# Cycling in Dublin



## terrysgirl33 (20 Aug 2013)

Has anyone got any advice, or a link to any advice, about cycling in Dublin?  I'm considering cycling to local services, and maybe cycling to work, but I'm nervous about cycling in traffic.


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## Dachshund (20 Aug 2013)

The Dublin Cycling Campaign have a bike buddy system for anybody wanting to learn about cycling in Dublin. They can accompany you and offer advice.

If you decide to cycle to work, try the route on a Sunday morning as it is usually quieter and give yourself plenty of time.

Act like traffic, by that I mean observe the rules of the road, and be aware of your surroundings. If you find that you are intimidated by a tricky crossing, you can always pull over and stop and cross the road as a pedestrian at the lights. Do not cycle on the footpath, it is illegal and annoys other road users.

Since October 2012 it is no longer mandatory to use cycle tracks where they are provided.

Get a good u-lock (or two locks) and lights for the bike. Wind-proof rather than water proof cycling gear is more useful. Wearing a helmet is discretionary.

Rothar do bike maintenance classes and bike sales. 

Best of luck!
Dachshund (Proudly cycling in Dublin since 1987)


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## nai (20 Aug 2013)

Obey rules of the road.
Be aware of your own vulnerability.
Expect every vehicle to overtake you without leaving much room (inches in most cases).
Avoid filtering on left of traffic stopped at lights (you may drop into someone's blind spot)
Use cycle paths where possible.
Get (and wear) a good helmet.
Make sure brakes work correctly.
Always check over your own shoulders before changing direction (motorbikers refer to these as life savers).
Wear a good high viz top.
Ensure your lights are working correctly if out in poor light / darkness.
Obey the rules of the road (again !).

There's a good cycling forum on boards.ie also.


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## dereko1969 (20 Aug 2013)

[broken link removed]

The main tip would be, expect the unexpected, pithy I know but always be aware that the person in the car parked may decide to open their door without checking the mirror.

When coming to a left-turn junction, always stay behind a long vehicle, they may decide to indicate a left turn after you have gone up their inside, they won't be able to see you even if they do bother to check their mirrors.

Cycling is very safe in Dublin but you need to have your wits about you. I can't understand cyclists with headphones in myself.


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## huskerdu (20 Aug 2013)

dereko1969 said:


> [broken link removed]
> 
> When coming to a left-turn junction, always stay behind a long vehicle, they may decide to indicate a left turn after you have gone up their inside, they won't be able to see you even if they do bother to check their mirrors.
> 
> .


 

This is the single best piece of advice for any cyclist in a city. 
Lorries turning left are a major cause of cyclist fatalities in Dublin.

All good advice on this thread so far. 

You may be nervous when you start, but be cautious and you will get used to it. 

Don't forget that most parts of Dublin do not have heavy traffic, most of the day.
Unless everything you do is in the city centre at rush hour, a lot of your cycling will be  on quieter suburban roads.

Once you get used to it, its a great way to travel.


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## terrysgirl33 (20 Aug 2013)

Thanks for all the advice!


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## mf1 (20 Aug 2013)

"The main tip would be, expect the unexpected, pithy I know but always be aware that the person in the car parked may decide to open their door without checking the mirror."

If they open the door in front of you and its a narrow road, go for the door rather then swerving out when you risk being run over by someone else!

I was a long time cyclist in Dublin but, for all the reasons above,  not so much anymore as my nerve has gone a bit - especially at busy junctions. The other thing that annoys  hugely is cyclists undertaking you on the inside -its terrifying!

mf


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## AlbacoreA (20 Aug 2013)

Don't be in a rush. Take your time. If you don't like the road, pick a different route even if its longer. If you don't like a junction, get off and walk on the path until your happy to get back on.


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## bazermc (21 Aug 2013)

please please please wear a helment!!!!!!!!!!!


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## venice (21 Aug 2013)

Tips,
Don’t break red lights.
Don’t cut in front of Cars
Do NOT cycle on footpaths 
Don’t cycle up a one way street
Don’t cycle in pairs
Stick to the rules of the road.


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## delgirl (21 Aug 2013)

venice said:


> Tips,
> Don’t break red lights.
> Don’t cut in front of Cars
> Do NOT cycle on footpaths
> ...


  It'll be interesting to see if the on-the-spot fines planned for 2014 for cyclists breaking the above rules will be enforced.

I'm not in Dublin often, but drove around the city with my son one day last week.  We passed the time while stuck in slow moving traffic by counting how many cyclists we saw doing all of the above plus cycling up the inside of a truck indicating that he was turning left, cycling between a truck and a bus who were stopped at the lights with barely more than the width of the handlebars between the two vehicles.  

Only one cyclist out of the 31 we observed, stuck to the rules of the road and actually stopped at a red light.

Having witnessed the awful scene of the death of a beautiful young female cyclist in Blackrock, Co. Dublin last week, I can only say to cyclists please obey the above or you run the risk of death or serious injury.


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## AlbacoreA (23 Aug 2013)

delgirl said:


> ...I can only say to cyclists please obey the above or you run the risk of death or serious injury.



The inference here is that is cyclist behavior and rule breaking that is high risk. The stats don't support that though. The majority of accidents with cyclists are caused by drivers (70%). So cyclists really need to look out for situations where a driver is likely to cause an accident. Then cycle so as to avoid these situations.



> Top four types of cycle accidents
> Drivers turning right in front of an oncoming bicycle.
> Drivers hitting a bicycle when overtaking or changing lanes.
> Car doors being opened in front of cyclists.
> Drivers hitting cyclists when turning left.



http://www.traceysolicitors.ie/blog/cyclists-in-dublin-facts-figures-on-accidents/

That said if you don't respect other road users by obeying the rules you can expect them to return the favor. Though you have to have common sense, don't blindly follow cycle lanes or markings, some are very poorly even dangerously laid out.


