[PR] Cyclists oppose opening bus lanes to motorbikes

Victor

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From: Dublin Cycling Campaign
Date: Thurs 2 November 2006
For Immediate Use
Press Release: Cyclists oppose opening bus lanes to motorbikes.

The Dublin Cycling Campaign (DCC) has today come out against the opening up of bus lanes in Dublin to motorbikes. David Maher (PRO of the DCC) explained "from a cyclist perspective this would be a retrograde step as it would certainly increase the level of danger faced by cyclists." Maher explained that in a study of road fatalities in the Netherlands about 5 years ago had lead to a rethink in that country on the suitability of mixing motorcyclists and cyclists.

Maher continued "there are a number of measures that could be taken that would greatly reduce congestion and road safety dangers faced by motorcyclists and cyclists. Examples include - a ban on HGVs entering the canal cordon, city centre congestion charging and the roll out of a series of speed cameras across suburban Dublin. But of course none of these measures have been taken because there is no political will to push through such measures."

Maher dismissed the comments of AA is support this measure by saying "the AA seems determined that anyone and everyone should be allowed use combined bus and cycle lanes, from motorbikes, to 3 occupants SUVs. What will the AA suggest next - an exemption for parrot owning, one legged pirates !"

ENDS
David Maher is PRO of the Dublin Cycling Campaign which represents commuter cyclists in Dublin

Trojan

Motorbikes aren't allowed in the bus lane?! F#ckin' news to me.

Cabaal

Damn crazy idea if you ask me, besides won't it make the bus lanes more inefficent as the bus's won't be able to get around as easy

Trojan

Ah, they'll just bully the motorbike off the lane onto the pavement like they do cyclists

Mucco

I don't know why the DCC are wasting their energy on this issue. In my experience, motorbikers are quite good wrt cyclists, proably because they are aware of the vunerability of both.
Why not concentrate on bus drivers who initimidate cyclists?

Victor

I am a member of Dublin Cycling Campaign.

There is another copy of the press release, with another discussion, here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055010883

Mucco wrote:

I don't know why the DCC are wasting their energy on this issue.

Actually, very little energy is being put into it. Much more energy is being put into, for example, HGV safety.

In my experience, motorbikers are quite good wrt cyclists, proably because they are aware of the vunerability of both.

The fear is the type of behavior that comes from taxi drivers in [strike]taxi[/strike] (freudian, eh?) bus lanes, speeding past cyclists.

Why not concentrate on bus drivers who initimidate cyclists?

Well actually we hope to meet with one of the Dublin Bus trainers next week.

blorg

Agreed, I think motorbikes are generally quite sensitive to cyclists, certainly by far the least of our worries on the roads. TBH I would probably put other cyclists and pedestrians above motorcylists on the threatometer.