Why are Dubliners always in a hurry?

ScottSF

Perhaps this topic has come up before but I find it surprising and interesting that people in Dublin typically cross the street when-ever and where-ever. Since I'm somewhat new to Ireland, I wonder if there is a reasonable explanation for this.

I can understand if you are waiting for the walk signal and there are no cars around, then crossing the street against the light isn't a big deal. But every day I see loads of people stepping into the road only to jump back, crossing halfway and waiting between lanes of traffic, and darting across in front of cars and even oncoming buses. I'm often scared to watch :eek:

Is this about saving time (how many seconds are they really saving), not judging the actual risk, or something else I am probably not aware of? I see similar cross-on-demand behavior in many big cities in Europe (although Germany is a big exception) as well as NYC, but not to the extent here. What are your thoughts?

enda1

Cause we want to.

Why wait?

endacl

If we follow the little rules, they'll expect us to follow the big rules.

Mr Whirly

We're trying to make up the time we've lost getting stuck behind blow ins.

Ole Rodrigo

Multiple stops for chit chat along on the way. We often don't want to but it would be rude otherwise. And so we have to make up the time by jaywalking and such.

joseph brand

Life is all about destinations. The bits in between are just filler.

Another reason is that we're all 'geezeers'. Off to see a man about a dog, no time to wait round.

EyeSight

so many people slow you down and get in the way, you get impatient. If there's no cars oncoming why wait?

zenno

They are just the idiot one's, (many of them there are as well) nothing upstairs in their pea-brains, I see them a lot looking down at their phone and walking right out into on-coming traffic.

Leftyflip

Because people in this city can't walk. Simple as that.

Captain Chaos

Because some sets of lights take about 3mins to run a full cycle. That's far too long when I can get from Kevin street to Pearse Street in under 18mins with my normal walking speed. That and the average person walks sooo slow in this country it's unreal. Even my moping around go nowhere in a hurry lazy walk is faster than most.

athtrasna

This thread might be useful here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056770140

It is an offence to cross the road within 50m of a pedestrian crossing afaik but I've never heard of a prosecution.

enda1

athtrasna wrote: »

This thread might be useful here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056770140

It is an offence to cross the road within 50m of a pedestrian crossing afaik but I've never heard of a prosecution.

Thought it was 15m?

ScottSF

Love the responses so far!

I wonder if the Garda keep statistics kept on pedestrian accidents in Dublin to be compared with other European cities. I've never seen a person get hit by a car but it must happen from time to time. In Germany the pedestrians tend to obey the traffic laws and I was told want to set a good example for the children to cross the street safely. Do they have fewer pedestrian accidents as a result?

...Even more scary to watch is someone pushing a pram (with a baby inside of course) out into the street with oncoming traffic only a few seconds away or a bus that is about to come barreling (is that the right word?) around the corner.

TrueDub

Leftyflip wrote: »

Because people in this city can't walk. Simple as that.

And <specific group of people> can't <specifc-action-that-should-be-simple>.

Seeing as we're dealing in completely unsustainable generalisations.

kylith

bumper234

YOLO

cson

To counter the OP; try walking down Grafton St at a reasonable pace. Literally hoards of people swanning around blocking the way.

wattlendaub

Just trying to avoid the hordes of chuggers and beggars!

Cianos

Simple answer; because it's quicker.

I've been shouted at in Germany for crossing before the man goes green. Setting a bad example for the kids etc.

My thinking is that it's an important lesson for the kids to know that not everybody follows all the rules all the time

dsmythy

Different cultures I guess. Germans must be perplexed at our road crossing behaviour when they visit. Italians on the other hand probably think we're being too cautious

SolarFlash

how expensive would it be to put bridges for pedestrians over every road in Dublin where there is a crossing and get rid of all traffic stops.

enda1

SolarFlash wrote: »

how expensive would it be to put bridges for pedestrians over every road in Dublin where there is a crossing and get rid of all traffic stops.

