Dublin Canal cycle route - Safe?

Bigtalker

Hello All,

I was wondering if anyone is cycling the new Dublin Canal route from Adamstown to the City Centre on a daily basis? I would like to do this but am concerned that the route itself may not be safe in the winter evenings. Has anyone had experience of the route and has anyone had any issues? Some of the areas the route goes through does have social issues which I see on a daily basis from the Luas but was wondering if this was the same along the canal.


Thanks in advance!

mikemac

Lavre Park is by the Kylemore Road

Have had stones thrown at me there, I believe a few other posters were on a thread about it.
I wasn't on the canal path, I was on the road
Only potential troublespot I know

Sure give it a go while the mornings and evenings are still bright

tomasrojo

I'd personally be strongly disinclined to use a secluded facility when it's dark, for the same reason I'm strongly disinclined to use pedestrian underpasses.

But it would depend on how bad the surrounding area was.

monument

Are you planning on cycling full route? If not, if you post want sections you're planning on cycling people may have a better idea.

DaveyDave

I'm interested in this route too, I'll be cycling from Adamstown to Crumlin and this seems like the ideal path as it's straight and no stopping for traffic lights but I have the feeling I'll get robbed or something.

I've only seen the path from the Outer Ring Road while on the bus, isn't the path lit up and watched by cameras? Pretty sure I read it was.

K4t

The two of you could try and arrange to cycle it together if the times suit? Ye would feel safer with someone with you.:)

feck sake lads

go armed

DaveyDave

I had a quick look on the net and the track is lit up and monitored by CCTV, I reckon the track will be grand in the mornings but the dark evenings could be a problem. It should be fine but it's Dublin so there's always the risk of a group of lads starting on you just for cycling near them.

If you think it would benefit you try a self defense course.

p

The more people that use it for cycling/walking etc... the safer it'll become

DaveyDave

p wrote: »

The more people that use it for cycling/walking etc... the safer it'll become

That's true. I should have my bike back this week from getting it repaired, I'm gonna check out the track as soon as I can so I can time myself getting in and out of college before I start to commute on my bike. My brother in law said the surface of the track is good in bad weather which will be great the only problem is the gates they have so I'll have to keep stopping.

Paparazzo

During the summer there was always gangs of kids down there (between Clondalkin and parkwest). Mostly harmless though, and they're only there at weekends or midweek when it's good weather. On a Parkwest forum I read of a guy getting attacked with a knife, a guy pushed off his bike and a load of people that had stones thrown at them. CCTV does nothing for this sort of thing, scumbags couldn't care less about cctv.
But unless I had a bad experience myself, I'd still use it.

DaveyDave wrote: »

I'm interested in this route too, I'll be cycling from Adamstown to Crumlin and this seems like the ideal path as it's straight and no stopping for traffic lights but I have the feeling I'll get robbed or something.

I've only seen the path from the Outer Ring Road while on the bus, isn't the path lit up and watched by cameras? Pretty sure I read it was.

There is gates that you have to lift your bike over though. But as far as I know, a few of these are now left open.

Bigtalker

Thanks guys, yeah I have seen the track from the road and it seems well lit. I am going to cycle it on Monday (when I fix the things on my shoes that connect to the pedal(i'm not a bike expert and dont know name)it keeps coming loose). This morning I saw that the gates were wide open for the part that I could see.

I will be cycling from the Lock rd at Adamstown all the way through to town so am prepared to meet up and go in. The only thing I need to figure out is timing. The first few times I will defo take alot longer than I should.

kenmc

I work in parkwest but wouldn't go next or near that cycle track - theres no escape route if - sorry, when - you encounter trouble, unless you can swim

g0g

Had a go on this route earlier on to see what it's like. Have to say those gates drove me absolutely mad, having to get off my bike about 10 times I'd say along the length of the track! It's a nice surface and big wide track but fairly deserted to be honest. I'd say the entire length of it at around 18:00/18:30 I probably passed max 20 people. Some of the estates you pass by may be dodgy, but I certainly didn't encounter anyone the whole way along it. It's a pity because with all the seats along the way and the lighting etc it looks all set up to cater for hundreds of commuters, but I have a feeling it'll never get that busy.

El.duderino

Looks like a great route away from cars and luas. I worked in drimnagh and kids are worse than winos and junkies. My experience is when I cycled without a helmet normal clothes I didnt get any grief. When I,m in cycle gear helmet+day-glow I got hassle from kids! Might sound rubbish but definite pattern I found out after summer of commuting/dodging stones through crumlin/drim/bluebell. Like Mr T says Dont take no Shat! From no fool. Show any fear and they will eat you! Shout kick spit throw your sambos whatever just dont stop!:) Its not worth it.

I have seen some of the stone gabions(O arr stone in mesh baskets) used in construction around kylemore bridge. I asume we the tax payer footed the bill. So as another person said we should try and use it.

tomasrojo

El.duderino wrote: »

My experience is when I cycled without a helmet normal clothes I didnt get any grief. When I,m in cycle gear helmet+day-glow I got hassle from kids! Might sound rubbish but definite pattern I found out after summer of commuting/dodging stones through crumlin/drim/bluebell.

It's my experience too. Cycling with a trailer gets you a lot of unwanted attention too. Anything that marks you out as different gets a negative response from the kids. I found that using good lights at night gets you negative attention too. Weakly flickering LEDs are acceptable though, it seems.

nak

I use the path sometimes in the mornings, the gates are a pain though, using the road is quicker. A lot of people who cycle to my work use it in the mornings, have heard a few stories of stone throwing etc in the afternoons. The worst thing I've seen was naked boys swimming, so don't think it's that bad. A few kids have asked for a shot of my bike, they're usually just curious. Kids here don't scare me nearly as much as kids in Glasgow.

The main reason I don't use it in the afternoon is because I don't think a secluded path is a great place to be on your own, especially as a woman. Makes you an easy target if you have to stop and get off for the gates.