Until the motorists, cyclists, pedestrians change the way they use the roads the carnage will continue. We need zero tolerance of motorists speeding through red traffic lights, cyclists demanding more than their fair share of the road and pedestrians with more cop-on. Less of the Sacred Cows and more Common Sense please.
Whilst bad planning and design is a factor the overwhelming factor is inattentive motor vehicle drivers, most deaths of people cycling last year were people hit from behind by motor vehicle drivers in areas with a higher than 50km/h speed limit. Most of the roads where this happened will never have segregated cycle lanes as they are essentially rural roads, so driver education and awareness is key, which is where the new law will be vital in increasing awareness..
Whilst bad planning and design is a factor the overwhelming factor is inattentive motor vehicle drivers, most deaths of people cycling last year were people hit from behind by motor vehicle drivers in areas with a higher than 50km/h speed limit. Most of the roads where this happened will never have segregated cycle lanes as they are essentially rural roads, so driver education and awareness is key, which is where the new law will be vital in increasing awareness.
In addition to the obvious consideration regarding speed, there's also the consideration as to what part of the bike or car makes contact - cars generally have smooth surfaces, bikes don't. That may have been where mathepac was coming from
I agreed with everything you said Derek up until the bit in bold. I really don't think this law will change these behaviours at all. As you already said, there are a massive amount of people looking at their phones while driving despite the fact this is against the law. Also, as you say most of the roads where cyclists are at most at risk are rural roads where Garda presence is very low. A large number of people have already decided that the chances of being caught on their phone is so low they ignore this law so the chances they will pay attention to this new law when the chances of being caught breaching it are much much lower are negligible imho.Whilst bad planning and design is a factor the overwhelming factor is inattentive motor vehicle drivers, most deaths of people cycling last year were people hit from behind by motor vehicle drivers in areas with a higher than 50km/h speed limit. Most of the roads where this happened will never have segregated cycle lanes as they are essentially rural roads, so driver education and awareness is key, which is where the new law will be vital in increasing awareness.
Essentially we have a huge cohort of people driving who have never cycled, that is people in their 20s to 40s, allied to an increasing number of people cycling now, we are nearly back at late 80s/early 90s number of cyclists, so many of those driving have never experienced close passes by cars, been cut-off by cars turning left etc so they don't know how frightening it is to experience that. Once you've experienced that as a cyclist you are much more aware of it when driving.
We also now have a massive amount of people looking at their phones whilst driving, who never indicate in advance of a turn etc. and who are generally rushing much more than they used to.
Everyone needs to be more aware of each other on the road and to keep an eye out, no motorist wants to kill a cyclist but that won't stop them doing so until they pay more attention - this law will encourage them to do so.
I really don't think this law will change these behaviours at all.
Before they start that they could already do this using the traffic cameras. I regularly see cars in the bus lane on the Long Mile Road during restricted hours. Maybe they do this already ... I doubt it though!I cycled from Sandymount into town this morning. Then out to Dalkey from town and then back to Sandymount.
It occurred to me that if the Gardai fitted out about 20 to 30 responsible citizen cyclists with the appropriate cameras and linked them up to the penalty point system, it would be very easy and efficient to issue penalty points for dangerous cycling.
I could take my camera off now and input the details and the relevant clip for at least four drivers who should be issued with a lot of points. A car with a rotten exhaust driving in the bus lane at speed, indicating to turn left, but going straight on. A taxi brushing up against me in the bus lane. And many cars breaking red lights. It would be very easy for citizen cyclists to record this. I think it would quickly improve most drivers' behaviour and probably see quite a few off the road.
Brendan
But only at those points where sampling takes place. So how many samples in a cross city journey vs. the total distance travelled? I believe they grossly distort the numbers in the study I quoted, thus producing Daily Star / Indo type headline numbers that hide the truth. Using the samples I can see the LAs planning to slow traffic even further!When Dublin and other LAs run covert speed monitoring (those parallel black pipes across the road), they record 80-90% of motorists breaking the speed limits.
But only at those points where sampling takes place. So how many samples in a cross city journey vs. the total distance travelled? I believe they grossly distort the numbers in the study I quoted, thus producing Daily Star / Indo type headline numbers that hide the truth.
Were you walking out in front of cyclists nearly knocking them down, Did you notice most were using Dutch bikes or city bikes which are a lot safer in city traffic,You will find most are fitted with a bell and used quite a lot to warn Pedestrians when they are approaching them,I think we need to reach a tipping point somehow (especially in our urban areas) where there are so many cyclists that cars/trucks/buses/pedestrians are more aware of cyclists simply due to their numbers. When I was in Amsterdam recently I was nearly knocked down by cyclists a few times within the first few hours. Obviously I was aware that cycling was common in Amsterdam, but I wasn't that aware.
The insurance companies will dictate that all cars should be equipped with dash cameras.
Were you walking out in front of cyclists nearly knocking them down, Did you notice most were using Dutch bikes or city bikes which are a lot safer in city traffic,You will find most are fitted with a bell and use quite a lot to warn Pedestrians when they are approaching them,
I regularly see cars in the bus lane
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