Whats the solution to cycle lanes being blocked?

Muahahaha

So I pass through Ranelagh pretty often in rush hour, sometimes on bicycle, other times on a motorbike. Lately I have been counting the amount of blockages in the cycle lanes. Yesterday was a record, in the village (say from junction of Road to past the Luas Station I counted no less than 9 vehicles in the morning and on the way back I counted 12. All just sitting there and forcing cyclists out onto the main road where it is already pretty narrow. IMO it is really selfish of these drivers to put other people in danger like that and I know when I am on either the motorbike or bicycle I have to be extra careful when vehicles park in the cycle lanes for whatever reason.

However we can moan about it all day but really what is the solution? On my way home most offenders are the "I only popped into the shop for one minute" brigade and it is obvious that enforcement by the Gardai and fines issued etc would quickly solve that problem.

But what of taxi drivers and delivery drivers? Taxis are allowed to ply for hire on the side of streets and when they have a situation where cycle lanes are running for several kilometers what exactly are they supposed to do? If they just stop without pulling in they then create a hazard between the passenger and cyclists and even more so if they just stopped on a road and allowed a passengers to swing a door into a cycle lane.

Delivery drivers are another one. It is very frustrating to see a huge delivery van blocking a cycle lane but they also have a job to do. I know some cities only allow deliveries at specific times but would this be practible in Dublin? I would imagine if shops were only allowed to accept deliveries from 5-7am there would be uproar amongst the likes of IBEC, retailers & transporters who would say the price of doing business would go up as a result.

So what do people think would be the actual solutions to the above problems?

smacl

Maybe we could encourage CI to get one of these and take it on patrol up and down the cities cycle lanes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD6qdzQvHhE

CantGetNoSleep

Where I live, there is one bike lane that is blocked by delivery drivers almost every morning. If it is a big brand, I take a photo and post it to one of their social media pages asking why they hate cyclists. Having to go around it puts me in a dodgy situation as it is where a two lane road just joins a third lane for a turn. It works to some extent, one big drinks company in particular now blocks a lane of traffic but leaves the bike lane free.

Wishbone Ash

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

Where I live, there is one bike lane that is blocked by delivery drivers almost every morning. If it is a big brand, I take a photo and post it to one of their social media pages asking why they hate cyclists. Having to go around it puts me in a dodgy situation as it is where a two lane road just joins a third lane for a turn. It works to some extent, one big drinks company in particular now blocks a lane of traffic but leaves the bike lane free.

If you take a look at the Road Traffic Regulations, they're perfectly entitled to park in a cycle track to make deliveries or to load (for a limited time) where no loading bay is available.

If you are see this 'almost every morning', you should be expecting it and take up an appropriate position in good time and use a bit of assertiveness.

Asking a 'big brand' why they hate cyclists is a bit naive IMO and does the rest of us a disservice. What would you suggest the driver do?

ED E

Taxis aren't allowed in cycle lanes nor double yellows, only single yellows. Goods vehicles have 30min to unload, not sit there.

In the areas you describe most of them are also clearways so nobody can block them, no just for five minutes bs, its a very clear offence.



DCC wipe their hands of it as AGS are mutually responsible. AGS use discretion thanks to institutional ineptitude. The few parking wardens we have only enforce paid for spaces. The towing trucks wait 24hrs before offending and don't operate at rush hour.

The solution is traffic wardens a la Toronto PEO that *solely* penalize parking offences not related to failing to top up the meter. That or legislate out Garda discretion so we can pull any member that walks past up with the Ombudsman.

ED E

PS you can join https://twitter.com/IBIKEDublin?

MysticMonk

I use the finglas to city centre cycle lanes most mornings and I see more than my share of cyclists in the road,ignoring the lane. It seems a blocked lane is only another excuse to moan

magicbastarder

do you mean the stretch down past clearwater?

hytrogen

Muahahaha wrote:

So what do people think would be the actual solutions to the above problems?

