Cycling in Waterford

Cabaal

After abit of a break I've started back Cycling around Waterford once again and yet again I'm pissed off about the state of things in Waterford

- No Cycle paths on main route's around the city except out near Superquinn, no paths on the route out the Cork Rd to WIT
- Crazy amount of glass from phone box's, bottles etc on roads around the city

I can't understand why the council hasn't put down cycle paths out to WIT especially considering the amount of students that go their, anyone aware of any future plans they have for this or any other developments?

AdMMM

They probably have no plans to upgrade current roads as it would cost too much, however all new roads built with EU money must contain a cycle lane afaik which is why the nice road going out by Pat McCarthy's Car Sales has a cycle path to nowhere

Mossy Monk

lets not forget a lot of the drivers who simply cannot see cyclists. then when they almost hit you look as if they werent at fault. dont drive so close to the curb

Gadgie

When cycling to work one day, some cretin shouted out his window at me "get on the footpath!". If I'd be able to I would have explained what was wrong with that sentence, but as it was I just contented myself with sticking my middle finger up at him.

Cabaal

Gadgie wrote:

When cycling to work one day, some cretin shouted out his window at me "get on the footpath!". If I'd be able to I would have explained what was wrong with that sentence, but as it was I just contented myself with sticking my middle finger up at him.

rofl, was it a taxi lad by any chance?
Obviously he was unaware that the Gardi can fine cyclists 50e(?) for being on the footpath.

In_the_sea

I agree drivers can be ignorant towards cyclists. I drive myself and i always indicate and pull out for cyclists. I see some drivers acting the b*ll*cks towards cyclists and its annoyin. I always am cautious with cyclists in case they fall off. The effects would b quare bad, they have not protection other than a helmet if they wear one. So drivers: just be careful, pull out and treat cyclists with respect.
I dont think they corporations are puttin enuf cycling tracks on roads though it wud b a big help.

fade2black

I cycle in the cork road/manor about ten times a day and I tell ya, I should write a weekly report to the guardai of the amount of crap I see drivers doing every day. My biggest offence is that I cycle, slowly, across the road when the green man pops up...I know I'll get abuse for this but I really move across at a walking pace....Today alone I saw three drivers go through red lights and one other thing I was noticing today is that all women, (and really, it is only the women that do this) drive way too close to the pavements...

A lot of drivers also pull out just as your about to pass, as if you weren't there in the first place...then when you have to brake suddenly they throw up their hands and laugh...they wouldn't be laughing if they were responsible for a death.

I consider myself to be a pretty good cyclist and have never had any accidents...a few near misses but I know this town, its drivers and also the traffic light orders like the back of my hand but please, drivers....treat us cyclists like we were a car.

One footnote to that..this may seem racist, and hey, it probably is but take the advice anyway....

Chinese people on bicyles are maniacs.
Black women in cars are maniacs.

There, two controversial generalisations that believe it or not, are verytrue.

daithi

I have driven and cycled around waterford a considerable amount, Good to hear your back cycling cabaal, lets hope ya dont get your wheels nicked again

I think that the drivers are pretty bad in general, I was pretty impatient as a cyclist, but so long as you understand that you cannot rely on any drivers to watch out for you, and that you are completely on your own, and your life is in your own hands you might just live.
Drivers, do not take safety of cyclists into consideration at all.
My worst experience has to be taking a left at a roundabout, while beside a truck taking a left, and nearly getting skwished, truck pulled up beside me, but the way i see it, i had to watch out for myself, so i just pulled myself and the bike off the road onto the foothpath/grass verge and let it pass, but it was bloody close.
If you think cycling in the city is bad, try cycling on secondary roads, its so dangerous i just dont bother any more, cars are traveling a lot faster and blind bends etc, nowhere to pull your bike in off the road.....

Gadgie

Cabaal wrote:

rofl, was it a taxi lad by any chance?
Obviously he was unaware that the Gardi can fine cyclists 50e(?) for being on the footpath.

Not a taxi lad, no. Or at least he wasn't driving a taxi. :-)
I will admit to cycling on the footpath on occasion, but only when I'm stuck behind a heap of traffic and the assholes are jammed right into the kerb.

Another thing that annoys is when there's a match on at the RSC and all the cars are parked up on the kerb, so I have to veer out into the middle of the road, then some impatient wanker *overtakes* me just to save themselves a few seconds.

daithi

Traffic is supposed to keep left, you cant complain about that, Well by left i mean left of centre, that does not mean jammed to the kerb, but often means that cyclists dont have enough room to pass, overtaking on the inside by cyclists is not an entitlement and should be taken with great care, In traffic i used to generally overtake on the outside if possible.
Its the same with cars, they cant push you into the kerb when overtaking either, but reality is always different, so you just have to watch yourself.

On cycling on paths, I used to do it the whole time when gping up hill, but if i was ever stopped, id just tell gardai that i was trying to not hinder the flow of traffic, this is of course on hills where traffic is forced to keep behind you and is only able to overtake when there is no other traffic approaching.

I would reccomend to all cyclists that they read and understand the rules of the road, there is a section in there on cyclists, drivers have to study it, so cyclists should too. This will make you a much safer driver as you can be sure you know lane dicipline and roundabouts etc, which lets face it most drivers are miserable at anyway.

Priority1: keep yourself from getting killed at all costs
Priority2: obey the rules of the road

So im on the side of cycling on the foothpath if you think it will stop you getting skwished, I doubt the cops would have any problem with that, just make sure you give right of way to cyclists and never forced them, off the path, do that and the cops will probably definately fine you if your spotted.

merlante

There will be cycle lanes on the outer ring road at least.

Newaglish

I know for a fact that Waterford City Council has a plan to put cycle paths on all roads in Waterford, or at least set up some sort of system for cyclists, although I'm not certain on the details nor the ETA at the moment :P

lilmissprincess

My grandad is the head of the Waterford Cycling club, he's been campaigning for them...

dayshah

I thought I should recycle this thread.

I've some holidays coming up, so thought I'd take the bike out for a few days.

Are their any websites with reasonably safe routes from Waterford city? I'm thinking anything between 40km and 100km.

Typhoon.

pitz

I understand the road thing.
I have two thoughts that may help.
Are there towpaths beside to cannels? Can you ride 20-50 miles on these?
Drivers are so bad here in The Philippines that I ride three days a week in a cemetery. I have a two mile route and I can run just about any speed I want to run. T
I train by a heart rate monitor so I don’t think about speed.
I do hope you can get support to improve the riding conditions, In California I was able to ride as I want as long as you obey the laws of the road as a car does.

dermo909

I worked as a bike messanger in Dublin for a couple of years and had no accidents. Well, apart from falling off a load of times but those were nothing to do with cars etc. As a cyclist in a city you have to anticipate what drivers are going to do and make space for yourself as you need it.

Always presume that every driver out there is not paying any attention to what they are doing because they are too interested in texting on their phone or checking themselves out in the rearview mirror.

Cycle on the paths as you need to but not on a street with people walking out of doors. I've seen numerous cyclists plough straight into pedestrians because the cyclist was'ng giving enough space between himself and doorways. Gardai are right to give cyclists a bollocking for that but on other paths its fine I think.

Above all, cyclists also have to obey the rules of the road. Indicate where you are going by sticking your arm out, stop at red lights and dont be an idiot. There's enough of them in cars

Urbs

dayshah wrote: »

Are their any websites with reasonably safe routes from Waterford city? I'm thinking anything between 40km and 100km.

http://www.mapmyride.com

Search for Waterford and away you go!

About 200 routes around the county last I checked