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Why more cyclists make the city safer to cycle - Herald
By Dr Mike McKillen - Friday September 18 2009
The launch of the JC Decaux Dublin bike scheme (www.dublinbikes.ie) has brought a welcome focus on cycling in our city.
Commuting cyclists know that any increase in the number of bikes plying our streets will bring about the 'critical mass' effect that makes cyclists more visible to drivers and this, in turn, compels drivers to take more care in interacting with riders.
However the scheme has raised the question from many commentators and drivers: is it safe to cycle in Dublin?
The answer is Yes, it is safe to cycle in Dublin -- provided that you have the understanding of how to position yourself in moving traffic.
It helps if you can match vehicle speeds so as to be able to effect lane changes seamlessly and safely. Those skills come more readily from instruction and experience.
The number of cyclist fatalities in road traffic collisions in the city is around three to four per year over the 2005-2008 period.
Paradoxically, congested roads are in fact safer places for a cyclist because once vehicle speeds drop to below 30kph the survival outcome for cyclists in any impact with a vehicle is that much better than at higher speeds when -- 80pc fatalities are attained at speeds of 50kph.
This is why the city is to be commended for its decision to introduce a 30kph zone within the inner-core area in 2010.
After any road traffic collision resulting in the death of a cyclist, there is a clamour from well-meaning citizens for the construction of yet more cycle lanes.
The death of the male cyclist last Wednesday on Wellington Quay after a collision with with a five-axle HGV brings the issues of 'cycling facilities' once again under scrutiny.
Organised cyclists don't automatically seek cycle lanes: instead they demand safer roads. In Irish law a cyclist is, in fact, driving a vehicle and is entitled to be on the carriageway and to be safe there.
Our roads are shared places: the car is not 'king'! Roads authorities and the Garda can be accused of catering for cars and goods vehicles rather than managing traffic.
In their thinking, the principle of free-flow rules supreme. Free-flow as a traffic catering principle will ensure that cycling never takes off. The permit system for five-axle HGV access to the inner-core of the city is to be welcomed, but it needs to be extended to three- and four-axle rigs too.
A worrying aspect of the operation of the permits is that sample surveys undertaken by organised cyclists has shown an approximately 55pc evasion level (2009 to date) by HGVs running through the city. Again the question has to be asked: what is the Garda doing about this unacceptable level?
Far too many drivers are overtaking riders far too close and fast on the road.
Bus, coach and taxi drivers are the worst offenders for this as they are sharing the bus lane system with cyclists but fail to realise that in many places the lane is only a nominal 3m wide and so it is impossible for the driver to safely overtake the rider other than by moving wholly out-of-lane.
This is the 'dangerous overtaking' offence attracting a €80 fine and two penalty points but the Garda are just not enforcing it any meaningful way.
Cyclists need full and proper enforcement of this offence in order to be safer on the roads.
The conditions for cycling can be massively improved by a much higher level of road traffic law infraction detection and enforcement.
And that includes cyclists running red lights and not having proper lighting on bikes at night.
Dr Mike McKillen is Chairman of Cyclist.ie and spokesperson for Dublin Cycling Campaign
- Dr Mike McKillen
http://www.herald.ie/opinion/why-more-cyclists-make-the-city-safer-to-cy...
