Journalism and Cycling 2: the difficult second album

Weepsie

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/education/parents-can-claim-up-to-2550-a-week-to-drive-their-children-to-school-under-new-travel-allowance-39467553.html

I know why it's being done but I for one am not looking forward to the clusterf*CK this is going to make of my commute from this week

magicbastarder

A Department spokesperson confirmed that it would apply to eligible second-level pupils only , and not primary pupils.

um, so doesn't apply to the students who much less likely to be able to make their own way to school?

TheChizler

breezy1985 wrote: »

As for cars turning they should just look before they turn and most of all dont overtake a bike 20 seconds before your turn

No amount of 'should' will change the fact that they don't though.

magicbastarder

magicbastarder wrote: »

um, so doesn't apply to the students who much less likely to be able to make their own way to school?

How does the scheme work in Dublin city? Do the kids pay or do they have a pass for Dublin Bus? Been a while since I had to endure a bus full of school kids in Dublin but a lot of them I encountered were well within 30 minutes walk or 10 minutes cycle, would boil my piss to think those kids parents were getting paid to drive them even in the times we are in.

ED E

Deleted User wrote: »

How does the scheme work in Dublin city? Do the kids pay or do they have a pass for Dublin Bus? Been a while since I had to endure a bus full of school kids in Dublin but a lot of them I encountered were well within 30 minutes walk or 10 minutes cycle, would boil my piss to think those kids parents were getting paid to drive them even in the times we are in.

Wouldnt apply. The school bus scheme (Bus Eireann and others) basically doesnt operate in suburban/urban Dublin. Kids on DB are paying full child rate (every 16yo declares themselves 12 for the bus and 18 for the offo). This only applies to the bus scheme that I can see.


But 100%, every road with a school on it is gonna be chock full of ****in chelsea tractors. Eugh.

magicbastarder

Dublin City Council’s €2.5m plan to curb ‘sideswiping’ cyclists
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/dublin-city-council-s-2-5m-plan-to-curb-sideswiping-cyclists-1.4312022

cletus

I don't cycle in the city, and I've never cycled in a cycle lane that has those bollards. What are peoples feelings in general about using them to segregate lanes?

De Bhál

magicbastarder wrote: »

Dublin City Council’s €2.5m plan to curb ‘sideswiping’ cyclists
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/dublin-city-council-s-2-5m-plan-to-curb-sideswiping-cyclists-1.4312022

'“bounce-back wands” which can be driven over if necessary,'

so that'll be that so

breezy1985

cletus wrote: »

I don't cycle in the city, and I've never cycled in a cycle lane that has those bollards. What are peoples feelings in general about using them to segregate lanes?

Ide rarther just a small kerb but there are some places where they are necessary like I would love if they put some outside Limerick train station because car and taxi drivers cant get it into their heads that the drop off point was moved round the corner.

Overall though they cant protect you at the junctions which are the most dangerous spots

Stark

I like them for the most part even if it does occasionally mean extra frustration when some slow-ass shoals in front of you at the lights. At least with the wands it's a bit easier to temporarily leave the narrow lane to overtake than if there was a high kerb.

breezy1985 wrote:

Overall though they cant protect you at the junctions which are the most dangerous spots

True, but it does mean you only have to be highly alert at junctions and can relax somewhat on the stretches between junctions. Means my commute is a lot less stressful overall.

Harrybelafonte

cletus wrote: »

I don't cycle in the city, and I've never cycled in a cycle lane that has those bollards. What are peoples feelings in general about using them to segregate lanes?

Total ****. Further segregation which allows people driving to hunker down on the idea that the roads are theirs.

Can't overtake in them.
Extra risk if you have a wobble.

I understand why people feel them necessary but all the issues re driving and parking would be better solved through enforcement rather than deterrent, or even a combo of both.

Harrybelafonte

ED E wrote: »

Wouldnt apply. The school bus scheme (Bus Eireann and others) basically doesnt operate in suburban/urban Dublin. Kids on DB are paying full child rate (every 16yo declares themselves 12 for the bus and 18 for the offo). This only applies to the bus scheme that I can see.


But 100%, every road with a school on it is gonna be chock full of ****in chelsea tractors. Eugh.

Son's school is making efforts to discourage parents from driving to school. No parking, no easy access for cars or a drop off. They have always pushed walking and cycling. As I went through here before, my son will no longer cycle to school after a number of very serious close calls, none of which he was at fault in. I doubt he'll ever cycle in the city again. His mother will never cycle on the road again after being deliberately side swiped by some goon and my wife just plain refuses to do it. So it'll be greenways only for us.

No springy bollards will convince any of these people it's safe to cycle in the city

CramCycle

De Bhál wrote: »

'“bounce-back wands” which can be driven over if necessary,'

so that'll be that so

My thoughts exactly, so we now know that they are no more than a visual deterrent and in a typical SUV won't even notice riding over them. I await the long line of pictures on twitter where they have been ran over or uprooted. I seen a line of them a few weeks ago where apparently a Councillor and shop owner simply cut them down in annoyance.

mr spuckler

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Total ****. Further segregation which allows people driving to hunker down on the idea that the roads are theirs.

Can't overtake in them.
Extra risk if you have a wobble.

I understand why people feel them necessary but all the issues re driving and parking would be better solved through enforcement rather than deterrent, or even a combo of both.

