Cyclists on ring road

Supra lover 87

Why have the council built a cycle lane the length of the ring road for cyclists to ignore it and slow traffic on the road. The road is a 100k zone for fast access in and around the city and still they pull out on the road in front of cars the stretch outside woodies is the worst where cars have been seen hard breaking from 100 to 20 because there's not enough room for car and bike

toe_knee

The road is big enough for cars and bikes unless they are side by side on the bikes

Diemos

Supra lover 87 wrote: »

Why have the council built a cycle lane the length of the ring road for cyclists to ignore it and slow traffic on the road. The road is a 100k zone for fast access in and around the city and still they pull out on the road in front of cars the stretch outside woodies is the worst where cars have been seen hard breaking from 100 to 20 because there's not enough room for car and bike

have you tried cycling on the lane?

in my experience when cyclists chose to cycle on the road as opposed to the lane, it's usually because the lane is not fit for purpose.

if it were a tractor would you be here complaining about slowing down for a few minutes?

Supra lover 87

It's hardly not fit for purpose when the council spent so much time and money on it. And the tractor is a different story it's much safer and convenient just to use cycle lane

The J Stands for Jay

Supra lover 87 wrote: »

It's hardly not fit for purpose when the council spent so much time and money on it. And the tractor is a different story it's much safer and convenient just to use cycle lane

Just because money was spent on it, doesn't mean it's fit for purpose. It just means some lad who did a deal with the council got paid.

road_high

Supra lover 87 wrote: »

Why have the council built a cycle lane the length of the ring road for cyclists to ignore it and slow traffic on the road. The road is a 100k zone for fast access in and around the city and still they pull out on the road in front of cars the stretch outside woodies is the worst where cars have been seen hard breaking from 100 to 20 because there's not enough room for car and bike

I think these cyclists are mental- I wouldn't want to be mixing with cars and hgvs at circa 100 kmh speeds. The worst is at roundabouts and over Ossary bridge where they insist on 2 abreast. There'll be a serious accident on the ring road very soon involving cyclists as the traffic has risen dramatically and they are not the using the cycle lanes

Absolute Zero

Diemos wrote: »

have you tried cycling on the lane?

in my experience when cyclists chose to cycle on the road as opposed to the lane, it's usually because the lane is not fit for purpose.

if it were a tractor would you be here complaining about slowing down for a few minutes?

Yes I always cycle on the lane, what exactly is the problem with the cycle lane? Also why change the topic of the conversation? This thread is about cyclists using a 100kmph road not tractors on the ring road.

miece16

you cyclists spend years crying for cycle lanes and then when they are built, insist on using the road.

SMH

nothing wrong with those cycle lanes as i regularly walk a good section of the ring road most days.

you'd almost swear they do it on purpose just to have a go at motorists.

I think part of the problem is that runners/walkers/ dog walkers /buggies spread out onto the cycle lanes because it's all part of the footpath, so cyclists have to slow down or manoeuvre around other pathway users. So "faster" cyclists can stay going at their pace better if they stay on the road.
The cycle lanes need to be defined for cyclists only to make them fit for purpose. Or else the section for walkers and runners needs to be a bit wider to give the walkers more room and safety. It's very scary when a fast cyclist comes up behind you at speed on the path.

The J Stands for Jay

miece16 wrote: »

you cyclists spend years crying for cycle lanes and then when they are built, insist on using the road.

SMH

nothing wrong with those cycle lanes as i regularly walk a good section of the ring road most days.

you'd almost swear they do it on purpose just to have a go at motorists.

Those cycle lanes are just a bit of paint on the footpath. There's no proper junctions with other roads and at a few points it just disappears. Plus they're often obstructed by people walking a good section of the ring road.

greenspurs

Supra lover 87 wrote: »

Why have the council built a cycle lane the length of the ring road for cyclists to ignore it and slow traffic on the road. The road is a 100k zone for fast access in and around the city and still they pull out on the road in front of cars the stretch outside woodies is the worst where cars have been seen hard breaking from 100 to 20 because there's not enough room for car and bike

Well , drive more carefully, and respect other road users then.
If motorists are paying attention (And not texting while driving) , they should be aware of potential dangers, and then not have to 'brake hard'.

And if you know you cyclists are going to 'slow traffic' , why not leave 5 mins earlier... Then you wont be in a rush.....
Share the Roads.

Absolute Zero

greenspurs wrote: »

Well , drive more carefully, and respect other road users then.
If motorists are paying attention (And not texting while driving) , they should be aware of potential dangers, and then not have to 'brake hard'.

And if you know you cyclists are going to 'slow traffic' , why not leave 5 mins earlier... Then you wont be in a rush.....
Share the Roads.

Post is invalid. A cycle lane is provided so you have no argument. Instead you resort to making up claims ( e.g. texting whilst driving).

greenspurs

Absolute Zero wrote: »

Post is invalid. A cycle lane is provided so you have no argument. Instead you resort to making up claims ( e.g. texting whilst driving).

