Cork traffic

Just like in Dublin they are making the city a lot more unfriendly to traffic. They don't want cars in the city centre. It's policy, it isn't an accident.

Whilst I'm not shy about blaming the council, and boy, do they deserve a LOT of blame, motorists themselves are a HUGE part of the problem: Ignoring red lights, driving onto junctions when they can't clear it on the other side, not using their indicators, not keeping a lookout for other traffic, it's mental to be honest!

It has gotten considerably worse since the end of the lockdowns and the work-from-home mandate. I don't know whether people just didn't drive as much during the lockdown and are simply out of practice or whether they just don't give a rodent's behind anymore, but the results are obvious. And it's not just motorists, it's everyone. Now, all of those deliveroo or JustEat couriers are a law unto themselves anyway, but even regular cyclists seem to have completely lost the plot. I cycle at least once per day from Grand Parade to Penrose Dock and/or vice versa and the amount of idiotic cyclists I see on a daily basis makes me wish those TFI Bikes had a coaxial machine gun!!!

While acknowledging Cork Council have also fallen for the false hope of an anti-motorist policy, there are specific instances where they've simply fucked up. Main case in point for me is that they seemingly changed the timing of the new, largely unnecessary, lights at the Glanmire Rd roundabout at the end of the Tivoli dual carriageway heading East to favour traffic coming from Glanmire with the result that there is zero queue from Glanmire, but queues the whole length of the dual carriageway coming from town. As well as the frustration caused, this results in greater emissions from traffic stuck idling - where's the point in that if policies are supposed to be climate friendly? Coming from Sunday's Well, it's now usually quicker for me to go up through Shandon, the North Ring, behind Dunnes Ballyvolane, into Glanmire and back to the roundabout, than take the direct route on the quays and Tivoli. Longer journey = more emissions and more traffic through narrow streets and residential areas. What sense does that make?

Make the public transport option better, not just expect cars to vanish and it's all hunky dory.

People simply won't use it if it's not worth their while, doesn't serve where they might want to go, the times are crap or they feel unsafe with the 'characters' on board. If ppl pay hard earned money for tax, insurance, nct etc you're going to have to make it a hell of a lot more attractive. After listening to ppl on radio saying it wasn't worth their while using the train as it was too expensive for a family, paying for parking, delays, things breaking down and so forth vs. simply driving.

Umm no. I know someone without a car but thinking of getting one because of the weirdos that use the bus. Nearly every second or third week there's some, usually Irish Rail, public transport related horror story. Overcrowding, delays and/or bad behaviour.

I used the bus or train or bike in preference to driving when going into or out of the city. I had to drive to work because the bus would take an eternity, there was no direct service. An hour or so, vs 15-20 mins, no contest.

But, but, but what about the old, the disabled, mothers with buggies all looking to get to hospital appointments? How will they manage that if private cars are restricted??????

Not making a judgement on it at all, just stating a fact. I am sure the council would say the same thing, they don't want cars in the city. This is why they are voted in, to make these decisions on behalf of the people who live here.

I work in Carrigtwohill so leave the city in the morning and come in the evening. Leaving the city most evenings looks horrific as i'm coming in. Would hate to be facing that on my commute home.

I wouldn't go so far as to say completely pointless, but pretty useless all the same. All you have to do is look at Owen Keegan's utterances last week to see who is setting the policy and driving the agenda in these matters.

This is not confined to Cork all you have to do is witness similar events in Galway, Dunlaoighre and Dublin. The same could be said for planning related issues.

Maybe its for the best because councilors can't win in these situations. No matter what they do they will be blamed by some section of the electorate so are very reluctant to put the head above the parapet.

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/council-chief-has-no-mandate-for-aggressive-plan-to-restrict-cars-in-dublin-city-1.4839291

As I remember it, that was only in the lead up to Christmas. And it did help quite a bit. Isn't it mad to think that just ensuring that most people actually follow the rules makes such a difference.

Red light breaking is at an endemic and dangerous level at the moment, I think. I am continuously shocked at how late people go through junctions after a red light - sometimes three cars breaking the lights!

I had a run in with a prick at that junction. As he sped through the green man, nearly creaming me, I flicked a coin that was in my hand , at his van.

Funny thing is that he was in too much of a hurry to stop at a red light but wasn't in too much of a hurry to pull over and chase after my threatening violence. Poor lad got a fright, I guess😉

Wtf? You could have smashed his window or caused him to mount the kerb. Why would you escalate and make that situation worse? What an absolutely moronic thing to do.

Didnt your parents teach you violence is not an appropriate response to frustration?

Alternative hypothesis, could have caused him to mount the kerb and miss the school bus full of kids, which he would have hit because he JUMPED THE LIGHTS.

A coin is too small. Should have been a brick

Ah, here.

You are actually trying to associate someone flicking a coin at a small van speeding through a pedestrian crossing (an act that, while I have admitted to doing, I have not defended, recommended or even condoned) to the invasion of Ukraine!

Listen to yourself.

And, boys and girls, don't break the lights, don't throw things at cars, and listen to your parents!

If you insist on using Capwell Road as a rat run in future please take it slow, it's residential with plenty of children, cats with no road sense, and a large school with students crossing between parked cars at that hour. There are deep gouges in the speed bumps showing plenty people don't take it slow.