Proper segregation combined with enforcement. Unfortunately in Ireland we only ever at best go for a short term, minimal sustained effort approach.

So we build segregated lanes but don't enforce people parking on them or using as loading bays. Implement 30kph limits in estates but do absolutely nothing to force people to slow down, through either enforcement or physical reconfiguration of the roadways.

Wands were installed on Leeson st, probably one of the first locations in Dublin to get them. Every single day I'd see illegal parking on top of the wands, delivery drivers crushing them with tail lifts etc. I've never once seen someone being ticketed there despite Gardaí and DSPS regularly passing by.

zell12

https://kilkennynow.ie/road-rage-motorist-attacks-cyclist-at-pedestrian-crossing-in-kilkenny-town

According to a garda spokesman a man dismounted his bicycle at the pedestrian crossing.
"A motorist driving a red Lexus pulled up at the crossing and got out of his car, words were exchanged and the driver slapped the cyclist on the side of the face. No injuries were sustained. Gardaí in Urlingford are investigating,"

CramCycle

I just can't help but see this:

or this

Curb Your Enthusiasm

zell12 wrote: »

https://kilkennynow.ie/road-rage-motorist-attacks-cyclist-at-pedestrian-crossing-in-kilkenny-town

The comment at the end of the article...

Stark

Curb Your Enthusiasm wrote: »

The comment at the end of the article...

Haha, the first thing that went through my mind reading that article was "small penis"

blackwhite

CramCycle wrote: »

My thoughts exactly, so we now know that they are no more than a visual deterrent and in a typical SUV won't even notice riding over them. I await the long line of pictures on twitter where they have been ran over or uprooted. I seen a line of them a few weeks ago where apparently a Councillor and shop owner simply cut them down in annoyance.

The cycle gates at Pigeon House Rd have been removed multiple times already by locals annoyed that they have to go an extra 2 minutes around to access Sean Moore Road.

CramCycle

Curb Your Enthusiasm wrote: »

The comment at the end of the article...

I feel the girlfriend was being disingenuous if she was only just/barely satisfied, as the tone implies.

eeeee

I'm not a fan of the bollards, they re-inforce the idea that cyclists should not be on the road etc. - what Harry said. They're also absolutely full of shyte, and I rarely ever cycle in them.

Where they can be useful is in protecting space before/at left turns, and in all cases of them being used this way they get torn up from being driven over, thus failing to prevent what they are there for. The ones heading towards town at Booterstown Ave and at the Merrion/rock road junction spring to mind. It took all of about a week for the 2 most important bendy bollards in that series to disappear, thus largely negating their purpose. They were not replaced, but occasionally there will be a single cone placed in lieu of them at the Merrion/Rock road junction, which is eventually driven into and blocks cycle lane :rolleyes:

CramCycle

I don't care too much because they have benefits (they might encourage cycling), and selfishly, I am big and bold enough to stand my ground and ride outside of them when necessary. My main arguments against them are that they are pointless until we have a change in culture. Those being that the speed of cars in built up areas should not be radically different than bicycles. You hear all these motorists complain about it being 'impossible' to drive below 30kmph. Sweet christmas, every driver who uses that in a comments section or in public conversation should simply have their license removed and their car impounded. How do they manage to drive in heavy traffic. Where I live in Wexford the locals have put up 10kmph signs in the estate. In fact the only people who actively obey it are my elderly neighbours and the three families of drug dealers. With the speed bumps and traffic, it adds no more than 30seconds onto my journey to go at the speed and its relatively easy to do. Until Gardai install average speed cameras, RLJ cameras and bus lane cameras, all the bollards, limits etc. in the world will make no difference. What made drink driving unacceptable? Enforcement. What made seatbelt non use unacceptable? Enforcement. Now that they are ingrained, the younger generations see that as normal and enforcement can ease a bit.

Seth Brundle

Wands, if added, need to be an actual device that separates traffic from cyclists and not creates a false sense of being a safe distance away from VRUs...

https://twitter.com/TrueJom/status/1285225596772130817

Those wands have apparently been removed now...

https://twitter.com/TrueJom/status/1288427281665400832

CramCycle

I would remove the bike lane altogether, large signs declaring the law, that it is in fact a Bus and Cycle lane. Add Bus lane cameras and average speed cameras to the lane. Watch as roughly 48 days later abuse of the bus lane by private motorists vanish and shortly after DB and other bus drivers realise they are not in a rush to keep to timetables as they are no longer stuck in a queue of private motorists later on.

breezy1985

Curb Your Enthusiasm wrote: »

The comment at the end of the article...

That's definitely not the cyclist. We don't have that problem : )

Pinch Flat

I've whatsapped him. Will let you know how I get on.

Seth Brundle

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I've whatsapped him. Will let you know how I get on.

Good luck but I do think you'd be better off talking to your GP!

Seth Brundle

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Good luck but I do think you'd be better off talking to your GP!

Not his LBS if he has the 'pinch flat' in his you know whats it's????

Seth Brundle

Looks like some people are opposed to Dublin City Council's 30km/h plans because cyclists would end up moving faster than cars...
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/dublin-city-council-plans-for-30km-h-limit-despite-opposition-1.4340989

Grassey

Watching the speedometer would take concentration off the road,

Really.....