Dun Laoghaire Traffic & Commuting Chat

Cyrus

ted1 wrote: »

Cars are traffic. If there was no cars there would be no traffic. Fairly obvious..

If people are sitting in cars they should look out the window and see cyclists go past and then realise they should try it.

i take public transport during the week personally, i tried cycling the relatively short commute from dalkey to ballsbridge and with having a shower when i got here negating any time saved, the few near death experiences on the rock road and the behaviour of some of the other cyclists i gave up on it.

I think we should incentivise car pooling in some way, the number of single driver cars is a ridiculous, but thats obviously not going to work at the moment.

Cycling is never going to be for everyone.

strandroad

hayoc wrote: »

Its true that there is a lack of people using public transport, however, its also true that many businesses in the area still only have limited staff in the office so there is less traffic in the area from that - and yet still its become a disaster.

Look into the cars, people are driving kids to schools more, to take them off public transport and the parents might not have a commute anymore so they have the time.

Mav11

Cyrus wrote: »

i take public transport during the week personally, i tried cycling the relatively short commute from dalkey to ballsbridge and with having a shower when i got here negating any time saved, the few near death experiences on the rock road and the behaviour of some of the other cyclists i gave up on it.

I think we should incentivise car pooling in some way, the number of single driver cars is a ridiculous, but thats obviously not going to work at the moment.

Cycling is never going to be for everyone.

That's true, but it is certainly beneficial to those that can.

Cyrus

Mav11 wrote: »

That's true, but it is certainly beneficial to those that can.

What are the benefits exactly?

Exercise - sure its a bit but you need a long cycle to get any proper exercise in
Time - your commute may be shorter, it may not be depending on access to public transport, showering etc
Danger - car or public transport feel safer to me, maybe the stats done bear that out, but id imagine on an urban commute chances of being killed in a car must be virtually 0

so benefits for some, but not benefits for all.

hayoc

ted1 wrote: »

Cars are traffic. If there was no cars there would be no traffic. Fairly obvious..

If people are sitting in cars they should look out the window and see cyclists go past and then realise they should try it.

Wouldnt be an option for me or many of my workmates, we simply live too far to cycle to work. Some people have physical issues that would prevent them from cycling too. I carry a huge amount of stuff to and from work, wouldnt be possible by bike even without the distance. Plus - I just dont like it. Too many near death experiences on the roads as a cyclist in the past.

However, I am thinking of buying a cheap old bike to leave in work so I can park at the office and cycle down to the 40ft for a dip some mornings - its been impossible to do so with the new traffic restrictions and lack of parking at the Sandycove in recent months.

ted1

Cyrus wrote: »

i take public transport during the week personally, i tried cycling the relatively short commute from dalkey to ballsbridge and with having a shower when i got here negating any time saved, the few near death experiences on the rock road and the behaviour of some of the other cyclists i gave up on it.

I think we should incentivise car pooling in some way, the number of single driver cars is a ridiculous, but thats obviously not going to work at the moment.

Cycling is never going to be for everyone.

I saved lots of time when going from killiney to Ballsbridge, no sitting in traffic on the N11 or Rock Road. No walking to a bus stop or Dart station, no waiting , no walking from a bus stop or DART station

As for a shower, do you not have one in the morning before leaving the house ?

Mav11

Cyrus wrote: »

What are the benefits exactly?

Exercise - sure its a bit but you need a long cycle to get any proper exercise in
Time - your commute may be shorter, it may not be depending on access to public transport, showering etc
Danger - car or public transport feel safer to me, maybe the stats done bear that out, but id imagine on an urban commute chances of being killed in a car must be virtually 0

so benefits for some, but not benefits for all.

Is that not what I said?

hayoc

Mav11 wrote: »

That's true, but it is certainly beneficial to those that can.

I used to cycle to a job in the past and it really wasnt that beneficial - it was just so dangerous. Plus I had constant saddle sores from cycling home in clothes that had been wetted through that morning. A variety of injuries from coming off the bike on black ice or potholes. Frankly, I hated it.

