Dublin ranks 3rd in terms of the amount of time spent in cars due to congestion

OldMrBrennan83 · 22-05-2019 7:28pm

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Nice try, troll.

I'm not. Is nobody allowed to differ from your thinking?

OldMrBrennan83 · 22-05-2019 7:29pm

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Who do you share a bike, motorbike, or scooter with? Most people are well enough in the head to be able to share space with others too.

Now you're just getting insulting after the troll remark. Very "well in the head" indeed.

Thelonious Monk · 22-05-2019 7:29pm

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

I'm not. Is nobody allowed to differ from your thinking?

Your post is so absolutely absurd I think you must be trolling. Do you think every person should be driving private cars to work?

OldMrBrennan83 · 22-05-2019 7:33pm

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Your post is so absolutely absurd I think you must be trolling. Do you think every person should be driving private cars to work?

If you think it's trolling then report it rather than trying to score some boards big boy points.

I'm not trolling at all anyway. People seem to automatically be programmed to think it's awful, but what exactly is all that bad about being in your car? Dry, warm (or cool if you prefer), your own music/radio/books/etc, no stenches off people, comfortable seat, etc.

Thelonious Monk · 22-05-2019 7:34pm

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

If you think it's trolling then report it rather than trying to score some boards big boy points.

I'm not trolling at all anyway. People seem to automatically be programmed to think it's awful, but what exactly is all that bad about being in your car? Dry, warm (or cool if you prefer), your own music/radio/books/etc, no stenches off people, comfortable seat, etc.

So you think that it would be ok for everyone to drive into work in the city centre of Dublin because they like all these things?
If you're reading books while driving you should have your licence taken from you.

OldMrBrennan83 · 22-05-2019 7:36pm

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

So you think that it would be ok for everyone to drive into work in the city centre of Dublin because they like all these things?
If you're reading books while driving you should have your licence taken from you.

I would have thought when it was with music and radio that it would be obvious it was audiobooks. Apologies.

Thelonious Monk · 22-05-2019 7:39pm

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

I would have thought when it was with music and radio that it would be obvious it was audiobooks. Apologies.

But don't you realise if we don't move away from private car use and change to other forms of transport the city will become an even worse horrible dirty clogged up mess? I know you don't mind sitting there for hours, but surely you can see that's not how a well run city should be?

sharper · 22-05-2019 8:36pm

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

I'd rather do 90 minutes in mine than 20 on a bus.

Totally fine if that's your preference. The only real issues are

1. Making sure that there's enough capacity and coverage in public transport that everyone else can make that choice too.

2. Where space is limited assign priority to the highest capacity which is generally going to be small vehicles and public transport, not private cars.

Elsewhere people insist their private journey shouldn't be inconvenienced by modes of transport that carry many multiples more than theirs.

magicbastarder · 22-05-2019 9:10pm

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

https://www.thejournal.ie/electric-scooter-regulations-ireland-4646594-May2019

I f**king want to emigrate from this place at this stage. Dublin is ruined by private cars, and now they want to make it worse. Don't read the comments on that article if you have issues with blood pressure.

not sure if you're referring to the headline, which is badly written as far as i can see?

AndrewJRenko · 22-05-2019 11:14pm

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

I'd rather do 90 minutes in mine than 20 on a bus.

Do you really not have anything better to do with 70 minutes in your day?

The Enbalmer · 22-05-2019 11:29pm

AndrewJRenko wrote:

Do you really not have anything better to do with 70 minutes in your day?

Better than sitting on a bus with every second person hacking and coughing.

Thelonious Monk · 22-05-2019 11:44pm

The Enbalmer wrote: »

Better than sitting on a bus with every second person hacking and coughing.

Have you been on buses during the holocaust or something?

Stephen15 · 22-05-2019 11:49pm

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

Spending time in your car isn't a bad thing, definitely not in the way society seems to have programmed people to think it is. What exactly is wrong with heat, privacy, and none of the downsides that come with sharing space? It's not as if the seat is made of blocks either, cars are very comfortable nowadays. I'd rather do 90 minutes in mine than 20 on a bus.

