Galway traffic

Wombatman

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

You've heard about eBikes, right?

You've heard about motorbikes, right?

?Cee?view

Wombatman wrote: »

You've heard about motorbikes, right?

I can never understand why they're aren't more motorbikes and scooters in use in Galway. An obvious measure to reduce congestion would be to open the bus lanes that do exist to them thereby encouraging their use more.

Mr Tickle

?Cee?view wrote: »

I can never understand why they're aren't more motorbikes and scooters in use in Galway. An obvious measure to reduce congestion would be to open the bus lanes that do exist to them thereby encouraging their use more.

Insurance cost would be my main guess. I've thought about having a little moped or something to use to commute for most of the year. I'd still like to have a car for longer journeys/bringing passengers/carrying loads. The cost of insuring both is just too high though. Factors like how much i'd drive each one jsut don't make enough impact on the price.

?Cee?view

?Cee?view wrote: »

I can never understand why they're aren't more motorbikes and scooters in use in Galway. An obvious measure to reduce congestion would be to open the bus lanes that do exist to them thereby encouraging their use more.

Too dangerous for most people to consider.

?Cee?view

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

Too dangerous for most people to consider.

I don't know. They're no more dangerous here than in many other cities, yet other cities readily use them. They're the perfect solution for Galway really. You can cover up from the rain effectively, yet not arrive sweat soaked like you would on a bike. It's perfectly possible as well to wear a suit under wetgear when on a scooter or motorbike.

JohnCleary

?Cee?view wrote: »

I can never understand why they're aren't more motorbikes and scooters in use in Galway. An obvious measure to reduce congestion would be to open the bus lanes that do exist to them thereby encouraging their use more.

Sh1te weather

Mrs OBumble

?Cee?view wrote: »

I can never understand why they're aren't more motorbikes and scooters in use in Galway. An obvious measure to reduce congestion would be to open the bus lanes that do exist to them thereby encouraging their use more.

I thought about it, but the lack of secure parking is an issue.

phelant

On a fine day they are great but a combination of weather, insurance, being invisible to some car/truck etc drivers make it difficult. Two things struck me about riding a motorbike.

One was what a pain it was always having to be prepared for all the seasons clothing wise most of the days and the other, how treacherous the roads can be when we get rain (particularly after a dry spell). Something about the additives in fuels that wound up on the road and acted like detergent. Not good on 2 wheels.

Still envious though of the scooters in places like Rome where everyone one from professionals in their suits to teenagers and their grandparents can just twist and go.

yer man!

Weather is definitely a big factor here. I used to have a scooter in Galway years ago, fell off twice and crashed once (Granted I was not a great driver) but the wet made it a very challenging experience.

I was never late though so that's one clear advantage.

dinneenp

Hi
One Lane is closed on dual carriageway approaching Briar Hill But I have never seen any work going on. Anyone know what's happening?

zell12

dinneenp wrote: »

Hi
One Lane is closed on dual carriageway approaching Briar Hill But I have never seen any work going on. Anyone know what's happening?

It's because of work in the next section of the N6.
Otherwise there'd be bigger risk of collisions, as people would ignore the signs and cones

Yeah it's to funnel cars before they get to the lights.

A tractor and trailer clipped one of the cones ahead of me last week and popped the cone halfway out into my lane.

ChewyLouie

dinneenp wrote: »

Hi
One Lane is closed on dual carriageway approaching Briar Hill But I have never seen any work going on. Anyone know what's happening?

They're doing the line marking for the bus rapid transit (BRT) lane that's going from there across town over the bridge and out to Knocknacarra. Will be a clear run across town. Lolz, just kidding.

Thelonious Monk

?Cee?view wrote: »

I can never understand why they're aren't more motorbikes and scooters in use in Galway. An obvious measure to reduce congestion would be to open the bus lanes that do exist to them thereby encouraging their use more.

Yes, same with Dublin. Motorbikes get you from A to B in the same time regardless of traffic. I think there's a stigma against them here, in that people think you die as soon as you get on them, people have the same view on cycling though. I'd rather risk my life a little than endure hours in traffic every day though.

serfboard

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Yes, same with Dublin. Motorbikes get you from A to B in the same time regardless of traffic. I think there's a stigma against them here, in that people think you die as soon as you get on them, people have the same view on cycling though. I'd rather risk my life a little than endure hours in traffic every day though.

Would there be anything to be said for a Park n' Scoot service - similar to the Bike Share service where you hire a scooter instead?

at1withmyself

serfboard wrote: »

Would there be anything to be said for a Park n' Scoot service - similar to the Bike Share service where you hire a scooter instead?

I wonder if e-bikes could work here?

at1withmyself

serfboard wrote: »

Would there be anything to be said for a Park n' Scoot service - similar to the Bike Share service where you hire a scooter instead?

I wonder if e-bikes could work here?

AndrewJRenko

This thread sprang to mind twice today, first when I saw a young man with what looked like a large tub of paint and another bulky item hanging from his handlebars, and again when I spotted a young mum riding a cargo bike with two kids in front and one on a seat behind her.



But sure, bikes don't work for tradesmen or parents of young kids, so maybe I was just dreaming.

