How long is your commute?

Civilian_Target

My bell isn't loud enough for those type of people - thinking about getting one of those stadium horns again to blast the bad drivers with when I'm frustrated. Almost got wiped on the Navan Road the other day, some nutjob in a white corsa went for a big overtake and he wasn't even quite past me when he made an unsignalled turn left - fortunately I was on the trigger because of the junction anyway but since he overtook me he must have seen me!

But the second instinct that has your fingers on the brakes before you even realise what's going on is what keeps you alive.

markmcie

20k a day. Donaghmede - Raheny - Kilester - Fairview - Connolly station. Worst part is the north strand. Nearly got squashed a couple of times at the bridge over the Tolka. You just have to be on the ball really cause of the amount of clowns driving out there. What gets on my goat is cars who take up the whole bike lane when sitting at lights. Means I have to go in the middle of the road or mount the kerb to get to the lights. Most cyclists seem to obey the lights but have seen one or two morons just go straight through. Anyway, cycling beats driving or taking the smelly cramped train. I just loose time showering when I arrive but losing weight and getting some sun on my pale legs its all worth it.

blorg

Mine is around 15k each way, Donnybrook/Ranelagh to Sandyford. Reasonably decent bike lane pretty much all the way.

markpb wrote:

Google Maps Pedometer

Nice site, but have you also seen www.bikely.com - same idea but specifically orientated for bike trips.

RainyDay

markmcie wrote:

What gets on my goat is cars who take up the whole bike lane when sitting at lights. Means I have to go in the middle of the road or mount the kerb to get to the lights.

Try coming up about 12" behind the drivers window (which hopefully will be open, unless he has A/C) and politely, but loudly ask 'Would you ever leave just a little bit of room on the inside for cyclists?'. The driver will jump out of their skin, and with any luck you'll be gone through the lights before they get to even focus on you.

dermot_sheehan

Howth to Town, 32 km return according to the DTO. Really annoying going along coast with strong headwind against you

blorg

gabhain7 wrote:

Howth to Town, 32 km return according to the DTO. Really annoying going along coast with strong headwind against you

Nice and flat and with a good cycle track though.

dermot_sheehan

blorg wrote:

Nice and flat and with a good cycle track though.

Except for gap in middle alongside bull island (where track ends and becomes footpath)

Raam

gabhain7 wrote:

Except for gap in middle alongside bull island (where track ends and becomes footpath)

I always go on the road for that bit, although from what I can see, most people stay on the path

blorg

King Raam wrote:

I always go on the road for that bit, although from what I can see, most people stay on the path

Yeah, I do the same although it's not generally at peak traffic time so not a problem. It's not for a particularly long distance either. The path there _really_ isn't wide enough for a bike. The bike path on the road from Sutton to Howth is in a pretty nasty condition though, shakes the hell out of me.

daymobrew

blorg wrote:

The bike path on the road from Sutton to Howth is in a pretty nasty condition though, shakes the hell out of me.

Contact Fingal County Council about this - it is quite bad. And the amount of illegal parking, especially close to Sutton Cross, is ridiculous.
I took a bunch of photos of the poles and rubbish bins that encroach onto the cycle track between Baldoyle and Sutton (off road). If two bikes meet, the northbound cyclist will be forced into the pole/bin because of the extent of the encroachment. I keep putting off writing to Fingal about this. Lazy me.

Raam

daymobrew wrote:

I took a bunch of photos of the poles and rubbish bins that encroach onto the cycle track between Baldoyle and Sutton (off road). If two bikes meet, the northbound cyclist will be forced into the pole/bin because of the extent of the encroachment.

yeah there's tonnes of places on that bike lane where there are poles/bins/random obstructions

I saw one guy cycle into one of the poles that is in the middle of the lane here
http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.360013,-6.206025&spn=0.002055,0.005032&t=h&om=1

Admittedly it marks the end of the lane, so he should have been watching, but it's still dangerous. He was OK though, I think his pride was hurt more.

Also, there have been three deep grooves cut into that path along Clontarf a couple of months ago. I think they are to do with the lights that are currently being installed on the pedestrian path. The council are taking their sweet time repairing them

P

blorg

I plan to start carrying my small camera around with me to document Dublin's cycle lanes. One of the things I really love is when they put a pole or signpost right in the middle of the lane.

blorg

King Raam wrote:

Also, there have been three deep grooves cut into that path along Clontarf a couple of months ago. I think they are to do with the lights that are currently being installed on the pedestrian path. The council are taking their sweet time repairing them

Do you mean the ones that go straight across the width of the path? They are lethal to your wheels if you are doing any sort of speed. I have learned to watch out for the white block to the side of each of them.

Raam

blorg wrote:

Do you mean the ones that go straight across the width of the path? They are lethal to your wheels if you are doing any sort of speed. I have learned to watch out for the white block to the side of each of them.

that's the buggers alright. I usually go around them or bunny hop them (occasionally getting it wrong and landing in the middle of the thing).

Have rung the council about it, that was weeks ago though


edit: typo

garrath

Going into college yesterday, I was cycling down the firhouse road on a cycle lane that is part of the footpath, but seperated from it by a white line. I personally hate those ones, as you lose your right of way at junctions, and pedestrians always seem to walk in the cycle part of it, or let their dogs run about. Anyway, cycling down it a motorcycle came flying at speed towards me, going the opposite way in the cycle lane. It was a big dirt bike, with a scumbag looking guy on it. I had to move out of the way pretty quickly. I stuck my hand up and shouted it was a cycle lane (and some other unprintable things) but he just went on. I didn't manage to catch his licence plate or I would have called the guards. Its bloody rediculous. Children are regularly on that path and on a bicycle, I have to take care to avoid them. Its quite frustrating. I go to great lengths to be safe on the bike, for myself and others, when some idiot does something braindead like this.

Robin1982

I was originally cycling from South Circular Road (National Stadium) to Grand Canal Dock Dart Station - then taking the Dart to Sandycove. One day I forgot my lock so I decided to just keep on going. Out the Rock Road, its actually quite a nice cycle (lots of lanes) and at about 12k, only takes 35 mins to do - works out quicker and none of this paying for weekly ticket nonsense.

On the way back there a few big potholes by Booterstown station tho.

Blowfish

For the summer i'm about 18-20km each way. Dun Laoghaire to DCU. Not too bad, I average just under an hour, and can do it in 45 mins.

Mucco

12.5km each way, rain, hail or shine. Rarely more than 30mins, I've got it down to 23mins on occasion. I nearly always beat the traffic, despite avoiding congested central Dublin.

M