Simple, Off street parking.
Build that multistory carpark promised years ago over that hipster wasteland they call a Street market behind SuperValu. About ten stories up and down will do with room to expand vertically. Cheap rates like Dundrum, no more than 2Euro for a half day. And a good few bike racks and motorbike stations too. All ecar charging points.
Ground floor is free for 15mins after that they get towed.
Put the "Street market" on the rooftop terrace and a few apartments to the southern side of this glorious solution.

Billgirlylegs

Check Road Traffic Act/ SI.
What type of cycle lane is it - is it one of those daft "lines on the path" or is it marked similar to other traffic lanes on the road.
Is it bordered by a solid line or broken?
If it is a busy "pedestrian / shopping " area, are there any No Parking / Parking times signs or notices.
Presumably if parking is prohibited, there are double yellow lines.

Regrettably there are people who feel / think cycle lanes are protected by force fields for no use other than by cyclists.
They are misinformed. Cycle lanes are part of the road and subject to and catered for by legislation. That is usually pretty clear on the subject, although it might take time to find the information that answers your specific question.

Related issue - does the Road Traffic Act / SI specifically state that Motorbikes can use cycle lanes?

MysticMonk

magicbastarder wrote: »

do you mean the stretch down past clearwater?

No,usually the bit past the cemetry up to prospect road...tour de france wannabes flying along the road rather than use the cycle path.

Pinch Flat

I had a guy in a Jag block the cycle lane in St. Stephen's Green this morning - 3 empty spaces w,hci he couldn't be ar$ed to use. It's infuriating.

I took up an issue with DCC / Gardai about persistent blocking opposite Loretto school a while ago - during school times triple parking is not unusual - one in the car parking space, one in the cycle lane and another car outside that again. It's madness. I witnessed a girl being clipped by a car, who drove off, and this spurned me on.

The reply back from the Gardai was that it's too difficult to enforce. Surely a gaggle of tickets, followed up periodically, would focus people? but until we have enforcement this issue will continue unpunished. Irish drivers are a selfish and lazy lot unfortunately and inconveniencing or endangering cyclists wouldn't even enter their head when parking on a cycle lane.

Weepsie

MysticMonk wrote: »

the bit past the cemetry up to prospect road...tour de france wannabes flying along the road rather than use the cycle path.

The really awful lane that ends of on the road anyway, forces you to give up right of way several times, always has pedestrians in it, forces you to slow down frequently going by the cemetery, and is badly surfaced? It's a terrible cycle lane.

I'd be with WBA on this one. There are plenty of obvious examples of sefish folk doing it constantly though for no reason other than they can get away with and they are not loading, or delivering anything.

Also you are seeing them mostly in a bus lane, which is a bus and cycle lane.


Or in short, they're using it because they are allowed to.

hytrogen

Pinch Flat wrote:

I had a guy in a Jag block the cycle lane in St. Stephen's Green this morning - 3 empty spaces w,hci he couldn't be ar$ed to use. It's infuriating.

You do realise he can fit to bodies in the boot right?

MysticMonk

Weepsie wrote: »

The really awful lane that ends of on the road anyway, forces you to give up right of way several times, always has pedestrians in it, forces you to slow down frequently going by the cemetery, and is badly surfaced? It's a terrible cycle lane.

Yes,it's called travelling with due care and attention.

I don't understand the need to hurtle everywhere at breakneck speed when there are pedestrians and other hazards around.

It seems to me that a large number of cyclists hate to use their brakes for any reason whatsoever...having "right of way" doesnt mean sole ownership of the highways..

Weepsie

I can travel with due care and attention on the road though and not have to constantly stop. During rush hours I can keep up with most of the traffic too, the busses are stopping frequently on that stretch so it's really not a problem.

30 kmph is not a breakneck speed in traffic where pedestrians shouldn't be.

I never said "have sole right", you're inferring that. My journey is a lot more leisurely if I don't have to constantly stop for numerous obstacles that badly designed cycle lanes present. I've no problem stopping for lights, or at minor junctions, or anywhere else I would be expected to stop when on the road, but the cycle lane adds time I don't like to the journey and isn't anyway safer as far as I'm concerned.

