Pedestrians in Galway

Dunjohn

stunt_penguin wrote: »

For anyone questioning why a cyclist would *dare* to cycle down Shop St well here's your answer.

Correct me if I'm wrong but here are the two shortest legitimate, law-abiding, one-way-street-obeying ways of riding a bicycle from Brown Thomas to the end of Mainguard St.

http://local.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=113180707687172522509.0004921dd4d3b7c32d703&ll=53.272258,-9.050567&spn=0.005575,0.016104&t=h&z=17

The Cathedral route is 1.1km (that would get you to Dunnes on the Headford Road) and the The Bohermore one is 1.8km- less than the distance from Brown Thomas to Liosbaun Industial estate.

So excuse the hell out of me if I'm going to inch down Shop St whenever the alternative is a ride up Bohermore or past the cathedral.

So much for Galway being a bicycle-friendly city.

You could get off the bike and wheel it down Shop Street like you're supposed to.

stunt_penguin

That's even *more* dangerous- I have less control doing that than I do riding the thing.

dollybird2

There are a lot of cyclists in Galway, well at least a lot on my route into work. Agree that Galway isn't a cyclist friendly city - no cycle lanes that I am aware of. I have respect for a cyclist who obeys the rules of the road but in fairness the majority of them just go like the clappers. When on a bike you form a part of traffic on the roads - meaning you obey the rules of the road. I have seen so many cyclists ignore red lights etc, it's shocking.

The system whereby the pedestrian has right of way - this is installed in Vegas and works well with the thousands of tourists who don't 100% know where they are going there.

Again tonight it was like a game of dodgeball in Galway. Seriously.... if you don't have right of way as a pedestrian than be aware that there are vehicles on the road!! It's not rocket science.

mrsmidas

Set up a flash mob on Shop Street that activates when a cyclist goes by. Fifty people shouting 'off yer bike, off yer bike' should do the trick!

JJRocket

Since Burkes Tuam buses moved to the Foster Court Hill, Iv noticed in the mornings that all the passengers come off the bus and stroll across the 2/3 lanes without even looking to see if there are cars! Some cars go flying down that hill! Hopefully it will change when the bus lane gets finished because its such a dangerous spot for them to be crossing.

encyclopedia

stunt_penguin wrote: »

For anyone questioning why a cyclist would *dare* to cycle down Shop St well here's your answer.

Correct me if I'm wrong but here are the two shortest legitimate, law-abiding, one-way-street-obeying ways of riding a bicycle from Brown Thomas to the end of Mainguard St.

http://local.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=113180707687172522509.0004921dd4d3b7c32d703&ll=53.272258,-9.050567&spn=0.005575,0.016104&t=h&z=17

The Cathedral route is 1.1km (that would get you to Dunnes on the Headford Road) and the The Bohermore one is 1.8km- less than the distance from Brown Thomas to Liosbaun Industial estate.

So excuse the hell out of me if I'm going to inch down Shop St whenever the alternative is a ride up Bohermore or past the cathedral.

So much for Galway being a bicycle-friendly city.

I actually have no problem with cyclists going through shop street as long as they are considerate to pedestrians although there are two alternative routes cyclists can take to get from mainguard street to Browne Thomas. It is possible to go down lombard street, past CP's onto Mary Street and then up Eglinton Street, the second alternative would be to go through Bowling Green onto Mary Street and then up Eglinton Street, its only an extra 150m to taking the illegal route through Shop Street

irisheddie85

encyclopedia wrote: »

I actually have no problem with cyclists going through shop street as long as they are considerate to pedestrians although there are two alternative routes cyclists can take to get from mainguard street to Browne Thomas. It is possible to go down lombard street, past CP's onto Mary Street and then up Eglinton Street, the second alternative would be to go through Bowling Green onto Mary Street and then up Eglinton Street, its only an extra 150m to taking the illegal route through Shop Street

he wanted to get the other way. Which is the route he said or wrong way on one way streets

Zillah

I won't cycle on the path if you make roads that are wide enough to fit both me and the car passing me. Because there are plenty of roads where my choices are to cycle on the path or be crushed to death. So you can rant and rave all you like about cyclists breaking the rules but I'm not going under the wheels of a delivery van to please you.

Yes, I cycle down shop st, no, I don't go fast or expect people to get out of my way.

stunt_penguin

encyclopedia wrote: »

I actually have no problem with cyclists going through shop street as long as they are considerate to pedestrians although there are two alternative routes cyclists can take to get from mainguard street to Browne Thomas. It is possible to go down lombard street, past CP's onto Mary Street and then up Eglinton Street, the second alternative would be to go through Bowling Green onto Mary Street and then up Eglinton Street, its only an extra 150m to taking the illegal route through Shop Street

Wrong- lombard street is one-way. Next suggestion please.

Asmodean

I have to admit that I'm living in Galway for over 5 years now and it is the worst city I've ever been in for drivers, half of ye can't even use roundabouts! I don't know how many times I've nearly been killed crossing the Bodkin roundabout because drivers don't even bother indicating that they are turning off the headford road and heading across the quincentennial bridge.
Another major gripe is the ped crossing outside Dunnes where that lady was knocked down a few weeks ago. The sheer amount of times that morons have run the red light there due to the fact that they are either on their mobile or just plain not paying attention. Its crazy!
It's not all the pedestrians fault, admittedly there are some idiots out there that run into oncoming traffic but then there are also very careful pedestrians like myself who are almost killed due to very ignorant drivers not using roundabouts properly or failing to pay attention to crossings.

