Commute less than 8km? Why don't you cycle?

Gavin

veryangryman wrote: »

Sallins Road, Naas anyone?

Naas in general is awful for these cycle lanes. Barely enough room for 2 cars, no footpath etc and then they propose putting bike lanes in middle of road.

Madness

Cycle up that road on occasion. A fine example of the pointlessness of a bad cycle lane, it doesn't increase a cyclists safety in any way. Just have to cycle as usual. Luckily the traffic doesn't go too fast so it's possible to maintain the same speed.

Discovery

monument wrote: »

As per the thread title: Commute less than 8km? Why don't you cycle?

If its 8km to work and another 8km back well then thats 10 miles. Hardly what one would call a short trek. That would be a similar distance to cycling from the city centre all the way out to Dunboyne in Co. Meath.

Stark

8km = approx 25 min cycle each way. A short commute/exercise session by most people's standards.

BostonB

Discovery wrote: »

If its 8km to work and another 8km back well then thats 10 miles. Hardly what one would call a short trek. That would be a similar distance to cycling from the city centre all the way out to Dunboyne in Co. Meath.

Er no that would be 20k,

8k is like cycling from Castleknock through the park to O'Connell Bridge. About 30~35 mins for me. Its not nothing but its not impossible either. Anyone that not completely unfit and injured could do it. Most could built up to it over a couple of weeks. But I agree its not always practical for everyone. I only manage 11k each way a couple of times a week. I'd like to do it more often though. Its great. Also not everyone has a easy route either.

monument

Discovery wrote: »

If its 8km to work and another 8km back well then thats 10 miles. Hardly what one would call a short trek. That would be a similar distance to cycling from the city centre all the way out to Dunboyne in Co. Meath.

BostonB is right, think of 8km as Castleknock to O'Connell Bridge. Nearly all around it's 8km to 9km from the city centre to the M50.

I'm by no means the fittest person in the world -- fitter because of cycling, but I'm still a bit overweight at the moment -- and I can manage 6.5km (Island Bridge to DCU, slightly up hill) in the mornings in about 25mins. Depedning on traffic lights etc, the return 6.5km can be even faster.

Discovery

BostonB wrote: »

Er no that would be 20k,

8k is like cycling from Castleknock through the park to O'Connell Bridge. About 30~35 mins for me. Its not nothing but its not impossible either. Anyone that not completely unfit and injured could do it. Most could built up to it over a couple of weeks. But I agree its not always practical for everyone. I only manage 11k each way a couple of times a week. I'd like to do it more often though. Its great. Also not everyone has a easy route either.

monument wrote: »

BostonB is right, think of 8km as Castleknock to O'Connell Bridge. Nearly all around it's 8km to 9km from the city centre to the M50.

I'm by no means the fittest person in the world -- fitter because of cycling, but I'm still a bit overweight at the moment -- and I can manage 6.5km (Island Bridge to DCU, slightly up hill) in the mornings in about 25mins. Depedning on traffic lights etc, the return 6.5km can be even faster.

Lads read my post again. I am talking 8km in and another 8km out which is 16km and roughly the city centre to Dunboyne.

BostonB

Discovery wrote: »

Lads read my post again. I am talking 8km in and another 8km out which is 16km and roughly the city centre to Dunboyne.

I see what you mean. But it's deliberately making it sound harder than it is. It's like saying if it takes you 50 mins to drive to work that's 1.40 a day which is like driving Dublin to Wexford.

Two 30min spins on a bike with 7 or 8 hrs break between them is not the same as an hours cycle in one go.

Pete4779

No showers at work.

docdolittle

I just looked it up on google maps, I used to cycled 7.5k to work :eek: Didn't think it was that far! took me about 20-25 min to get there. That was when I done manual work :P When I worked in the office, I wouldn't cycle :P The office I worked in was roasting! Really hot(small) office + cycling 20-25min + being a lazy person = bad, bad day :P You'd end up stinking of sweat all day and that isn't nice working with other people :P The Irish weather sucks too! Thats what would put me off too. A nice cycle to college on a sunny (well not rainy) day is great though! No smelly, junky filled 76/78a in the morning

BostonB

All you need is 2 mins and a sink to clean up.

It doesn't rain as much as people think it does.

monument

Discovery wrote: »

If its 8km to work and another 8km back well then thats 10 miles. Hardly what one would call a short trek. That would be a similar distance to cycling from the city centre all the way out to Dunboyne in Co. Meath.

Discovery wrote: »

Lads read my post again. I am talking 8km in and another 8km out which is 16km and roughly the city centre to Dunboyne.

I'm not trying to be smart or anything, but what exactly is your point? Why exactly are you comparing the 8km with a trip more than twice as long?

StopNotWorking

I used to cycle to work/college. I went from baldoyle to darndale(not much). But in the 4 years I worked there I would not be able to count off both hands the amount of times I was knocked off my bike at the two roundabouts I had to cross.