That would be a terrible idea. What make everyone climb stairs including the old, infirm etc. just to cross 10 metres or less??

Instead people should just have priority everywhere and the traffic should drive slower making the city safer and more pedestrian friendly.

markpb

SolarFlash wrote: »

how expensive would it be to put bridges for pedestrians over every road in Dublin where there is a crossing and get rid of all traffic stops.

Wildly expensive. And it would force pedestrians to cross at specific places, something there is (rightly) no requirement to do right now.

There's a difference between jaywalking (which doesn't exist here) and crossing illegally (because they're near a pedestrian crossing when the light is red). Motorists assume the former is illegal which is untrue.

errlloyd

The lights take so long that I cross the street whenever I have a chance to avoid the potential of waiting.

ScottSF

errlloyd wrote: »

The lights take so long that I cross the street whenever I have a chance to avoid the potential of waiting.

When I visited Shanghai it was a free-for-all at some busy intersections with both pedestrians and cars ignoring the lights.

Fortunately in Ireland at least the drivers obey the traffic lights

du Maurier

enda1 wrote: »

That would be a terrible idea. What make everyone climb stairs including the old, infirm etc. just to cross 10 metres or less??

Instead people should just have priority everywhere and the traffic should drive slower making the city safer and more pedestrian friendly.

They already seem to do that. Stepping off a kerb suddenly at no designated crossing point with their heads in the air or stuck in some device. Not good.

I don't really mind that pedestrians don't cross at the lights, if they'd just throw a glance left or right, but they don't even do that. They'll hear a car perhaps, but most of them never hear a cyclist. That's where it gets messy, leaving the cyclist to do the looking out for both parties.

John_Rambo

dsmythy wrote: »

Different cultures I guess. Germans must be perplexed at our road crossing behaviour when they visit. Italians on the other hand probably think we're being too cautious

Dead right... if all cities were the same it would be a pretty boring place. In Dublin city the pedestrian rules, get used to it, prepare to decelerate if you see someone smoothly walking between moving traffic. Don't try and dodge the cyclists in Amsterdam, they dodge you! Stop at the green man in Munich! Stick close to a local and slowly walk out right in front of moving traffic in Hanoi! Don't get colour coded bumpers in Paris, they touch park, etc... Don't assume we are in a rush.

porsche959

ScottSF wrote: »

Perhaps this topic has come up before but I find it surprising and interesting that people in Dublin typically cross the street when-ever and where-ever. Since I'm somewhat new to Ireland, I wonder if there is a reasonable explanation for this.

I can understand if you are waiting for the walk signal and there are no cars around, then crossing the street against the light isn't a big deal. But every day I see loads of people stepping into the road only to jump back, crossing halfway and waiting between lanes of traffic, and darting across in front of cars and even oncoming buses. I'm often scared to watch :eek:

Is this about saving time (how many seconds are they really saving), not judging the actual risk, or something else I am probably not aware of? I see similar cross-on-demand behavior in many big cities in Europe (although Germany is a big exception) as well as NYC, but not to the extent here. What are your thoughts?

I am Irish and have lived in Dublin most of my life and even I cringe at times when I see the behaviour of some pedestrians (and, increasingly, cyclists).

All I can say is that Irish people seem to have an in-built cultural bias against following the rules - even when, as in the case you've cited, it's in their best interests to do so!

Interesting point about misjudging risk - the property bubble and collapse does seem to demonstrate that this is not an area the Irish excel in. The Nyberg report was actually entitled "Misjudging Risk"!

Dyr

Because it keeps drivers alert on their toes, always on the lookout for us pedestrians

Otherwise they'd be just just steaming though the city like germans and someone would get hurt

ScottSF

John_Rambo wrote: »

Dead right... if all cities were the same it would be a pretty boring place.

That has got to be the best answer yet!

OldGoat

Ahh sure if the traffic dosen't bother with the traffic lights why should the pedestrians?