You're making irrational arguement. Maybe not yourself but the vast majority of people will choose the option which is quickest and most convenient for them. I will generally pick the most practical mode of transport when making a journey whether that be walking, cycling, taking a bus, tram, train, taxi, boat or plane or even indeed driving.

To put it into perspective would you drive for 24 hours to Spain rather than take a 3 hour flight you have privacy in my car but not on a plane? Same argument with a bus vs car if the bus is significantly quicker.

SeanW · 23-05-2019 2:03am

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

So it's taken me a while to find myself in College Green on an evening during rush hour where I wasn't pushed for time. I tracked a 25x from stop 345 (not actually a 25x stop, but a handy place to stop on the bike and not hold others up) on Pearse St to the corner of Westmorland St and Aston Quay.

Your worst case scenario of 30 minutes was fairly accurate - I made it 29 minutes. Here's a timelapse x 8 video showing him from Pearse St up to where he broke the red lights to come onto College Green. I caught up later on Westmorland St. It is indeed a complete sh1tshow on the stretch outside Pearse St garda station.

https://streamable.com/4x5kx

Lessons learnt:

Taxi's are a huge, huge problem. The sheer quantity of them along that stretch is a major barrier to buses.

Dublin Bus vehicles waiting at the kerb for their time to move off are a problem, reducing the space available for all others. Surely there could be a better scheduling option to allow them to wait further back and only move up into location when they're actually ready to move onto the route.

The yellow box at College St/D'Olier St/Pearse St junction is a bit of a bad joke with taxis and buses blocking taxis and buses from moving.

The second row of Garda vehicles parked at the garda station certainly don't help matters.

Thanks for that! The Trinity City Hotel ... brings back memories of as week of a long as Hell commute

From what I remember and saw, the problem is with D'Olier/Westmoreland/College Green itself. You basically have half the buses in the city trying to get from the Garda station to Westmoreland St. and the other half trying to get from D'Olier St. towards CG and Grafton St. And there's a short stretch where the two paths conflict with each other. And of course the Luas takes up half the street space and its movements conflict with absolutely everything else. So all the buses have to queue back from that point.

Banning taxis might help, as might limitations on motor traffic in the general area. Where I differ from some other views expressed here over time is that to my mind, that would only help so much.

As far as I can see, Dublin is still using buses and trams where it should be using trams and metros given the enormous number of people now working and commuting in the city. Things like the Metro Link, in whatever form, are needed ASAP (In addition to about 100,000 apartments and houses).

The Enbalmer · 23-05-2019 7:16am

SeanW wrote:

From what I remember and saw, the problem is with D'Olier/Westmoreland/College Green itself. You basically have half the buses in the city trying to get from the Garda station to Westmoreland St. and the other half trying to get from D'Olier St. towards CG and Grafton St. And there's a short stretch where the two paths conflict with each other. And of course the Luas takes up half the street space and its movements conflict with absolutely everything else. So all the buses have to queue back from that point.

Seems to me buses are the problem..

AndrewJRenko · 23-05-2019 7:37am

The Enbalmer wrote: »

Better than sitting on a bus with every second person hacking and coughing.

Do you ever travel by plane? Or sit in a meeting room with other people? Or go out to a pub or restaurant?

Or do you live in an oxygen tent?

AndrewJRenko · 23-05-2019 7:45am

The Enbalmer wrote: »

Seems to me buses are the problem..

So do you reckon that replacing each bus with 30-70 private cars, each with 3 or 4 empty seats, would improve traffic flow and space utilisation?

magicbastarder · 23-05-2019 7:49am

i must be weird. i'd prefer sitting on a bus for 60 minutes than in a car for 60 minutes. at least you can read on a bus.

Thelonious Monk · 23-05-2019 8:55am

magicbastarder wrote: »

i must be weird. i'd prefer sitting on a bus for 60 minutes than in a car for 60 minutes. at least you can read on a bus.

