Journalism and cycling

seamus

ThisRegard wrote: »

She was on Matt Cooper earlier and also thinks it's the panacea, she was pulled up on it though.

What disappointed me was that nobody pointed out the completely obvious, that cyclists wearing helmets has absolutely nothing to do with HGVs. Helmets do not prevent accidents, and they are no better than a paper hat in a collision with a vehicle. So when discussing cyclist safety around HGVs, helmets are completely irrelevant.

As buffalo says, ultimately these discussions always end up as, "Yes, cyclists are vulnerable, but cyclists need to...". The blame is always pushed back on cyclists, despite the figures overwhelmingly putting vehicles at fault.

tomasrojo

Someone I know online said something recently that I think sums up what we need:

a joined-up programme of high-quality cycle-centric planning that doesn't treat cyclists as second-class citizens and is implemented with clear political commitment right from the top and backed up with realistic quantities of money

All together now:

What do we want?

A joined-up programme of high-quality cycle-centric planning that doesn't treat cyclists as second-class citizens and is implemented with clear political commitment right from the top and backed up with realistic quantities of money

When do we want it?

Now!

AndrewJRenko

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Anyone up for contacting your wan from the road haulage association to go on a spin, just to see if she has the same opinion about safe overtaking?

Maybe ask her to bring this driver with her, so she can see the true value of helmets and hi-vis when the driver is nodding off at the wheel;

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/878151999660859392

Arcade_Tryer

Always wondered if those truck drivers are put under severe stress due to deadlines and targets. Adds significantly to the danger such vehicles already pose to cyclists and pedestrians simply so a company can enjoy higher profit margins. If they are under pressure of course.

I love Sean nos

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

Always wondered if those truck drivers are put under severe stress due to deadlines and targets.

They are.

Also downwards pressure on wages.

It's not the job it once was.

Chuchote

I love Sean nos wrote: »

They are.

Also downwards pressure on wages.

It's not the job it once was.

Even when it "once was", it was impossible - truckers crossing to France had to cheat their tachographs if they were to catch both the ferry to Britain and the ferry from Britain to France, then cross the Périphérique before 5am, after which it was standstill gridlock for five hours.

ED E

TBH, I'm not as worried about truckers cheating the tacho, its junior doctors that concern me. They themselves admit they shouldnt be on the road after a 40hr shift in A&E.

Chuchote

ED E wrote: »

TBH, I'm not as worried about truckers cheating the tacho, its junior doctors that concern me. They themselves admit they shouldnt be on the road after a 40hr shift in A&E.

And if they shouldn't be on the road, should they be on the ward, slurring "Give this woman 100ml of insulin, I mean 10ml, I mean .10ml…"

magicbastarder

Chuchote wrote: »

truckers crossing to France had to cheat their tachographs

i made my own tacograph*:



*only works if you accept that doritos are tacos. and it's a pie chart, not a graph.

Chiparus

ED E wrote: »

TBH, I'm not as worried about truckers cheating the tacho, its junior doctors that concern me. They themselves admit they shouldnt be on the road after a 40hr shift in A&E.

There are practically no 24 hour shifts any more,
There does not seem to be a lot of junior doctors involved in RTCs post call.

Chuchote

Letter to Irish Times from Mark Fox of Shankill

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/change-transport-culture-to-protect-vulnerable-commuters-1.3131291

I am in La Rochelle in France on holiday. It has a pro-cycling culture and cyclists feel safe. Cyclist traffic is considerably heavier compared to Dublin. Many children cycle to school. Yet most cyclists do not wear high-visibility clothing and fewer again wear helmets. Cyclists are permitted to cycle on one-way roads against the flow of traffic. The cycling infrastructure is better but it is far from perfect and, as in Dublin, cyclists are forced to cycle alongside motor vehicles in parts of the city. However, unlike Dublin, it appears that motorists respect cyclists, and are mindful of them. Likewise, cyclists respect motorists, and this is reflected in their behaviour on the road.
Irish policymakers should travel to places like La Rochelle to review their transport user model. They will quickly recognise that our transport culture needs to change to protect vulnerable commuters like cyclists. Otherwise more cyclists will die on their way to work this year.

