Thinking of giving up my commute

JigglyMcJabs

Hey,

Just a bit of a grumble really, but if any of you have some advise I'd appreciate it!
I've been commuting on my bike for a few years, last year I got a new job near Connelly station in Dublin, it's actually a much shorter commute than I had previously but it means I have to cross the city centre twice a day from Harolds Cross. I've had so many near misses and dealt with so much aggressive driving from taxis and buses that I'm at my wits end. I also have to repeatedly cross Luas tracks now and I've nearly gone on my ear a few times with the back wheel sliding out when it touches the track. I'm just getting the feeling that it's only a matter of time before I come off badly.

The worst part of it is around Dame Street/College Green/ Westmorland street, it's just nuts there, no protection for cyclists, no segregation, just surrounded by buses, taxis and dangerous obstacles .

Just today for example, on the way in I was completely boxed in on Westmorland street by buses, one driver decided to close the space with me in the middle of it, I managed to shine my front light at his mirror just in time for him to stop. I then saw a guy slip and fall on his Dublin bike going over the Luas track on O'Connell bridge, I turned right onto the south quays and I had to come out of the cycle lane because there are road works jutting out with no temporary cycle lane or cones, a private coach behind me made no attempt to leave space for cyclists at the road works and he came up so fast (despite me sticking my hand out to signal) that I was inches away from being crushed against the road works barrier.

On the way home, I took the outside lane travelling west on Dame street up to the junction of Georges street (the outside lane is for going straight, the inside lane is for turning left). A bus got right up my arse and started beeping so I pulled into the left lane, he then went into the left lane behind me and started beeping at me to get out of the way again, it was nerve wrecking, the driver had a go at me at the lights (he was coming up to a red so I don't know what his rush was), he has no clue about how dangerous a bus is around a cyclist, if I fell in front of him I'd be dead now and he was making it difficult for me not to be in front of him.

That's just one day! I used to love my cycle in and out but it's just lethal. Am I overreacting?? I'd love to just stay out of everyones way, but with Luas tracks and road works, sometimes you just have to take up a lane and the aggression and stupidity of drivers when you do that is incredible.

Weepsie

Take a different route perhaps. Co out along the canal towards ballsbridge and then approach Connolly from the other side and through/by the IFSC. Longer, but in my (albeit limited as I cycle from somewhere else entirely)experience it may be more pleasant.

jon1981

Christ OP thats some experience. I have been cycling to work everyday for the past 2 years all year round and my route takes me up Amien st, connolly station, the quays and smithfield and i havent seen a fraction of what you have seen or experienced.

Perhaps the works at westmoreland st seem to be the issue, why not cross over the quays at christchurch and see if thats better?

JigglyMcJabs

Weepsie wrote: »

Take a different route perhaps. Co out along the canal towards ballsbridge and then approach Connolly from the other side and through/by the IFSC. Longer, but in my (albeit limited as I cycle from somewhere else entirely)experience it may be more pleasant.

Yeah I take your point, it's annoying that the city centre is a no go area, I would have thought that city planners would be making it easier instead of harder to cycle.

Annie get your Run

Don't give up! It's a jungle out there for sure and you sometimes feel like the whole world has it for you but they really don't. I cycle defensively and take the lane in nearly all situations, especially these dark mornings & evenings. I also got a new 300 lumen front light and put it on flash (pointed downwards) which has made a massive difference to my visibility. Unfortunately there will always be a*seholes out there. Maybe leave a bit earlier in the mornings and give yourself time to take it easy. Certainly I'd be ignoring busses who beep for me to get out of their way, what a joke, I"m far faster than they are given they've to stop every few hundred meters at a bus stop!!

Can you find an alternative route? What about crossing the city higher up and coming down to Connolly from North Strand direction?

jon1981

JigglyMcJabs wrote: »

Yeah I take your point, it's annoying that the city centre is a no go area, I would have thought that city planners would be making it easier instead of harder to cycle.

I'm hoping its temporary, once the luas is up and running I'm pretty sure car traffic will be restricted. Also the barriers will be removed all around that area providing more space... the real problem will be pedestrians

JigglyMcJabs

jon1981 wrote: »

I'm hoping its temporary, once the luas is up and running I'm pretty sure car traffic will be restricted. Also the barriers will be removed all around that area providing more space... the real problem will be pedestrians

Don't get me started on pedestrians, I'm on my second bell this year :-)

P_1

A slight tweek to your route will make it a good bit easier OP. If you're coming from Harolds Cross I'm guessing you're turning right at Christchurch and then heading down Dame Street? Carry on straight through than junction and either take the right to go down the quays or follow the Luas in towards Connolly. Going home go via Westland Row and Hatch Street to the canal. Takes the madness that is College Green/Westmoreland Street right out of the equation.

JigglyMcJabs

P_1 wrote: »

A slight tweek to your route will make it a good bit easier OP. If you're coming from Harolds Cross I'm guessing you're turning right at Christchurch and then heading down Dame Street? Carry on straight through than junction and either take the right to go down the quays or follow the Luas in towards Connolly. Going home go via Westland Row and Hatch Street to the canal. Takes the madness that is College Green/Westmoreland Street right out of the equation.