No matter which way I tried to take them(pretend I was on foot and use the pathes or go on the road and signal with my arms). Either way I got into some really nasty falls. The worst being a time I was forced off the road by a van, he came up outside me and as we both went to take the turn off the roundabout he didn't give me enough space, I went into a curb, off the bike and wrapped myself stomach first around a traffic signpost.

I won't cycle again, I don't drive either. Public transport and walking is all I'll do from now on. Never again will I place any amount of trust in the morons that drive on Irish roads.

martin1016

I would really like to be able to cycle to work, used to cycle everywhere when in college and younger.

Sadly though I now have a 55km commute each way so its not an option. Having siad that I have considered cycling and using rail but our system here does not support that so no point in trying.

Lots of valid points mentioned in the thread and well done by the OP for starting it. I understand concerns about danger and I would think that it is the real factor that needs to be addressed. Many of the other reasons are excuses and thats fine, cycling should not be militantly enforced but should be facilitated in order to make it easy for those that want to try.

I am just teaching my 9 year old how to cycle on the roads, awareness, road position etc and will look into buying that cyclecraft book.

Cycling should be encouraged from school level, its a vicious circle. Parents don't let kids cycle as its percieved to be too dangerous yets its these same parents creating these dangers by dropping their kids to school.

So its a bit of a catch 22 situation - something needs to give first in order for a change to happen. I beileve Dempsey has admitted that teh cycle lanes as they have been implemeted have not been satsifactory. If they improve these, hopefully making them safer this will encourage more people out of cars and that shoudl have a knock on effect of makng other roads safer due to lower traffic volumes.

Also can anyone explain why there is such a problem with bring a bike onto a train at off peak times??

onimpulse

lukasbasic wrote: »

I do 30% of the time.
This is the 30% where the weather allows it.

I cycle every day... and the weather is fine a lot more than 30% of the time! It will often rain during the day - but I'm not on my bike at 2pm - honestly I could count the no of time I've actually gotten wet since Christmas it really is very little. You don't need the whole day to be dry you just need the half hour you're on your bike to be dry!

onimpulse

Discovery wrote: »

If its 8km to work and another 8km back well then thats 10 miles. Hardly what one would call a short trek. That would be a similar distance to cycling from the city centre all the way out to Dunboyne in Co. Meath.

It obviously depends on your level of fitness what you consider a long cycle but honestly if you consider 8km each way long - I think you've just proven you're totally unfit & really should consider cycling to try to do something about it.

A Dub in Glasgo

onimpulse wrote: »

It obviously depends on your level of fitness what you consider a long cycle but honestly if you consider 8km each way long - I think you've just proven you're totally unfit & really should consider cycling to try to do something about it.

Of course but then folk are told here that they should not need changing facilities or a shower after cycling to work. Some people need to realise that just because 1 person does not need to shower, everyone else does not need one.

monument

martin1016 wrote: »

Also can anyone explain why there is such a problem with bring a bike onto a train at off peak times??

The newly published National Cycle Policy paves the way for this (as well as trams and a trial of US-style front-of-bus racks for Dublin Bus). It's the first positive sign, and hopefully there'll be firm movement sooner than later.

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Of course but then folk are told here that they should not need changing facilities or a shower after cycling to work. Some people need to realise that just because 1 person does not need to shower, everyone else does not need one.

Nobody is saying one glove fits all, and I don't think anybody is doubting the benefit of showers in workplaces. All that's been said it is possible if you take it easy to go without a shower for shorter distances (what's a shorter distance depends on the person), and it helps if you have your bag on the bicycle rather than your back.

onimpulse wrote: »

It obviously depends on your level of fitness what you consider a long cycle but honestly if you consider 8km each way long - I think you've just proven you're totally unfit & really should consider cycling to try to do something about it.

I think that's a bit unfair, the perception that distances are longer then they actual are / or take longer to travel could have little to do with fitness. For example, somebody could be using a gym and still have an incorrect perception of distances.

lostexpectation

ah the ol biased pole, that doens't give you proper options only insulting ones

monument

I want to avoid commenting on any person's cycling when I have not seen it first hand, but just as a general comment on cycling and roundabouts....

Roundabouts are a problem area for cyclists. It was noted in the National Cycle Policy, and while this may not mean much to cyclists who have to use them, it's the first time it has been really acknowledged.

Anyway, as I posted early:

you can find out how to “integrate with traffic, not fear it” by reading books such as Cyclecraft which teaches how to cycle in traffic (knowing how to cycle and how to cycle in urban areas are two vastly different things).

One of the main things Cyclecraft mentions throughout is taking the 'primary cycling position', otherwise known as 'taking the lane'. Simply cycling away from the kerb which discourages traffic from unsafely overtaking you. It goes against the way many inexperienced cyclists think cycling really close to the kerb is safer. It's not. Cycling a bit from the kerb and "taking the lane" where needed is one of the main way how cyclists manage to avoid crashes.

