Support cycling

by rob Sat Feb 03, 2007 15:44

Great idea- just what we need!!!

by R. Isible - Bikes not Velodromes Sun Feb 04, 2007 16:12

Velodromes are cool and all -- I've ridden in several, but they're about as relevant to the decline of cycling in Ireland as greyhound tracks.

It's possible that I'm just being overly negative, but it seems that if Cycling Ireland is worried about declining cyclist numbers then they'd do well to approach some of the root reasons:

1. Increasing coralling and marginalisation of cyclists by the promotion of bicycle paths and bicycle helmets. Ironically these specific measures are often pushed for by organisations such as Cycling Ireland which claim to be "representing" cyclists.

2. Lack of a prosecution of dangerous drivers (even to the extreme of drunks getting away with it there's a complete lack of seriousness in the approach of Irish drivers to the problem of how to drive safely).

3. Lack of provision of secured, wet-weather bicycle parking. How hard can it be to dedicated a set of rooms around Dublin (or any other large town or city) with attendants to store your bike and bring it out on production of a ticket?

4. A general insecure snobbery pervasive in the society which judges people that bicycle as inferior to those that drive -- it's possible that making the sport aspect more visible would overcome this stigma but it's unlikely. (As a side note I would be prepared to bet that a large number of those that own Colnagos are going to drive them to the velodrome instead of cycling).

5. Lack of tax-rebates or other incentives to enable the purchase of good lights, wet-weather gear, bicycles, reflective materials, tires, repairs, etc. Cyclists are already short-changed by the amount of their contribution to general revenues that is dedicated to maintaining a road-network on which it is increasingly unpleasant to travel and the subsidisation of fuel imports. Given the importance of reducing carbon-dioxide emissions it would seem both prudent and fair to try and reverse the trend which sees falling numbers of cyclists in Ireland.

Do Cycling Ireland have any proof that building velodromes will do anything to benefit the general lot of cyclists, many of whom would have no interest in keirin, nitto drop bars or interval training?

All that said, I'd love to see a velodrom in Dublin (or Cork or wherever), I just think there are more productive and urgent ways for Cycling Ireland to spend their time given the concerns they reference in this appeal.

by Catherine Thu Dec 18, 2008 15:38 envirpub at indigo dot ie

I commute from Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin to Grafton Street by bicycle every day. I cannot believe that Dublin City Council widened the road at Elm Park and St. Mary's School for the Blind, and did not provide cycle lanes. It is one of the most dangerous stretches of road into and out of Dublin for cyclists. We need secure cycle lanes. Bus lanes will not do as it is as dangerous, if not more so, to cycle beside a bus as it is to cycle in traffic.

Cycling is a wonderful way to travel and to commute. It's good for your health, your pocket and the environment.

by eamo - self organisation Fri Dec 19, 2008 12:56

Cycling in dirty air is bad for you.

It would be better to sit on the bus etc, and read a book and do , say, stretching and self massage etc , THEN do ones exercise in a green area, with fresh, moist , clean air.

I would recommend a mask and/or only breathing through the nose.

New Scientist had a story that strenuous exercise in dirty air, only makes your blood sticky, which is bad.