BrokenMan

stunt_penguin wrote: »

For anyone questioning why a cyclist would *dare* to cycle down Shop St well here's your answer.

Correct me if I'm wrong but here are the two shortest legitimate, law-abiding, one-way-street-obeying ways of riding a bicycle from Brown Thomas to the end of Mainguard St.

http://local.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=113180707687172522509.0004921dd4d3b7c32d703&ll=53.272258,-9.050567&spn=0.005575,0.016104&t=h&z=17

The Cathedral route is 1.1km (that would get you to Dunnes on the Headford Road) and the The Bohermore one is 1.8km- less than the distance from Brown Thomas to Liosbaun Industial estate.

So excuse the hell out of me if I'm going to inch down Shop St whenever the alternative is a ride up Bohermore or past the cathedral.

So much for Galway being a bicycle-friendly city.

Ok so by your logic I should be allowed ride my motor bike down shop street as well beacuse I don't want to follow the rules either.

Or maybe we should be allowed drive our cars the wron way on one way streets becuase it's the shortest route for us.

Its a pedestrianised area keep off it on your bike.

Amhran Nua

Meh, medieval city meets modern traffic. The centre was never designed for cars, of course you have pedestrians spilling from too-narrow paths onto too-narrow roads, it will probably all end up being pedestrianised. Areas on the outer fringes of Knocknacarra and Briarhill are much better.

Mrs OBumble

s_carnage wrote: »

Don't think the answer is giving pedestrians the right of way at every junction. There are plenty of traffic lights and zebra crossings in the city but some people can't be arsed walking all the way up the road to them. I hold my hand up and say I have to include myself in this category from time to time.

Rubbish!

Tell me where there's one zebra crossing in the city centre, outside of the car-parks at Tesco and Dunnes on the Headford Rd.

According you your logic, pedestrians could cross the road at the top of Eyre Square, and then would have to go all the way along Eglington and St Francis Sts to the Town Hall before being able to cross again ... no mention of how they'd get across the side streets along the way.

And don't get me started on the death-trap intersection outside the cathedral - am delighted to see them working on in in recent weeks, looks like there are a badly needed set of lights going in.

HardyEustace

Amhran Nua wrote: »

Meh, medieval city meets modern traffic. The centre was never designed for cars, of course you have pedestrians spilling from too-narrow paths onto too-narrow roads, it will probably all end up being pedestrianised. Areas on the outer fringes of Knocknacarra and Briarhill are much better.

You've obviously never seen the utterly rubbish "cycle lanes" (and I use the term in the loosest possible sense) installed on the Doughiska road. I doubt the person that designed has ever seen a bicycle. They're pants.

dolphin city

stunt_penguin wrote: »

For anyone questioning why a cyclist would *dare* to cycle down Shop St well here's your answer.

Correct me if I'm wrong but here are the two shortest legitimate, law-abiding, one-way-street-obeying ways of riding a bicycle from Brown Thomas to the end of Mainguard St.

http://local.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=113180707687172522509.0004921dd4d3b7c32d703&ll=53.272258,-9.050567&spn=0.005575,0.016104&t=h&z=17

The Cathedral route is 1.1km (that would get you to Dunnes on the Headford Road) and the The Bohermore one is 1.8km- less than the distance from Brown Thomas to Liosbaun Industial estate.

So excuse the hell out of me if I'm going to inch down Shop St whenever the alternative is a ride up Bohermore or past the cathedral.

So much for Galway being a bicycle-friendly city.

YOU might be a careful cyclist but I have to say your cycling comrades on shop street need a lot of teaching - it is NOT COOL to fly down a pedestrianised area where there is a congestion of people, small children and elderly. Cyclists MUST obey the rules and have a duty of care also - they are not exempt.

its not the pedestrians fault that it takes longer to cycle round shop street than on it - you ARE on a bike after all. So are you saying that because the route of shop street is shorter you have you can cycle in a pedestrianised area, and pedestrians have to take their lives in their hands with the speed of some cyclists in an area where they shouldn't be cycling at all - and you are defending this - you are not helping your cause at all. Cyclists should stay on the legal routes.

HardyEustace

JJRocket wrote: »

Since Burkes Tuam buses moved to the Foster Court Hill, Iv noticed in the mornings that all the passengers come off the bus and stroll across the 2/3 lanes without even looking to see if there are cars! Some cars go flying down that hill! Hopefully it will change when the bus lane gets finished because its such a dangerous spot for them to be crossing.

Actually was going to post about that. Haven't they just spent a fortune building a new bus terminal? Who in their infinite wisdom decided it was a fabulous place for enormous buses to park? It's a very heavily used thoroughfare. It is an absolute nightmare trying to negotiate around buses when you're driving down there.

dolphin city

stunt_penguin wrote: »

That's even *more* dangerous- I have less control doing that than I do riding the thing.

why? if you cannot push a bike beside you down a pedestrianised area then maybe you shouldn't have a bike at all.