Cunts on Ghost Bikes

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@Little_Lord_Fauntleroy front page of the Irish Times today.

Cycle path will block right to worship, church claims

Olivia Kelly

The “right to worship is being overtaken by the right to cycle” under plans to install a segregated cycle path on the Howth Road in Dublin, the local Presbyterian church has said.

Fingal County Council plans to install bollards from Howth to Sutton to segregate the cycle lane from traffic. The intervention will prevent on-street parking for several kilometres, including in the area in front of the Victorian church.

Church elder Michael Sparksman said the congregation comes from a wide area across north Dublin and many elderly parishioners would be cut off from the church if unable to access it by car.

“The council suggested people walk, cycle or take public transport but that is really not viable given our age profile and the distances people come from,” he said.

“We have a constitutional right to worship. People have been going to worship in this church for 121 years. For the council to decide we can’t do that because we can’t access the place is plain wrong.”

In addition to Sunday worship, the church hall is used for Bible studies, youth and children’s clubs and ballet classes. There is also a Montessori school to the rear of the church.

‘Beggars belief’

“The council suggested parents could park in Howth and walk with the children. That would take 15-20 minutes, and what are they to do in the rain? It is an attitude that beggars belief and borders on arrogance,” Sparksman said.In a statement, the council said the installation of bollards was “intended to improve road safety and create a safe environment for vulnerable road users and children to safely walk or cycle”.

It said parking was already prohibited along both sides of the Howth Road, as cycle lanes were in place though not protected. “There is also car parking available within the church grounds.”

Mr Sparksman said he accepted parking was “not strictly” permitted on the road, but that churchgoers had never been ticketed for the short duration of services. He said the most practical solution would be to leave a short section of the road without bollards.

“We have tried to reason with the council but they will not alter their plans one iota,” he said, adding that there was space for fewer than 10 cars in the church grounds.

“We support cycleways, but the right to worship is being overtaken by the right to cycle.”

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So Protestants are allowed park on cycle lanes? I never knew that.

Sort it out @Little_Lord_Fauntleroy .

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Christ on a bike.

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Not just lanes, footpaths too, the not strictly line is crazy

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The Irish Times love a good affluent nimby story

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Couldn’t they park up in one of the many car parks in Howth and run a shuttle bus to the church for those who wish to worship.

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Or have more services?

It’s a shit argument from him, we demand to park illegally on footpaths

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Road fatality total reaches 19 in month to January 1st (irishtimes.com)

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every red light should have cameras on them

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As churchgoers gathered inside Howth Presbyterian Church for Sunday Service, outside a cyclist moved towards the middle of the road as cars of congregation members were parked along the white-lined cycle lane.

Here in the north Dublin suburb the right to worship has collided with the right to cycle as plans to install a segregated cycle lane with bollards on the Howth Road have caused “distress”, according to minister Alastair Dunlop.

The installation of the bollards will prevent illegal on-street parking in the cycle lane which runs for several kilometres on the Howth Road.

Churchgoers say Fingal County Council’s plans to install bollards will prevent people – in particular the elderly – attending the church, as no alternative parking has been provided and public transport is “not adequate”.

However, Fingal Cycling Group, which supports the segregated cycle lane, says it will prevent the illegal parking that has created “unacceptable danger” on the road.

‘Major problem’

Margaret McKenna, the church’s clerk of session, says there will be a “major problem” if parishioners cannot park outside the church as the majority cannot physically walk or cycle the distance from Howth.

Ms McKenna (74) says travelling by car is the “only alternative”, and a request for a 200m space without bollards was declined by the council.

“My husband had a stroke so he can’t come on the bus, he can’t cycle and he can’t walk. For us, the only alternative is the car.”

She says if bollards are installed, she will no longer be able to attend services, which goes against her right to worship.

“I have no problem with the cycle lane and I agree that they [cyclists] need to be facilitated and kept safe, but if we could just have a 200m space with no bollards for two hours on a Sunday, that would solve the problem,” she says.

Mr Dunlop says the insertion of bollards outside the church is “very distressing”.

“To think that they might not be able to get close to the church, especially if they have young kids with prams and older people,” the minister says.

He says people travel from a wide area to attend the church and “our ability to grow and attract new people in the community will be hampered”.

Churchgoer Micheál Bolger, who travels from Finglas by car with two children, says if parking is unavailable they will have to consider “other [church] options”.

“I think there just needs to be a common sense approach . . . This is one hour on a Sunday morning, offpeak,” he says.

Mr Bolger, who commutes to work by bike, says walking from Howth to attend the church “with two young boys, that’s just very difficult”.

Dissatisfaction

However, other cyclists have expressed their dissatisfaction with a lack of segregated cycleways in the city. Alan Kelly from Oldtown in north Dublin, who frequently cycles on the Howth Road, says the cycle lane is “literally just painted on the road itself. It’s a white line and it’s basically ignored and used in every shape and form.”

Mr Kelly says “a white line is not a barrier”, and cycle lanes in Dublin are “not fit for purpose” because they are largely unsegregated.

Vinnie Meyler, secretary of Dublin Cycling Campaign, says cyclists are “very much at the mercy of motor vehicles”. He says a lack of properly constructed segregated cycleways is preventing people from feeling safe.

In a statement last week, the council said the installation of bollards was “intended to improve road safety and create a safe environment for vulnerable road users and children to safely walk or cycle”.

It said parking was already prohibited along both sides of the Howth Road, as cycle lanes were in place, though not protected. “There is also car parking available within the church grounds,” the council said.

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Removable bollards for one hour on a Sunday morning seems to be the solution here.

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It’s also used as a crèche, Montessori during the week. They’ll want the bollards removed two hours a day 5 days a week. In addition that hour on Sunday is probably the busiest time of the week for people on bikes.

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its illegal to park on footpaths mate, they also have a carpark.

why should people be forced to walk out onto a dangerous road

maybe just maybe dont let the Oirish times create a narrative for you & ask the locals for the correct story

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Zero tolerance makes for an intolerant world.

There’s a middle ground here we can reach.

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yes, zero tolerance for breaking the law when it affects safety, a person on the bike was killed recently enough & one of the factors that led to her death, was illegal parking outside a church

‘Car came around bend dangerously fast’ before death of cyclist Tonya McEvoy, driver’s trial hears - Independent.ie

Dunlop has an interesting twitter

Matthew Roberts on Twitter: “A thread on why the proposals to ban “Conversion Therapy” in the current government consultation are profoundly concerning to Christians, and to Parents, Pastoral Workers and Ministers in particular. :thread: /” / Twitter

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That was day one of the evidence. He was acquitted.

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