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Posted 3 years ago.
See this poll on: http://www.bikescheme.ie/what-would-encourage-you-cycle-more
What i really need is a safe and secure place to park my bike. 3 bikes stolen in as many years. I have a beautiful bike that i bought on the bike to work scheme but can'tt bring it to work as i have nowhere to park it securely. It would not last a day parked out in the street. I would suggest renting/ buying one or more car parking spaces from the private car parking facilities. Installing cages in these spaces and charge a nominal fee fo the use of the cages ( weekly / monthly or annual) . As long as its not too extortionate i think that people would use them. The bikes in these cages should be treated as any other car in the car park. All these car parks have CCTV. So if one was stolen the CCTV should be available for the owner. Access to the cage could be controlled by the current system in place for parking/removing a car.
Enforcement of existing laws would be a good start. I wonder whether some sort of legal class action could get things moving?
I'd love to see the designers of the existing cycle lanes use them for a month. Ridiculous bends, pot holes, lamp posts, diversions taking you away from the direction of travel at intersections... I would be really, really surprised if any of the planners/designers of the existing paths cycled every day. This should be a minimum requirement for the job.
I'd also love to see thought put into cycle lanes on our main roads. I work in Damastown and live in Ashtown; what is an easy drive in the car is poorly serviced by cycle lanes. I would have to run the gauntlet of the roundabout and very narrow lanes. It's like no thought went into cycle users going through. This is funny given the N3 is service by cycle lanes right up to the M50 bridge. Why bother putting a cycle lane in in the first place if they didn't want people to continue on their journey? In an ideal world the Royal Canal tow path would be maintained and I could cycle that to work away from all cars, but alas no...
Awareness education for motorists is also very important. Cyclists are legitimiate road users too and there should be an emphasis on this in driving instruction, in the way that pedestrian safety is emphasised. Because the simple fact is that cyclists are incredibly vulnerable on the road.
I'm both a motorist and a cyclist so it appalls me how close some motorists are happy to pass me by when I'm on my bike - no matter what part of the country I've been in. I have an 8year old daughter and we now live in a small town in Cork so I'm teaching her to cycle to school. Motorists seem to show great deference to children on bikes, which I'm encouraged to see. I just wish more of them would treat adult cyclists with equal respect.
And for the record, I wear a helmet, a high vis singlet, have lights, use hand signals and look over my shoulder to check for traffic. None of which has prevented motorists from overtaking me to turn left right in front of me as though I just didn't exist.
I'd definitely cycle everywhere if some richard head hadn't stolen my bike. The guards are inundated with people reporting stolen bikes. I normally cycle everywhere whatever the weather and I'm quite happy to take my chances in the traffic having never had an accident in more than fifteen years in Dublin and Cork cities. The trouble is that cycling is a chore on a bad bike and people are nicking all the good ones. More and safer places to lock bikes would, I presume include video surveillance? By the way people, don't forget to make a note of your serial number, get a decent lock and get insured through it. Apparently a small, short U-Lock for the frame with a cable running through it to protect your wheels is the way forward. Research it!
I have been cycling to work for the last 10 years but had to stop this Spring because of the condition of the road.It holds the water after showers and the potholes are covered.I carried out my own risk assesment and decided it was too dangerous.I also e-mailed Kerry Co.Council, which were not even acknowledged.My next step is the NRA,here's hoping.
I love to cycle but I now only cycle abroad as it is too dangerous to cycle between towns in rural Ireland due to road conditions and poor driver behaviour.
Cycle lanes in towns and cities are key.
But then to enable people living in rural areas to cycle, how about a park and ride type scheme. It would be a PARK AND PICK UP YOUR (OWN) BIKE SCHEME OUTSIDE TOWNS e.g. Athlone. The facility outside town would need to be secure to house the bikes overnight and the cars by day. Use of the facility should not cost more than the petrol saved. This scheme would allow a person to cycle to the town, then use the cycle paths around the town to e.g. get to work. The facility could be a few km outside town provided there was a safe cycle path for the remainder of the journey.
In addition, old railway lines and canal paths could be upgraded for cycling.
I look forward to getting back to cycling but not until I feel it is safe to do so.
I cycle to work daily and to local events at weekends such as matches in my local town. There are some cycle lanes in my town - which is a very popular tourist town in South West Ireland and which has a number of bike rental business catering for tourists. One cycle lane which I use daily in town regularly has residents cars parked on it - I've never seen the traffic warden give these motorists tickets. Another cycle lane outside the town which I use is strewn with debris - broken bottles, branches of trees, general muck etc - most hazardous for cyclists. Our roads in summer are strewn with horse dung which is splashed on my clothes by passing cars during wet days. And despite all those inconveniences and hazards, I'll continue to cycle because of the positive impact that cycling has on my health and pocket. My wish list is (A) that traffic wardens enforce clear cycle lanes (B) that the county council regularly sweep the cycle lanes and keep them free of debris (C) that some day soon my trouser cleaning bill will disappear along with the horse dung (D) that motorists (and pedestrians) "look, see and respect" our cyclists and (E) that cyclists who don't use bike lights and hi-vis jackets and otherwise break the rules of the road be prosecuted.
