week. Today alone I had 2. Coming southbound the Blake's cross junction has to be one of the most dangerous junctions for cyclist in the country. The whole stretch from Blake's cross past Tesco roundabout in both directions is a complete nightmare. The airport roundabout is just about pure luck getting through it alive. To be honest I'm not sure why I put myself through it so frequently ;-)

Wishbone Ash · 02-11-2017 11:30pm

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

This roundabout is after the underpass and the shared footpath though. I'd be quite certain there's no cycle lane / path at the roundabout I'm talking about but I'd stand corrected.

You come off the underpass and onto the footpath on the bridge over the motorway and then remain on that footpath through the lights (at the sliproad bringing traffic off the motorway) and stay on the footpath on the other side of the lights until you get to the bus stop. There you can leave the footpath onto the hard shoulder where you are clear of the dangerous bit.

rushfan · 02-11-2017 11:31pm

detones wrote:

Like wa said By cycle lane I meant the shared pedestrian/Cycle path which brings you past the pich point your referring to.i have never had any issues here by using path merging with traffic. I find the merge with traffic at the end of this hard shoulder at Tesco roundabout very dangerous. To be honest the whole r132 is a bit of a death trap for cyclists. I travel from Balrothery to town a few times a week. I have at least 1 very close call every week. Today alone I had 2. Coming southbound the Blake's cross junction has to be one of the most dangerous junctions for cyclist in the country. The whole stretch from Blake's cross past Tesco roundabout in both directions is a complete nightmare. The airport roundabout is just about pure luck getting through it alive. To be honest I'm not sure why I put myself through it so frequently ;-)

Likewise, I've never had any issues heading north either. But Blake's Cross...........? I actually try to avoid it if I can.

AmberGold · 02-11-2017 11:39pm

This is a very wide road, the lanes themselves are wide never mind the hard shoulder. Didn’t stop some numpty nearly wiping me out (just past the Topaz) as he drifted into the hard shoulder while checking his phone.

That hi-viz bull seems to be gathering pace, won’t be long before it’ll be mandatory me thinks.

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 02-11-2017 11:41pm

AmberGold wrote: »

This is a very wide road, the lanes themselves are wide never mind the hard shoulder. Didn’t stop some numpty nearly wiping me out (just past the Topaz) as he drifted into the hard shoulder while checking his phone.

That hi-viz bull seems to be gathering pace, won’t be long before it’ll be mandatory me thinks.

I was furious after the hi-vis comment. As if that'd stop him from veering into the hard shoulder.

03-11-2017 12:26am

Here is another lovely section of the R132, herself rides this to work most days check out the differences north and south needless to say she takes the footpath heading home north bound between these lovely roundabouts , you need to street view it north and south , and then there is some serious wear and tear with the bike lane closer to town craters, would be an apt word.

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.6988526,-6.3074623,245a,35y,319.55h,44.93t/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

easygoing39 · 03-11-2017 12:53am

@ enfilade,thats just south of Drogheda,I've never had a problem/dangerous incident going through those 2 roundabouts on me bike.I'd be either heading into town or heading out,in fact Ive never even worried about that bit of the road.Going uphill,either way through Julienstown I hate,as Im struggling to get up the hill with cars on my back wheel.

Wishbone Ash · 03-11-2017 10:17am

easygoing39 wrote: »

@ enfilade,thats just south of Drogheda,I've never had a problem/dangerous incident going through those 2 roundabouts on me bike....

I've had an occasional motorist blow at me going through those roundabouts (heading south) as I don't use the segregated track. Heading towards Drogheda seems fine.

04-11-2017 12:20am

easygoing39 wrote: »

@ enfilade,thats just south of Drogheda,I've never had a problem/dangerous incident going through those 2 roundabouts on me bike.I'd be either heading into town or heading out,in fact Ive never even worried about that bit of the road.Going uphill,either way through Julienstown I hate,as Im struggling to get up the hill with cars on my back wheel.

Hate it !!!!! and usually if I go that way I'm coming from duleek or bellewstown so turning left back to town at the bottom of the hills so no boost from a descent to help me though I'd normally only go that way on Sunday mornings but I've not been happy doing it straight through in the past either

Lusk_Doyle · 04-11-2017 10:43am

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Yes, I'm there regularly.

The silver car on the right of the pic illustrates it perfectly. It would have been on the centre lane of the roundabout but is hovering between 2 lanes as it exits.

(PS - that pic is a few years out of date as there is a footpath now where the grass is up as far as the bus stop in the distance.)

The direction the car is pointing would suggest that it was changing lanes rather than hovering between two fwiw.

