What’s your commute route? How do you rate it? Any frequent trouble spots?
(If you don’t commute to work or school, feel free to talk about any regular route you cycle.)
Your Galway commute
Wednesday, June 18, 2008 | Galway Cycling Campaign newsletter | 13 comments
13 Comments
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It’s a nice distance (~5.8km) and for the most part is hassle free – except for the rather nasty bends before you come to the Glenlo Abbey (if you’re travelling towards Galway). There’s a little scenery on the way which makes it pleasant but can be breezy/windy! Currently doing it on a mountain bike but plan to get something more commuter friendly i.e. somewhat lighter and with easy addition of a pannier as carrying a backpack is leaving me a little sweaty.
Agree regarding those Bends near Glenlo Abbey. For the love of God I dont know why they have not widended that small section of road yet. Either side of it the road is nice and wide or has hard shoulders. Any cyclist I know who goes on trips out to North Connemara always complain about that section of road. The only positive is that the road surface is good unlike the bad section of road approaching MoyCullen village on the N59. The road is narrow and bendy + the road surface is shocking.
Approaching Ougterard the County Council have resurfaced a section of road that was in similar condition in the past. Hopefully they will do the same with that section approaching Moycullen, they should also widen that section of road as well.
Approaching Moycullen is pretty hellish alright – I sometimes go up to the supermarkets there at the weekend if I’ve run out of milk or something like that! Think I’ll keep my mountain bike around just for that run 🙂
My commute goes from Knocknacarra over to Newcastle. This route is fine as I take all the first exits on roundabouts. The most difficult section is St. Mary’s road, which is a tight squeeze, especially when the kids are back at school. Between the Jes, Marys and Scoil Fhursa, it gets a little crazy, and cars typically try to pass you on the bike when there is clearly no room, only for you to meet them again at the lights at Cooke’s corner. Still it’s a nice feeling passing everyone sitting in traffic up by UCHG.
I’ve only had two near misses in the last two years- once when someone pulled around a corner on top of me, another time on the Salthill roundabout going home (a second exit, so no one cares about bikes).
Your commute interests me, you are travelling via St Marys road to go from KnocknaCarra to Newcastle?
That does not seem the most direct route? Was wondering are you avoiding the Bishop O’Donnell/Seamus Quirke Road due to the heavy traffic on this road? What exact area of Newcastle are you going too? If its the Dangan side(Upper Newcastle) – a route that might be useful as it is perhaps more direct is to go through Rockfield Park housing estate off the Rahoon Road and take the shortcut into Claremount (gap in the wall – you might have to dismount)- then take the Siobhan McKenna Road and then go through Moyola Park onto the Upper NewCastle Road. Its a route I use going home from work when travelling over the Quincentanary Bridge. Allows one to avoid the heavy traffic on Bishop O’Donnell/Seamus Quirke Road but then you dont have all the fun of overtaking the static cars on that road especially at Rush Hour. Agree re the roundabouts – it gets tricky if you are not exiting the first or second exits. Really need to be approaching roundabout at speed to pull it off, actually in heavier traffic its easier to negotiate them as car’s are travelling much slower. Multilane roundabouts are the most difficult.
No, my route is pretty direct. I’m on the old side of Knocknacarra, so spinning down by the prom is the quickest. There’s a couple of problems with going down the Clybaun Road- that bike lane is a receipe for disaster, especially where it connects with the roundabouts. I agree about the Bishop O’Donnell/Seamus Quirke Road madness, too.
I’ve been reading the “Share the Road Guide”, I picked up in a bike shop last week. Since then, I’ve been trying to overtake cars on the right, when there’s enough room.
My latest problem is getting lights bright enough, now the sun is setting that bit earlier. I checked out three Galway bike shops and there isn’t a great selection. I ended up getting a cat-eye flasher for the front and back, and rode home with it this evening for the first time. I’m not that happy with how visible I am. Anyone have any suggestions on where to source brighter bike lights?
St. Mary’s Road is a tight squeeze, especially with the long line of parked cars, and its straightness seems to encourage some motorists to put the boot down no matter what. Just after Cooke’s Corner (as Newcastle Road bends left), there’s an extremely narrow pinch where the footpath disappears on one side. I’ve never had trouble there, but there’s always the possibility of pedestrians being caught unaware and trying to cross over or squeeze by. Cycling in a primary position in the middle of the lane helps to discourage dangerous overtaking here, and also improves visibility so you can see around the corner sooner.
