Cycling Congestion

cunnins4

Imagine this seeing this in Dublin!

I'd fall over!

Morgan

Imagine trying to squeeze all of them into a typical Irish "cycle lane" one metre wide...

unionman

Why do they call this congestion? They're all moving freely. And they all look happy and relaxed in what I assume is rush hour traffic. You wouldn't catch a Dublin cyclist looking so happy at rush hour...or is that just me? (Hey, I love it, but I think I spend most of my ride with a brow furrowed in concentration as I try to avoid the grim reaper).

It's almost depressing - you see more cyclists in just under two minutes of footage than you would see in a whole day in Dublin, even if you included couriers. The Danes clearly have the right idea.

Helmets anyone?:)

niceonetom

unionman wrote: »

Helmets anyone?:)

the danes are way too stylish for that. here's a nice blog about cycling in copenhagen, i think he's quite a good photographer.

http://copenhagengirlsonbikes.blogspot.com/2008/01/guest-photo-copenhagen.html

seamus

The funny thing about Copenhagan is that most people seem to cycle shopping-cart bikes, wearing their normal clothes and moving along at a leisurely pace, chatting away to eachother. The range of people you see cycling is incredible.

In Ireland cycling is a point A to point B mode of transport.

Aside from the size of the cycle lanes, I can't tell what is fundamentally different about Denmark that has people so happy to cycle everywhere. It must be an attitude thing - laziness maybe?

Ghost Rider

I suspect it's a heady mix of Hans Christian Anderson and Carlsberg.

seamus wrote: »

Aside from the size of the cycle lanes, I can't tell what is fundamentally different about Denmark that has people so happy to cycle everywhere. It must be an attitude thing - laziness maybe?

Cabaal

seamus wrote: »

Aside from the size of the cycle lanes, I can't tell what is fundamentally different about Denmark that has people so happy to cycle everywhere. It must be an attitude thing - laziness maybe?

Its just the mentality, I've overheard people in work talking about cars and they'll say oh its so handy to drop down to the shop (less then 1mile away) and pick small things up.

In reality its handier and just as fast to cycle but Irish people won't bother cause they see it as a status thing, its clear from alot of those photos/videos that everyone from business men/women to builders are cycling without any care about it....but you won't see Irish people doing that.

cunnins4

niceonetom wrote: »

the danes are way too stylish for that. here's a nice blog about cycling in copenhagen, i think he's quite a good photographer.

http://copenhagengirlsonbikes.blogspot.com/2008/01/guest-photo-copenhagen.html

Nice legs on the bird in that picture. Now you wouldn't see THAT in dublin!

I was researching an essay for an exam and came across that video. The caption says that it was the backlog from a draw bridge being up and that's why there's so many cyclists together.

From what I can tell, they decided to take away lane space from cars and give it to cyclists making the a "First Class Network of Bike Lanes".

They seem to have developed a problem with a lot of abandoned bikes and illegal parking despite having loads of bike racks.

It's true that cycling's an A to B thing here for the most part, unfortunately, but let's face it, you couldn't go about Dublin having a chat like those guys-you'd be gone in no time.

So......who'd have a basket if they could get away with it???:)

Marathon Man

I'm in Germany at the moment and I was quite shocked to see the huge amount of cyclists. Everyone from students, to mothers on the school run, to businessmen cycle. the majority of the bikes are old school basket bikes, but at least the people get out on them. i've even seen people use their bikes for their weekly shopping. Here (in Germany) nearly every household has a car- or two, yet it is more often than not left in the garden, in favor of two wheels. Imagine that in Ireland- not a chance. It is definetly an attitude thing. Although I must say the facilities here are superb and driver attitude to cyclists is excellent.

BeerNut

Ghost Rider wrote: »

I suspect it's a heady mix of Hans Christian Anderson and Carlsberg.

I'd say it's more those lovely little bags of seasoning you can buy in Christiania. It was that end of town where I saw the greatest number of blissful cyclists.

niceonetom

beautiful ladies, bikes, carlsberg, "seasoning", benevolent motorists....


what the fúck am i doing in dublin? seriously?

petethedrummer

I had my first chat with another cyclist in Dublin over christmas. I was asking her where she got the lovely basket on her bike!!! I was tempted to buy one.

trellheim

this kind of congestion can be seen on the Grand Canal at the Ranelagh/Barge intersection eastbound every Mon-Fri @0850

seamus

Is there an issue with population density also?

I've certainly noticed on the days that I cycle into work from my fiance's parents (about a 3 mile stint), there are far more bikes than on my normal stint (about 8 miles). Do we have fewer people cycling because everyone is living that bit further away from work? Our density is famously low, which is why we have the sprawl we do now.

BeerNut

niceonetom wrote: »

what the fúck am i doing in dublin? seriously?

Speaking English and enjoying our gloriously unDanish weather.

trellheim

trellheim wrote: »

this kind of congestion can be seen on the Grand Canal at the Ranelagh/Barge intersection eastbound every Mon-Fri @0850

Agreed! First day I cycled it I couldn't believe the number of cyclists on the Canal. It's probably enough to warrant a 5 second 'Cyclists only' green light before the main green kicks in in the morning.

Bicyclegadabout

seamus wrote: »

Is there an issue with population density also?

I've certainly noticed on the days that I cycle into work from my fiance's parents (about a 3 mile stint), there are far more bikes than on my normal stint (about 8 miles). Do we have fewer people cycling because everyone is living that bit further away from work? Our density is famously low, which is why we have the sprawl we do now.

Yeah, probably.
This sorta problem is systemic, it's not to do with laziness or any sort of individual human thing.

Short answer: Dublin is, in many many ways, a very ****ty city.

monument

unionman wrote: »

Helmets anyone?:)

:rolleyes:

Type 17

Imagine what it would look like if all those cyclists were in cars? - oh wait, I know what that would look like - DUBLIN! :rolleyes:

topper75

Irish people are generally lazy and there is no serious political will to change the life of our cities.

BeerNut

topper75 wrote: »

Irish people are generally lazy and there is no serious political will to change the life of our cities.

There often is at local level. In Dublin the Corpo tends to be big on will, just not so keen on follow-through.

Nationally, you're right. I think there's still the post-colonial attitude in national politics that Ireland ought to be a rural, agrarian, Gaelic society and that cities, the product of Danish or Norse or British invaders, are unIrish.

We're lucky we didn't have a Cambodian Year Zero in 1922. Though that would mean we'd all be on bicycles now...

topper75

BeerNut wrote: »

There often is at local level. In Dublin the Corpo tends to be big on will, just not so keen on follow-through.

Nationally, you're right. I think there's still the post-colonial attitude in national politics that Ireland ought to be a rural, agrarian, Gaelic society and that cities, the product of Danish or Norse or British invaders, are unIrish.

We're lucky we didn't have a Cambodian Year Zero in 1922. Though that would mean we'd all be on bicycles now...

Yeah the other symtpom of this thinking is ribbon developments in the country - still going on. High density well managed urban estates are only possible future.