Journalism and Cycling 2: the difficult second album

magicbastarder

Tombo2001 wrote: »

A new cycle lane has gone in on Griffith Avenue - the whingeing about it on the the local Drumcondra Social facebook page is off the charts. And its all the same type of punter in the 55-70 age bracket, or else portly young man who has just bought his first car.

i joined the drumcondra social facebook group on the premise of this post and it has been disappointingly/pleasingly positive re the griffith avenue cycle path. almost everyone is polite, and plenty of people quite positive about it. there are a few muppets, of course, but far fewer than you'd get commenting on your average newspaper article about cycling.

Tombo2001

magicbastarder wrote: »

i joined the drumcondra social facebook group on the premise of this post and it has been disappointingly/pleasingly positive re the griffith avenue cycle path. almost everyone is polite, and plenty of people quite positive about it. there are a few muppets, of course, but far fewer than you'd get commenting on your average newspaper article about cycling.

There was a discussion today and yesterday on a new cycle path on Griffith Avenue, and yes I was surprised that the majority seemed to be in favour.

Still though there are some nuggets that come up again and again:
- nothing against cycle paths, but just not there

- the really annoying one - if a driver brakes a red light they get a ticket while cyclists get away scot free (have been walking the kids to school for ten years, there is a hazardous traffic light where I have seen thousands and thousands of drivers break the lights, have complained to councillors, have complained to an garda.....not once has any driver been punished for it).

- cycle path was completely empty when I drove past

etc etc

magicbastarder

Tombo2001 wrote: »

There was a discussion today and yesterday on a new cycle path on Griffith Avenue, and yes I was surprised that the majority seemed to be in favour.

you might have missed the part i got stuck into where a woman started giving out about cyclists using bus lanes, and was completely failing to understand that they're explicitly for cyclists too. and then when i screenshotted the actual bus/cycle symbol on the bus lane, insisted it referred to the cycle path beside it. and then she deleted her original comment so the rest vanished.

ah well, it helped pass an evening.

CramCycle

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Still though there are some nuggets that come up again and again:
- nothing against cycle paths, but just not there

NIMBYism, same types were against the LUAS that they all love now

- the really annoying one - if a driver brakes a red light they get a ticket while cyclists get away scot free (have been walking the kids to school for ten years, there is a hazardous traffic light where I have seen thousands and thousands of drivers break the lights, have complained to councillors, have complained to an garda.....not once has any driver been punished for it).

If I was so inclined, I am pretty sure I could break every light in my car on the drive to work and even , in the unlikely even I was pulled over, I'd be able to bluff my way out of a ticket. I could also chance it on my bike but there is a good chance that, unlike when I am in a car, I wouldn't be noticed and there is a higher chance I would get hit, also if I was pulled over, since there are not PP and its an easy FPN, I would imagine i have more chance of getting said fine if caught.

- cycle path was completely empty when I drove past

Often drive along the M50 at night, absolutely empty, it is disgraceful.

DoraDelite

magicbastarder wrote: »

you might have missed the part i got stuck into where a woman started giving out about cyclists using bus lanes, and was completely failing to understand that they're explicitly for cyclists too. and then when i screenshotted the actual bus/cycle symbol on the bus lane, insisted it referred to the cycle path beside it. and then she deleted her original comment so the rest vanished.

ah well, it helped pass an evening.

One of the funniest comments was the lad giving out about the right turn only lane at where the garda station used to be, claiming he didn't know it was there even though it's been in place for 20 odd years at least Somehow that's credited to a cycle lane that doesn't exist yet :rolleyes:

Tombo2001

Related point was the woman giving out because she cant park outside the Educate Together 'because of the new bike path' .....(note, it was never legal to park there in the first place!!).

The Educate Together schools had a 'first come first serve' admissions policy, not sure if they still have.....but a consequence is that you could be living in Tallaght and enrol your kid in Glasnevin Educate Together.

For me, there is a lot to be said for the notion that if you have a local school, then thats where your kid should go.

A lot of people dont do that. They want the primary school 6 miles away because somehow its 'better' than the local school, which is usually a euphemism for more middle class.

Most people in Dublin have a local school that is within 20 minute walk or 10 minute cycle - they just dont use them. This creates an inordinate amount of car traffic.

On a more positive note - I was in Na Fianna yesterday and couldnt believe the amount of bikes in Scoil Caitriona - Caroline Conroy is a big local champion of the bike and directly campaigned for a large number of sheffield stands in the school, and they are full to the brim with bikes.

mr spuckler

Tell me how wrote: »

I'm just curious about this statement.
What sentence/punishment do you think would be appropriate in such an incident?

This was a 68 year old woman driving home from mass. I'm not excusing her, but it doesn't seem to compare to drink driving, joy riding, boy racer type incidents which we here about all too often.

