Journalism and cycling

Mc Love

https://www.limerickpost.ie/2018/09/25/wheelchair-user-threatened-by-reckless-cyclists/

I have to agree with the wheelchair user, the cyclists that use the pavement in Limerick are reckless. I've only come across one or two cyclists that have dismounted when it comes to pavements/pedestrian crossings. I dont think that cycling on the pavement is any excuse by some saying its too dangerous to cycle on the road.

zell12

Hurrache wrote: »

I love that. It's something I've thought about locally here, it'll take a lot of cars off the road in the immediate area.
In this clip, is that a garda at the tail end?
https://twitter.com/GSMhicAmhlaigh/status/1044325268796710912

Yep. They had a garda on Day 1 only. Goes ~3.5km

Hurrache

Lambay island wrote: »

Yep I read somewhere that the Guard was there for the first day only

Understandable. I'd like to think most motorists would appreciate and respect it, but as we all know there's always that 1 dick. No harm having a garda present on occasion so as to keep anyone thinking about getting out of line wary of doing so.

Duckjob

Hurrache wrote: »

Understandable. I'd like to think most motorists would appreciate and respect it, but as we all know there's always that 1 dick. No harm having a garda present on occasion so as to keep anyone thinking about getting out of line wary of doing so.

Sadly, there's plenty of dicks and they will all appear and use aggressive and intimidating driving to bully these bikes off the road as soon as the garda is gone.

CramCycle

I wonder could they train one or two of the parents in as Lollipop people. They would have the legal right to stop traffic and make it safer as well as legal to facilitate such a bus. It shouldn't be needed but, well, you know yourself.

Macy0161

Admittedly, I haven't commuted with the children on bikes in the city, but my experience is we get more time and space when I'm with them than when I'm solo or with a group of adults.

Some motorists are happy to risk killing the dad or mam that's out on their own and leave the children grieving without parent, less willing to risk the life of the child. I guess they're still children not "cyclists" yet....

Seth Brundle

Macy0161 wrote: »

Some motorists are happy to risk killing the dad or mam that's out on their own and leave the children grieving without parent, less willing to risk the life of the child. I guess they're still children not "cyclists" yet....

That's simply because everyone knows that children pay road tax!

AndrewJRenko

Hurrache wrote: »

I love that. It's something I've thought about locally here, it'll take a lot of cars off the road in the immediate area.

In this clip, is that a garda at the tail end?
https://twitter.com/GSMhicAmhlaigh/status/1044325268796710912

Whoosh

https://twitter.com/NaughtonElaine/status/1044604437128511489

McLove wrote: »

https://www.limerickpost.ie/2018/09/25/wheelchair-user-threatened-by-reckless-cyclists/

I have to agree with the wheelchair user, the cyclists that use the pavement in Limerick are reckless. I've only come across one or two cyclists that have dismounted when it comes to pavements/pedestrian crossings. I dont think that cycling on the pavement is any excuse by some saying its too dangerous to cycle on the road.

Strange how he didn't mention how cars endanger wheelchair users all the time by blocking pavements, forcing wheelchair users out on the road. This happens so frequently that there is a whole campaign out there to address it;

https://twitter.com/MakeWayDay/status/1044581746992246784

Hurrache

'sake Elaine.

Duckjob

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Strange how he didn't mention how cars endanger wheelchair users all the time by blocking pavements, forcing wheelchair users out on the road.

Also didn't mention what type of road vehicle was involved in the tragic event that put him in a wheelchair in the first place. I'm guessing wildly that it wasn't a bicycle.

Thinkingaboutit

Duckjob wrote: »

Also didn't mention what type of road vehicle was involved in the tragic event that put him in a wheelchair in the first place. I'm guessing wildly that it wasn't a bicycle.

I somehow guess it possibly wasn't a hooligan cyclist.

When I came from hospital and was for some months physically disabled, it was really brought home the numbers of lazy or ignorant motorists who left their blocking the footpath, so at least the nose / tail of their car could be one the driveway with other household cars. Would the other cars get lonely?

Mc Love

I know all too well about cars parking on footpaths impacts people, but Limerick can be pretty bad for cyclist user etiquette.

LeoD

Mc Love wrote: »

I know all too well about cars parking on footpaths impacts people, but Limerick can be pretty bad for cyclist user etiquette.

Limerick's street network's sole focus is to satisfy the needs of motor traffic. This is from the 'Limerick Metropolitan District Movement Framework Study' from a few years ago:

5.4.3 City centre cycle network
There are no elements of the cycle network within the city centre at present. Features such as advance cycle stop lines (ASL’s) or cycle lanes, etc. are not present at junctions within the city centre, but are present on many of the approach routes. The one-way system in place around the city centre is also problematic for cyclists as these routes carry heavy traffic flows, and there can be increased incidents of overtaking and speeding, etc.

So if some cyclists use a footpath, it's because the only other option is to follow some indirect, longer, dangerous, one-way route that has been designed specifically for people sitting in cars. The article in the Post is just more click-bait nonsense that will continue to hamper any chances of Limerick, or any other city, moving away from car dependency and developing a sustainable transport system.