Eventually I gave it up and took the car and instead went for a swim before work. Much better exercise (for me), much more relaxing. I never went back to the bike again.

Cyrus

ted1 wrote: »

I saved lots of time when going from killiney to Ballsbridge, no sitting in traffic on the N11 or Rock Road. No walking to a bus stop or Dart station, no waiting , no walking from a bus stop or DART station

As for a shower, do you not have one in the morning before leaving the house ?

everyones opinion on personal hygiene differs, if i am getting changed out of whatever gear im cycling in wearing, after cycling 10-11k im having a shower.

its a 35 min or so cycle, even not showering and just changing its going to take the same time as a 45 min walk dart walk commute, and the times of the darts are know in advance so you can limit the waiting around.

Cyrus

Mav11 wrote: »

Is that not what I said?

you said benefits for everyone that can

i can, but i dont see the benefits.

Mav11

hayoc wrote: »

I used to cycle to a job in the past and it really wasnt that beneficial - it was just so dangerous. Plus I had constant saddle sores from cycling home in clothes that had been wetted through that morning. A variety of injuries from coming off the bike on black ice or potholes. Frankly, I hated it.

Eventually I gave it up and took the car and instead went for a swim before work. Much better exercise (for me), much more relaxing. I never went back to the bike again.

That's a pity. I'm not a cyclist, but use a bike and find it great from many different perspectives.

ted1

hayoc wrote: »

Wouldnt be an option for me or many of my workmates, we simply live too far to cycle to work.

Some people have physical issues that would prevent them from cycling too.

I carry a huge amount of stuff to and from work, wouldnt be possible by bike even without the distance.

Plus - I just dont like it. Too many near death experiences on the roads as a cyclist in the past.

.

How far is to far ? I do killiney to the airport and back daily.

The people will physically issues would be in the minority.

Why are you bringing so much stuff daily ? Why not leave it in the office ?

To many near death experiences, exactly what the segregated cycle lane is aiming to Eliminate, so by your own admission they are needed and will encourage more people to cycle.

Good idea to get a bike to nip down to the 40ft. In the evening parking isn’t an issue. If the kids come with us there’s usually a few spots.

In 2057 the footpath will be competed and you can swim in the sea where the baths were

Mav11

Cyrus wrote: »

you said benefits for everyone that can

i can, but i dont see the benefits.

Lookit, not getting into clever semantics on this issue, just google "benefits of cycling".

ted1

hayoc wrote: »

I used to cycle to a job in the past and it really wasnt that beneficial - it was just so dangerous. Plus I had constant saddle sores from cycling home in clothes that had been wetted through that morning. A variety of injuries from coming off the bike on black ice or potholes. Frankly, I hated it.

So you wore the wrong clothes. There is a reason people where padded Lycra and also use mud guards in the winter.

Dedicated segregated cycle lanes remove alot of the dangers

Cyrus

ted1 wrote: »

How far is to far ? I do killiney to the airport and back daily.

fair play to you, i admire that, genuinely.

I was offered a job in swords and turned it down because of the commute, i wouldnt cycle and have no interest in taking a car that far every day either.

how long does it take you?

hayoc

ted1 wrote: »

How far is to far ? I do killiney to the airport and back daily.

The people will physically issues would be in the minority.

Why are you bringing so much stuff daily ? Why not leave it in the office ?

To many near death experiences, exactly what the segregated cycle lane is aiming to Eliminate, so by your own admission they are needed and will encourage more people to cycle.

Good idea to get a bike to nip down to the 40ft. In the evening parking isn’t an issue. If the kids come with us there’s usually a few spots.

