Dublin's Bicycle Clutter

[soulsearcher]

I'd just like to add to the chorus of opinion here that 'FXR' is a moron with too much time on his hands.

[wearnicehats]

I'd just like to add that Darwin would have appreciated cyclists

[FXR]

I'd just like to add to the chorus of opinion here that 'FXR' is a moron with too much time on his hands.

Not being able to manage an opinion of your own on the subject, articulate a position, investigate the causes of cyclists behaviour or propose any solutions you're probably better off hiding in a flock of sheep. You've probably had the word moron directed at you so often you've started to repeat it automatically.

[FXR]

I'd just like to add that Darwin would have appreciated cyclists

I'm not sure about that WNH. They don't seem to be able to evolve. You can get any amount of "yeah but what about the motorists/pedestrians/seagulls" but no solutions and a general lack of taking responsibility for their own behaviour. Darwin might have been thrown completely off by soulsearcher. He can't open his mouth on the thread and then pops up like a cross between a sheep following the flock and a squealing pig on the way into the slaughter house.

But on another thread here's the same clown giving out about cyclists!

I was scootering along on the north circular earlier today when an agressive cyclist flew past me shouting "get out of the cycle lane you ignorant @%$&*#" This is not the first time its happened to me as I would weave through rush hour traffic. I then witnessed the same polite righteous cyclist break 4 red lights in a row (I kept getting stopped at a red only to catch up with him shortly after). It really is jungle law out there.

http://archiseek.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4311&p=110018#p110018

[FXR]

PRESS RELEASE From Cyclist.ie - Ireland's National Cycling Lobby Group

Cyclists say consultants' cycle-lane claims need careful interpretation and action by roads authorities if numbers of cyclists are to be massively increased in line with government target of 10% of commuting trips made on bikes by 2020


For immediate release: 2 September 2011

The joint AECOM and TCD (Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering) consultants' report for Dublin City published this week attempts to show, using a cycling infrastructure preference survey methodology, what measures and policies are required in order to persuade many thousands more commuters to switch from car to bike use for their daily commutes. The context for this survey was the setting by the previous government of an ambitious target in its National Cycling Promotion Policy Framework (NCPF) of 10% of commuting trips nationally to be made by bike by 2020. We are way off that target already in 2011.

In the AECOM/TCD study, 2000 respondents were shown computer generated pictures of various cycling provisions and built infrastructure and asked to express preferences. The results, as stated by the authors, were that most respondents expressed a preference for cycling on the segregated facilities (i.e. rider is not directly in traffic) that they were shown. Mike McKillen (Cyclist.ie, chairman) stated "While we welcome Irish-based research on cycling in Ireland, we feel that showing respondents pictures of idealised cycle facilities and asking them if that's what they want is not a viable approach to transport planning. Building cycling infrastructure is costly and with scarce road space it is not possible to create a coherent and safe network in towns and cities. It is a pipe-dream if we expect vehicle lanes to be yielded up for cycle lane or track construction. It's akin to presenting children with a wish list for Santa Claus and then the poor parents are not in a position to deliver the goodies on Christmas Day"!

However the cyclists strongly welcome the implied finding of the study, which is that cyclists and potential cyclists recognise a need for investment in measures to improve cyclists’ experience of using the roads.

Mike McKillen points out that "over the two decades since the Department of Transport started to introduce measures to try to promote greater use of the bicycle for commuting there has been too much emphasis on construction of cycling facilities - measures such as shared use of bus lanes, on-road cycle lanes, off-road cycleways, etc - that have not led to the desired increase in cyclist numbers".

Instead, Cyclist.ie wants a focus on behavioural interventions such as training for novice cyclists, new laws requiring passing motorists to give cyclists more space and increased Garda enforcement of key traffic infringements including infringements by cyclists (no lights at night, red light running, riding on pavements, etc).

The Smarter Travel initiative culminating in the publication of the NCPF in 2009 very clearly calls for 'soft measures' such as introduction of 30 km/h speed limits in urban areas and around schools (properly enforced, unlike the Dublin Quays scheme), traffic calming, reduction in goods vehicles transiting through urban areas, to name but a few, to be implemented before construction of cycling facilities are considered. This report's findings fly in the face of the NCPF.

Cyclist.ie recognises a need for built infrastructural measures in certain circumstances but insists that it must be guided by the government's National Cycling Policy Framework (NCPF) as adopted in 2009 after extensive consultation. The NCPF advocates a hierarchical approach, where built cycle facilities get the lowest priority coming behind traffic reduction, speed restraint, traffic management and junction treatment that recognises the needs of cyclists and allocating existing traffic lanes in a way that gives them more space.

