Journalism and cycling

oflahero

magicbastarder wrote: »

car ads are getting increasingly hilarious though. i've seen a few recently and it's not clear what the product is till the end of the ad.

You're buying a lifestyle now, at the very least. Specifically, Nicole and Papa's.

Annie get your Run

oflahero wrote: »

You're buying a lifestyle now, at the very least. Specifically, Nicole and Papa's.

Aww, I loved those ads!!! Never owned a Clio though! The one with the boyfriend who's car has all the things the dads does is hilarious though

rubadub

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Good. I look forward to the local council clearing the footpaths of parked cars around my estate. Complete pain in the a$$ for anyone with kids, using a pram or in a wheelchair.

Might have been mentioned but I saw a poster on a bus shelter saying something like becareful how you park and how disabled people could find it difficult to get past. Had an image of a large wall with ropes on it like on an assault course.

Pinch Flat

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nowhere-is-safe-for-cyclists-outrage-as-busy-cycling-path-blocked-by-parked-cars-35851794.html

Only a matter of time in fairness, the bike lane coming from park gate street has had a half dozen cars in it some evenings as well.

Moflojo

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nowhere-is-safe-for-cyclists-outrage-as-busy-cycling-path-blocked-by-parked-cars-35851794.html

https://twitter.com/bren_stew/status/877472395937927168

ThisRegard

Pinch Flat wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nowhere-is-safe-for-cyclists-outrage-as-busy-cycling-path-blocked-by-parked-cars-35851794.html

Only a matter of time in fairness, the bike lane coming from park gate street has had a half dozen cars in it some evenings as well.

Usually Garda vehicles that end too. Last time I went by, a midweek afternoon, there were 4 Garda cars parked in the cycle lane, no private vehicles.

Pinch Flat

ThisRegard wrote: »

Usually Garda vehicles that end too. Last time I went by, a midweek afternoon, there were 4 Garda cars parked in the cycle lane, no private vehicles.

I must admit I've rarely seen Garda cars parked in the cycle lane, might be to do with the times I pass through the park (early morning / late evening). The odd one used to park at the Park Gate street side, just before the courts, as you're heading into town.

These were definitely private cars in the lane going up the hill. New Garda only parking areas has been created opposite the zoo - presumably for the courts.

ThisRegard

During the court working day is when you'll see them, it was just after lunch a couple of weeks ago when I spun through.

Chuchote

Bring back the traffic wardens - led by the woman who crept up on me in Terenure and slipped a ticket under my windscreen wipers as I waited in my car for someone to rush in, pick up a package and rush out. She was a demon against illegal parking!

AndrewJRenko

seamus wrote: »

To be fair, it's an ad though, not a public service announcement.

Beer ads show people having a great time with their mates, not having your head down a grotty toilet in some dark stall.

McDonalds ads show happy, skinny, middle-class families laughing and smiling with their food rather than the reality of restaurants filled with tracksuits, greasy hair, obesity and angry drunks after 9pm.

I agree with you on the use of some language to create the illusion that owning a car is what successful people do and that cars are the best, but I'm not going to demonise an advertiser for trying to give the impression that using their product is an absolute joy.

The ASAI code requires adverts to be realistic, and not to prey on the innocence of the viewer. I had a look through the code recently, and it seemed to me that the average car ad violates three or four points of the code. Just haven't got round to submitting a complaint.

magicbastarder

on what grounds? that owning a car does not in fact make you live a happier, more fulfilling life?

AndrewJRenko

magicbastarder wrote: »

on what grounds? that owning a car does not in fact make you live a happier, more fulfilling life?

Lack of realism - all those wide open roads

Pinch Flat

magicbastarder wrote: »

on what grounds? that owning a car does not in fact make you live a happier, more fulfilling life?

No, traffic jams, road rage, delayed journeys, dealing with numpties on the road...that kind of thing.... :pac:

magicbastarder

when i was a young boy, i thought james bond movies were unrealistic because he never seemed to need to go to the loo. we're in the same territory here.