And on the greenways, one from LM Cullen of Blackrock, Dublin

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/waterways-and-greenways-1.3131287

Olivia O’Leary (June 22nd) paints a picture of “ a carpet of green grass” and a “thoughtful Camino-style path” on the lower Barrow line. Inconsistently she also seeks more publicity (“something tourism bodies have not given it over the years”), which could generate insidious new pressures on her carpet.
There is a danger of towpath policy nationally becoming incoherent– by divides between a” green grass” lobby and local interests excited by the success of the Achill-Westport greenway in attracting visitors. Its success depends entirely on the quality of the scenery on its western section. As a proof of that, compare the absence of national comment on a recent excellent cycle path from Mullingar to Athlone with the attention garnered by a line of equal length from Waterford to Dungarvan.
One has to accept heavy cycle traffic in densely populated areas around Dublin (including Maynooth), as has for decades been the case for the Newry Canal basin. Elsewhere on the waterway network, traffic is light, and the wide new path on a section of the Royal Canal west of Mullingar is an unnecessary response.
The Grand Canal has long been spoiled by ribbon development on service roads sometimes on both banks of the canal, though it retains its charm where it traverses bogs and also in the thinly populated region from Pollagh to Shannon Harbour.
The Royal Canal and the Barrow have towpaths of very varied quality. Some sections are firm underfoot (requiring no treatment other than regular grass cutting); some are soft and rutted (in part unavoidably because of the wheels of maintenance vehicles), or periodically flooded as on a long stretch north of Carlow. There are also stretches of tarmacadam on local or service roads. As it stands, one very rarely encounters on either waterway a long-distance cyclist.

and from Martin O'Brien of St Mullins, Kilkenny

Olivia O’Leary (June 22nd) once again seems to know more about engineering than everyone else and chooses to ignore the purpose of the new surface on the Barrow river path. The new surface will provide access for us all 12 months of the year and bring much-needed business to the Barrow. Why does Olivia O’Leary choose to ignore wheelchair users and access for parents and buggies?

Pinch Flat

I love cycling in France. It's so safe. Myself and the little fella used to take out bikes to the rural boulangerie to get the bread in the morning. You feel so safe and no lunatics on the roads like here. We really need to look at our road culture as a nation. We've turned into a mini America where the car is king.

Chuchote

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I love cycling in France. It's so safe. Myself and the little fella used to take out bikes to the rural boulangerie to get the bread in the morning. You feel so safe and no lunatics on the roads like here. We really need to look at our road culture as a nation. We've turned into a mini America where the car is king.

One of the reasons I'd welcome the BleeperBikes stationless bike share scheme, which would extend bike sharing throughout Greater Dublin - I predict that if it comes in, a lot of people will be able to leave their cars on the outskirts of the city and use bikes to get around the centre, easing traffic (and hopefully increasing politeness as drivers feel less pressured/entitled).

ED E

ED E wrote: »

TBH, I'm not as worried about truckers cheating the tacho, its junior doctors that concern me. They themselves admit they shouldnt be on the road after a 40hr shift in A&E.

I saw a very interesting piece on this very thing a while back , was either on BBC or Channel 4 news, and they put a doctor who would normally drive home after those kind of hours into a simulator after her shift. They gave her the time she spent over the line, eyes closed (micronaps) etc. At one point she'd had her eyeys close for 5 seconds and and no recollection of it when getting the results.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I saw a very interesting piece on this very thing a while back , was either on BBC or Channel 4 news, and they put a doctor who would normally drive home after those kind of hours into a simulator after her shift. They gave her the time she spent over the line, eyes closed (micronaps) etc. At one point she'd had her eyeys close for 5 seconds and and no recollection of it when getting the results.