Terrible driver behaviour here at all times during the day. Lane encroachment, wrong lane when heading for Donabate, etc. I've never had an issue there myself and never use the underpass but I do cut the yellow lines when in that lane myself of a car is on my right on the assumption that they will cut the lane also. I would never cut it there if a bike was there though. Madness.

billyhead · 04-11-2017 11:29am

I cycle this route to work 5 days a week. I never use the underpass. I see what the OP means about it being dangerous as every 2nd day I would have a close call with a truck or car. Blakes cross as mentioned by Detones is a dangerous junction as cars are speeding right past you in either direction and one lack of concentration and your a gonner. You just have to be ion your wits and not make any sudden movements to the left or right ie cycle in a straight line.

__..__ · 04-11-2017 11:34am

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

I always cycling in the hard shoulder in this area. I moved straight in as I came off the roundabout. Cars and other vehicles almost ALWAYS veer into the hard shoulder when coming off this roundabout and cars in the right lane veer into the left lane (if that makes sense)...

I thought I was asserting my position, but a large lorry veered into the hard shoulder and sweeped past me, my elbows were almost touching the lorry. He nearly hit me. He just drove on like he never saw me.

A skip lorry driver behind him roared out as he passed me ... it's your own fault if you get killed, get off the road. "He would have seen you if you had a hi-vis"

I was so shaken after it. Close calls don't normally shake me and cars whiz by with inches to spare quite often but this was scary.

For anyone else who is going to take this route, please be careful and look out. People always veer into the hard shoulder coming off this particular roundabout. I just want to share it.

I'd hate for this route to be someone's first cycle and they become intimidated not to cycle again.

Did you have another option to make it safer for yourself. It's not seeing your position if it ends in you lying dead at the side of the road.
When I'm cycling there I always keep will in. I'm not going to leave it up to some aggressive cnt to keep me alive, I'm going to look after myself.

Wishbone Ash · 04-11-2017 12:22pm

billyhead wrote: »

...Blakes cross as mentioned by Detones is a dangerous junction as cars are speeding right past you in either direction and one lack of concentration and your a gonner. You just have to be ion your wits and not make any sudden movements to the left or right ie cycle in a straight line.

In fairness, Blake's Cross is generally ok for us as we simply have to turn left and onto the left lane southbound.

On the other hand detones and those others coming from north of Blake's Cross find themselves in a sort of 'no man's land' with traffic emerging from their left and passing on their right. That section was much safer to cycle on when there was only one lane southbound with a hard shoulder (although the hard shoulder had a poor surface then).

Beasty · 04-11-2017 3:29pm

TBH I've never had an issue with that roundabout heading North (South can be different though)

Southbound at Blakes X cutting across the Lusk Road exit is the worst junction I know of in the county though. You have to cut across the lane from the Lusk Road and certainly need to have your wits about you. The rest of that road (Southbound) to the Tesco warehouse turnoff roundabout can also be problematical as vehicles try to overtake with cars outside them in the outside lane - with no meaningful hard shoulder you often find them cutting it very close

triggermortis · 04-11-2017 5:14pm

Pretty much all of the R132 isn’t much fun to cycle on. I use the underpass going towards the airport as my commute is at 2pm and traffic can be mad but my ride home is on the early hours so I stay on the road then and hardly see much traffic.
It took me a while to recognize the picture until I read the thread as I’ve only been using this route the last 18 months or so

Beasty · 04-11-2017 6:44pm

The other side of the road just beyond the large sign is where the infamous "Beasty's Dive" was. The hard shoulder has been resurfaced since then though....

:pac:

Carawaystick · 06-11-2017 11:11pm

The Aerial Photo shows the bike lane northbound from Swords to Turvey. You can see the dashed line where it moves down off the path onto the hard shoulder
There's a push button pelican crossing at the M1S-R132 exit slip
I usually ignore the red bike light if the green light is lit for cars on the R132.

triggermortis · 07-11-2017 9:32am

Beasty wrote: »

The hard shoulder has been resurfaced since then though....

What with? Moon rocks? That whole road surface is awful. My commuter bike has Tannus tyres and I almost lose fillings there!

Borderfox · 07-11-2017 10:22am

Drivers too lazy to steer, go down any country road and you will see drivers cutting most corners both left and right hand.

Lusk_Doyle · 10-11-2017 10:39am

triggermortis wrote: »

What with? Moon rocks? That whole road surface is awful. My commuter bike has Tannus tyres and I almost lose fillings there!

Think you need a new dentist. The road surface there is grand. A small bit bumpy but barely and not remotely like what you describe.

Does anyone else cycle on the R132 in North County Dublin between Swords and Lusk?

Comments