I have no argument ?? Really ?
A cycle lane is provided , so i have no argument ??
Do, please explain ..... :rolleyes:

The J Stands for Jay

Absolute Zero wrote: »

Post is invalid. A cycle lane is provided so you have no argument. Instead you resort to making up claims ( e.g. texting whilst driving).

By your own logic, since there are alternative driving routes provided, your argument is invalid.

PaulKK

A few points mentioned already here but worth pointing out again.

I used to do a bit of cycling and am hoping to get back in to it again so here is my opinion.

On average you can expect to travel at 25km/hr + on a road bike and for more experienced cyclists closer to mid 30s.

The ring road 'cycle lane' is
1) Not segregated from other users
2) Not correctly aligned to the roads at the roundabouts and often has a large step on to the road from the footpath
3) Is not respected by walkers/runners/dog walkers
4) Has multiple man hole covers in the cycle lane which can be dangerous when wet.

I think the existing set up is probably fine for family's or people out for some fresh air, but if you are out for a 100k cycle then you aren't going to get off the road, and the ring road is often more or less the only way to get anywhere from the city centre.

Plus most of the ring road has decent width hard shoulder which I would typically use as opposed to the road itself.

cats pyjamas

Our soon to be new Taoiseach abolished mandatory use of cycling lanes because so many of them are not fit for purpose. Some of them are just downright dangerous. Will we just ignore that because some people cant drive properly (safely overcoming obstacles)?

The cycle lane on the ring road is very good for getting the kids out cycling but no good for anything else. There are too many people pushing buggies, walking dogs or walking/running who take up the cycle lane as well as the footpath. Imagine the outcry if someone was knocked down by a bike (in the cycle lane) because they were going too fast for the walkers to get out of the way.

Cyclists would also have to dismount at every roundabout to cross the road - not very practical when you can cycle the length of the ring road faster than cars can drive it at certain times of the day. If you want to get to any the roads from the Callan one to the Comer road then you have to have some contact with the ring road.

The road itself is wide enough to accommodate bikes and cars (or trucks) if everyone uses common sense, even at the Woodies junction. I cycle (and drive btw) and imo this bit of the ringroad is not bad - never had an issue there.

Also, there is no cycle lane over Ossary bridge.

cats pyjamas

PaulKK wrote: »

A few points mentioned already here but worth pointing out again.

I used to do a bit of cycling and am hoping to get back in to it again so here is my opinion.

On average you can expect to travel at 25km/hr + on a road bike and for more experienced cyclists closer to mid 30s.

The ring road 'cycle lane' is
1) Not segregated from other users
2) Not correctly aligned to the roads at the roundabouts and often has a large step on to the road from the footpath
3) Is not respected by walkers/runners/dog walkers
4) Has multiple man hole covers in the cycle lane which can be dangerous when wet.

I think the existing set up is probably fine for family's or people out for some fresh air, but if you are out for a 100k cycle then you aren't going to get off the road, and the ring road is often more or less the only way to get anywhere from the city centre.

Plus most of the ring road has decent width hard shoulder which I would typically use as opposed to the road itself.

Bet me to it.

I love Sean nos

Supra lover 87 wrote: »

Why have the council built a cycle lane the length of the ring road for cyclists to ignore it and slow traffic on the road.

Supra lover 87 wrote: »

It's hardly not fit for purpose when the council spent so much time and money on it. And the tractor is a different story it's much safer and convenient just to use cycle lane

road_high wrote: »

I think these cyclists are mental- I wouldn't want to be mixing with cars and hgvs at circa 100 kmh speeds.

miece16 wrote: »

you cyclists spend years crying for cycle lanes and then when they are built, insist on using the road.

you'd almost swear they do it on purpose just to have a go at motorists.

The general feeling seems to be that people on bikes are actively resisting human nature and not acting in their own best interest. Is that's the case it's fascinating and one that should be studied and reported upon worldwide.

Or...they're behaving completely normally and predictably, acting in their own self interest as do we all, and the above is nothing more than waffle.

Quite the conundrum.

greenspurs

cats pyjamas wrote: »

Our soon to be new Taoiseach abolished mandatory use of cycling lanes because so many of them are not fit for purpose. Some of them are just downright dangerous. Will we just ignore that because some people cant drive properly (safely overcoming obstacles)?

The cycle lane on the ring road is very good for getting the kids out cycling but no good for anything else. There are too many people pushing buggies, walking dogs or walking/running who take up the cycle lane as well as the footpath. Imagine the outcry if someone was knocked down by a bike (in the cycle lane) because they were going too fast for the walkers to get out of the way.

Cyclists would also have to dismount at every roundabout to cross the road - not very practical when you can cycle the length of the ring road faster than cars can drive it at certain times of the day. If you want to get to any the roads from the Callan one to the Comer road then you have to have some contact with the ring road.

The road itself is wide enough to accommodate bikes and cars (or trucks) if everyone uses common sense, even at the Woodies junction. I cycle (and drive btw) and imo this bit of the ringroad is not bad - never had an issue there.