HivemindXX

magicbastarder wrote: »

when i was a young boy, i thought james bond movies were unrealistic because he never seemed to need to go to the loo. we're in the same territory here.

I think a lot of the frankly psychotic behaviour from certain motorists can be attributed to the massive gulf between what the car ad tells them it will be like (you are the master of a powerful machine, all obstacles disappear before you, driving is joy) and the reality (you are a very normal person not special in any way, you have to wait your turn some times, driving through a congested city is awful).

Intellectually people know the reality but subconsciously they believe in the car advert fantasy and feel that their crappy experience is unfair. Obviously they are not the problem and that means their fellow single occupancy car drivers aren't either. This must mean it's the cyclists for having the cheek to opt for a more sensible mode, or the council for having the gall to remove parking or reduce speed limits, or pedestrians for insisting on having ways to cross the roads. Then they get told someone is conducting a WAR against them and their way of life. It all makes sense, so long as you don't really think about it.

Chuchote

Louis CK on driving and rage

magicbastarder

HivemindXX wrote: »

I think a lot of the frankly psychotic behaviour from certain motorists can be attributed to the massive gulf between what the car ad tells them it will be like

whatever reasons many motorists act like dicks, i think it's a stretch to blame it on the car ads.
interesting to note that of the recent interactions i've had with motorists (i.e. in the last year or two) the friendliest ones were where we could actually communicate. that glass has a lot to answer for.

I love Sean nos

Chiparus wrote: »

Cyclist injured in collision with a vehicle is actually better than cyclist injured in accident because it means that they will investigate it properly.

:pac:

CramCycle

@chucote

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZAZ_xu0DCg

Chuchote

Haven't seen this anywhere but Twitter, but Stephen Roach was in Leinster House today to back minimum passing distance.

Edit: D'oh, Nicolas Roche; asthma attack has me half stupid.

Chuchote

The Irish Times is at last paying some attention to the danger to people on bikes:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/more-cyclists-killed-in-first-half-of-this-year-than-in-whole-of-2016-1.3128357

More cyclists killed in first half of this year than in whole of 2016
Cycling groups call for more investment in roads and new rules on drivers overtaking

The number of cyclists killed in traffic collisions up to June this year has now passed the total number of cyclists who died on Irish roads in 2016. Cycling organisations have called for more investment in Irish roads, and new regulations for cars overtaking cyclists.

(snip)

Cycling Ireland, the cycling governing body, has said more investment is needed to improve Irish roads and cycle lane networks, and new regulations to create a legal minimum distance that vehicles would have to keep when overtaking cyclists should be brought in.
“Currently less than 1 per cent of the Department of Transport budget is spent on ‘smarter travel’ [cycling and walking]. The transport budget needs to reflect the change in how people are travelling. We need this to increase in order to make the roads safer and more user-friendly for everybody,” a spokeswoman for Cycling Ireland said.

(snip)

But cyclists also need to take responsibility for their safety on Irish roads, according to Verona Murphy, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association.
Drivers of large haulage vehicles have great difficulty seeing cyclists moving behind or passing their trucks, she said. “Cyclists need to be aware of the visibility issues of large vehicles, who don’t have a lot of manoeuvrability,” she said.
Ms Murphy said wearing a helmet should be mandatory, and unsafe practices such as cyclists wearing headphones on the road should be banned. “We’ve seen a vast increase in cyclists on Irish roads in recent years. Everyone needs to take responsibility for making the roads safer,” she said.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/the-11-cyclists-killed-on-our-roads-to-date-this-year-1.3128356

The 11 cyclists killed on our roads to date this year
Death toll among cyclists rising at alarming rate – fatalities now exceed the total for 2016

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/unnecessary-deaths-caused-by-low-spend-on-cycling-infrastructure-1.2837200