Right, I'll give it a go tomorrow, thanks!

Ciaran_B

Weepsie wrote: »

Take a different route perhaps. Co out along the canal towards ballsbridge and then approach Connolly from the other side and through/by the IFSC. Longer, but in my (albeit limited as I cycle from somewhere else entirely)experience it may be more pleasant.

I travel a similar journey to the OP every day (I go Crumlin to the back of Connolly Stn) and I'd never take the route he does.

I go down the canal, onto Percy Place, Mount St, Merrion Sq, Holles St, Erne St, Lime St and onto the Liffey. Then I walk across the Sam Beckett.

A very pleasent cycle with a cycle lane along the canal if you feel more comfortable riding in that. I'm doing it 6 year and I've very rarely felt at risk.

Edit. It's the O'Casey Bridge I walk across. .

buffalo

Have you thought about contacting local councillors about it? They're the ones with (some) power to change things.

Nial Ring would be a great person to start with. :P

Eamonnator

JigglyMcJabs wrote: »

Right, I'll give it a go tomorrow, thanks!

let us know how you get on, please.

tomasrojo

I come into town from the south quite a bit, albeit not at morning rush hour. I don't go near Westmoreland Street anymore, or anywhere on Dame Street much to the east of South Great Georges Street.

I've been crossing the Liffey at Christchurch. It wouldn't have been my chosen way to go before, but it's decidedly the lesser of two evils now. Think it's pretty much the route P_1 is describing.

dermabrasion

Far too many buses in the city centre.

Duckjob

Deedsie wrote: »

Far too many cars in the city centre and terrible cycling infrastructure (with no sign of it improving). Buses are the only public transport option for thousands of people.

This. I watch videos of cyclists in Amsterdam on YouTube and I gently weep.

buffalo

buffalo wrote: »

Have you thought about contacting local councillors about it? They're the ones with (some) power to change things.

In all seriousness, I had to head home along the south quays yesterday and it was so unpleasant compared to my normal NCR/canal route. The council are debating the Liffey Cycleway at present, so you could contact them in favour of that if you like.

CramCycle

JigglyMcJabs wrote: »

I've had so many near misses and dealt with so much aggressive driving from taxis and buses that I'm at my wits end. I also have to repeatedly cross Luas tracks now and I've nearly gone on my ear a few times with the back wheel sliding out when it touches the track. I'm just getting the feeling that it's only a matter of time before I come off badly.

The only solution here is that if you feel nervous about it (particularly in wet weather), dismount for the few metres. not fair or ideal but about as good a bit of advice as I can think of.

Just today for example, on the way in I was completely boxed in on Westmorland street by buses, one driver decided to close the space with me in the middle of it, I managed to shine my front light at his mirror just in time for him to stop.

Were you in between two buses or did he squeesze you to the curb. If the former, my only advise is that no matter how slow traffic, never go up between two large vehicles.

a private coach behind me made no attempt to leave space for cyclists at the road works and he came up so fast (despite me sticking my hand out to signal) that I was inches away from being crushed against the road works barrier.

While he should have given you space as presumably your were in the lane (an on the road track I presume), this is probably the cycle lanes fault as much as the drivers lack of education. As to him you are in a separate lane (rightly or wrongly) and indicating gives you no right of way.

On the way home, I took the outside lane travelling west on Dame street up to the junction of Georges street (the outside lane is for going straight, the inside lane is for turning left). A bus got right up my arse and started beeping so I pulled into the left lane, he then went into the left lane behind me and started beeping at me to get out of the way again, it was nerve wrecking, the driver had a go at me at the lights (he was coming up to a red so I don't know what his rush was), he has no clue about how dangerous a bus is around a cyclist, if I fell in front of him I'd be dead now and he was making it difficult for me not to be in front of him.

Go to the Gardai and make a complaint of assault. This behaviour continues from some because no one ever calls them up on it bar shouting back. All this does is justify their position to themselves. Assault, dangerous driving and other phrases for the Gardai spring to mind. It would all be on camera, including his reaction in the cab.

Your not overreacting but there are things to make your life easier, alternative routes, how you move through traffic etc.

WAPAIC

JigglyMcJabs wrote: »

Hey,
I also have to repeatedly cross Luas tracks now and I've nearly gone on my ear a few times with the back wheel sliding out when it touches the track. I'm just getting the feeling that it's only a matter of time before I come off badly.

Thinking about your technique might help here - things like don't be pedalling as you cross the obstacle, if you find it's your back wheel sliding then perhaps transfer some of your weight (carefully!) towards the front of the bike as the back wheel crosses the line so that your weight isn't catastrophically shifted by the sudden slip, get used to the back wheel sliding in a controlled manner by doing a few skids on leaves or wet roads, be sure to cross the lines at close to 90 degrees. Slow down as you cross until your confidence grows perhaps although there is an argument that momentum is your friend. Better tyres may also help. The rails on college green going south are a pain though, as they are parallel to your direction of travel.