As for bike lights, the last time I went to buy a set in a bike shop, the guy behind the counter continued a social call on his mobile phone for several minutes before I decided to take my modest custom elsewhere. I got these in Argos and they were awful – the yellow plastic keys and sockets quickly wore down and became useless. Against my better judgement I tried these next and have had them for over a year. They’re handy to attach and remove, and I’m in the habit of taking the batteries out between use, or they power down quickly. The front light seems bright enough to make me seen, but not to illuminate the road in front. Reflective straps like these are another visibility option, and handy to carry in a pocket or bag.
Not long ago, cycling up the Bishop O’Donnell Road onto the roundabout at Fort Lorenzo, I was in the middle of the left-hand lane approaching the roundabout, wearing a high-vis jacket and using my lights, and a car still came right up beside me (within inches) as if I wasn’t there. As I heard at a cycling skills talk yesterday, lights and reflective gear are no guarantee of being seen…
Hi.
Thats a nice commute, its a more plesant cycle for sure. Avoid the hills. I agree re bike lanes on Clybaun Road. They should remove them in my opinion as they tend to give cyclists a false sense of security + they usually get filled with grit and gravel. These roundabouts are not the worst to negotiate; they are pretty small. The Key is to enter them in the center of the lane (The Primary Position). If you have been reading the “Share the Road Guide” you might be interested in John Franklin’s book “Cyclecraft” that is now in the Galway City and County library’s. The GCC had the launch of the book last Tuesday 16th of September in Galway City Library. http://www.galwaycycling.org/node/133
The GCC “Share the Road Guide” is based John’s book.
I think your best bet for lights is “online”. The Galway’s Bike Shops tend to stock the cheapest goods. Even the bike shops in Dublin(those with online shops) tend not to have hugh stock volumes.
Your best bet to be honest would UK/European Online Bike Shops.
Oisin
The section of road approaching Moycullen has been partially resurfaced at last. Still a 300/400m section to go the last time I was passing through Moycullen.
Ya I have same problem with the roundabout as well approaching from the Bishop O’Donnell Road onto the roundabout at Fort Lorenzo, main problem is design of the exit at that roundabout. First you are cycling slow going up the hill and then second a single carraigeway road becomes a 2 lane roundabout entrance – and third there is a slight kink at the top of the road just at the roundabout exit where you can get squeezed in by cars who are stacking themselves in twos at the roundabout entrance.
Re High Viz
I have a reflective rucksack cover – its waterproof and also great for keeping the bag clean when cycling on dirty roads. Check it out at:
http://www.cycleways.com/store/category/19/131/Protection-Reflectives/
My daily travel is from Roscam (Merlin Park), down the Dublin Road, then I turn into town at the Huntsmans and either go down Lough Atalia or college road (depending on the windchill coming off the water) then through Eyre’s square up to the courthouse, over the bridge and past the college and into the hospital. about 30 mins there, 40 mins back
I am trying to live out in Oughterard, while depending on public transport. I have met many people from the area (Oughterard, Roscahill, Moycullen) who have given up on the idea and bought another car.
It is impossible to get in to Galway before 9 pm, and the last return is at 6.15pm, there are no commuter tickets on bus Eireann, a monthly bus costs over 230 EUR which is crazy money for a monthly regional bus ticket. I know people who work in shops and others who shop in Galway. There should really be a bus that brings people in for 8.30 a.m. so that they can get to work on time and a late bus after 9pm. There should be a research in the area: how many people would give up their car if they could access the city by bus! Bus times need to be revised and prices matched. At the moment we have a destructive competitive situation where two bus companies turn up at the same wrong times. There is no consulting of the community. The talk of Bus Eireann of closing rural routes is weird, why not look at profitable restructuring and giving us a real service at a decent price. Many teenagers, students, workers are ready to get on the bus IF the price and timing is right!
Hi Christine, have you looked at the 419 (http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1245925201-419.pdf) into Galway – it goes through Oughterard at 0755. That said, it would be nice if that wasn’t the only one and the return times aren’t much use either. I can appreciate that cycling from Oughterard into the city may not be something you want to undertake 🙂 (I’m cycling from just beyond Moycullen these days ~12km to my workplace)