The article doesn't suggest any obvious unacceptable behaviour other than incompetency.

Again, not trying to be argumentative here but should every RTA result in a custodial sentence?

She killed someone through her behaviour. I'd rank that right at the top of the list of unacceptable behaviours.

breezy1985

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Related point was the woman giving out because she cant park outside the Educate Together 'because of the new bike path' .....(note, it was never legal to park there in the first place!!).

The Educate Together schools had a 'first come first serve' admissions policy, not sure if they still have.....but a consequence is that you could be living in Tallaght and enrol your kid in Glasnevin Educate Together.

For me, there is a lot to be said for the notion that if you have a local school, then thats where your kid should go.

A lot of people dont do that. They want the primary school 6 miles away because somehow its 'better' than the local school, which is usually a euphemism for more middle class.

Most people in Dublin have a local school that is within 20 minute walk or 10 minute cycle - they just dont use them. This creates an inordinate amount of car traffic.

On a more positive note - I was in Na Fianna yesterday and couldnt believe the amount of bikes in Scoil Caitriona - Caroline Conroy is a big local champion of the bike and directly campaigned for a large number of sheffield stands in the school, and they are full to the brim with bikes.

I'm well sick of people complaining about school runs when it's actually down to them choosing to send the child half way across town.

Seth Brundle

https://twitter.com/DublinCommuters/status/1316298238950027265

Wildly Boaring

^^^^ FF councilor sees no issue. Tries to make out that resurfacing a bumpy road can benefit pedestrians

magicbastarder

DoraDelite wrote: »

One of the funniest comments was the lad giving out about the right turn only lane at where the garda station used to be, claiming he didn't know it was there even though it's been in place for 20 odd years at least Somehow that's credited to a cycle lane that doesn't exist yet :rolleyes:

it's kinda like my job. i make changes to systems which affect about 100,000 laptops and desktops. when we're asked do we tell the users about the changes, the most useful excuse not to is that they'll blame every single thing that's going wrong on their laptop, on the change, even if the issues predated the change by a significant period of time.

Tombo2001

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

^^^^ FF councilor sees no issue. Tries to make out that resurfacing a bumpy road can benefit pedestrians

I will certainly be contacting same chap on the back of his comments....

The irony is that that a some solid potholes in the middle of the road will slow cars down.....which for cyclists .....aint a bad thing.

They've just resurfaced Iona Road near me. Guess what - cars are going faster.

The thing is - Fianna Fail had a very progressive cycling policy at the last election, but time and time again its contradicted by commentary from local FF councillors.

magicbastarder

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Related point was the woman giving out because she cant park outside the Educate Together 'because of the new bike path' .....(note, it was never legal to park there in the first place!!).

speaking of that road, is there a name for that sort of design where a second road is built off and parallel to a larger road, completely exposed to the larger road, with houses along the other side? it seems a very inefficient use of space. not sure if i've seen it in newer developments though.

the one in question:
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3791635,-6.2700843,3a,75y,328.98h,79.91t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0dnnecAcOHMJXgyM_HuU8w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

if you spin the camera 180 degrees, the school in question is visible. there's a load of cars parked in the 'off road' road, i wonder do people park and ride from there?

breezy1985

In fairness the biggest intervention they could do for me on my commute is to resurface about 60% of my route. Especially the concrete section that's breaking up and has really dangerous lines of grass growing up through the joins

Tombo2001

magicbastarder wrote: »

speaking of that road, is there a name for that sort of design where a second road is built off and parallel to a larger road, completely exposed to the larger road, with houses along the other side? it seems a very inefficient use of space. not sure if i've seen it in newer developments though.

the one in question:
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3791635,-6.2700843,3a,75y,328.98h,79.91t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0dnnecAcOHMJXgyM_HuU8w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

if you spin the camera 180 degrees, the school in question is visible. there's a load of cars parked in the 'off road' road, i wonder do people park and ride from there?

Not sure what its called - the only other similar design I am aware of is the 17 shops in Cabra.

I live not to far away, with free parking outside the house.

Not uncommon at all for someone to park their car for 2 or 3 weeks outside the house - though less so now that people arent taking holidays abroad.

If you go to streets nearby like Cliftonville say, or Clonliffe (or indeed Griffith Avenue), long thoroughfares with free parking - you will see an occasional car that......I wont say its abandoned, as who knows.....but that have 06 Tax discs.

You can spot them a mile off by the dirt on the windscreens.