I don't know what your point is, but whatever it is, you're making it badly.

07Lapierre

Lots and Lots of these:

https://sc01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1WD0jLFXXXXbCXVXXq6xXFXXXT/222622128/HTB1WD0jLFXXXXbCXVXXq6xXFXXXT.jpg

JayRoc

To be honest (and I know this is heresy to a lot of us) I don't really get bent out of shape by this issue. In places like Ranelagh, Westland Row, etc where it happens constantly I just tend to stay on the road rather than weave in and out of the cycle lane.

No biggie.

Tbh I am of the opinion that a lot of the time, the road is the best place for us anyway.

Chips Lovell

MysticMonk wrote: »

I use the finglas to city centre cycle lanes most mornings and I see more than my share of cyclists in the road,ignoring the lane.

Cycle lanes are optional. You're not obliged to use them.

magicbastarder

those cyclists *are* using cycle lanes. the lane past the cemetery is a combined bus/cycle lane.

i'm assuming MysticMonk is using the cycle path, and is complaining about the cyclists who use the bus lane - which is visibly marked as a bus/cycle lane.

Tenzor07

MysticMonk wrote: »

Yes,it's called travelling with due care and attention.

I don't understand the need to hurtle everywhere at breakneck speed when there are pedestrians and other hazards around.

It seems to me that a large number of Motorists hate to use their brakes for any reason whatsoever...having "right of way" doesn't mean sole ownership of the highways..

Can't single out bicyclists!

07Lapierre

MysticMonk wrote: »

Yes,it's called travelling with due care and attention.

I don't understand the need to hurtle everywhere at breakneck speed when there are pedestrians and other hazards around.

It seems to me that a large number of cyclists hate to use their brakes for any reason whatsoever...having "right of way" doesnt mean sole ownership of the highways..

Breakneck speed? are you referring to Motorists?

As for Brakes...I only use them when I want/need to slow down.

dhaughton99

Some of those really hard to remove stickers that the clampers use. Maybe small ones with a message that can be stuck on the offenders mirror.

ThisRegard

MysticMonk wrote: »

No,usually the bit past the cemetry up to prospect road...tour de france wannabes flying along the road rather than use the cycle path.

If they're going as fast as you say imply they are aren't they better on the road?

MysticMonk

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Can't single out bicyclists!

07Lapierre wrote: »

Breakneck speed? are you referring to Motorists?

.

Back to the default response of deflecting by blaming motorists...i never mentioned motorists or people in cars.

This forum will never brook any kind of critcism of cyclists or their behaviour as long as there's other road users to blame.

And it seems to me the moderators are the ones who lead the deflection.

Hardly objective now is it?

MysticMonk

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

Cycle lanes are optional. You're not obliged to use them.

Well then why moan when they're blocked?

magicbastarder

you are complaining about cyclists using lanes which are explicitly marked for the use of cyclists, as far as i can see.
what case have those cyclists to answer?

07Lapierre

MysticMonk wrote: »

Back to the default response of deflecting by blaming motorists...i never mentioned motorists or people in cars.

This forum will never brook any kind of critcism of cyclists or their behaviour as long as there's other road users to blame.

And it seems to me the moderators are the ones who lead the deflection.

Hardly objective now is it?

Wrong! There has been and is lots of comments about bad cycling on this forum.

This doesn't change the fact that you didn't know (or choose to ignore) the fact that cyclists are not obliged to use cycle paths.

magicbastarder

FWIW, this is something dublin cycling campaign have been addressing with dublin city council - adding bike symbols to bus lanes as many people forget that a typical bus lane is a combined bus/cycle lane.

Chips Lovell

MysticMonk wrote: »

Well then why moan when they're blocked?

Well I'm not moaning for a start.

But some people prefer to use cycle lanes and some people prefer to cycle on the road. And they're perfectly entitled to do either.

Wishbone Ash

MysticMonk wrote: »

Well then why moan when they're blocked?

I'm not moaning - I rarely use them especially that awful one in Finglas.