‘Unnecessary deaths’ caused by low spend on cycling infrastructure
UN report says 20% of transport budget should be spent in area but just 1% will be in 2016

Ireland is grossly underinvesting in cycling and pedestrian infrastructure which helps to save lives and reduce carbon emissions, according to a report from the UN’s Environment Programme.
The report argues that countries should invest at least 20 per cent of their transport budgets in walking and cycling facilities but finds that Ireland spends less than 1 per cent on these facilities.
The Department of Transport’s 2016 allocation for road improvements was €555 million. About €5.5 million went into improvements for cyclists and pedestrians but according to the UN’s recommendations the State should have invested some €111 million.
The lack of investment is causing unnecessary deaths, and is also contributing to climate change, the report, Global Outlook on Walking and Cycling, states.

(snip)

“Designing transport systems around cars puts more vehicles on the road, increasing both greenhouse gas emissions and deadly air pollution. We must put people not cars first in transport systems.”
The report argues that countries should invest 20 per cent of their transport budgets in facilities that help protect vulnerable road users.
Providing better cycling facilities could also deliver a payback in reduced carbon dioxide emissions, something that would help Ireland meet its EU discharge targets.

Plus an appreciation of Padraic Carney, the principal of St Louis primary school who was killed yesterday in a crash in Rathfarnham.

Fighting Tao

From Stayin' Alive at 1.5

Colin Lacey Kerry's Eye editor has done a marvellous job in promoting the safe passing Stayin' Alive at 1.5 message in Kerry.
Colin will be on Cian McCormack's Morning Ireland slot at around 8:45 this morning.
Have a listen!

Macy0161

Not sure this is the right thread, but I suppose is reflective of the general commentary we get in the media, both from hacks and texts/ comments...

I'm coming to the conclusion the attitude of many motorists is just an extension of the entitlement culture. How dare a cyclist hold me up for a few seconds, I'm entitled to get to my destination asap, so a close pass is fine - and ffs cyclists, single out so I can close pass without crossing the centre line. So what if the light has just gone red, I'm entitled to go through a few seconds late as I'll be delayed a minute or two. Don't dare come after me for speeding, I'm entitled to do it, it's safe and sure it's just revenue raising shooting fish in a barrell.

Some of the texts to Matt Cooper last night were calling for cyclists to be banned from certain roads as it's hard to overtake! Regrettably there's much wider issues to address than just a MPDL. People have basically been told the last few years that their entitled to not pay their mortgage, entitled to a free house where they want, entitled to free water, entitled to defraud social welfare without fear of any checks - why wouldn't some apply that to every aspect of their life, including when they're driving?

I really think that a lot the calls for more cycling infrastructure are really being cheer lead by groups who just want cyclists out of the way of cars, rather than any safety concerns for people who cycle.

Pinch Flat

Macy0161 wrote: »

Not sure this is the right thread, but I suppose is reflective of the general commentary we get in the media, both from hacks and texts/ comments...

I'm coming to the conclusion the attitude of many motorists is just an extension of the entitlement culture. How dare a cyclist hold me up for a few seconds, I'm entitled to get to my destination asap, so a close pass is fine - and ffs cyclists, single out so I can close pass without crossing the centre line. So what if the light has just gone red, I'm entitled to go through a few seconds late as I'll be delayed a minute or two. Don't dare come after me for speeding, I'm entitled to do it, it's safe and sure it's just revenue raising shooting fish in a barrell.

Some of the texts to Matt Cooper last night were calling for cyclists to be banned from certain roads as it's hard to overtake! Regrettably there's much wider issues to address than just a MPDL. People have basically been told the last few years that their entitled to not pay their mortgage, entitled to a free house where they want, entitled to free water, entitled to defraud social welfare without fear of any checks - why wouldn't some apply that to every aspect of their life, including when they're driving?