Don't give up, I thought about it and the alternative is crap.

Alanstrainor

Lots of good advice here. I would recommend you get a bell on your bike. Shining your lights to get attention really just wont work well in daylight hours. I ring my bell a lot through Dublin. Drivers hear it. Peds hear it. It just adds another means of making people aware of your position.

hurleronditch

I would just change your route?

As said, take the cycle lane that runs along the canal, you can cycle without traffic interference pretty much all the way from HC to grand canal street. Pop down along by the malt house tower (cobbled street but manageable, I used do it every day), across GC square, out onto John rogersons quay, across the Sam Beckett and the you can scoot along the quay or else shoot straight through to the 5 lamps and hang a left and hit Connolly from the back.

You will hardly see a bus on that whole route, incredible safe spin with almost all junctions showing cyclist traffic signals. Might add a kilometer or so but it's a very pleasant spin, with water nearby all the way

mtbireland

Try this site and select 'safest' as the route type.

http://brouter.de/brouter-web/

A little bit more info about it here

http://www.thebikecomesfirst.com/take-the-sting-out-of-your-commute-by-optimising-your-route/

Edit: I just did safety and alternative1 route and brings you on a nice safe route down the canel and on to the quays before bringing you in through the docklands and up Sheriff Street. It's longer than your normal route but with much less stress and interaction with buses.

tampopo

yeah, go along the Grand canal route to Leeson st., Stephens Green East, Merrion Row, Merrion St. Upper. Merrion Sq west, Clare St. Lincoln Place, Westland Row.

Then either Pearse Street and Tara Street or Lombard Street and George's quay. Across the bridge and the back of the Custom House and you're there.

I've an inexperienced cycling partner who works in the IFSC and started off going the Grand Canal route. Now is happy to go via Westmoreland Street!!! Oh well, the life of a widower for me.

Maybe it's naivety. I just think it's a lack of experience.

Good luck.


PS that bus driver was completely in the wrong on Dame Street.

loyatemu

take the canal route all the way to the river- it's segregated all the way to the Beckett Bridge. It'll be a bit longer/slower, but it's still only 5K from HC bridge and that's what it's designed for.

https://goo.gl/maps/8zxyYLUG39P2

arybvtcw0eolkf

OP I'd use the canal all the way down to Grand Canal Road, then turn down Macken Street and over the new bridge at the National Convention Center and onto the north quays.

That Trinity College corridor is lethal.

Thankfully although my commute takes me through the city center I don't have to contend with the LUAS works.. I've had a few cycling mates come off on the slippery tracks, I'd dread it.

OleRodrigo

Its the worst time of year in the city center for road user behavior, and the Luas works don't help matters.

beauf

loyatemu wrote: »

take the canal route all the way to the river- it's segregated all the way to the Beckett Bridge. It'll be a bit longer/slower, but it's still only 5K from HC bridge and that's what it's designed for.

https://goo.gl/maps/8zxyYLUG39P2

Exactly this.

OP take a longer route. I'd never cycle your route. its probably the worst in the city. Down canal, through grand canal dock, over the liffey down through the IFSC.

Longer, nicer.

Danbo!

Adriel Round Shinbone wrote: »

OP I'd use the canal all the way down to Grand Canal Road, then turn down Macken Street and over the new bridge at the National Convention Center and onto the north quays.
.

Another vote for route change, this one specifically! It'll take longer, but almost zero stress!

I cycle from firhouse to the IFSC via Harolds Cross. The most direct route for you, and one I've done the odd time, is straight to Christchurch, but go under the arch, over the river, and turn right onto the north quays. It's an absolute breeze in terms of time/distance but annoyingly, the quays are lethal. Too much madness with lane changes and bus lanes, etc. I've done Dame street and north quays maybe once, it's horrible.

CramCycle

I suppose it is what you are used to but am I the only one who would prefer the road to the canal route? My few times going the canal I found incredibly infuriating with bad manners, stupid maneuvers and outright ignorance of what constitutes civil behaviour.

It probably is safer but I would lose my mind, take the road anyday. This said are the other routes people are talking about really that bad? I have done westmoreland St., under the arch in Christchurch, the quays on both sides of the river, and none have been a great issue over the years.

The only benefit of the canal is that it takes out the buses which I predict by the behaviour of some on the canal, they would not have a notion what to do around anyway.

beauf

By the canal route I meant (and I assume the others also) on the road side (R11\Grand parade\ Grove Road) not the "Canal Way Cycle track" on the other.
Which is much slower and lots of delays vs the other side of the canal.

Ciaran_B

Yeah, on the road not the separate track. Car traffic will be at a stand still so the only risks are getting doored or someone cutting between cars.

Hungrycol

Wow commute last night home was very stressful. There's something with the traffic lately that has become quite agressive or just not looking (or looking and not caring or don't have the spacial awareness to consider the speed of a bike). I was more stressed when I arrive home than I was leaving work!