Welcome To The Jungle

at

camden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpfWfmjUXaU&feature=youtu.be&a

Yesterday.

A saddle-chafing POV view of a cycle on Camden Street, Dublin.

Crafted with rage by Dublin Loves Bikes.

Free the lanes, petrolheads.

*removes damp lycra shorts*

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50 thoughts on “Welcome To The Jungle

    1. James

      Don’t complain about anything eve – that can be solved – if you’re not a starving, disease-ridden child. Gotcha.

    2. John

      I know, The country is full of these first world problems.
      Trolleys in hospitals
      Paying for clean safe drinking water
      Not free enough education
      Gays marrying
      etc etc..

    1. munkifisht

      Bike hate from car drivers is literally insane. If you drive a car you should be BEGGING for the popo to be enforcing the law and protecting cyclists because the main impediment to getting people on bikes is fear. People are terrified of traffic in the big cities. You should be demanding more and more cycle lanes and a more cycle friendly city,

      The reasons why are totally logical. First of all, bikes make the environment better for everyone. I’m not against your car, but I am against the fumes from 1000s of cars, the noise, and misery of traffic.

      Second, you pay tax, much of that is spent on health care, the more people cycling, the fewer people being treated for cardiac and vascular disease, the less tax you pay (so long as cyclists aren’t being mown over).

      Third, the more people on bikes, the less cars on the road, the fewer traffic jams, the easier it is to get everywhere.

  1. Slightly Bemused

    I saw my first cyclist wearing a helmet cam today. While I try to drive carefully anyway, I wonder what my driving looked like to him.

  2. Weldoninhio

    Works both ways. I get the bus past the airport every morning. The cycle path is about 6 foot wide and is up off the road. Cyclists still decide to cycle in the bus lane slowing down the bus. Its infuriating. I’m dying for these new laws to come in. Easy pickings for the Gardai at Dublin Airport.

    1. Mr. Camomile T

      I presume you’re referring to the Drumcondra Road here Weldoninhio. If so, there are numerous reasons why cyclists might choose to cycle in the shared Bus & Bike Lane (which is legal) rather than the dedicated bike path, including:
      1. Pedestrians habitually ignoring bike path markings & walking in the bike lane.
      2. Multiple conflict zones where traffic turns off the main road and cuts straight across the bike path.
      3. Bike path inaccessible for long distances (if you miss a ramp up onto the raised bike path there’s nowhere else to access it for 100s of metres).
      4. Dedicated bike paths are rarely cleaned by road sweepers and tend to be littered with debris: Broken glass, branches, slippery leaves.

      1. munkifisht

        Add to that a lack of proper maintenance. Bike paths tend to be full of a lower standard of surface resulting in cracks, bumps and generally things that make it very hard and uncomfortable to cycle over.

      2. Weldoninhio

        It is not legal to use a bus lane when there is a MANDATORY cycle lane, such as the one in front of the AALSA. The clue is in in the name. The bike lane never has pedestrians at 8:30, I have never seen anyone walking it at that hour and i get the bus monday-friday. Its perfectly smooth and looks brand new. Its like a track.

        There are no conflict zones on the one i’m talking about. As for missing a ramp?? Heres a thought, pull over, and lift the front wheel of the bike onto the kerb, then the back wheel, and away you go. Takes 3 seconds.

    2. MrGavoB

      That new cycle lane at the airport it a joke. It only works for people going to the airport terminals or business parks.
      The track bends around the corner towards the terminals , with a barrier on the bend to prevent you from merging with the traffic.
      If you need to go straight ahead past Kealys pub , which I think most cyclist want to do . You have to stop at the pedestrian crossing , wait for the green light or be creamed by traffic coming from the right . Then proceed to cross two lanes of traffic as a pedestrian would to get back onto the road to continue straight ahead.
      I would challenge any person to actually get out on a bike and cycle these supposed abandoned , brand new cycle lanes . Give them a try just once and see how bad they are . I guarantee you’ll have a light bulb moment and say to yourself . “ Ah , now I see what cyclist wont use these cycle lanes” . Its far too easy to criticise from your car.
      Try it once and you’ll be avoiding these shambles they call cycle lanes like the rest of us.
      For the record, like the majority of cyclists. I have a car and pay insurance and tax,and blah blah blah.

      1. Kieran NYC

        Unfortunately, like everything in Ireland, it will take a few people dying for the changes that have been mentioned for years to be brought in.

    3. medieval knievel

      that’s not a lane designed for bikes, it’s a footpath with an outline of a bike painted on it. there’s a significant difference between the two.

    4. doncolleone

      what a moron Weldoninhio, clearly not a clue. Keep quiet, you’ll look less like a fool in life.

    1. pedeyw

      The cycle lane is unusable by cyclists. It’s a good illustration of why cyclists occasionally choose the road over the cycle lanes.

      1. dhaughton99

        All cycle lanes around the city are the same as this. Nothing new.

        You really want to take a trip around College green with that camera. Now thats hell on wheels.

        1. pedeyw

          Oh I know. I used to cycle around the city a fair bit till my bike got pinched. Its not the most pleasant of experiences.

  3. Elaine

    @weldoninhio The fines have nothing to do with forcing cyclists to use cycle lanes because they are entitled to be on the road, even if there’s a lane beside them. Legislation was passed a few years ago ’cause often it’s unsafe (vehicles blocking them, broken glass littered in them, gutters everywhere) to cycle in the lanes provided. I’m not particularly familiar with the route you use but I’m willing to bet there’s a very logical reason why folks are choosing to cycle on the road, especially if they have the option of a safe, separate lane elsewhere. There could be some ‘innovative’ junction issues that are plain dangerous or the path might just end abruptly. Likely you’d realise it if you cycled the route ’cause it seems like a lot of people designing cycling infrastructure have never been on a bicycle before :/

    1. PhilJo

      The primary purpose of cycle lanes in Dublin is to keep bikes out of the way of traffic engineers as they drive to work.