At least you can look at your phone in the car though

The Enbalmer · 23-05-2019 10:14am

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

So do you reckon that replacing each bus with 30-70 private cars, each with 3 or 4 empty seats, would improve traffic flow and space utilisation?

Do private cars have to stop every few yards to let dodderly pensioners on and off?

No of course they don't ergo they can travel quicker and are less likely to be holding up other traffic.

A lot of bus drivers are bottom of the barrel drivers anyway,being more used to rush hour in lagos it would seem.

magicbastarder · 23-05-2019 10:19am

The Enbalmer wrote: »

Do private carshave to stop every few years to let dodderly pensioners on and off?

i'm pretty sure they would have to stop more often than every few years. there would be serious health and safety issues otherwise.

The Enbalmer · 23-05-2019 10:28am

magicbastarder wrote: »

i'm pretty sure they would have to stop more often than every few years. there would be serious health and safety issues otherwise.

Well spotted Sir! Mea Culpa.

magicbastarder · 23-05-2019 10:35am

The Enbalmer wrote: »

No of course they don't ergo they can travel quicker and are less likely to be holding up other traffic.

'can' being the operative word here.
'less likely to hold up other traffic'? it's private cars which create traffic jams. a half full bus takes up 10-15m of road. the same number of people being transported in cars takes up about 200m. and that's with a generous average of two people per car.

Thelonious Monk · 23-05-2019 10:57am

The Enbalmer wrote: »

Do private cars have to stop every few yards to let dodderly pensioners on and off?

No of course they don't ergo they can travel quicker and are less likely to be holding up other traffic

On my route to work every morning they sit in a long line of cars moving a few meters now and again. Buses go past them in the bus lanes.
I really think you must be a wind up, or you live in some small village somewhere and can't relate to Dublin's traffic problems.

AndrewJRenko · 23-05-2019 12:55pm

The Enbalmer wrote: »

Do private cars have to stop every few yards to let dodderly pensioners on and off?

No of course they don't ergo they can travel quicker and are less likely to be holding up other traffic.

A lot of bus drivers are bottom of the barrel drivers anyway,being more used to rush hour in lagos it would seem.

Always nice to squeeze in a tinge of racism in a posting.

Private cars really don't travel faster, but even if they did, do you think they would continue to travel faster if each bus was replaced with an additional 30 - 80 private cars. Just have a think about the space requirements involved...

Stephen15 · 23-05-2019 4:01pm

The Enbalmer wrote: »

A lot of bus drivers are bottom of the barrel drivers anyway,being more used to rush hour in lagos it would seem.

Thought you were talking about taxi drivers there

The Enbalmer · 23-05-2019 4:44pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Always nice to squeeze in a tinge of racism in a posting.

Always nice to see the word racism bandied around by somebody with nothing better to do.

The Enbalmer · 23-05-2019 4:46pm

Stephen15 wrote: »

Thought you were talking about taxi drivers there

Watch out the Social Justice Warriors will be along to call you a racist shortly!

According to them drivers from africa are every bit as good as Irish drivers (a link maybe from a lefty site to back it up).

AndrewJRenko · 23-05-2019 4:59pm

The Enbalmer wrote: »

Always nice to see the word racism bandied around by somebody with nothing better to do.

There's no bandying. It is a racist comment.

But here's the question that you missed.

Private cars really don't travel faster, but even if they did, do you think they would continue to travel faster if each bus was replaced with an additional 30 - 80 private cars. Just have a think about the space requirements involved...

The Enbalmer · 23-05-2019 5:06pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

There's no bandying. It is a racist comment.

Everything is a racist comment with you people :rolleyes:

Qrt · 23-05-2019 7:28pm

The Enbalmer wrote: »

Everything is a racist comment with you people :rolleyes:

Which people? Non-racists?

AndrewJRenko · 23-05-2019 7:38pm

The Enbalmer wrote: »

Everything is a racist comment with you people :rolleyes:

No, not everything - just racist comments are called out as racist comments.

But here's the question that you're avoiding :

Private cars really don't travel faster, but even if they did, do you think they would continue to travel faster if each bus was replaced with an additional 30 - 80 private cars. Just have a think about the space requirements involved...

