cycling on the quays in dublin

archie84

Hi guys
I need ur advise.. I am moving to dublin and plan to cycle to work in the mornings from heuston area to sir john rogerson quay
I have been told this is like 'running the gauntlet!!!'
Im hoping to get some feed back??
Am I crazy???

Hey all, in the same boat as the PO. Well kind of,I need to cycle to get to my rowing club from Ringsend Road/Grand Canal Dock to Chapleizod Road (out past Heuston/Phoenix Park). It's about 6km. Anyway I've never done proper cycling not to mind on a busy road. Google Maps suggests going via the quays, frightened to say the least. Anyone know of a route that would have loads of cycle lanes? Cheers.

hfallada

I use the quays now and again. But its quite difficult trying to get across 3 lanes of traffic to turn. I try to avoid it as a few cyclist have died on it and the cycle lanes suddenly disappear in parts. You are better cycling through the small inner city streets with no traffic

Ole Rodrigo

@Robertt. I wouldnt worry about it. Just take your time, cycle steadily and signal if you're moving out to a different lane ( like turning right toward Phoneix Park at Heuston Station ). There aren't many bike lanes that seperate you completely from other traffic, anywhere in Dublin, you'll have to mix it up with the traffic sooner or later. You get used to it quickly enough, its nowhere near as dangerous as you might think.

@Archie - Its only runing the gauntlet when you avail of the tailwind from the prevailing westerlies and hammer it down the quays. If you go at a reasonable pace you'll have no problem. Just make sure you stop at the lights, dont overtake a faster cyclist when they go green and take your place at the queue ( no shoaling ) Its all common sense really. Be grand.

Edit - Just on HFalladas point. The only real danger to cyclists ( as in something that has caused deaths in the past ) is left turning HGVs. Never go up the left of a large vehicle, no matter what. If you can manage that you'll be perfectly safe. There's a goods entrance along the south quay before Heuston for the Brewery. Be careful of vehicles going in and out.

eeeee

I do it quite a bit. It's really not that bad as long as you know where you're going and what you're doing.

Ror_74's advice is spot on. Especially about the shoaling. It's the most irritating thing about cycling in Dublin for me!

haveabanana

It's a bit intimidating at first, but you'll get used to it. Make sure your bike's in good shape

Ole Rodrigo

Shoaling is just bad manners. What really gets me is cyclists with Hi Viz who sail through red lights, onto footpaths as if their HI Viz is some magic cloak that will save them from anything so they can do what they like.

I'd also add a decent set of flashing LED lights ( front and back) is the most important piece of saftey equipment during the dark mornings and nights ( in the city ) .

eeeee

Yup hi viz makes you invincible don't ya know The extra visibility has a built in car deflection/anti bounce!

Lights are essential, red at the back white in front. (have seen the opposite-so very very wrong and confusing!)
No lights = suicide in my opinion.

Ole Rodrigo

Yes. Some reflective gear too. Most cycling gear has some sort of refective strips - even some Hi Viz bibs have them. That is secondary to a set of LEDs. You can get a USB chargable set for about 40 quid.

Also, mudguards will keep you drier than not having any.

Gumbo

I find the North Quays safer than the South Quays for some reason while cycling.

Ole Rodrigo

Theres a couple of open stretches on the South quays where traffic tends to accelerate - outside the Environment buildings and before you come to Heuston are two I can think of. The North quays seem to be more compact with smallers gaps between traffic lights.

BeerNut

One bit to be extra careful of is when you come across the bridge from Heuston and turn right to go east down Wolfe Tone Quay. You have right-of-way over traffic coming down from Parkgate Street but very often the traffic from Parkgate Street doesn't know or chooses to ignore that. Keep watching all angles as you go through that junction and assume everyone is trying to run you over. After that it's plain sailing.

bigar

Try to avoid the quays as much as possible. In the morning, traffic is a mess and busses and taxis will cut you off continuously. Pedestrians also have a death wish, crossing the road through cars queuing up without any regard for cyclists.

Thanks for all the replies. Th reason I am so frightened of the quays is because I've never cycled much. Literally once or twice. I'll be buying my bike soon and will be practicing loads before going out on the roads. The quays terrify me because of all the traffic and those Dublin buses.

I need to get from Grand Canal Dock to Conynigham Road/Chaplizod Road. I was thinking of going by the canal all the way out to Dolphins Barn and up South Circular Road, taking a left then to get to Chaplizod Road. Or I could start on the north quays but go via the inner city streets, around Smithfield, etc coming out at Parkgate Street and going straight out to Chaplizod Road then. Will try the quays at some point. Any other routes/suggestions welcome. Thanks.

P_1

Deleted User wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. Th reason I am so frightened of the quays is because I've never cycled much. Literally once or twice. I'll be buying my bike soon and will be practicing loads before going out on the roads. The quays terrify me because of all the traffic and those Dublin buses.

I need to get from Grand Canal Dock to Conynigham Road/Chaplizod Road. I was thinking of going by the canal all the way out to Dolphins Barn and up South Circular Road, taking a left then to get to Chaplizod Road. Or I could start on the north quays but go via the inner city streets, around Smithfield, etc coming out at Parkgate Street and going straight out to Chaplizod Road then. Will try the quays at some point. Any other routes/suggestions welcome. Thanks.

Pearse Street -> Dame Street -. Thomas Street -> Kilmainham Lane -> South Circular Road is a fairly safe and easy cycle to take for that route to be honest.

youcancallmeal

I've been cycling up and down the quays for years and I think it is perfectly safe to cycle it as long as you take the normal precautions you would on any road. I think the reputation of it being dangerous comes from when HGV traffic was allowed to use it, the vast majority of that traffic is redirected straight into the port tunnel now so usually the worst you have to deal with is big buses.

The main piece of advice I would give is simply be acutely aware of your surroundings. Keep looking ahead for dangers and checking behind both shoulders. I've seen a couple of bad accidents (Not on the quays) where cyclists just drift across lanes without indicating or checking over their shoulders only to be hit by a car or fast moving motorbike.