Some fella with a tin of paint on his handle bar isn’t a tradesman ffs.

Med101007

Hi. I have an appointment in UCHG at 9.30am on Friday morning next. I will be travelling from the east so I will be coming into Galway on the M6. Just wondering what time should I look to be arriving at the Parkmore roundabout to avoid the morning traffic rush? Would 9.00am be pushing it it to reach the hospital from Parkmore at that time of the morning.

fergiesfolly

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

This thread sprang to mind twice today, first when I saw a young man with what looked like a large tub of paint and another bulky item hanging from his handlebars, and again when I spotted a young mum riding a cargo bike with two kids in front and one on a seat behind her.



But sure, bikes don't work for tradesmen or parents of young kids, so maybe I was just dreaming.

I'm on my phone and can't see the second photo clearly, so won't speak to that.
But Andrew, honestly, do you think the guy carrying the tins of paint is taking due care and behaving responsibly?

Ashleigh1986

Ya the tradesman has to paint a complete house ....
Sweet mother of god by the time he got from the paint suppliers to the house , with the amount of paint required , he wouldn't have time to paint the house .
Some lads on this forum are living up in the clouds .

jammiedodgers

Stop sniffing the paint andrew

xckjoo

serfboard wrote: »

Would there be anything to be said for a Park n' Scoot service - similar to the Bike Share service where you hire a scooter instead?

I'd imagine the number of people with the license to drive one wouldn't be high enough.

grbear

The insurance costs would probably be greater than the GDP of most countries in Western Europe unfortunately.

I personally think e-scooters have a lot of potential in these types of scenario. While as a general rule I’m not at all a fan of park and ride I think if the parking was close enough to the city to easily get in/out on an e-scooter it would make a lot of sense.

I’d be thinking of your own one rather than rented though, can easily be left in the boot of the car, brought on a bus etc. The legal grey area around them needs to be sorted asap. Even as someone who prefers driving to work I’d certainly be happy to use one for going into town at lunch at that sort of thing much more so than I’d want to cycle.

xckjoo

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

I personally think e-scooters have a lot of potential in these types of scenario. While as a general rule I’m not at all a fan of park and ride I think if the parking was close enough to the city to easily get in/out on an e-scooter it would make a lot of sense.

I’d be thinking of your own one rather than rented though, can easily be left in the boot of the car, brought on a bus etc. The legal grey area around them needs to be sorted asap. Even as someone who prefers driving to work I’d certainly be happy to use one for going into town at lunch at that sort of thing much more so than I’d want to cycle.

Think scooters was referring to mopeds here rather than the stand-on type. At least that's how I interpreted it.


It's interesting that you see a use for the e-scooter but not bikes. Would you want dedicated infrastructure or just zip around in the traffic? IMO they don't belong on footpaths anyway. Accident waiting to happen

xckjoo

xckjoo wrote: »

Think scooters was referring to mopeds here rather than the stand-on type. At least that's how I interpreted it.


It's interesting that you see a use for the e-scooter but not bikes. Would you want dedicated infrastructure or just zip around in the traffic? IMO they don't belong on footpaths anyway. Accident waiting to happen

Yeah I know they were on about mopeds.

I’ve never said I don’t see a place for bikes just they aren’t for me or a lot of people. The e-scooters require no effort to get around on which is the big attraction . They are also handy to stick in the boot, bring up into an office etc.

Personally in my circumstances I wouldn’t see one as a main way of getting around by any means but a handy thing for zipping around shortish distances for lunch, picking up something from the shop/chemist etc. Maybe if park and ride was close enough o town it would be an option of nice days also. If living close to work I’d definitely see one as being a good option for commuting (say with 5km of work).

I’m trying to justify buying one for the Craic as it is but I don’t really think I’d get the use for spending 5 or 600 euro.

I wouldn’t be too bothered about dedicated infrastructure, what ever bits of cycle lanes are around plus in normal traffic would be fine. I’ve no fear of being in traffic on bikes etc, despite what many think I have actually cycled quite a bit in cities especially picking up coke bikes etc I just don’t see cycling as being the complete travel method others do and certainly not for the distances or carrying stuff some promote it for. Totally agree on keeping them off footpaths also along with bikes.

serfboard

xckjoo wrote: »

It's interesting that you see a use for the e-scooter but not bikes. Would you want dedicated infrastructure or just zip around in the traffic? IMO they don't belong on footpaths anyway. Accident waiting to happen

I was amazed to see mopeds being used in cycle lanes in Amsterdam a couple of years ago (not sure if they were legally allowed or not). Given the speed the mopeds were doing, I thought that was definitely an accident waiting to happen.

yer man!

serfboard wrote: »

I was amazed to see mopeds being used in cycle lanes in Amsterdam a couple of years ago (not sure if they were legally allowed or not). Given the speed the mopeds were doing, I thought that was definitely an accident waiting to happen.

Mopeds are allowed to drive in the cycle lanes in most of the Netherlands but only if it's restricted to like 25km/h I think. They have a blue plate on the bike to show that it's legal to drive in one. All other vehicles have yellow plates which are highly illegal to drive in the cycle lanes but sometimes do and nearly wipe me out when I'm on the bicycle.