Thelonious Monk · 23-05-2019 9:15pm

Did anyone notice how ridiculously clogged Dublin has been at rush hour this week at rush hour? Cycling home today was like going through a car park. I understand some people need to drive as there's no other option but how they all sit in that crap is beyond me. It's pretty horrible to cycle through too, especially Tara and Pearse St, I feel better after smoking 20 Major than inhaling all that crap. We really need to get cars out of the city by hook or by crook.

magicbastarder · 23-05-2019 9:19pm

weird, i came past the east link (from the south side) and it was strangely quiet.

Thelonious Monk · 23-05-2019 9:22pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

weird, i came past the east link (from the south side) and it was strangely quiet.

Was an absolute disaster at around 6 coming from Southside going home to North. Yesterday morning too was mental at around 9am, as if it was pissing rain, sometimes I just can't make sense of traffic patterns in Dublin. It'll all be gone soon anyway when the schools stop.

magicbastarder · 23-05-2019 9:24pm

btw, when i say 'strangely quiet', i mean sean moore road was full, but no more than that. it's usually backed up onto the strand road.

Thelonious Monk · 23-05-2019 9:26pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

btw, when i say 'strangely quiet', i mean sean moore road was full, but no more than that. it's usually backed up onto the strand road.

I don't actually know those roads I come in via Fairview and it's a traffic jam the whole way. 20 years ago when I was going to college it was just as bad, nothing has changed.

Breezer · 23-05-2019 9:51pm

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I don't actually know those roads I come in via Fairview and it's a traffic jam the whole way. 20 years ago when I was going to college it was just as bad, nothing has changed.

It was jammers from Phibsborough down to the Liffey (with a brief free flow down Constitution Hill), up past Christchurch and then as far as St Patrick's this evening at around 6. I thought there must have been an accident but I didn't hear about anything.

I enjoyed my gloat on the bike. I'm a very selfish human being, clearly.

alentejo · 23-05-2019 10:02pm

Cycling (and driving the odd time), I have noticed traffic really bad this May. I find traffic eases up during this time of year. This week the weather has been grand yet really unexpectedly encountered very heavy traffic.

I think drastic action is now required curtailing cars in Dublin city centre

Thelonious Monk · 23-05-2019 10:09pm

Breezer wrote: »

It was jammers from Phibsborough down to the Liffey (with a brief free flow down Constitution Hill), up past Christchurch and then as far as St Patrick's this evening at around 6. I thought there must have been an accident but I didn't hear about anything.

I enjoyed my gloat on the bike. I'm a very selfish human being, clearly.

what with no audiobooks and comfortable chairs and no people coughing and puking everywhere?

AndrewJRenko · 23-05-2019 10:11pm

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Did anyone notice how ridiculously clogged Dublin has been at rush hour this week at rush hour? Cycling home today was like going through a car park. I understand some people need to drive as there's no other option but how they all sit in that crap is beyond me. It's pretty horrible to cycle through too, especially Tara and Pearse St, I feel better after smoking 20 Major than inhaling all that crap. We really need to get cars out of the city by hook or by crook.

If it's any consolation, motorists generally take in more pollutants than cyclists in traffic like this.

blackwhite · 23-05-2019 11:30pm

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Was an absolute disaster at around 6 coming from Southside going home to North. Yesterday morning too was mental at around 9am, as if it was pissing rain, sometimes I just can't make sense of traffic patterns in Dublin. It'll all be gone soon anyway when the schools stop.

Passed it around then as well. Concert on in the Point always backs it up. Turned into ringsend before toll plaza so didn’t see how far back it was

Thelonious Monk · 23-05-2019 11:52pm

blackwhite wrote: »

Passed it around then as well. Concert on in the Point always backs it up. Turned into ringsend before toll plaza so didn’t see how far back it was

Tara St must be the worst street in Dublin to cycle on, especially at rush hour, it's a total free for all

sharper · 24-05-2019 9:16am

alentejo wrote: »

Cycling (and driving the odd time), I have noticed traffic really bad this May. I find traffic eases up during this time of year. This week the weather has been grand yet really unexpectedly encountered very heavy traffic.