Emme, in fairness to Fran, she has a point on training. Why shouldn’t cyclists take proficiency courses? There is no shame in training and our roads are not exactly easy to navigate for the inexperienced cyclist. Like you, I am both a cyclist and driver. Respect must be two-way. The motorist and the cyclist in Dublin are both trying to navigate their way on roads that are simply a disgrace and would not be out of place in a third world country, not to mention the chaotic traffic flow system we have here.
I am not defending the SUV driver but let’s not stereotype here. There are some bad drivers out there and there are definitely bad cyclists too. In many instances I have experienced my fellow cyclists being so poorly illuminated, especially at dusk, as to be almost invisible to motorists.
You are right, we should have a traffic light system that caters for cyclists like Copenhagen, where I have also cycled and driven, but the difference there is cyclists do obey the rules (and so do pedestrians for that matter). Same should apply here.
We desperately need more and improved cycle lanes (without potholes & broken glass), we need an integrated traffic light system to facilitate bikes, campaigns to educate motorists on blind spots and bike awareness, we also need to enforce cyclists to have lights, wear reflective garments and helmets, and dare I say it, take cycling proficiency courses.
Rather than attack one another for general shortcomings, isn’t energy better spent if we encourage the motorist and the cyclist to join together and demand a safer environment for both to traverse?
Fran, your avatar looks like those D4 ladies who look down on cycists at a height from their SUVs. Forgive me if you don't drive an SUV, but if you do, you might not be so harsh on cyclists if you climbed down from your 4WD and made your way around town on a bicycle for a change. I drive as well as cycle and there is no excuse for the way drivers treat cyclists. Many of your comments regarding cyclists are unfair. For example: passing a vehicle turning left. If a vehicle is turning left the driver is supposed to indicate. If the driver DOESN'T indicate, which happens a lot, how does the cyclist know to slow down and let the driver go ahead? Giving adequate hand signals: some roads are so bad that cyclists have to hold on for dear life with both hands, sometimes there is no room in traffic for a cyclist to give a hand signal and most motorists ignore hand signals anyway.
I have sympathy for people all around the country who cycles. Anyone who cycles in this country takes their life into their hands. Several people have said to me recently "is it a good idea to cycle, should I avail of the bike-to-work scheme" and I regret that I have advised each and every one of them NOT to cycle if they value their lives. In my opinion only the most aggressive, most cynical and lawless two-wheel warriors survive cycling. I have been cycling for years and despite the introduction of cycle lanes (in reality car parks, unofficial taxi-ranks, lay-bys and storage spaces for dustbins) it has gotten progressively more dangerous. Drivers are more aggressive. In my experience women driving SUVs are the worst and the posher the SUV, the more dangerous the woman driving it. Next on the list are taxis, they think they own the roads and that they can do what they like because they drive for a living and time is money.
There is a general lack of respect for cyclists and cycling in Ireland. Somebody else mentioned that people look down on cyclists. This is ridiculous, people from all walks of life cycle. Indeed, if you took a group of 100 cyclists and 100 motorists, you would find that on average the cyclists are better educated than the motorists.
Somebody mentioned waiting at traffic lights. Sometimes it is safer to go through red lights than to wait for them to change and be mowed down by a stampede of traffic charging through the lights like a herd of bull elephants in season. On the continent they are aware of this and have timed the lights to let cyclists through that little bit earlier. Not so in Ireland. Here cyclists are treated with the same contempt as the grit and broken glass that litters our cycle lanes.
Now the recession is here we will have to change our attitudes. Snobbery is passe, and we should take note that some of the the countries where cyclists are treated properly such as Denmark and the Netherlands have the healthiest economies. Coincidence? I don't think so.
There are two main things that would improve the cycling experience in Dublin for me, apart from the obvious weather issue, although there are surprisingly few days when you get soaked when averaged over a full year.
These are better designed and maintained cycle lanes and better awareness of and respect for cyclists from motorists.
I try to use cycle lanes where they are provided but there are are some issues I have with these.
1. When transitioning from the road to cycle lanes on the pavemant, there is often a steep kerb and grass margin to negotiate (Malahide Rd \ Belmaine area for example). Cyclists are just going to carry on cycling on the road.
2. Cycle lanes are strewn with broken glass, litter and a layer of grit \ dust (frequently the case on East Wall Rd and towards the East Link Bridge). The glass hazard is obvious whilst the danger from the grit and dust being bown into cyclists eyes by wind and passing trucks is potentially more dangerous. A cyclist, disorientated by grit in their eyes could easily come into collision with traffic and I hate to think what toxins are in the dust that we are breathing in.
3. Potholes and sunken manhole \ shore covers.
4. Drivers who simply drive in cycle lanes or just pull in to the cycle lane to overtake a car in front, stopped to turn right.
5. Trucks, vans and cars parked in cycle lanes.
It is incredulous that as of today (1st May 2009) the scheme has still NOT been implemented in Government Departments even though it is supposed to have come into effect from 1st Jan 2009!!!
