Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A CYCLIST IS in a critical condition after colliding with a pedestrian in the Phoenix Park in Dublin last night.
The man in his 50s was in a cycling lane on Chesterfield Avenue when he crashed with a pedestrian in his 30s shortly after 8.40pm.
Both of the men involved were taken to hospital.
The cyclist was taken to Beaumont Hospital where he is in a critical condition, while the pedestrian was taken to James Connolly Memorial Hospital with leg and back injuries.
Gardaí in Cabra are appealing for witnesses to come forward and contact Cabra Garda Station on 01 6667400, the Garda Confidential Telephone Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Was bound to happen as pedestrians always using the cycle lane. Always said the cycle lane should be the near the road protected by big curbs!
Absolutely agree. I was cycling there over the weekend and the cycle lane was full of pedestrians. I dont think it helps that the cycle lane is right beside where most people visiting park their cars though as they only seem to have the option of either walking on the cycle lane or on the main road to get anywhere. During the winter etc the footpaths can also be flooded and need repair, which forces pedestrians to walk elsewhere.
Cycle lanes that are part of footpaths are fine for young children on bikes. Suitable for little else.
Same along the Dodder between Templeogue and Rathfarnham
Jogging lanes they’re called in these parts
I have to agree with Sandra here.How else do you get from your car to the pedestrian footpath bar walking on the cycle path and let’s be honest, the pedestrian path isn’t where most people want to walk in the park.Im actually surprised there’s not 5 incidents a day in that cycle lane
Awful, hope he recovers quickly.
Re location of paths, I always thought this was strange. When I lived there I spoke to a councillor about it. Apparently they originally planned the cycle and pedestrian paths the other way around (cycle path under trees, pedestrians by the road), but the pedestrians (or at least someone who walks) objected saying that pedestrians should be afforded the shade, so they changed it.
I understand the concept of a cyclist coming into the park at Castleknock, taking a swift left up the ramp into the cycle lane but it’s nuts!
Nope Mick, it’s definitely a cycling lane, hence the bicycle pictures on them!!
Don’t tell me Ciaran tell the joggers!
The layout is a huge part of the issue. When parking on the main avenue, its simply not possible to cross safely to the pedestrian pathway with small children and a pram because there is no access to the path other than at junctions.
Agree. Have had several near misses. Pedestrians seem unclear that this lane near road is for cyclists.
Martin-I don’t suspect the majority are doing anything on purpose it’s just bad positioning as people have to access their cars and by doing so, need to step in the cycling lane.The paths should be reversed, nobody thought the sequence out.How exactly do you get into your car and not step in the cycle lane?
You could try looking both ways for a start
But you still have to step into the cycle lane to access your car
…having looked both ways for a safe opportunity to do so…
Let’s hope they both make a speedy recovery
I was in Amsterdam many moons ago and there they have pedestrian paths alongside cycle lanes alongside tram lanes alongside car lanes and would betide if you were in the wrong one!! You could be mowed down by a cyclist if you were in their lane and because you had no comeback and couldn’t claim. People respected the lines that were drawn. People should just cop on and stay where they are supposed stay but I doubt many of those in Ireland will ever abide by the rules and make it safe for everyone concerned.
Agreed. The Dutch takes no prisoners in that regard. We are still learning the difference between cycle and pedestrian lanes over here. I hope the two individuals recover in this case.
I’d imagine for a collision like that the pedestrian would have had to come into the cyclists path unexpectedly which is what happens when people get distracted by phones etc and don’t always keep to a straight line . We are not used to cycle lanes on footpaths. The pedestrian might have moved out of the path of an oncoming person thinking they were being mannerly forgetting about the cycle lane. My point is it’s not a simple case of disrespect or outright disregard.
The respective lanes are metres apart and clearly defined. The pedestrian was in the wrong place. Solely their fault.
Irish motorists have yet to learn to respect yellow boxes
Irish motorists have yet to respect anything but cyclists are worse.
Never ever seen a motorist pulled over for blocking a yellow box and I have seen traffic garda just looking at them.
At the time of posting this, 8 out of 19 thumbs seem to have a problem with respect to yellow boxes! That says it all.
@Dave – Cyclists are worse? How did you work that out? If I look at the death toll on the roads, I see 160 deaths caused by motorists and zero deaths caused by cyclists. How did you work out that ‘cyclists are worse’?
It isn’t the fact people walk in cycle lanes it is the fact hey are aggressive about it too. Ask somebody politely to move out of the cycle lane and most times it is met with a torrent of abuse. The cycle lanes need to be policed and pedestrian fines need to be brought in. For all the complaints about cyclists that are mostly legitimate there are more legitimate complaints from cyclists about dangerous driving/parking and pedestrians.