I remember cycling home as an intern after my first night on call in a busy hospital. I was napping for a few seconds at a time as I rolled along. Was a nice quiet road thankfully!

Chuchote

Pompous, dimwitted, trying-to-please-everybody editorial in The Irish Times

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorial/road-safety-looking-out-for-cyclists-1.3131307

Road safety: looking out for cyclists
Number of cyclist deaths this year has doubled

Road safety applies to everybody – motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. All are vulnerable and have duties of care to each other. A doubling in the number of cyclist deaths this year prompted the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to launch a campaign asking motorists to allow a 1.5m passing distance when overtaking. [!!!] Legislation to that effect is before the Dáil but it is difficult to see how penalties could be imposed. Its usefulness may lie in impressing on motorists the vulnerability of cyclists and the need to respect them as road-using equals.
Excessive speed is one of the greatest threats on the road. But impact with a cyclist or pedestrian at even 50km an hour carries a 50 per cent death threat. Dealing with that particular vulnerability requires personal visibility, a redesign of dangerous junctions and greater traffic awareness by all. The number of pedestrian deaths greatly exceeded that of cyclists over many years. Until now, that is. Cycling organisations are now seeking greater investment in cycle lanes and road improvements to make roads safer and user-friendly for everybody. That is the way to go. But cyclists have their own responsibilities regarding lighting; high visibility clothing and helmets; clear signals; awareness of visual black spots on lorries and strict adherence to the rules of the road. Motorists should recognise their particular vulnerability, slow down and give them more room when overtaking.
The number of cyclists in Dublin and other cities has grown exponentially in the past decade. As a cheap, healthy and environmentally friendly means of transport, it would be a terrible shame if concerns about road safety stifled its growth. Most fatal collisions occur at road junctions, according to the RSA, and it has conducted a number of campaigns designed to raise awareness of this with truck drivers, motorists and cyclists. Seven of the 11 deaths recorded this year took place outside of Dublin. That may reflect inadequate investment in rural roads and cycle lanes, rather than individual fault. Whatever the reason, greater care by all road users is required.

buffalo

Chuchote wrote: »

Pompous, dimwitted, trying-to-please-everybody editorial in The Irish Times

All I see:

...But cyclists have their own responsibilities...

mr spuckler

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I love cycling in France. It's so safe. Myself and the little fella used to take out bikes to the rural boulangerie to get the bread in the morning. You feel so safe and no lunatics on the roads like here. We really need to look at our road culture as a nation. We've turned into a mini America where the car is king.

it's similar to driving in France in my experience, i find it much more enjoyable than driving here. they have good lane discipline (not hogging outside or middle lane), good general awareness etc. any time i've driven there my first few outings in the car when i've come home have been fairly frustrating!

when you think about how poorly Irish motorists as a whole behave on the roads and how little situational awareness they display, i suppose in a way it should be no surprise that their behaviour around cyclists is really just an extension of their usual behaviour.

Pinch Flat

mr spuckler wrote: »

it's similar to driving in France in my experience, i find it much more enjoyable than driving here. they have good lane discipline (not hogging outside or middle lane), good general awareness etc. any time i've driven there my first few outings in the car when i've come home have been fairly frustrating!

when you think about how poorly Irish motorists as a whole behave on the roads and how little situational awareness they display, i suppose in a way it should be no surprise that their behaviour around cyclists is really just an extension of their usual behaviour.

I drove from Roscoff to west of Bordeaux - about 800km -in a day a few years back. We'd driven down from Dublin to Cork the day before, and had a rather unpleasant road rage incident with some lunatic on the M7 on the way down. So we were glad to leave that behind.