EDIT: For using this method in the context of roundabouts... when you are leaving the roundabout if you're cycling away from the edge of your exit road then it lessens the chances of cars dangerously overtaking you. If on the other hand you cycle close to the edge then motorists will more likely overtake you closely, increasing the danger of hitting you. It may take a bit of nerve to cycle defensively, but it does increasing safety.

lostexpectation wrote: »

ah the ol biased pole, that doens't give you proper options only insulting ones

How so? What's biased and insulting about it? And besides 'no showers at work' what's left out?

BostonB

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Of course but then folk are told here that they should not need changing facilities or a shower after cycling to work. Some people need to realise that just because 1 person does not need to shower, everyone else does not need one.

It's more a case of it's possible to have a good wash without a shower. It's not as enjoyable but it's definately not impossible. If you don't have a decent sink space, like in a accessable cubical then ok it might not be practical.

It's a bit of an art dressing for cycling tbh. I still haven't got it right. I tend to wear and carry too much. With experience I'm getting better.

A Dub in Glasgo

Maybe it just me then. I started cycling to work 4 years ago, I gave it up after 3 days because the 8 mile cycle into work resulted in me soaked from head to toe in sweat. There are no changing facilities or showers in my work and I tried to 'wash' in a communal urinal area. No thanks, I would rather extract my finger nails than leave my rail commute to cycle with no facilities at the work end. Not very hygienic.

BostonB

Like I said if you don't have even a sink and a place to change then its not practical.

docdolittle

Just wondering how many of you use paths and wear helmets when you cycle.. I never wore a helmet and had to cycle around the nass/longmile/Nangor roads with really bad drivers around :P

phasers

Basically every reason you put in the poll bar bringing the kids to school. My car is so much more comfortable and it doesn't cost me much to run it, why would I cycle? (Note, I exercise and don't care about the environment)

mikemac

onimpulse wrote: »

I cycle every day... and the weather is fine a lot more than 30% of the time! It will often rain during the day - but I'm not on my bike at 2pm - honestly I could count the no of time I've actually gotten wet since Christmas it really is very little. You don't need the whole day to be dry you just need the half hour you're on your bike to be dry!

Agreed. It doesn't rain as often as you think.
And if it does and even it's heavy, it's never so heavy you can't manage. With the exception of a few days last summer.

Quint

I can't imagine a " good wash at a sink" in work is going to tempt many people out of their cars.

BostonB

Quint wrote: »

I can't imagine a " good wash at a sink" in work is going to tempt many people out of their cars.

Is that some kind of anti logic? Do you tempt people into cars with gridlock etc?

I'd guess, the vast majority of people cycling don't need a wash. Under 25 mins journey most people aren't going to get sweaty. Its only if you are going longer or cycling fast do you start to sweat. I get far hotter on the train or bus tbh, with all the over crowding.

The vast majoity of people want to take the easy option. Thats the reality. For many its just not practical. Tbh I don't find it easy, but I enjoy the challenge. Its been far more enjoyable than I expected.

Quint

BostonB wrote: »

Is that some kind of anti logic? Do you tempt people into cars with gridlock etc?

I'd guess, the vast majority of people cycling don't need a wash. Under 25 mins journey most people aren't going to get sweaty. Its only if you are going longer or cycling fast do you start to sweat. I get far hotter on the train or bus tbh, with all the over crowding.

The vast majoity of people want to take the easy option. Thats the reality. For many its just not practical. Tbh I don't find it easy, but I enjoy the challenge. Its been far more enjoyable than I expected.

Well, most people that can cycle say showers are the main problem. I doubt the option of having a wash at a sink will be good enough. I'd definitely pick gridlock traffic ahead of it. But on my commute anyway it's still much faster to drive than cycle.

BostonB

Quint wrote: »

Well, most people that can cycle say showers are the main problem. I doubt the option of having a wash at a sink will be good enough. I'd definitely pick gridlock traffic ahead of it. But on my commute anyway it's still much faster to drive than cycle.

I think people are over stating the problem, trying to make an excuse. Most people don't need a shower. Some people just don't want to cycle. Thats fair enough. If they had a shower they still wouldn't cycle. We have a shower. Hardly anyone who cycles uses it, they simply don't need to.

Getting to work quicker isn't the only reason to cycle. Theres fitness, less stress, more consistent travel times. You don't have to avoid peak time/gridlock, you can leave when you want. Its cheaper. Its just a nice way to spend some time.

Theres equally valid reasons not to do it too.

markpb

BostonB wrote: »

You don't have to avoid peak time/gridlock, you can leave when you want. Its cheaper. Its just a nice way to spend some time.

This one is used a lot by people I know who drive - they can make it to work in 30 minutes if they leave early or late but it's not really being flexible - it's just moving your working hours to avoid traffic. My cycle consistently takes 30 minutes whether I leave at 7am or 8.55am so I can work whatever hours *I* want without having to worry about traffic.