By Jeanie McDonald
I have been cycling around Dublin city for the past 11 years. I do not cycle on the footpath, I obey red lights, and I cycle in the cycle lanes, where possible.
I have a full driving licence (car), and also used to have a moped. So I feel educated from all angles.
I recently went on a trip, doing a lot of cycling, to Amsterdam. I quickly found there is a big difference to cycling in Dublin.
In 2016, while cycling in Dublin, I was knocked off my road bike three times for the exact same road offence by cars.
In each case where I was cycling in a straight line (in a cycle lane) a car decided to turn left, effectively turning in on top of me, and hitting me. Only one of the three cars stopped to see if I was OK.
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Cycle tour ride
While on my trip to Amsterdam, I decided to take a three-hour cycle tour around the city.
The tour guide explained that while cycling in Amsterdam you must obey the traffic lights, stay to the right of the cycle lane because we were going slowly, and give way to oncoming bicycles.
Every bike is equipped with a bell, to be used only if a pedestrian is in the way.
We would be observed for ten minutes, and anyone deemed unsteady, would have to return to the bike shop.
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Amsterdam has cycle lanes everywhere. None of them suddenly end, forcing the cyclist out into on coming traffic, unlike cycle lanes in Dublin.
Approximately 99 per cent of the bikes were Dutch style, ensuring nobody can pick up any great speed on them. Cycle lanes are marked clearly, and continue right around the city.
Drivers will be fined if they are caught parking across a lane. I only saw this once, and a ticket had been issued.
Rider relations
The major difference between cycling in Dublin and cycling in Amsterdam is that there is zero animosity between cyclists and those in general traffic.
A bus driver isn't going to drive as close to you as they can, looming behind.
A taxi driver isn't going to try to intimidate you by driving within a hare's breath of your elbow.
It's a mutual respect between all road users, which is clearly down to the education provided to all parties.
My daily cycle commute shouldn't be a case of me thinking maybe I won't make it in to work in one piece due to driver ignorance or lack of consideration.
If I lived in Amsterdam, I know that this would not be the case.
No one type of road user should feel that they have priority over another. Unfortunately this is the case in Ireland.
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