Journalism and cycling

Chiparus

MediaMan wrote: »

This video shows pretty graphically the potential for people to be killed by following vehicles if they slip on the rails. Some very close calls thete!

Even if you break your wrist, you could be in a cast for 3 months, unable to cycle or even drive to work.

OleRodrigo

As an occasional pedestrian, when confronted with a lamppost along my path, I somehow know not to walk into it.

It's a close call and I'm clearly not the only one to escape so narrowly from this potentially life changing piece of infrastructure.

amcalester

OleRodrigo wrote: »

As an occasional pedestrian, when confronted with a lamppost along my path, I somehow know not to walk into it.

It's a close call and I'm clearly not the only one to escape so narrowly from this potentially life changing piece of infrastructure.

Ever trip on poorly laid cobblestones or an uneven footpath?

buffalo

OleRodrigo wrote: »

As an occasional pedestrian, when confronted with a lamppost along my path, I somehow know not to walk into it.

It's a close call and I'm clearly not the only one to escape so narrowly from this potentially life changing piece of infrastructure.

What's your response to the incidents on this video? Do you think they should have left the path as it was, or do you think the updated pathway - encouraging people to cross at a more perpendicular angle - improved safety?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfeQvbIFBks

OleRodrigo

buffalo wrote: »

What's your response to the incidents on this video? Do you think they should have left the path as it was, or do you think the updated pathway - encouraging people to cross at a more perpendicular angle - improved safety?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfeQvbIFBks

I have no response to those incidents. They're outside of my jurisdiction.

Mind you, they do remind me of the old Benny Hill shows which I used to enjoy, but not so sure if you're allowed to laugh at them these days.

tomasrojo

OleRodrigo wrote: »

I have no response to those incidents.

We'll take that as "better updated".

OleRodrigo

tomasrojo wrote: »

We'll take that as "better updated".

Is that the hivemind royal we?

OK then

tomasrojo

OleRodrigo wrote: »

Is that the hivemind royal we?

OK then

I was thinking more along the lines of the legendary, probably fictional cross-examination:

-Did you sleep with this man in Florida?
-No comment.
-Did you sleep with this other man in California?
-No comment.
-Did you sleep with this other man in New York?
-No!!

Except it's:
-You must dislike this design?
-Piece of cake. Man up, snowflakes!
-This is dangerous, you must agree?
-Bunny hop, jump over the kerb, easy. Why are you so weak?
-This is a better design, don't you think? One normal people can use?
-I have no opinion.

Chiparus

OleRodrigo wrote: »

As an occasional pedestrian, when confronted with a lamppost along my path, I somehow know not to walk into it.

It's a close call and I'm clearly not the only one to escape so narrowly from this potentially life changing piece of infrastructure.

if you walked at 25 kmph in the dark, even with a torch, Im not sure you would be so fortunate .

And if you did hit your head off a lamppost at 25 kmph, it could well be life changing , although perhaps not with you.

OleRodrigo

Chiparus wrote: »

if you walked at 25 kmph in the dark, even with a torch, Im not sure you would be so fortunate .

And if you did hit your head off a lamppost at 25 kmph, it could well be life changing , although perhaps not with you.

Sir, your riddle has me stumped. I'll take another crack at it tomorrow.

Lumen

Chiparus wrote: »

if you walked at 25 kmph in the dark, even with a torch, Im not sure you would be so fortunate .

If only there was a way to illuminate the area around the lamppost at night time...

Chiparus

Lumen wrote: »

If only there was a way to illuminate the area around the lamppost at night time...

Perhaps if they put reflective markings on the lamp post or made sure they work?

one person I knew ended up in ICU when they hit a signpost put up in the middle of a cycle lane at night.

Lumen

Chiparus wrote: »

Perhaps if they put reflective markings on the lamp post or made sure they work?

one person I knew ended up in ICU when they hit a signpost put up in the middle of a cycle lane at night.

Ouch. Putting obstacles in cycle lanes is indefensible, but that's one case where a bit of hivis wouldn't go amiss.

rubadub

OleRodrigo wrote: »

As an occasional pedestrian, when confronted with a lamppost along my path, I somehow know not to walk into it.

The rubber inserts on the tramlines would be for pedestrians safety too.

http://www.news.com.au/news/tram-track-risk-tackled/news-story/e046b5e53ce8826e948798789e3a26d5

CYCLISTS and the high-heeled may be spared the risk they now run of being tripped up by tram tracks.

But cyclists must wait another two months before some buses are banned from Swanston St.

Last night, Melbourne City Council was considering asking the State Government to investigate the installation of rubber barriers between tram tracks and the bitumen, so high heels and bike tyres could not be snagged in the gap.

Cr Catherine Ng, who proposed the idea, said the gap posed a major hazard to cyclists, and the rubber inserts had been a successful safety measure in Amsterdam.

She said injuries often occurred outside the Town Hall.

"In particular, women with high heels get caught and injured quite often," she said.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1583135/Woman-dies-after-getting-stuck-on-train-tracks.html

11:39PM GMT 28 Mar 2008
A woman was killed after one of her Ugg boots got stuck on a railway crossing and she was hit by a train

OleRodrigo

rubadub wrote: »

The rubber inserts on the tramlines would be for pedestrians safety too.

http://www.news.com.au/news/tram-track-risk-tackled/news-story/e046b5e53ce8826e948798789e3a26d5


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1583135/Woman-dies-after-getting-stuck-on-train-tracks.html

I'm sure there is a good reason they aren't deployed.

In any case, rubber inserts wont protect pedestrians if they don't heed safety warnings.