Reverse the cycle lane with the pedestrian lane, at the moment if someone has a buggy or a wheelchair it’s quite difficult to get to the pedestrian lane
I see the pro cycling brigade is out in force already. From what I can gather from this article is the pedestrian was hit from behind by the cyclist, who was on the cycle-lane/pedestrian walkway is not the point. Cyclists was not fully aware of his surroundings (head down baiting along) agreed the set up of this lane/walkway is not ideal but doesn’t give any cyclist total ownership of the lane. Same goes for any mode of transport to become good at it you need to try and predict the unpredictable.
Hopefully both parties pull through a live to laugh another day.
You must have read a different article so as none of those details are mentioned!
I believe these are exclusive cycle lanes, there are signs indicating no pedestrians.
Interesting thing with some motorists is that they go around blowing on about how people cycling on the road are dangerous and irresponsible yet these are the same people who when they decide to go for a walk ,where do they walk . On a cycle lane .. A no win situation
He must have been going some speed to put himself in a critical condition. Maybe it’s time to introduce a speed limit for bikes on cycle lanes not connected to the road.
Not necessarily.
Victim blaming. Good man James.
He’s critical in Beaumont which suggests head injury. Those can be sustained at any speed.
Not just ‘victim blaming’, but made-up victim blaming. There is no information here about how the incident occurs or what speed anyone was travelling at, but James just made up stuff to suit his prejudiced position.
I’m more shocked their was a cyclist in the cycle lane !!!!
Whoever designed the layout is an idiot. One of the most popular attractions in the country (the Zoo) along that road, especially popular with families, and they have to park their cars beside a cycle lane. Then cross the cycle lane with their kids, to get to a bloody railing all along the route, which they then need to hurdle, and then cross either a muddy swamp, or overgrown grass, to get to the actual footpath.
I have seen mothers with a few kids in tow and a buggy, trying to chuck the buggy over the railing while keeping control of her kids which she either has to leave beside a busy road or on a busy cycle path while she gets the buggy over the railing. It is a total sham and needs to be changed.
However, I see no excuse for a lone individual walking along the cycle lane….when he/she could just hop over the railing. Hopefully both recover soon.
I gave up cycling in the Phoenix Park with too many pedestrians making a point of using the designated cycles and and getting belligerent when I used it. I drew attention of the Park stewards to this but they said that it would be better not to use the cycle ways as they were of the unofficial view that they are unsuitable for cyclists.
I quickly got the message. I pointed can out that a cyclist could get badly hurt but they, the park staff, said that it would be the cyclist’s hard luck.
Surely it can’t be that difficult to colour code the lanes, so there is no doubt where your feet are, and create pedestrian intersections so that walkers can cross over to the footpath?
And I suppose pedestrians should use the “safe cross code” to get to their car which is a few feet away
Well it would help to look right and left Shawn. You know, the type of common sense stuff that you are thought when you are three. The problem is that if you make the path beside the cars pedestrian then cyclists are going to use it anyway and your still going to have to use the green cross code to get to your car. The solution would be to have them side by side, colour coded and separated by edging but of course that would require some forwarding thinking by the OPW and that’s not their strong point.
I’m a cyclist, driver and a pedestrian. It’s up to us all to take care where we are going and expect the unexpected.
Wishing good health to both parties involved.
why is the cycle lane on the footpath, why not on the road as they are everywhere else ? drive down any country road in the fine weather and they are there 2 and 3 a brest and to hell with the car`s, funnyist I`ve seen was a cyclist on a twisting road on wrong side of road head down no hands on handlebars and texting was going to blow him p but thought I might startle him and cause him to veer under me and then I would of been at fault at according to the cyclists law….
Maybe it’s a political stance – a principled refusal to recognise cycle lanes!
I love how Lycra wearing Sean Kelly’s in the Phoenix park think it’s a pro racing track and they think they’re pros. Bound to happen, actually surprised only now, so it’s still not too bad statistic…hopefully both pull through.
Agree we dont obey the cyclist/pedestrian lane but it would help if cyclists used bells if pedestrians are on their path -
In Amsterdam they all have bells on the bikes. If your in the way, the bell lets you know they coming behind you.
All bike should be made have one.
My girlfriend was knocked down by guy on his bike running a red light on pedestrian crossing which was green to cross and kept going, didn’t stop to see if she was ok or apologise.
Then you see people cycling bike on footpaths instead of the road when there is hardly room on the path for people to walk. Bikes are for the road or assigned lanes and aren’t exempt from the rules if the road.
The design and layout needs to be changed, It can be an assault course to get from the car to the footpath with a family and pram, I have had to walk so far down that cycle path with the pram to get a break in the railings before I could cross to the foot path, I am not walking with a pram in the road
have your say