The cyclists point out that investment in built cycle facilities requires additional investment in maintenance or the new facilities rapidly become unusable. They say this maintenance is already lacking on existing cycle facilities so more of the same is not an option under present budgetary constraints.

Cyclist.ie vice chair, Dr. Darren MacAdam-O’Connell, continued “The issue here is whether we want to spend our taxes doing something on selected roads for a few cyclists or spend taxes doing as much as possible, for as many people as possible, across our whole public road system. Unfortunately, the participants in this survey do not appear to have been given this choice. Those who are peddling built infrastructure are on a track to more wastage of public funds that will likely miss the 10% target set in the NCPF for 2020".

[soulsearcher]

thanks for the interesting reference.

[missarchi]

how are the fire trucks?

[wearnicehats]

how are the fire trucks?

proof if proof be needed that cyclists should wear helmets when they fall off.

[missarchi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nRwnqfabk4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwF-ZbJ_txw

it's only monday...

[wearnicehats]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nRwnqfabk4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwF-ZbJ_txw

it's only monday...

videos by people with nothing to do posted by someone with nothing to add

It's Thursday by the way

[FXR]

Instead, Cyclist.ie wants a focus on behavioural interventions such as training for novice cyclists, new laws requiring passing motorists to give cyclists more space and increased Garda enforcement of key traffic infringements including infringements by cyclists (no lights at night, red light running, riding on pavements, etc).

There are not enough Garda. DCC is currently employing a number of street ambassadors. There is nothing to stop them turning these people into Cycle Wardens. Street Ambassadors are a nice idea but how difficult is it for tourists to get directions anyway. It would seem a better user of their time to be switched to policing cyclists behaviour in places like pedestrian and where they lock their bikes.

It might also be a cheap way of improving the road environment if cars and cyclists were encouraged to mount cameras. Cars could be given a discount on motor tax for having a dashboard mounted camera. if you can fit one on a cyclists helmet then you can fit one on a car cheaply enough. Some of this of course might require our politicians doing something original (what!! they don't do it in Holland shock!) so it's unlikely the situation will improve any day soon.

[jimg]

It might also be a cheap way of improving the road environment if cars and cyclists were encouraged to mount cameras. Cars could be given a discount on motor tax for having a dashboard mounted camera. if you can fit one on a cyclists helmet then you can fit one on a car cheaply enough.

I was waiting for the mask of sanity to unmistakably slip.

[FXR]

I was waiting for the mask of sanity to unmistakably slip.

Don't worry you can probably get treatment for it. You'll look just like you did before.
Doctors can do wonders these these.

[cheezypuf]

The canal cycle lane still isn't finished. They're working so slowly it must be on the verge of going backwards. Anyone know if they plan to finish it or if it's become some scientific demonstration of perpetual motion?

[FXR]

The canal cycle lane still isn't finished. They're working so slowly it must be on the verge of going backwards. Anyone know if they plan to finish it or if it's become some scientific demonstration of perpetual motion?

It's Ireland. Someone has to get killed first. Then they'll suddenly have an urgent meeting at which they'll find the funds and then complete the project. Of course when they complete the job it will still be half arsed. You'll have a stretch of state-of-the-art cycle lane sitting like an island in a shark infested sea. It will of course have cost millions more than it should have. It's the spirit of 1922.

[StephenC]

Its being officially opened today..according to Twitter

[FXR]

Its being officially opened today..according to Twitter

We have all been invited by Dublin City Council to the official opening of
the Grand Canal Way Cycle Route tomorrow.
Details as follows:

When?
11am on Thursday 22nd March '12

Where?
The Cycle path on the Grand Canal , near the Patrick Kavanagh Statue on
Wilton Terrace, Dublin 2.

http://www.iwai.ie/forum/read.php?1,42226

[StephenC]

http://www.dublincitycycling.ie/blog/in ... cle-route/

Today! its Thurs today

[cheezypuf]

And the barriers and scaffolding came down today. That was quick .

[wearnicehats]

is this the psycopath (sic) that's a massive 1.5 miles long and is situated just across the canal from a perfectly functional existing cycle lane? In fact(a) the existing one on the canal must be the safest in Ireland given that the traffic is stationary 99% of the time and even when it isn't can only turn left 4 times over the length of the new cycle lane. As far as I can see it has only increased the general pedestrian chaos at Leeson Street Bridge

easy option. waste of money. etc etc

[cheezypuf]

I cycled its length today. It's a really nice and safe cycle. It's a bit odd that when it finishes in Portobello the path that connects it to Harold's Cross bridge has 'no bicycle' signs printed on it. I'm pretty sure that that path is owned by the apartments beside Portobello college and it's not public property. Do they really have the authority to prohibit cycling?