I'm very curious about the reasons as well. The evening traffic is especially severe and that's less sensitive to school runs and less likely to reduce over summer.

AA roadwatch must have "Traffic is unexpectedly heavy, no incidents reported" ready to post on twitter every day.

SeanW · 25-05-2019 9:35pm

amcalester wrote: »

I know what you mean, like this scumbag: not content will killing a new mother he gets back behind the wheel while banned and over the limit.

We’re all just lucky he didn’t get on a bike, imagine the carnage if he broke a red.

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/mother-of-tragic-crash-victim-nicola-is-livid-as-truck-driver-is-back-in-court-again-38027480.html

"Yes, everyone should drive drunk on suspended licenses" said literally no responsible motorist. Ever.

The Enbalmer wrote: »

Seems to me buses are the problem..

Yes, but not in the way you think. The problems there are complicated but they all boil down to one thing - a lack of investment in public transport.

Most of Dublin's streets are narrow enough, and Trinity being a good square mile or more of no streets right in the heart of the city centre is something that needs to planned around very carefully.

Even accommodating all the buses and everything that used to, the College Street segment used to work relatively well even though it was always a serious pinch point. I remember getting through that area in a taxi quickly enough years ago, even in the height of morning peak. The problem is that its issues were not considered properly if at all when the government decided to build a Luas on-the-cheap through the area instead of starting with the Metro, which can get a great many more people around there area without overloading a key surface pinch point.

The only solution to this problem and similar problems throughout Dublin City and region is to invest HEAVILY in public transport and accommodation, including social housing as needed. No excuses, no ifs ands or buts. The time for f***ing around is over.

The Enbalmer · 28-05-2019 5:47pm

SeanW wrote:

The only solution to this problem and similar problems throughout Dublin City and region is to invest HEAVILY in public transport and accommodation, including social housing as needed. No excuses, no ifs ands or buts. The time for f***ing around is over.

Social housing is flying up all over the place.
You obviously don't live in an area that has any..

Qrt · 28-05-2019 8:32pm

The Enbalmer wrote: »

Social housing is flying up all over the place.
You obviously don't live in an area that has any..

Social housing really isn’t “flying up all over the place”.

sharper · 07-06-2019 3:36pm

Dublin is the 6th most congested city in Europe

DUBLIN IS NOW the 14th most congested city in the world, according to an index which monitors and analyses traffic in major urban centres.

The 10 most congested cities in Europe are as follows:

Moscow, Russia

Istanbul, Turkey

Bucharest, Romania

Saint Petersburg, Russia

Kiev, Ukraine

Dublin, Ireland

Lodz, Poland

Novosibirsk, Russia

Krakow, Poland

Edinburgh, Scotland

I think it's more than mildly embarrassing to find ourselves placed alongside nations that are famously underdeveloped and/or corrupt. When you consider the types of issues that get headlines it's amazing how successive governments manage to avoid being held to account over infrastructure.

Qrt · 07-06-2019 4:23pm

sharper wrote: »

Dublin is the 6th most congested city in Europe

I think it's more than mildly embarrassing to find ourselves placed alongside nations that are famously underdeveloped and/or corrupt. When you consider the types of issues that get headlines it's amazing how successive governments manage to avoid being held to account over infrastructure.

Ireland’s cities are essentially the same as ones mentioned. The big difference is that we have massive FDI and resulting prosperity because we speak English.

magicbastarder · 07-06-2019 10:31pm

No turning back: New CIÉ head ready to get Dublin moving
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/no-turning-back-new-ci%C3%A9-head-ready-to-get-dublin-moving-1.3915643

it was this quote which caught my eye - 30 million? a typo?

The Department of Transport has put the annual cost of congestion at €30 million, with the potential for it to rise to close on €2 billion by 2031 under a do-nothing scenario.

Dublin ranks 3rd in terms of the amount of time spent in cars due to congestion

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