The Dublin Community Blog

Photo right owned by thms.nl (cc)
So you better watch out! Seriously folks: Dublin is about to become a lot more hazardous for all its citizens. The Dublin Bikes scheme rolls out across the city centre at 11am today September 13th. Daragh has all the facts in his previous post. Mind you this morning at 2am as I was ferried home in the “safety” of a taxi there was narry a bike to be seen at the stations so don’t be too disappointed if you roll up today and there are no bikes.

As I have already written here on my love of cycling in Dublin I thought I would share some pearls of wisdom with those of you who are thinking of lepping into a saddle next week when the Dublin Bikes scheme launches.

(Note: Dublinbloggers take no responsibility for injuries sustained as a result of following Roseanne’s advice. You’re a cyclist not a sheep!)

1. If you are planning to use the bikes regularly do pick up some decent raingear. Even though I have “proven” that it rarely rains in Dublin with my longitudinal photographic record of the weather at about 6 of a workday(!) that’s not to say there might not be the odd torrential shower. Don’t be fooled into thinking that a cape is a good idea. They are not. Trousers and a jacket are your best bet. If you can get a jacket that zips from the top and bottom all the better and better again if you can get a jacket that has ventilation zips under or near the armpits.
2. Layers are always a good idea on the bike as it can be shweaty work even within the relatively flat city centre. Sorry to be crude but only thinking of your comfort. I would also advise you to bring a pair of lightweight gloves even in September. Check my little handy out only last week!
3. Tough day ahead or behind you and need to do some thinking? Pick up a bike and do a chunk of your journey on two wheels. Your problems will be thought through by the time you reach your destination. That or at the very least you will forget about them for 20 minutes as you navigate Dublin’s peculiar perils!
4. PAY ATTENTION! While you may be thinking things through you do need to pay attention, especially at junctions. Not so much for yourself but you have to second guess all the other eejits on the road. Seriously you will be amazed by the number people who seem to desire an ignominious end under a two-wheel vehicle by wandering off the footpath and into the cycle lane.
5. I understand the Dublin bikes have bells. The answer to the age old knock, knock joke “Is a bell on a bike really necessary?” is yes indeedy! Use them bells well, my children. A sharp “Get the [bleep] out of my way” is also affective but will upset the zen like state you are reaching in point no 3 above.
6. Do NOT break red lights. Apart from the legal and safey issues you are doing bicyclists no favours. It’s the first thing anti-bikers mention when they are trying to justify their gas-guzzling, air-polluting idiocy. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
7. This is one for the ladies: you can liberate your Loubotin heels once you have mastered the art of cycling! You may not be able to walk in them but it’s far easy to cycle in them. Starting and stopping is trickier, especially on an incline. Thanks again to those dudes who picked me up beside the canal on my way up to Emmet Bridge. However pencil skirts are a no-no so on with the leggings and roll up do sciorta (less creases) and stick em in your backpack. On that subject, a backpack is really the best option on a bike, especially when carrying a laptop, so invest in one you like that has a sophisticated system for keeping your back ventilated.
8. The Dublin Bikes do have a basket which while it may not appeal to the boys, my son regularly asks me “Why does Dad not have a basket? It’s so handy!” and he’s right. Ridiculous, hard-coded and imaginary gender issues aside, baskets are gift but beware of overloading them as the bike will topple as the basket pulls the front wheel to one side. I’m not sure which kind of stand the Dublin Bikes have but ThinkBike in Rathmines fitted my bike with a two sided stand so neither the presence of a child on the back or a heavy basket up front will topple the bike. If the Dublin Bikes have a traditional one-sided stand watch out for this toppling. The other thing to watch out for when you have items in a basket are potholes because as you go over the hole everything leps up in the air and all over the road. Bye-bye iPod etc.
9. Dublin Transport Office have a cycle journey planner which in my experience is to put it bluntly, pure nonsense. Imagine I was a TD (hah!) and I wanted to get from my house in Crumlin to Títhe an Oireachtais for work. I put in my street address as starting point and Kildare st as ending point and the system tells me: “Unable to find a cycle route. Hopefully this walking route will be of use.” I think the reason for this is because there are a number of one-way streets on the route they propose. If only they could add in a social layer, I could indicate the actual route that I take which would then be saved and used to extrapolate for other similar journeys by others. Two nice features that they have added since I last used this is a “CO2 Avoided” widget and a “Calories burned” widget where you can add in your own weight. Nice!
10. My final word is a warning and please take this seriously: Avoid the corner of Stephen’s Green where Earlsfort Tce. and Leeson St. meet. It is a death-trap. I’m mildly tempted to tell everyone to aim for it on the offchance that one of you might be injured. This is pure evil of me, I am aware, but at least it might draw attention to this ridiculous piece of road planning. With the extra publicity of Dublin Bikes the powers that be might actually pay attention. Your sacrifice will be for a greater good. Does that make me sound kind of fanatical?

We’d love to hear about your experiences of using the Dublin Bikes so tell us your tales in the comments below or post your pics to a photo sharing site and add the links below in the comments. I’ll feature my faves in a post in a few weeks time. Happy cycling!