In 2057 the footpath will be competed and you can swim in the sea where the baths were

Im delighted for you but Im not up for a 50km round trip by bike daily. I dont like cycling, Im not a very good or stable cyclist and it wouldnt be my choice of how to get anywhere over 10km. Id rather walk if it came to it. And yes, I have cycled to work in previous jobs, that were closer to home, and when I was a lot younger and had not picked up as many injuries or surgeries as I have now.

Most of my near death issues were more to do with weather and bad roads than other people.

I take a lot of stuff because I use a lot of stuff. I leave my home at 6am and go to the gym before work. I bring gym equipment in one bag (even more now as theyve taken a lot of stuff out due to the pandemic), clothes/shoes/makeup/wash bag in another. I cant leave either of these in the office as the contents change for each gym session/outfit for the day. A laptop bag - we are not allowed leave them in work. Then just a normal handbag that I put my lunch/wallet/phone/keys into. And I have to carry some work stuff in and out as we maintain keeping off site backups which I look after. In addition I take the opportunity of lunch time to get some grocery shopping done so I often arrive home with more than Ive left with.

Id never go to the 40ft of an evening, I just want to get home after work having been out of the house since 6am. I have only ever used it in the mornings.

hayoc

ted1 wrote: »

So you wore the wrong clothes. There is a reason people where padded Lycra and also use mud guards in the winter.

Dedicated segregated cycle lanes remove alot of the dangers

I had padded lycra and mudguards.

Mav11

ted1 wrote: »

How far is to far ? I do killiney to the airport and back daily.

T

Fair play. I wish I could do that:D

Cyrus

Mav11 wrote: »

Lookit, not getting into clever semantics on this issue, just google "benefits of cycling".

i may as well google the benefits of walking or jogging

Mav11

Cyrus wrote: »

i may as well google the benefits of walking or jogging

Mightn't do you any harm:D

ted1

Cyrus wrote: »

fair play to you, i admire that, genuinely.

I was offered a job in swords and turned it down because of the commute, i wouldnt cycle and have no interest in taking a car that far every day either.

how long does it take you?

Between 1hr 5 and 1hr 15 depends on wind.

It takes 1.5 on the air coach , about the same to take Dart and airlink. But that’s not counting waiting time or restrictions to schedule.

And it takes 45 minutes to 2 hours on the M50 or Usung the tunnel.

Big time saver is not having to go to the gym
After work. So really saving 2 hours daily. ( travel to gym
, workout, shower and travel home)

I used to drive 50k a year ( for 12 years) with work as a field engineer. When I got a office job in ballsbridge I said I’d cycle. Office moved to the airport and I said I’ll try it , so far so good

Cyrus

Mav11 wrote: »

Mightn't do you any harm:D

again thanks for your concern but my fitness isnt an issue at all.

fixXxer

Press Photographers Association of Ireland Exhibition 2020 has been extended until Septemebr 30th in the Lexicon. Well worth a look, there are some astounding photographs on display.

Tabnabs

Enjoyed the tailback from Glasthule village to Dun Laoghaire again this morning. Turned down by the Peoples Park and marvelled at the two cyclists using the bespoke cycling infrastructure, a 100% increase from Monday and Tuesday, so there is that...

It's a power grab by a minority leisure user group, and the futility and waste of public tax payers money by the NTA for "temporary" infrastructure will yet turn out to be a political scandal when local councillors and tds are put under pressure from their voter base to restore a level of normality.

ted1

Tabnabs wrote: »

Enjoyed the tailback from Glasthule village to Dun Laoghaire again this morning. Turned down by the Peoples Park and marvelled at the two cyclists using the bespoke cycling infrastructure, a 100% increase from Monday and Tuesday, so there is that...

It's a power grab by a minority leisure user group, and the futility and waste of public tax payers money by the NTA for "temporary" infrastructure will yet turn out to be a political scandal when local councillors and tds are put under pressure from their voter base to restore a level of normality.

A Power grab? That’s hilarious.
3.6km isn’t much out if several thousand Kms of toad in the DLRCoCo area.