There was a recent accident in France involving a school bus and there was note on national accident stats at railway crossings for the previous year, and their subsequent investigation. Almost all were found to be the fault of the road user.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/15/french-school-bus-train-crash-death-toll-rises

It seems there comes a point when there is only so much can be done with the design of infrastructure safety features. After that, its common sense.

Edit: Another one from BBC news

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42565653

magicbastarder

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/948888843436077057

well, that was never going to be a stupid idea.

Chips Lovell

You could almost write a script to generate those comment threads.

cc

It seems anything cycling related in the media these days makes otherwise rational thinking people go full Joe Duffy

Danbo!

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/revealed-several-drivers-avoided-jail-after-being-convicted-of-causing-death-36460558.html

In another case a motorist was fined €1,500 and disqualified for two years after knocking down and seriously injuring a cyclist while overtaking traffic on the inside by driving in a bus lane. The cyclist sustained head injuries and bone fractures. The motorist had been speeding and was an unsupervised provisional licence holder.

The Court of Criminal Appeal held the sentence was unduly lenient, but the motorist still avoided prison.
The appeal court imposed a six-month suspended sentence and doubled the fine and the period of disqualification. In doing so, it took into account the motorist's previous excellent character and their lack of a previous record.

In another case a woman who knocked down and killed a cyclist was given 180 hours community service and disqualified for four years after the judge held the accused lived "in her own private hell" following the fatal incident.

randomname2005

Danbo! wrote: »

In another case a motorist was fined €1,500 and disqualified for two years after knocking down and seriously injuring a cyclist while overtaking traffic on the inside by driving in a bus lane. The cyclist sustained head injuries and bone fractures. The motorist had been speeding and was an unsupervised provisional licence holder.

The Court of Criminal Appeal held the sentence was unduly lenient, but the motorist still avoided prison.
The appeal court imposed a six-month suspended sentence and doubled the fine and the period of disqualification. In doing so, it took into account the motorist's previous excellent character and their lack of a previous record.

Absolutely crazy - excluding the collision with the cyclist, under taking in a bus lane while speeding and being unsupervised on a learner's permit should merit most of that first punishment alone.

Danbo! wrote: »

In another case a woman who knocked down and killed a cyclist was given 180 hours community service and disqualified for four years after the judge held the accused lived "in her own private hell" following the fatal incident.

I am sure that the family of the deceased are living in their own private hell too.

mr spuckler

However, Mr Ross said his department was “sceptically” assessing the measure, alluding to a number of drawbacks.

Ross looking like he might shelve the MPDL :mad:

Mr Ross insisted he was willing to support any measure that helped save lives on Irish roads.

doesn't look like it.

mr spuckler

the independent trying to add balance?

https://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/britain/watch-cyclist-bumped-by-car-on-busy-road-not-deemed-a-collision-36458771.html

tomasrojo

I have to say the pervasive attitude of having killed someone else is punishment enough is completely and utterly mental.

Was reading in the local rag this morning about 2 convictions for motoring offences, first caught holding a phone while driving €25 fine surely a misprint and missing a 0 even if that was the case he was still fined less for endangering other road users than the fella who was given a €500 fine for no seat belt.

Corca Baiscinn

‘How do you prove someone is 1.5 metres away?’ said Mr Ross according to that IT article.

1. One look at the "Near Miss" thread woud certainly show that you can prove that they weren't! Could you all send in those pics and videos to DTTS?

2. Funny how they seem to manage enforcement in numerous other countries and States (US/Australia) So is it our Law-Makers, Law Enforcers or Law -Breakers who are oddones out here?

3. Phil Skelton (Staying Alive @1.5) has done a lot of work showing how MPDL can be/is enforced, cameras/ road width v car wdith, smart technology etc but he always makes the point that MPDL is as much about education and that people who ride bikes would be delighted if there was never a need to prosecute because people who drive "get" it . Read his most recent FB post

Thinkingaboutit

Shane Ross shows that the proverbial chocolate tea can come to life, make noise, and become a politician. His comments are what would be expected from him.

CramCycle

Corca Baiscinn wrote: »

‘How do you prove someone is 1.5 metres away?’ said Mr Ross according to that IT article.

1. One look at the "Near Miss" thread woud certainly show that you can prove that they weren't! Could you all send in those pics and videos to DTTS?

Precisely, I wouldn't be looking to harass anyone who is close to 1.5m or further away from me, if someone passed me safely but it happened to be at 1m, I'd be fine. He is looking for issues that don't exist, distance etc is actually easy to show in the dangerous situations. If they disappear, then so does the need to prove the motorist is 1.5m away.

3. Phil Skelton (Staying Alive @1.5) has done a lot of work showing how MPDL can be/is enforced, cameras/ road width v car wdith, smart technology etc but he always makes the point that MPDL is as much about education and that people who ride bikes would be delighted if there was never a need to prosecute because people who drive "get" it . Read his most recent FB post

I'd go as far as it is more about education, I don't care if the driver is in the wrong but I am under his wheel, I'd prefer he knew he shouldn't be so close and the situation never arises. I certainly don't care if he gets 6 years in jail if I get 6 foot underground, I'd rather he gives me a safe pass and I give him a thumbs up or a wave.

ED E

Ireland is set to be the most obese country in the EU by 2030 according to the WHO. In episode 2 Dr Lara Dungan will explore why our society has turned its back on being active and identify what we can do to change.

https://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/eco-eye-1112/10825040/

Cycling featurette contained within. Presenter gets cut up twice on the quays.

RTE Still using flash I see, what times in the video ED?

ED E

Dont get me started on the player....

Jump 6 or 7 minutes in from the start.