Re: Re: Dublin’s Bicycle Clutter

@Service charge wrote:

The problems is Dublin is designed for cars. Lots of one way systems, complex sets of traffic lights and ridiculous rules regarding parking in many areas.

Dublin City Council is light years behind most northern European cities in how it treats cyclists.

For instance I frequently have to travel from Stephen’s Green east to Adelaide Road. If I am to take the car route it essentially triples the journey and forces me have to cross fours lanes of traffic on the north green and a further three lanes on Dawson Street. It is scary at the best of times but since most cars are speeding on the Green it is suicide. So I prefer to cycle on the wide and most empty footpaths on the Green and then along the Luas tracks or wide footpaths on harcourt st.

The current road traffic system forces normally law abiding people to break the law, because it is frequently safer and far more practical to do so. Again look at the poor state of most cycle lanes, they are terribly dangerous and force cyclists to use footpaths and smooth roads including oneway systems.

Bicycles are different to cars, they should naturally have flexibility more akin to pedestrians. Many of the oneway streets in the city centre have ample space to allow contra-flow for bicycle lanes. At the same time many footpaths have space for cyclists.

Off course they should not be absolved from obligations such as use of lights and bells, and keeping a careful eye on pedestrians, but I think you are all stick and no carrot!

umm – Adelaide road is about a 2 minute cycle from Stephen’s Green East via Earlsfort terrace??. All in the right direction. On a road.

when driving in dublin I often find it much more practical to go the wrong way down the road and not bother to stop for traffic lights. Cyclists are a menace.