Journalism and cycling

rubadub

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

Mr Webb said that while it was “unfortunate” for the female cyclists involved, such occurrences happen regularly.

so it happens regularly... but you would not be expecting it...

Surely they would have a good idea how much difference there is. Or are they more worried about upsetting people by presumig they will be slow. I would have thought they would totally err on the side of caution.

magicbastarder

was just listening to a piece on drivetime about the travails of naas, and some notions to change the name of the town as gaeilge.

apparently the main issues exercising the local businesspeople they interviewed are actually traffic, parking, and concerns that proposed bike lanes will have a detrimental effect on getting cars into the town.

I love Sean nos

Relax the banned substances rules for the women for the day?

HivemindXX

magicbastarder wrote: »

was just listening to a piece on drivetime about the travails of naas, and some notions to change the name of the town as gaeilge.

apparently the main issues exercising the local businesspeople they interviewed are actually traffic, parking, and concerns that proposed bike lanes will have a detrimental effect on getting cars into the town.

Here's an article from February 2017 about cycle lanes in Naas. Short version: They're against them.

http://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/news/233221/kcc-and-the-councillors-need-to-listen-to-the-people-of-naas.html

The gist of that, and opinion in general and on the town council, seems to be that the problem with Naas is not enough parking. Apparently people don't want to go in to town unless they can drive in and park right outside their destination. Now, I've been through Naas quite a bit and it seems to me that their problem is congestion and more parking, especially on street parking, will not fix this. People who are going to the out of town shopping centres for the great parking aren't going to spend 30 minutes in bumper to bumper traffic even if they can park easily once they finally get there.

I actually find Naas fine to cycle through, the traffic is hardly moving so doesn't really obstruct me. Whether they have cycle lanes or not doesn't really matter to me. I do think if people could cycle to the town centre and go to the shops they might do so, if they are getting in their car anyway I think they are going to the out of town shopping centres no matter how much parking there is.

It's exactly the same situation we see in Dublin I think. People are locked in to a car-centric mind set and every solution is based on that and short term to boot. Too hard to park? More parking, free ones! Too congested? More roads! Traffic moving too slowly? Increase speed limits!

magicbastarder

yeah, congestion was mentioned. and as you say, i am having trouble joing the dots of 'having more parking spaces and inviting more cars into the town will ease congestion'. especially as like most provincial towns, they've stuck the big shopping centres on the outskirts.

I love Sean nos

HivemindXX wrote: »

Here's an article from February 2017 about cycle lanes in Naas. Short version: They're against them.

Well, I am surprised. I may just have to go and lie down.

Pinch Flat

Segment on cycling on crimecall. Expect hi vis and helmets to be the panacea.

Pinch Flat

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Segment on cycling on crimecall. Expect hi vis and helmets to be the panacea.

Hmmm. As predicted, so folks make sure you have those helmets and hi vis jackets on, also have some lights and make sure you all obey the rules and you'll be grand.

Oh and motorists - watch out for cyclists- they're very narrow on the roads. So crack on with those phones, keep the oul speed up and generally carry on driving like muppets.

CramCycle

I went through Naas the other day, well I say through, I went on a road claiming to be going to Naas and I just ended up on a load of roundabouts with each one seperated by another out of town shopping area. Cars are not the problem of small businesses in Naas.

Grassey

Did you at least get to admire the cosmetically pleasing yet functionally deficient cycling lanes running alongside the road?

ED E

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Segment on cycling on crimecall. Expect hi vis and helmets to be the panacea.

Crimecall isnt on the player? GJ RTE...

magicbastarder

they've someone on drivetime at the moment talking about road safety - i missed who he is (aidan reed?) saying that if there's a solid white line, cyclists should not cycle two abreast as it prevents cars from overtaking safely?
aha - 'chief superintendent aidan reed'.

Small mention of cycling on Morning Ireland on Radio 1 there, copper basically saying the usual hi vis and helmet etc. and not to cycle 2 abreast or in a group on a continuous white because... well because cars can't overtake.

I love Sean nos

magicbastarder wrote: »

they've someone on drivetime at the moment talking about road safety - i missed who he is (aidan reed?) saying that if there's a solid white line, cyclists should not cycle two abreast as it prevents cars from overtaking safely?
aha - 'chief superintendent aidan reed'.

That sounds like the perfect place to cycle in pairs.

magicbastarder ninja'd me :pac:

greenspurs

rubadub wrote: »

so it happens regularly... but you would not be expecting it...

Surely they would have a good idea how much difference there is. Or are they more worried about upsetting people by presumig they will be slow. I would have thought they would totally err on the side of caution.

The man were averaging 44kmph, the women 32(ish?)... You would expect the Elite Women to be averaging faster than a Sunday Club spin !!!!
The women didnt race flat out, and they were caught. Simple as that. Nothing to do with their gender, if it was the M-60's that were caught they would have been pulled over also.
The women were all together when they were stopped, and by the winners own admission, it didnt affect the outcome of the race, as they were all resigned to the fact they they were going to stay together until the steep climb a few km's from the finish (where she broke, stayed away , and won)

greenspurs

Crimeline last night -

They were on about Road deaths . And that drivers seem to relax on the road during the summer months, and that contributes to the spike in road deaths every year in June and July.

The total given was 10 cyclists killed so far this year.
Then they mentioned how high a figure that was, and what could be do for the "Vunerable cyclists".

Oh shur they should wear helmets, hi viz and lights says the Garda , and exercise caution and common sense.
Cars should just be careful, keep an eye out for them ........

