What cycling route to take?

BostonB

Starting to commute on the bike a few days a week. Not sure whats the best cycle friendly route. Heuston Station to Ballsbridge. Simpliest route, and probably the fastest seems to be straight up the Quays and around by Trinity then out Nassau st. But everyones telling me to avoid the Quays as its so dangerous. Any thoughts?

niceonetom

depends how confident and competent you are on the bike. if you're very new to playing in traffic then, yes, the quays can be a bit hairy. but i can't really think of a route that's significantly friendlier. you could go via Thomas st. and Dame st. but they're no picnic either.

you'll probably have to experiment a bit yourself and check routes against each other in terms of time and enjoyability, which you can't really tell from googlemaps.

i'd say be careful. be assertive (aggressive if necessary :eek:) and try to enjoy it. i quite like cycling through traffic, i imagine it to be it's own extreme sport, a bit like whitewater rafting...

Caroline_ie

Like Tom said, the Quays are fine if you know what your doing and look behind you. Chances are as well that the traffic will be heavy so ... cars will go slower than you. If you're not sure at a junction, just get off the bike and use the pedestrian crossing.

blorg

You could try the quays; they are a lot better now with the HGVs using the port tunnel. I find them fine but then I am not using them in rush hour. Alternatively you can go up Steeven's Lane (where the LUAS goes) and then along James's St. This is the way I go for Donnybrook/Ranelagh.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Heuston-Station-Ballsbridge

lukester

I'm on the quays every day too, at rush hour, and it's not too bad if you just stay alert, and as blorg says, it's much better without the HGVs, those things scare me.

I quite enjoy it, I just keep my eyes open for doors opening in stationary traffic and watch for cars turning left at junctions/lane changing.

As for alternative routes, one I'd consider, but it's a bit longer, is up the hill towards IMMA, Thomas Street, Francis St, and then make your way up to the canal, either via Clanbrassil St or Heytesbury St, then follow the canal all the way to Baggot St or Mount St. It's cycle lane most of the way on the canal and a nice cycle. You could also take the SCR for a change of route.

Mappy

TinyExplosions

I'd suggest this route if you want to stay out of traffic...

Ghost Rider

I cycle up and down the quays a few times a week and I generally find the northside quays much safer. Traffic heading out of the city i.e. southside traffic tends to go faster (probably because there is less congestion to resist it).

BostonB

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll probably try a few routes and see what suits. I've not done this in a long time, and my in experience catches my out every now and then. So have to watch for that. So I'm being extra careful.

Ghost Rider wrote: »

I cycle up and down the quays a few times a week and I generally find the northside quays much safer. Traffic heading out of the city i.e. southside traffic tends to go faster (probably because there is less congestion to resist it).

Thats my opinion of it aswell. Northside seem quite easy especially in heavy traffic, where its just a car park. Southside with the badly marked lanes at the bridges, you get a lot more cars changing lanes and ducking and driving. I see lots of minor car accidents on the Southside Quays so I thinking its not great for cycling.

Pity there isn't cycle lane along the Luas, at least on the footpath. That would give cyclists a safe corridor up and down the quays. There isn't any where for cyclist on Steeven's Lanes is there. Its just pavement and Luas (cobble stones). I went up it once, but like others said, Thomas Street is a busy enough itself.

Crossing some of the junctions, or having to dismount and cross is a real time killer. That hadn't occurred to me.

irishmotorist

The route that OP mentions is what I use every day and with the exception of curving around trinity, there's a bus-lane pretty much the whole way.

Personally I find pedestrians more of a danger/irritation on this route than cars/busses/trucks. The stretch from the Halfpenny Bridge to, say the junction of Dawson St. with Nassau St., is full of ipod wearing, bus ducking, road stepping, traffic oblivious pedestrians.

Whichever route you take, people in cars and on foot are going to be in a hurry so just keep observant and sensible to keep yourself out of trouble.

blorg

In practical terms Steeven's Lane is not very long and you can cycle up it. Technically the only tram-only bit is a few metres at the very bottom, the rest is actually a shared tram/car/whatever road and perfectly legal to cycle on. If you are concerned you can use the pavement for those few metres although in practical terms unless there is a Luas right behind you, you can just cycle it. Don't know that it is any better traffic wise, it is just more direct for Ranelagh/Donnybrook, that's why I use it.

One problem with the Quays which hasn't been mentioned is that there are a lot of traffic lights (although they don't tend to be red so much.) If going that way I would turn off down Parliament Street to avoid the pedestrian and other congestion around Bachelors Walk/O'Connell Bridge etc. This necessitates getting off to cross as a pedestrian to Grafton St at College green but it's worth it (it's a bit shorter with less lights too.)

BostonB

Lots of ideas now. Cheers. Yeah the lights, there really is a lot.

What is it with those predestrians, that stand out in the cycling lane, playing chicken with you. If they could cross the road in a kamikaze dash they wouldn't be standing in the cycle lane. So why stand in the cycle lane. I guess theres no point in trying to apply logic to it.

irishmotorist

I've had two very recent incidents where I've had to let a roar at people in the road.

Once, going through Blackrock, an ipod walked across the road (obviously accompanied by a person). I gave a reasonable shout to 'watch out'. He didn't hear so I had to bellow at him as a double death was near imminent. He hopped quick enough.

Yesterday on Cuffe St. the lights heading through to Kevin St. I was turning right to head down Aungier St. The straight through lights had turned red but a right turn filter comes on straight after. I had the lane to myself and a girl crossed ahead of me - no problem as she had plenty of time. A sheep-guy then saw her, half thought about it, looked at me accelerating towards the lights and decided to step out and follow the girl who had now completed the road crossing. Queue another bellow from me to watch out and he stopped dead. The funny thing is, I heard myself echo around the street

blorg

Some people (motorists and pedestrians alike) just filter out cyclists or something; I've had near misses with people cutting across me to make a turn, or stepping out, even when it seems pretty obvious that they have seen me. I find making eye contact and even pointing at them with a sort of "no, don't do it" shake actually minimises this with people who look like they are about to swing into your path.

Civilian_Target

I like this route... it's not the fastest but it's a sane and reasonably safe one to start with...
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=d&hl=en&geocode=9500130561660950647,53.329640,-6.277310%3B16935017505481390250,53.318720,-6.212390&saddr=53.345889,-6.29199&daddr=Parnell+Rd%2FR111+%4053.329640,+-6.277310+to:Merrion+Rd%2FR118+%4053.318720,+-6.212390&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=14&ie=UTF8&msa=0&ll=53.333795,-6.267614&spn=0.033008,0.069523&z=14&msid=101968181939817898976.00044cbccce7d7672fd6a

RobAMerc

TinyExplosions wrote: »

I'd suggest this route if you want to stay out of traffic...

+1

I do it the other way and the canal aint bad at all - its "cycle lane" almost all the way too.

Sean02

how about being a real liberties cyclist. steven's lane, jameses st, eclins st. marowbone lane, donore ave, sally's bridge, left and on to D4

BostonB

Well 3 months later and my route from D15 has tended to be through the park, up to Kilmainham then down the canal. Its longer than going through town. But you get stopped far less often and theres very few junctions to cross. So ends up being quicker. Going though town is a little more interesting so every now and then I go through town. Need to get myself organised for autumn and winter now. Thanks for the idea's I wouldn't have thought of the Canal route.