Most enjoyable road trip. It was busy as well - the we got into France on the day that coincides with the French school kids breaking up from school. But they lack of muppets on the motorway was noticeable made it easy to drive - people use the correct lanes, what's great as well is that they'll move over from the slip roads to allow cars to merge - no blocking like you get on motorways here. The whole thing just works so well. Here, people drive with their own intentions in mind. The me, me, me attitude is not conducive to a motorway system operating efficiently.

tomasrojo

I've very little interest in what the Irish Times has to say on everyday cycling. Their "everyone is responsible" line is pretty standard, but it's fairly nonsensical. If in some sense I have a "responsibility" to wear a helmet or hiviz (I don't, actually), it's the not the same type of "responsibility" someone else has not to crash into me at speed in a multi-tonne vehicle.

They're also quite wrong to say "a doubling in the number of cyclist deaths this year". If trends continue, that's what we'll have. Not the same thing, and we don't know that trends will continue. I don't doubt we'll end the year with more, as there are six months left and we're equal to last year's total already.

tomasrojo

Brendan Carr, the cyclists' friend, will no longer be Lord Mayor of Dublin, as of tonight.

EDIT: Should really be in the Party Bus. Everyone should have a chance to think about all the things he's done for us.

Pinch Flat

tomasrojo wrote: »

Brendan Carr, the cyclists' friend, will no longer be Lord Mayor of Dublin, as of tonight.

EDIT: Should really be in the Party Bus. Everyone should have a chance to think about all the things he's done for us.

Given his car centric views, I always thought his surname was pretty apt.

Chuchote

The last Lord Mayor before him, Críona Ní Dálaigh of Sinn Fein, used her casting vote to prevent cyclists being allowed to ride contraflow on some one-way streets.

Annie get your Run

Chuchote wrote: »

The last Lord Mayor before him, Críona Ní Dálaigh of Sinn Fein, used her casting vote to prevent cyclists being allowed to ride contraflow on some one-way streets.

So you're saying it's not looking good for whoever is up next then :rolleyes: bloody hell.

Chuchote

Annie get your Run wrote: »

So you're saying it's not looking good for whoever is up next then :rolleyes: bloody hell.

Not necessarily - Micheál Mac Donncha is a nice guy in any dealings I've had with him; I don't know that he rides a bike, though.

I love Sean nos

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Given his car centric views, I always thought his surname was pretty apt.

Not to worry, I have high hopes for the incoming city Lord Mayor, Thomás Cyclistesarbstardes and his sustainable transport ideas.

Chuchote

The women were going too slow so they had to stop and let the men by. Wouldn't you think they'd have started the men's race first, logistically?

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/womens-national-cycling-race-halted-for-going-too-slowly-to-allow-mens-race-to-pass-35867163.html

The Irish national women’s road race was halted mid-competition this weekend because the participants were disrupting the men's 'elite race'.
According to race organisers, the women were racing “too slowly” and had to pull in with less than a lap left to go to avoid clashing with the men’s elite race.
Race Director, Derek Webb, told Independent.ie that the women were “given literally a 17km head-start, with only 50km to go, you certainly would be expecting that they would finish it out but they just didn't and the call was made by the commissaires to pull them in".
“It’s the rules of Cycling Ireland and it’s always the way it’s done, the slowest race is pulled over. You can’t ask the faster race, who are there to race, to slow down. You don’t do that.”
Mr Webb said that while it was “unfortunate” for the female cyclists involved, such occurrences happen regularly.

buffalo

Chuchote wrote: »

The women were going too slow so they had to stop and let the men by. Wouldn't you think they'd have started the men's race first, logistically?

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/womens-national-cycling-race-halted-for-going-too-slowly-to-allow-mens-race-to-pass-35867163.html

The men's race was let off ahead of the women's bunch, but managed to catch them all the same. Pulling over the slower bunch is standard procedure when a faster race catches a slower race. There's a whole thread exploring the intricacies of the events on the day with plenty of civil, reasoned debate, naturally:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057725600

Chuchote

Nutso. Use different routes, swapping them each year?

I love Sean nos

Chuchote wrote: »

Nutso. Use different routes, swapping them each year?

Then you double your support requirement.