They’ll be put under pressure to maintain them too

Homesick Alien

Cyrus wrote: »

i take public transport during the week personally, i tried cycling the relatively short commute from dalkey to ballsbridge and with having a shower when i got here negating any time saved, the few near death experiences on the rock road and the behaviour of some of the other cyclists i gave up on it.

I think we should incentivise car pooling in some way, the number of single driver cars is a ridiculous, but thats obviously not going to work at the moment.

Cycling is never going to be for everyone.

Can the people complaining about cycling being too dangerous not see that this is the whole point of the segregated cycle lanes?! The argument seems to be "I don't want cycle lanes because I don't like cycling because cycling is too dangerous" which is a completely circular argument.

My own experience cycling along the seafront from Monkstown to Blackrock in the mornings is that there very little car traffic on that road. A car might go past every 30-40 seconds.

Homesick Alien

Tabnabs wrote: »

Enjoyed the tailback from Glasthule village to Dun Laoghaire again this morning. Turned down by the Peoples Park and marvelled at the two cyclists using the bespoke cycling infrastructure, a 100% increase from Monday and Tuesday, so there is that...

It's a power grab by a minority leisure user group, and the futility and waste of public tax payers money by the NTA for "temporary" infrastructure will yet turn out to be a political scandal when local councillors and tds are put under pressure from their voter base to restore a level of normality.

There has always been a tailback at those lights. Every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Ridiculous to blame it on cycle lanes. There's not even a painted cycle lane on that road.

As for your power grab comment I genuinely can't tell if you're trolling but I hope you are

Seaswimmer

Tabnabs wrote: »

Enjoyed the tailback from Glasthule village to Dun Laoghaire again this morning. Turned down by the Peoples Park and marvelled at the two cyclists using the bespoke cycling infrastructure, a 100% increase from Monday and Tuesday, so there is that...

It's a power grab by a minority leisure user group, and the futility and waste of public tax payers money by the NTA for "temporary" infrastructure will yet turn out to be a political scandal when local councillors and tds are put under pressure from their voter base to restore a level of normality.

Probably a lot more support for these measures than you think. Plenty of outrage on social media when the Blackrock scheme was proposed however feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

See below extract from an email I received after making a submission.

The public feedback from Phase One saw over 160 submissions and we have taken note and amended some of the elements of the project to reflect some of this public input. 74% of the submissions were positive, 18% negative and 8% neutral.

Full article below.
https://www.dlrcoco.ie/en/news/general-news-public-notices/council-proceeding-phase-2-mobility-public-realm-works-blackrock

hayoc

Homesick Alien wrote: »

Can the people complaining about cycling being too dangerous not see that this is the whole point of the segregated cycle lanes?! The argument seems to be "I don't want cycle lanes because I don't like cycling because cycling is too dangerous" which is a completely circular argument.

My own experience cycling along the seafront from Monkstown to Blackrock in the mornings is that there very little car traffic on that road. A car might go past every 30-40 seconds.

Cycling isnt just dangerous because of cars on the road though?

Most of my own accidents were due to weather, stuff on the roads (ie, a nail causing a sudden puncture), and badly maintained roads (potholes).

Homesick Alien

hayoc wrote: »

Cycling isnt just dangerous because of cars on the road though?

Most of my own accidents were due to weather, stuff on the roads (ie, a nail causing a sudden puncture), and badly maintained roads (potholes).

Ok fair enough, but the cycle lanes do at least remove or lessen the biggest threat.

Look, I think what's really disheartening for people who cycle (frequently or occasionally) is that our entire infrastructure has been based around the car for the last hundred odd years but when a little nod is made towards cycling infrastructure motorists are up in arms straight away calling it "ridiculous" or "a disaster". It's about redressing the balance which has been almost entirely tipped in favour of motorists for the last century. I think most people can at least acknowledge that. Build it and they will come. Make cycling more attractive and safer and more people will do it which will ultimately have a knock on benefit for motorists too ie less traffic on the roads.