I really think that a lot the calls for more cycling infrastructure are really being cheer lead by groups who just want cyclists out of the way of cars, rather than any safety concerns for people who cycle.

The whole culture has developed here along the US / UK driving culture - I pay for the roads through my "road tax", you don't. So get out of my fcukin way on MY road that I'VE paid for. Cyclists have been objectivised, they're no longer humans on bikes, just objects to get past at any cost. As long as you don't hit one, sure it's grand. Our road culture is so closely aligned to the US / UK car dominated one. It's an awful pity.

We've moved to such a car dominated society that I think it's going to take generations to change this. But kids are being ferries to school, recreational activities and it seems like teenagers graduate to cars very soon.

Macy0161

Pinch Flat wrote: »

We've moved to such a car dominated society that I think it's going to take generations to change this. But kids are being ferries to school, activities and it seems like teenagers graduate to cars very soon.

And the fact it's car dominated makes it so hard to change even for those that do want to. I drive my own children to places we could walk or cycle more often than I'd like. However, I've had so many close passes (both walking/ running as well as cycling) that I have second thoughts sometimes, given the speed of vehicles on the rural roads I live. All very well me being gung ho, but then I'd be impacting on others...

We were walking out from the village over the weekend, and the speed of some of the motorbikes actually freaked out my 10 year old. And we're not talking the Gap here, it's just beyond village limits (like sub 100m).

AndrewJRenko

Macy0161 wrote: »

Not sure this is the right thread, but I suppose is reflective of the general commentary we get in the media, both from hacks and texts/ comments...

I'm coming to the conclusion the attitude of many motorists is just an extension of the entitlement culture. How dare a cyclist hold me up for a few seconds, I'm entitled to get to my destination asap, so a close pass is fine - and ffs cyclists, single out so I can close pass without crossing the centre line. So what if the light has just gone red, I'm entitled to go through a few seconds late as I'll be delayed a minute or two. Don't dare come after me for speeding, I'm entitled to do it, it's safe and sure it's just revenue raising shooting fish in a barrell.

You're right about the attitude, but it is interesting to compare the attitude to bikes and cars. it's amazing how patient drivers are around other cars, prepared to sit for long hours staring down the arse of the car in front without a peep.

I'm reminded of the Joker's view again;

HivemindXX

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

You're right about the attitude, but it is interesting to compare the attitude to bikes and cars. it's amazing how patient drivers are around other cars, prepared to sit for long hours staring down the arse of the car in front without a peep.

I'm reminded of the Joker's view again;

You can't help but acknowledge the truth of this when you hear people complain that the problem with the quays is too many bicycles or too many pedestrian crossings or too low a speed limit. They look at a sea of cars crawling along, completely blocking them in and they can't see "too many cars" as the problem. If you have the temerity to suggest taking measure to reduce the number of cars they scream about "the war on motorists".

Chuchote

I hope someone's going to write to The Irish Times in reply to the Road Haulage Association quoted above ^^ pointing out that a helmet isn't going to be much help to a someone knocked off a bike and squashed by one of their trucks.

mr spuckler

Chuchote wrote: »

I hope someone's going to write to The Irish Times in reply to the Road Haulage Association quoted above ^^ pointing out that a helmet isn't going to be much help to a someone knocked off a bike and squashed by one of their trucks.

...squashed by one of their trucks with inadequate and potentially lethal sightlines for use in urban areas.

it's amazing how behind the curve we are on this and i guess maybe reflective of the power of the motoring lobby that we aren't legislating for trucks with better visibility.

Pinch Flat

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

You're right about the attitude, but it is interesting to compare the attitude to bikes and cars. it's amazing how patient drivers are around other cars, prepared to sit for long hours staring down the arse of the car in front without a peep.

Anyone that moans about cyclists "holding up traffic", my own retort is well as a cyclist it's one less car for you to deal with. More space for you and your 20% full vehicle to enjoy those other cars stuck in the jam around you.