Also, there is no cycle lane over Ossary bridge.

Perfect sense, but the majority of motorists arent interested in that.
Its easier for them to just blame cyclists for all delays, instead of showing some respect to other road users. And there are some very stupid cyclists out there too.
But even when driving my car, there is very little respect shown to other motorists nowadays. People will just pull out in front/across you etc...
Its a "F cuk you" attitude that seems to be prevalent in life now.
No respect for others, and very little manners.

desertcircus

miece16 wrote: »

That's the same argument i hear every time.
What do they do on the continent? they have a bell on their bike that they ring for you to get out of the way.
If you don't move you get hit by a bike, simple as.

I've been to the Netherlands multiple times and i admit to walking in the bike lanes there, but a swift ring of a bell from a biker and some words I can't understand makes you get out of the way pretty fast.

People in this country need to cop on and toughen up. There's people on the bike lane?

Make them move

It's not unusual to see cars and vans parked in cycle lanes. How do you propose a cyclist makes them move?

The J Stands for Jay

miece16 wrote: »

That's the same argument i hear every time.
What do they do on the continent? they have a bell on their bike that they ring for you to get out of the way.
If you don't move you get hit by a bike, simple as.

I've been to the Netherlands multiple times and i admit to walking in the bike lanes there, but a swift ring of a bell from a biker and some words I can't understand makes you get out of the way pretty fast.

People in this country need to cop on and toughen up. There's people on the bike lane?

Make them move

Good idea, just keep cycling towards the pedestrians: http://www.thejournal.ie/phoenix-park-cyclist-dies-in-hospital-2751811-May2016/

desertcircus

I can't stress this enough - if the quid pro quo for sticking to bike lanes "like they do on the continent" is a wholesale restructuring of Irish roads, Irish road design and Irish traffic law to also match what they do on the continent, I'd take that deal in a heartbeat. Priority at all junctions? No more garbage red tarmacking? No more manhole covers and drains? No more bus stops across the bike lane? An automatic assumption of blame on the driver if I'm in a crash with a car? Bike lanes swept clean of wet leaves and broken glass on a daily basis? Sign me up.

Even on the continent, though, it's not rare to see faster cyclists use the roads, and drivers are courteous and polite to a fault about it.

desertcircus

miece16 wrote: »

ring your bell at it

That is a truly brilliant method for moving a parked car with nobody in it. Just phenomenal. Groundbreaking.

miece16

the police should be dealing with those cars but they don't.

greenspurs

miece16 wrote: »

the police should be dealing with those cars but they don't.

Well , all infringements of Law should be punished, but there is little enforcement. Without enforcement laws will be continually broken.
Texting while driving, close passes, assaulting cyclists, killing cyclists, All punishable by law, but not enforced.
Same for cyclists that jump red lights, or cycle on footpaths , not enough enforcement to create a deterrent..
Its a vicious circle, and its being stirred by sections of the Media who have portrayed cyclists as "LycraLouts" or "Mamils"..... and as a result its becoming acceptable to abuse, kill, injure cyclists that use PUBLIC roads.

Share the Road , and have some respect for other users ....

Bowlardo

I'm a casual cyclist.. I like the cycle lane but can't understand why serious cyclists use the road. Vert frustrating that you have to dismount over the old new bridge.

Absolute Zero

desertcircus wrote: »

That is a truly brilliant method for moving a parked car with nobody in it. Just phenomenal. Groundbreaking.

Better than what your offering, smart arse.

desertcircus

Absolute Zero wrote: »

Better than what your offering, smart arse.

Oh, I'm sorry, was I supposed to take the suggestion seriously? Was I supposed to stand my bike in front of a parked car the next time I'm out and ring my bell at the bloody thing while whoever parked it there is off elsewhere? Do I have to keep doing it until they come back? If they leave it overnight, am I allowed to go onto the road instead, or do I have to sleep on the tarmac and wait for the owner to return the next day before I continue on my way?

Using bike lanes is frequently frustrating, regularly dangerous and occasionally physically impossible without coming to a dead stop in the road, lifting your bike onto the bike lane, riding for a hundred metres, stopping again, and then lifting your bike back down to the road. But sure, I'm the one being facetious when someone's idea of dealing with a parked car in the bike lane is to "ring your bell at it".

greenspurs

Did anyone mention "Road Tax" yet ????

Tutsy Barry

many a time I would be flying by down the footpath that has a cycle track joined to it and see a lance Armstrong wannabe out on the road, holding up traffic that cant pass them. I say blow them out of it. I don't want to see your backside for 5 minutes because I cant overtake you.

But I blame the politicians for this issue.

The J Stands for Jay

Tutsy Barry wrote: »

many a time I would be flying by down the footpath that has a cycle track joined to it and see a lance Armstrong wannabe out on the road, holding up traffic that cant pass them. I say blow them out of it. I don't want to see your backside for 5 minutes because I cant overtake you.

But I blame the politicians for this issue.

Needs to be a gosafe van on that road to stop drivers "flying by".