Next up, a man robbing perfume in a chemists........

josip

Deleted User wrote: »

Small mention of cycling on Morning Ireland on Radio 1 there, copper basically saying the usual hi vis and helmet etc. and not to cycle 2 abreast or in a group on a continuous white because... well because cars can't overtake.

Was that what he actually said?

greenspurs

greenspurs wrote: »

Oh shur they should wear helmets, hi viz and lights says the Garda , and exercise caution and common sense.

An Garda Síochána are not a properly functioning police force and they should never be considered as such.

Pinch Flat

Deleted User wrote: »

Small mention of cycling on Morning Ireland on Radio 1 there, copper basically saying the usual hi vis and helmet etc. and not to cycle 2 abreast or in a group on a continuous white because... well because cars can't overtake.

You know, there's a constitutional right for every Irish driver to overtake, no matter who or what the scenario or how ridiculously it flies in the face of safety and common sense? And that cyclists force motorists to overtake?

Had some numpty on the RSA Facebook page say she was prevented from overtaking a group of cyclists travelling two abreast on a dangerous bend. Of course what they should have done was pulled over, let her blast by and feck it if a car comes the other way. People like this should be forced sit an IQ test, then have their licence publicly destroyed when they fail. Simply too stupid to be on the roads.

Eamonnator

magicbastarder wrote: »

they've someone on drivetime at the moment talking about road safety - i missed who he is (aidan reed?) saying that if there's a solid white line, cyclists should not cycle two abreast as it prevents cars from overtaking safely?
aha - 'chief superintendent aidan reed'.

I was half listening to him. I'm nearly sure he said cyclists are obliged to wear helmets and hi viz.

It was Morning Ireland BTW. I can't find it on RTE website.

magicbastarder

Eamonnator wrote: »

I was half listening to him. I'm nearly sure he said cyclists are obliged to wear helmets and hi viz.

i'm 75% sure you're correct.

ED E

Eamonnator wrote: »

I was half listening to him. I'm nearly sure he said cyclists are obliged to wear helmets and hi viz.

It was Morning Ireland BTW. I can't find it on RTE website.

Not posted yet:
http://pca.st/h6QT

josip

josip wrote: »

Was that what he actually said?

Pretty much , and in the same piece spoke about 1.5m clearance. So even if the cyclists were single file a car would still have to cross the continuous line to get around in many cases to give 1.5m and exorcise their entitlement to over take.

It's actually maddening hearing a senior Garda spout this tripe

Do they allow listening back on RTE website? I'll have a look and see and post it or link if I can later.

magicbastarder

funny thing is, i'm fairly certain conor brophy (the presenter) cycles to work.

radia

Morning Ireland Tue 27 June - segment starts at 01:44:25.
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/morning-ireland/#2524595

LpPepper

Why is there a constant anti cycling theme floating around in the media - on TV, radio or internet? All the things that "cyclists" are demonized for is ridiculous.

Yet at the same time, cars, buses and trucks are killing people week on week and yet there's no calls to take any proper action or do anything about it?

Have there been any recent incidents where a person on a bicycle has killed someone? All I can think of is the incident in the Phoenix Park where a pedestrian actually caused a cyclist's death.

There seems to be no calls for drivers of vehicles to take actual responsibility for their own actions, regardless of the fact that even at a slow speed they can kill or seriously maim another person.

I love Sean nos

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Had some numpty on the RSA Facebook page say she was prevented from overtaking a group of cyclists travelling two abreast on a dangerous bend. Of course what they should have done was pulled over, let her blast by and feck it if a car comes the other way. People like this should be forced sit an IQ test, then have their licence publicly destroyed when they fail. Simply too stupid to be on the roads.

I think I was reading the same comments. Depressing doesn't even come close. If anyone with a ounce of sense at the RSA read that, they would bin their high-vis and helmet bible.

radia

radia wrote: »

Morning Ireland Tue 27 June - segment starts at 01:44:25.
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/morning-ireland/#2524595

Here's the relevant bit:

Chief Superintendent Aidan Reid: Particularly concerning to us at the moment is pedal cyclists. And there's ten people have died to date this year, which is the same as the overall figure for last year.

Conor Brophy: And I suppose in addition to overseas visitors obviously you'll have people travelling within Ireland - Irish people travelling within Ireland - but they'll be somewhere unfamiliar, they may be looking at road signs, looking at directions, and that obviously diminishes the amount of attention you can pay to what's on the road around you.

AR: It certainly is, and again, with cyclists and motorcyclists going into unfamiliar territory - large numbers there - there's responsibility on all drivers to watch out and allow sufficient space. For example, with cyclists that's 1.5 metres is the recommended distance. Pedal cyclists and other vulnerables have a responsibility to watch out and to be seen and to wear helmets and high visibility clothing. With leisure groups as well, taking the roads in groups and large numbers, the question often arises Conor there, about their entitlement to bunch or to move in groups. The law is very clear in this: Cyclists may travel two abreast only when it is safe to do so. And if you have a single carriageway with a continuous white line, it is not safe for cyclists to go in pairs, because a car cannot overtake the white line, and you have a vulnerable situation arising.

CB: Mmm...

Pinch Flat

It's time to stop flogging the hi-vis and helmet argument as a panacea to improving road safety for cyclists.

It's be interesting to see if any of the recent tragedies could have been prevented by a hi-vis jacket and helmet. Or by the motorists slowing down / allowing enough room / driving with due care and attention.