Cyclists seldom kill and maim

It is close to four years since I made the decision to stop driving the car on any sort of long journey.

I have developed a great way of travelling on a weekly basis from West Kerry to my office in Dublin's Camden Street.

I drive the car to Tralee rail station, rail it to Hesuton and cycle from there to work.
In almost four years only on two occasions have I been significantly late. Thank you Irish Rail.

During the June bank holiday I attended the Goldsmith Summer School in Ballymahon, Co Longford and because of our sub-standard public transport infrastructure there was little choice but to drive there from West Kerry.

I am still in shock after the experience. The roads, the rage, the signage, everything about the journey, was hell on earth.

Kilometres of poor quality roads with turns and bends on them that are simply fit for nothing more than horse-drawn carts.

Much of the signposting if it were not so serious would be tremendously funny. But in the signage stakes Athlone must take top prize. Driving from Ballymahon to Kerry I did not see one single sign in or near Athlone directing me towards the south. Then again, with summer here many of our road signs have been covered over with trees and bushes. Wonderful.

But it was the road rage that really drew my attention. Cars tailgating, cars and trucks consistently break the speed limit and then on many occasions, that wonderful Irish greeting, 'the fingers'.

The journey to and from Ballymahon was of nightmare proportions.

During the entire journey I noticed just one Garda speed control in operation.

It was on the Limerick side of Castleisland. I was so relieved to see someone trying to protect us on the roads that I stopped and had a chat with the garda. Indeed, we had a most pleasant conversation. He was in agreement with me on the state of our driving. He was most charming and an oasis in the midst of bedlam. Thank you garda.

After that journey I am amazed how more people are not killed and maimed on our roads.
And then on Bank Holiday Monday I read Ann Marie Hourihane criticise Dublin cyclists who use the footpath to get from place to place. She refers to these cyclists as 'Dublin's menacing fleet of arrogant cyclists'.

Of course it is wrong to break the law and it can be extremely dangerous to cycle on the footpath. But.

May I invite Ms Hourihane to join me cycling from Parnell Square to Camden Street.
I cycle down O'Connell Street but because of a near miss on one occasion and the incredibly badly designed street I have taken to cycling down the central pedestrian area. I cycle slowly and carefully.

You would think there would be a through cycle lane on Dublin's main street. But nothing of the sort. It is a most eclectic arrangement. There are two different types of cycle lanes on the street and there is a section with no cycle lane. The only place for a safe cycle lane in O’Connell Street is down the middle of the thoroughfare.

I am waiting for a garda to stop me. I will be polite and do what I am told. But should I be summoned I intend taking the case to Europe.

The majority of the cycle lanes that are in place are extremely dangerous. They give the cyclist a false security. Most of them are enclosed with broken white lanes, which allow vehicles to straddle them. In many cases the car lanes are so narrow that they have to drive in them.
Ms Hourihane is making a valid observation. But why is it always the underdog, the small person who is picked out and blamed for our woes, whatever they are.

How many people have been killed by drivers of motorised vehicles this year and how many have been killed by cyclists?

Ms Hourihane also writes, “Dublin cyclists travel on the pavement as a matter of simple routine”. That is simply not true.

Statistics are not always lies.