Michael McAleer helps readers with their motoring problems
I believe I'm a fairly conscientious driver and more or less law abiding, but I'm ignorant of the rules of the road for motorists or cyclists with respect to cycle lanes.
I don't think I ever saw a campaign to educate motorists (or cyclists) in this regard. I see cars parked on cycle lanes. Is this permissible? Are there state rules or local by-laws or both?
- David Walsh, Co Wicklow
Rules for cycle lanes are by-laws and most are inaccessible to motorists 24 hours a day. As with bus lanes, there are signs indicating access rules, but parking is not permitted.
At a number of locations around Dublin (the locations I can remember are Amiens Street near the railway bridge, Fairview Park beside the Dublin Port Tunnel works and the Malahide Road near Crossans Opel) there are metal arms, suspended above the traffic. On them are two or three metal boxes - one for each traffic lane? Does anyone know what they are for e.g., lights, cameras, speed detectors?
- Tom O'Reilly
These are traffic control cameras used for monitoring traffic flows. They are similar to the ones located on metal pillars at other major junctions.
If stopped for any length of time behind a car with its brake lights on, one may experience temporary night blindness caused by the high intensity stop-lamps. So, when it is time to move off, the eyes will take some time to adjust to the dark again.
If in the last car in the queue, it would make sense to apply the parking brake as well as having the foot on the brake pedal until another car joins the queue.
Also, can motorists please refrain from the dangerous and illegal use of fog lights in the imminent dark winter months.
- Donal Knight
Donal makes a good point for not having brake lights on permanently while waiting in traffic. The most important point he makes, however, is on the issue of fog lights.
Certainly among the most annoying features of driving on Irish roads these days is the number of motorists who drive around on clear sunny days with fog lamps blinding their fellow motorists.
In a short 40-mile trip last week, we counted three cars with rear fog lights on, another three with full beams on, and one with no brake lights, but a set of decorative lights on the rear windowsill reminiscent of the car in the TV series Knight Rider.
A little consideration for each other on the roads would go a long way to make motoring less stressful, and dangerous.
I would really like to learn how to ride a motorcycle properly. I'm wondering do you know of any training organisations that can teach the raw beginner who does not have his own bike?
- Peter Kearney, Co Meath.
We know of two motoring schools with bikes for those learning to ride: the Irish School of Motoring and the RoadRunner school, run by our very own John Wheeler.
I'm a final-year student researching carpooling - the running costs, day-to-day problems, the negotiations, and the advantages of sharing over commuting alone. I would be grateful if readers could send their carpooling tales to me at stuartjackson@eircom.net
- Stuart Jackson
We would be interested in hearing some of the tales ourselves.