A Garda road safety video has generated a lot of comment from social media users as several Garda vehicles are parked in a cycle lane in the background of the clip, below.
Many of those who commented questioned why a video on road safety shows numerous Garda vehicles in the background blocking the cycle lane at a busy and dangerous location on the quays in Dublin's north inner city.
The video was recorded by the Garda on Custom House Quay and was shared by the Road Safety Authority to encourage drivers to be more careful over the Bank Holiday Weekend.
It was clearly well-intentioned and it is good to see both agencies doing these kinds of public appeals, especially as this video warns drivers against drinking and taking drugs.
But the road safety video message, by Assistant Garda Commissioner Paula Hillman, also clearly shows Garda cars and motorbikes parked on the cycle lane behind her.
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It appears a drink/drug driving checkpoint is being conducted on the road. Those checkpoints often involve gardai funeling vehicles into one lane and towards the gardai carrying out the tests. They often do this by parking their vehicles on the road in a manner that forces drivers into one lane.
However, the checkpoint is not fully visible in the video and so all viewers can see is Assistant Commissioner Hillman speaking into the camera beside Garda vehicles blocking the cycle lane. The optics are very poor and it's perhaps no surprise people have voiced their annoyance, especially when parking or blocking cycle lanes is a significant problem in the city.
This particular stretch of road can be dangerous, with large trucks driving towards Dublin Port and buses and private coaches pulling in and out to drop off and collect passengers on the quayside.
The 'I Bike Dublin' campaign has carried out a number of its actions here, to defend the cycle lane for cyclists, as it is regarded as a hazardous location for cyclists, especially for close passes and buses blocking the cycle lane.
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