Rechuchote

CramCycle wrote: »

I wonder could they train one or two of the parents in as Lollipop people. They would have the legal right to stop traffic and make it safer as well as legal to facilitate such a bus. It shouldn't be needed but, well, you know yourself.

This is a really great idea. In fact, even better, have parents take turns being "lollipop lady".

Council-employed traffic wardens are low in status. If parents thought they were about to potty-mouth the parent of another child, they would certainly be more mannerly.

Grassey

Trump approves tariffs on Chinese goods including $1 billion in bike products, effective next Monday

Matt Moore, QBP's general counsel and a BPSA board member ... said he specifically asked that helmets be exempted. "That's good news. At least we did something," he said.

At least helmets are still sacred... :rolleyes:

CramCycle

Rechuchote wrote: »

This is a really great idea. In fact, even better, have parents take turns being "lollipop lady".

Council-employed traffic wardens are low in status. If parents thought they were about to potty-mouth the parent of another child, they would certainly be more mannerly.

If true, is disgraceful, they have as much right to halt traffic as a Garda or a Farmer and more importantly they are there to protect one of the most vunerable sections of our community.

Legally though, they have the right to stop traffic and passing by when they have signalled to halt is 5 penalty points and a 120quid fine. Fit them with Go Pros, get them the training. It would sort alot of people out very quickly.

A quick fold up lollipop stick could be used by them bunnyhopping past the children between junctions.

Rechuchote

Certainly true; our two local schools seem to attract particularly scofflaw parents.

Yes, a GoPro, and perhaps the lollipop could double as a pogo stick or scooter or both?

(How do I get rid of that nasty red icon beside my userid, by the way?)

zell12

2015 - Motorists warned over ‘lollipop bashing’ at school
2017 - Gardai called to school after irate motorist verbally abuses lollipop lady
2016 - Lollipop wardens trial hidden cameras to combat ‘unreal abuse’

Duckjob

zell12 wrote: »

2015 - Motorists warned over ‘lollipop bashing’ at school
2017 - Gardai called to school after irate motorist verbally abuses lollipop lady
2016 - Lollipop wardens trial hidden cameras to combat ‘unreal abuse’

It's the mentality you get when you build an infrastructure almost entirely around cars. And yet some of these very people getting up to this nonsense say cyclists are the "entitled" ones :eek:

magicbastarder

Shane Ross announces €400,000 funding to tackle cyclist safety in Dublin city

http://www.thejournal.ie/shane-ross-announces-e400000-funding-to-tackle-cyclist-safety-in-dublin-city-4261890-Sep2018/

Duckjob

Hopefully it's not €400,000 worth of painted lines on the sides of existing roads, if thats the case it's not worth p**s.

Been torturing myself by watching lot of YouTube videos on dutch cycling infrastructure recently.

One of the things that struck me after watching enough of them was that the effect of well designed infrastructure is two fold. There's the obvious benefit of making it physically safer for people on bikes by keeping them away from motorised traffic.

But as well as that there are the psychological effects of reminding motorists that they are not No 1 on the road - narrow roadspace for cars, raised cycle paths, signage reminding drivers literally that they are allowed "as guests" on certain roads. All these things are subtle but they combine to create a culture where motorists are less likely to misbehave because if they did so they would stick out like a knob. The infrastructure here is so setup for cars that it encourages entitled driving.

magicbastarder

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/cyclists-get-the-green-light-for-longer-junction-crossing-times-in-dublin-1.3646673?mode=amp

It's purchasing a specific technology. A bit of a marginal use car though?

CramCycle

Rechuchote wrote: »

(How do I get rid of that nasty red icon beside my userid, by the way?)

What icon?

magicbastarder

magicbastarder wrote: »

Shane Ross announces €400,000 funding to tackle cyclist safety in Dublin city

http://www.thejournal.ie/shane-ross-announces-e400000-funding-to-tackle-cyclist-safety-in-dublin-city-4261890-Sep2018/

Why did I read the comments

Pinch Flat

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Why did I read the comments

I’m guessing red light breaking, “road tax”, insurance (for those wing mirrors, ya know) and helmets / hi vis featured

Oh and you also usually get some randomer who suggests cyclists should be run over. These comments usually get a worrying amount of likes.

Hurrache

There's one unfortunate guy who's aunt was 'almost' killed by a cyclist, apparently had his face broken by another, and his cat hunted down by a third. I made one of those up, he probably made up the other 2. Guy really shouldn't venture outside his door for such is the danger he finds himself in.

There's enough masochists on that site calling him out on it anyway.

Hurrache

CramCycle wrote: »

What icon?

Maybe they mean the avatar?

Rechuchote head into you profile settings and you can change it in there.

magicbastarder

They need to allow boards integration to allow boardsies to post there without needing a separate login.

CramCycle

magicbastarder wrote: »

They need to allow boards integration to allow boardsies to post there without needing a separate login.

I'd rather they didn't

magicbastarder

Posting because some cycling schemes benefited - mayo got one eighth of the funds from a rural outdoor recreation scheme. Responsible minister is from mayo.

http://www.thejournal.ie/michael-ring-funding-allocations-4261523-Oct2018/