  4. David

    The odd tosser blocking the cycle lane with a vehicle is a common occurence but that is serial-sly annoying.

    These vehicles should park in the vehicle lane.

    1. Michael

      I saw one car and one bike parked. The rest were vans that were loading, which is allowed. The real issue is putting a bike lane on an unsuitable road.

  5. edalicious

    Truck tailgates, left down like at 0:28, are absolutely lethal. Quite often it’s not that obvious that they’re open until you’re right on top of it because the platform is pointing directly at you. I’m genuinely concerned about getting one of those in the neck some day.

  6. Kolmo

    Cycle like you are invisible – 100% of the time – because you are. As a daily cycmmuter I find this reduces the reasons for loud self-righteous rage against others on the street. A cyclist in Dublin City Centre cannot be expected to be visible as you are moving faster than everyone and thing else.

    1. scundered

      this may serve well at protecting yourself but does nothing to address the problem of pedestrians and drivers who choose not to walk/drive responsibly, by looking properly, like they’re supposed to.

      1. Kolmo

        Assume that they will make the worst possible decision, every-time – if they don’t, all well and good, if they do, you’re covered by your previous assumption.

  7. dereviled

    Many cycle lanes are clearways only at particular times. During these times you can park your car, jeep, bus, lorry and deliver, collect, shop whatever: it doesn’t matter, there is no enforcement.
    On saying that, 99.9% of drivers are patient and courteous as long as you look and signal correctly before moving out.
    As cycle lanes are meaningless you should cycle defensively as mentioned by Kolmo; drivers do not have 360° vision and lane changes, lane widths, lane markings and signage are completely random.
    Of particular note is the complete mess of a system on the South Quays between Connolly and Heuston station as we still haven’t quite figured out where the port traffic is supposed to go, but we mix it in with all the bus routes and the busiest pedestrian crossings.
    A word of note to our Jeremy Clarkson fans- the reason traffic is worse on rainy days is because every single junction has somebody blocking the yellow box when the lights change.
    I welcome the enforcement if it protects pedestrians and motorists from idiots passing red lights but given how it is presented I think it will just frustrate traffic flow and not address the dangers.

  8. Kevin Quinn

    Cranky cyclist-activists of Dublin, listen up: You are talking to yourselves, and your moral tone is so high at this point only dogs can hear you. The rest of us like to drive, cycle, take a citybike, take the bus/dart, use Uber or whatever actually suits us, whenever it suits us, and we accept that, much as we would like a clear run at all times, there are usually other people just like us also going about their daily lives, and we all just have to share the space. We do not feel that just because we cycle like we are doing the ecology/society/children of the future a special favour and that everyone should recognise our moral superiority, nor do we feel guilty if we drive. So lose the hattitude, stop being bitter and aggressive, because you are only stressing yourselves out — just cycle AROUND the obstacle. Relax. Try to smile at drivers, cyclists and pedestrians — they are people just like you, trying to get from A to B.

    1. Joe the Lion

      I’m one of the ordinary folks to whom you refer and you didn’t speak for me. Some cyclists are wankers and so are some motorists but society must only stand to benefit from increased rates of cycling which go hand in hand with increased levels of perceived safety in cycling. Go and have your four year old level of discourse at crèche

  9. munkifisht

    Ok, so I’m cycling years in London doing 40+ km a day. A few things to make that cyclist safer…

    1 – When in that situation, cycle behind the car in front (with distance so you can stop, car brakes work better than bikes), don’t cycle anywhere near the car doors. He was keeping up with the traffic so it won’t make any difference to the cars behind him but will make him much safer. Away from car doors, less likely to get clipped from teh other side too by some mental lad trying to squeeze past.

    2- I’m not sure he looked behind him, (although there is a half head tilt).

    3- Saw zero in the way of hand signals

    4- He pulled if very sharply. There may have been a car coming out at that junction. Nice way to get a side on collision. Wait until you know what’s past the truck before you pull back in.

    In short, when road space gets restricted, act like a car.

    1. $hifty

      1. I’ve done this and received nothing but aggression from cars behind me. Every single time. I’ve even had bus drivers revving right up behind me to intimidate me off “their road”
      2. Why would he need to look behind him? To make sure nobody is going to ram him from behind?
      3. No hand signals, because he’s not going anywhere other than straight ahead. Why would you signal if you’re not turning?
      4. Possibly. A car coming out of that junction is the one who should be taking more care, though.

      I agree with your last point though. Act like a car, almost all the time.

      1. munkifisht

        1- They can intimidate away, beep their horns. I don’t care. I’m safer there than in at the side. I don’t mind slowing down traffic and I while I have had people get angry, nobody’s every hit me from behind. I also think I’ll be safer if I am going to get hit from behind as I land on the bonnet and roll off. If I’m rammed from the side I could fall under the wheels.

        2- look behind as you pull out. Once in behind the car in front you’re fine.

        3- Hand signals to tell the guys behind you’re intending to pull out. It doesn’t hurt to also wave appreciation.

        4- They should but you also have to remember they can’t see up the road. They’re trying to get out. They’ll nudge themselves up so they can see around the truck.

        In short, people have to share the raod sometimes because of d*** heads like that truck driver. Cyclist should also hand that video into the Gardi so further action can be taken.

  10. Tiddle McGee

    Broadsheet, please desist from redacting the registration plates of motor vehicles photographed from public places. There is no compelling reason to do so.

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