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## AlbacoreA (23 Aug 2013)

huskerdu said:


> ....Don't forget that most parts of Dublin do not have heavy traffic, most of the day.
> Unless everything you do is in the city centre at rush hour, a lot of your cycling will be  on quieter suburban roads....



I actually prefer the heavier traffic, it moves slower and is more predictable. Usually its all queued up and you can cycle past no problem. Out in the suburbs cars seem to be speeding much more, and less aware of cyclists and give them less space for some reason. It only gets worse when traffic is lighter, (out of peak) and moving even faster. Though it probably varies from road to road.


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## elcato (23 Aug 2013)

One golden rule: Do not pass a truck (either side) unless you are certain to get in front of it by 5 meters before it takes off. In fact if a truck is stopped at lights just stay behind it unless the traffic is not moving at all.


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## RainyDay (20 Dec 2013)

bazermc said:


> please please please wear a helment!!!!!!!!!!!



But don't make them mandatory by law, or this will happen;

http://rdrf.org.uk/2013/12/17/the-effects-of-new-zealands-cycle-helmet-law/

Less cyclists, more head injuries per cyclist


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## dereko1969 (20 Dec 2013)

There is now a cycle planner available for Dublin
http://www.journeyplanner.transportforireland.ie/cp/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en

You can pick different options such as avoiding hills etc

It will also guide you towards less busy roads if there aren't any cycle paths available.


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## AlbacoreA (20 Dec 2013)

That is excellent, its picked two alternative routes for me I never considered. One down the grand canal.


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## Brendan Burgess (20 Dec 2013)

AlbacoreA said:


> One down the grand canal.



I was delighted to see the proper cycle lanes along the Grand Canal.

But I am disappointed in them. Because the stretches are so short, they are awkward.  Pedestrians walk in them a lot. 

If you want to turn right, you have to wait for a green cycle light. It's better to go out on the road earlier and take the main right filter lane if there is one. 

Brendan


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## AlbacoreA (20 Dec 2013)

Sorry I meant the Royal Canal. 

I agree about the Grand Canal. If you are a fast commuter you're better off on the road. If you only going short distance then cycle lane is probably more useful.


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## lukegriffen (20 Dec 2013)

assume that drivers won't use their mirrors or indicators
use flashing lights  & hi-vis vest
don't cycle close to the pavement, 

from http://cyclingtips.com.au/2013/05/how-far-from-the-curb-should-you-ride/ ..
_"Sergeant Arty Lavos from Victoria Police provided the following advice:

“I would recommend a distance of about 1 metre out of the curb to avoid debris and also create a buffer zone between you and the curb itself. We suggest that you command the lane and be confident doing so. Riding close to the kerb promotes drivers to try to squeeze through.”_


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## Bonaparte (20 Dec 2013)

venice said:


> Tips,
> Don’t break red lights.
> Don’t cut in front of Cars
> Do NOT cycle on footpaths
> ...



Interesting suggestions, however, I have to take exception to some of them.
*1. Don't break Red Lights*
While I accept that speeding through Red Lights is totally unacceptable, I feel it is necessary to take a holistic view of every junction. There are times when ambling through a Red Light is the safest thing to do, for example, when there is no junction to the left and there is a lot of traffic build up approaching the junction.  The cyclist is doing the traffic a favour here by ambling forward and not blocking the junction while starting off.

*2. Don't cycle in Pairs*
Cycling in pairs is acceptable within the rules of the road and indeed adds to the overall experience of cycling. There is no logical reason to prevent such activity.

Overall my advice is to be aware of everything around you and don't dither. Indecision is often the cause of a problem for cyclists so think about every situation and make your decision of where to go carefully.

Most importantly is ALWAYS wear a helmet.


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## Brendan Burgess (20 Dec 2013)

I think that cycling in pairs is bad road etiquette unless there is a second lane. You should not force drivers to drive at the pace of a cyclist.  It causes anti-cyclist sentiment. 

I agree fully with this:



> _command the lane and be confident doing so. Riding close to the kerb promotes drivers to try to squeeze through_



It's particularly important when approaching roundabouts - make sure that no car can try to overtake you on the roundabout.  Or cut you off because they assume you are turning left.


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## RainyDay (20 Dec 2013)

Brendan Burgess said:


> I think that cycling in pairs is bad road etiquette unless there is a second lane. You should not force drivers to drive at the pace of a cyclist.  It causes anti-cyclist sentiment.



I'm not so sure about this. It is generally easier for a car to pass two cyclists abreast than it is to pass to cyclists in line. With two cyclists in line, it can be harder to judge when you have space to overtake before oncoming traffic. With two cyclists abreast, it's just like passing a small car.


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## Gordanus (20 Dec 2013)

AlbacoreA said:


> I actually prefer the heavier traffic, it moves slower and is more predictable. Usually its all queued up and you can cycle past no problem.



Two difficulties I've had with stationary/almost stationary traffic and me coming along on the cycle track on the inside of the traffic:

1. taxi passenger suddenly opened the back door on the passenger side right into the cycle lane, right into my path. I went flying.  I was looking more at front seats, it being rush hour.

2. coming down the hill at Kilmainham towards Conyngham Rd on the cycle track at a fair whack when I suddenly saw the bonnet of a car protruding between the stationary vehicles and where my view was blocked by a van. I did not know if I could stop in time and screamed unknowingly as I jammed on first the back brakes and then the front.  I don't know whether the driver of the car was just taking a chance turning right, or whether the van driver had signalled her to come on through.  (I did manage to stop in time.)

I'm a very careful middle-aged woman commuting cyclist, and have been cycling most of my life around the inner areas of Dublin.


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