It would be nice to have a bike so I (and a number of my colleagues!!) could actually take part in upcoming cycle promotion events as mentioned on this site (Bike To Work Day, etc.)
Rant over!!!
Two things would make a huge difference for me: enforcing existing road safety legislation & improving the road surface on small country roads.
Living in the south-east and commuting to waterford along back-roads, the traffic is made up of commuting cars using these rural roads as rat-runs - they drive too fast and force you into the huge potholes along the side of the roads or into the ditch. You never see a guard to enforce safe overtaking & safe driving, and the road surface is awful. These small country roads are the best places to cycle because of the lack of thundering traffic, but could be made a lot safer & more pleasant.
Cycle lanes are the real key here, there has some good work in this area but it doesn't look like its kept up!. When's the last time you seen work been done for cycle lanes.
Another point is the quality of the lanes, with bad sufaces, uneven manhole covers, blocked drains leading to flooded lanes, sharp unrealistic bends (Outside the Olypica Theatre on Dame st., turning off the Aras An Uachtarain Roundabout from onto Cycle Lane, several accidents with cyclists have occured here).
Contra flow lanes for cyclists would be a welcome addition rather having cyclist having to take longer runs and adding another advantage over the car.
Cycle lanes are the real key here, there has some good work in this area but it doesn't look like its kept up!. When's the last time you seen work been done for cycle lanes.
Another point is the quality of the lanes, with bad sufaces, uneven manhole covers, blocked drains leading to flooded lanes, sharp unrealistic bends (Outside the Olypica Theatre on Dame st., turning off the Aras An Uachtarain Roundabout from onto Cycle Lane, several accidents with cyclists have occured here).
Contra flow lanes for cyclists would be a welcome addition rather having cyclist having to take longer runs and adding another advantage over the car.
A complete lack of showering facilities in my workplace is one of the reasons I don't cycle anymore. I have a company car that I need to use for work during the day, and I can't leave it in the office car park, so I have to commute to work by car now.
However, I think there is an attitude of snobbery also when it comes to cycling. When I first mentioned that I cycled to work, last November, I was met with stares of incredulity. My work colleagues could not believe that in the cold and (occasional) drizzle, I would cycle the 30minutes to work. Ironically some of these people would benefit from the additional exercise that they would get by commuting by bike.
The one thing about cyclists that really annoys me (and I still cycle over 100km per week) is cyclists who refuse to obey the rules of the road. While cyclists have as much right to use the roads as motorists, they must obey traffic lights, one-way streets and wear the appropriate clothing to ensure visibility. I think that waiting the extra 30-60 seconds at traffic lights and having a break is better than going through red lights, thus damaging the reputation of other cyclists.
I think cyclists need to be aware of their surroundings at all time, paying attention to other road users, and particularly to pedestrians who often step onto the road without looking and proceed to jaywalk. I've had far more near incidents with pedestrians than motorists.
Another key to safer cycling is to reduce the number of cars on the roads through the promotion of cycling and public transport. If there is less congestion it will be easier for cyclists, thus having a positive circular effect. Perhaps this would also calm the aggressive attitude of some motorists.
Dublin is not Ireland, one takes one life in one's hand attempting to cycle in any urban area (yes, they do exist) outside the capital with poorest road surface conditions even on the better roads, appearing closest to the kerbs which is where the bikes use the roads.
A number of things would make it safer to drive in Dublin city centre, much of it requiring the cyclist themselves to have more training:
1. If cyclists received a bit of training in how to look over their shoulder for cars when passing other cyclists.
2. If cyclists were required by law to wear a minimum amount of reflective gear on their person, and not just those pathetic lights that flash on and off or a tiny armband that can only be seen in daylight.
3. Cyclists must learn also to obey the rules of the road.
To be on the road in any vehicle, you must learn the rules that will provide a cyclist with the basic knowledge as follows:
a. Not to, say, pass on the inside of a truck that is turning left.
b. Use their hand signals when changing lanes.
c. Be aware that they are small, almost invisible, and moving faster than other traffic when coming up in a drivers blindspot.
d. Allow other drivers time to notice you signalling with you hand or otherwise before changing lanes. Also, simply jamming your hand out does not mean that you can simply swerve lanes as soon as you do. Give it time.
I have many more, but a lot of it is focused on the cyclists themselves.
If you don't learn how to be on the road, don't be surprised and angry when you get knocked down owning to your own stupidity.
Please, please, please spare a thought for us citizens living outside the pale. During the summer, while in Dublin, I found plenty of cycle lanes that I could use safely. Now I am back in Waterford and Wexford and yet again I take my life in my hands. Please give us some decent roads for nervewracked cyclists in the south east!!!!!
"It would be a lovely country if you could only put a roof over it" ... aside from the weather, I think Galway could improve the traffic if they got all of the students in GMIT and NUIGalway to cycle. The difference in traffic in the morning when NUIGalway is off is unreal. The bridge and headford road are a doddle.
Safety on the roads is a huge issue around cycling for me. If there were improved road infrastructure such as cycle lanes and increased driver awareness of cyclists in towns outside of the capital, I would definitely cycle everywhere all the time.