The wider point being that is possible to park a car for free on the street for a decade or more- and not use it - and yet people whinge when same space is allocated to a bike lane.

magicbastarder

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Not sure what its called - the only other similar design I am aware of is the 17 shops in Cabra.

it can also be seen opposite the main entrance to DCU on collin's avenue.

what_traffic

Limerick City has an example of this on Brookville Avenue(near Thomand Park). Both sides of the road as well.
https://goo.gl/maps/kvBnAjYjzUPWQKhR9

breezy1985

what_traffic wrote: »

Limerick City has an example of this on Brookville Avenue(near Thomand Park). Both sides of the road as well.
https://goo.gl/maps/kvBnAjYjzUPWQKhR9

That road is mapped for a cycle lane in some Limerick transport plan. It's such low hanging fruit I don't know why something hasn't been done. The main road is big enough for a cycle lane even without the side road or grass

magicbastarder

yep, same on the kylemore road in dublin. if i lived there, i'd be petitioning the council to grant me the excess road as a garden, so you'd have a huge garden.

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3388239,-6.3480291,3a,75y,140.62h,85.85t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sd4eCvH5mMpssTqr1O29UsA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dd4eCvH5mMpssTqr1O29UsA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D170.6996%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Breezer

breezy1985 wrote: »

In fairness the biggest intervention they could do for me on my commute is to resurface about 60% of my route. Especially the concrete section that's breaking up and has really dangerous lines of grass growing up through the joins

They’re currently resurfacing Constitution Hill and have redone the lane markings. Now there’s a proper width cycle lane and one general traffic lane, instead of two general traffic lanes with a pothole-filled cycle lane shoved into half of one of them. It’s much better.

breezy1985

Breezer wrote: »

They’re currently resurfacing Constitution Hill and have redone the lane markings. Now there’s a proper width cycle lane and one general traffic lane, instead of two general traffic lanes with a pothole-filled cycle lane shoved into half of one of them. It’s much better.

If they keep putting that red paint crap on all the cycle lanes they will be needing all that money for resurfacing in the future

Tell me how

what_traffic wrote: »

Limerick City has an example of this on Brookville Avenue(near Thomand Park). Both sides of the road as well.
https://goo.gl/maps/kvBnAjYjzUPWQKhR9

breezy1985 wrote: »

That road is mapped for a cycle lane in some Limerick transport plan. It's such low hanging fruit I don't know why something hasn't been done. The main road is big enough for a cycle lane even without the side road or grass

I hope they do it without removing the grass or trees, or limiting the amount they remove if they must do some

That road in springtime with daffodils is an impressive site and trees are just generally awesome.

breezy1985

Tell me how wrote: »

I hope they do it without removing the grass or trees, or limiting the amount they remove if they must do some

That road in springtime with daffodils is an impressive site and trees are just generally awesome.

All it really needs is an entrance/exit either end of the side roads for the bikes and use it as a quietway and leave the main road as is

Tell me how

breezy1985 wrote: »

All it really needs is an entrance/exit either end of the side roads for the bikes and use it as a quietway and leave the main road as is

Agree.
As long as the tenants don't kick up over losing the ability to park cars on the street outside their houses as many do.

Google Maps Link

Type 17

Tell me how wrote: »

Agree.
As long as the tenants don't kick up over losing the ability to park cars on the street outside their houses as many do.

Google Maps Link

There looks to be plenty of room for residents' parking and room for (careful) driving and cycling - perhaps the perfect place to introduce to Ireland a Fietsstraat (Dutch for Cycle Street, where "cars are guests").

Type 17

Type 17 wrote: »

There looks to be plenty of room for residents' parking and room for (careful) driving and cycling - perhaps the perfect place to introduce to Ireland a Fietsstraat (Dutch for Cycle Street, where "cars are guests").

B-b-but road tax!

breezy1985

Type 17 wrote: »

There looks to be plenty of room for residents' parking and room for (careful) driving and cycling - perhaps the perfect place to introduce to Ireland a Fietsstraat (Dutch for Cycle Street, where "cars are guests").

That's kinda what I was getting at. You wouldn't need a cycle lane because that road only has residential traffic whish is very little and going very slow.

JimmiesRustled

breezy1985 wrote: »

That's kinda what I was getting at. You wouldn't need a cycle lane because that road only has residential traffic whish is very little and going very slow.

I remember vaguely on one of the housing projects we were designing that there was an issue with both Irish Water and the local council as to the shared surface and material build up/colour. Generally there is a transition when entering a shared surface. Either through a change of colour or material. If I remember correctly Irish Water wouldn't allow their buried services within a new development under anything other than concrete. It was something to that effect anyway.

Macy0161

Clonkeen Road is the same. Cycle path is on the main road though iirc.

Duckjob

Type 17 wrote: »

There looks to be plenty of room for residents' parking and room for (careful) driving and cycling - perhaps the perfect place to introduce to Ireland a Fietsstraat (Dutch for Cycle Street, where "cars are guests").

Prioritize cyclists ? Cars are guests on the streets they pay their road tax for ?

I'd say most Irish politicians would still sh*t themselves about triggering Joe and Mary Motorist with that sort of talk.