Gardai fining cyclists on N11?

I should have been more specific regarding the areas I would consider dangerous as the N11 is a very long road.....

I think its a valid point that perhaps this road is potentially dangerous. But might I suggest the ideal is less cars and less traffic, and part of the solution to that is facilitating cycling.
 
Time to make cyclists accountable by making them get compulsory 3rd party insurance.

So less cyclists, more cars more congestion.

How about falling in line with Europe?


 
Time to make cyclists accountable by making them get compulsory 3rd party insurance.

As AlbacoreA says, but if we are to introduce it, why not for pedestrians too? They walk while drunk, staggering off the pavement, jay walk, etc.

The problem is that as the driver of a vehicle you should be driving at a limit that is safe for the conditions and should be alert to dangers, hazards and potential dangers. Given that vehicle drivers, cyclists and pedestrians all do unsafe things at any given time, we should be driving with much more due care. Given that the vehicle can do far more damage than any cycle or pedestrian, they greater duty and responsibility is with the vehicle driver to drive with an appropriate level of due care.

I agree with the Gardai giving out lights and even fining cyclists who don't have them. It's nuts that I see cyclists with no lighting or high-viz reflective gear (the non-reflective bright clothing is useless in the dark, but better than black). But I don't think we can really blame cyclist for all the road traffic ills aside from an occasional short-term inconvinience.

Take a blow on the hand from a mirror as a driver dangerously overtook you, or a clip of the handlebar causing you to fall and dislocate your shoulder (or bust a hip or knee as on other occasions) all due to driver impatience and lack of attention and really tell me that cyclists are the biggest problem on the roads right now.
 
Most cyclists and pedestrians do have third party insurance if they have a contents policy on their property. If covers their personal public liability. I know of an incident where a cyclist hit a pedestrian doing some serious damage and it was paid out via that cover.
 
Dear Complainer,

This is not about how fast I can get home. This is about basic safety, respecting the laws and rules of the road.
Time to make cyclists accountable by making them get compulsory 3rd party insurance.
Folks, do you think that you could be a bit more specific as to what particular problem you are trying to solve here.

Yes, we all see cyclists breaking traffic laws every day. Those of us who don't have modal blinkers also see motor vehicles breaking traffic laws every day and pedestrians breaking traffic laws every day. What we don't see at all is any evidence that cyclists cause accidents to any significant extent. There has never been any data for Ireland, and to the best of my knowledge anywhere world-wide, showing that cyclists cause accidents. There have been a tiny number of incidents - I can recall two from UK in the past three or four years - where cyclists have killed pedestrians. Very tragic, and very regrettable of course. But there is no evidence that cyclists cause accidents or injuries.
Or if there is an entrance ramp similar to a moterway they should take the exit and then re-enter.

Safety ? Not going across a busy cut off point. As I said if it has an entrance and an exit then it's simply up and down a ramp. How will it hold up cars even more ?
Madness. Sheer madness. Unless you're suggesting that the cyclists need to get a bit more hillwork into their training schedules. But those ramps really aren't long enough to help in training. It makes about as much sense as suggesting that cars should exit the dual carriage way and join again to leave room for the cyclists.
 
Slip roads are started and finshed by a roundabout or traffic lights or even both. Traffic are stopped or slowing to these giving the cyclist a chance to signal and continue on. The madness is, as stated by the original statement, in cyclist putting out a paw and expecting cars to stop immediately at their whim so they don't get killed. I've never seen the actual return ramp on the N11 but I know the point where it is. I also have never cycled out that far but if I did I would be stopping at the edge of the slip road and either waiting dfor a chance to cross over or I would actually take the slip road and see where it brings me. However, I think I would take the old road in any case but you try it yourself it by all means as you have the right to do so as a cyclist.
 

We can agree on one thing. I'd probably be cycling the old road too. I generally wouldn't cycle on a dual carriageway, because they are just not nice places to be. But for those cyclists who do choose, they should get respect from other road users. The don't have to stop on a main road and 'wait for a chance to cross'. The traffic coming behind them should see them, and adjust their speed or direction to give them a chance to cross. A 'lifesaver' check over the shoulder is always a good idea too. Cyclists need to cycle assertively - to take their place on the road, in traffic, not be hiding away and stopping at every junction on a main road in case someone else does something dumb.
 
Cyclists need to cycle assertively - to take their place on the road, in traffic, not be hiding away and stopping at every junction on a main road in case someone else does something dumb
Yes, but one dumb move is more fatal for a cyclist. I'm not willing to take that chance anymore.
 
If you get bored with 'Budget Talk' there's an interesting programme on BBC1 this evening at 9pm - 'Britain's Road Wars' - the view using cameras placed on cyclists' helmets to record their interactions with motorists.
 
If you get bored with 'Budget Talk' there's an interesting programme on BBC1 this evening at 9pm - 'Britain's Road Wars' - the view using cameras placed on cyclists' helmets to record their interactions with motorists.

The suggestion seems to be that its sensationalist and very misleading.


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...ritains-roads-in-bbc-documentary-8382245.html

It could be the equivalent of portraying dangerous boy racers as an accurate representation of Irish Driving in general. Done deliberately to drive up viewing figures and coverage to boost the profile of the film makers. Unfortunately most people won't realise they've been duped.
 
Yes, but one dumb move is more fatal for a cyclist. I'm not willing to take that chance anymore.
I guess we disagree on what constitutes a 'dumb move'. In my book, hugging the kerb and pretending that you don't exist is the dumb move. That's what enables drivers to try to squeeze through gaps that aren't wide enough. Take the lane, take the space that you need on the road, and make yourself visible to other road users. They'll give you the space you need, by and large. And when they don't, you keep your wits about you so you know what's happening.
 
The bottom line is that cyclists are just as vulnerable as pedestrians and should be treated and protected as such.

If they are permitted to cycle on dual carriageways, then provision should be made for them to do so safely with designated cycle tracks away from the main traffic.
 
According to what stats?
I wasn't referring to any particular statistics, but think the vulnerability of both groups is obvious due to the lack of physical protection and the higher rate of fatalities per distance travelled compared to say car users.
 
I wasn't referring to any particular statistics, but think the vulnerability of both groups is obvious due to the lack of physical protection and the higher rate of fatalities per distance travelled compared to say car users.

Most fatalities occur on 50kmph streets...