Dublin cyclists form 'human chain' to prevent illegal parking in cycle lanes

Protesters in Dublin have taken to forming human chains to keep cars from parking in cycle lanes. “We're not doing this to create confrontation. We want to raise awareness," said one of the campaigners.

Independent.ie reports that 17 cyclists came together on Twitter a few weeks ago due to ongoing "frustration" at how the city’s cycle lanes were being invaded by loading trucks and other vehicles.

I Bike Dublin’s Ciarán Ferrie explained: "We felt our complaints to the Department of Transport and to the companies who owned the loading trucks weren't getting anywhere. We decided that there was only so much getting angry on social media could achieve and we began our campaign two weeks ago."

The first protest was held on St Andrews Street’s contraflow bike lane.

@IBIKEDublin protecting counter-flow cycle track on St. Andrew's Street, D2 this morning during its operational hours pic.twitter.com/W9uzdwIfsm

— Cyclistie (@Cyclistie) July 11, 2017

Further protests have followed.

The group is looking to protect the cycle lane on Ranelagh Road between 8.30am and 9.30am tomorrow (Thursday) as the lane here is often said to be blocked by motorists stopping at the shops or to get coffee.

Hey, just a thank you note for the support we got at Andrew's St and Westland Row this morning. That kept us going in the rain! pic.twitter.com/VoXDjWBnmf

— I BIKE Dublin (@IBIKEDublin) July 11, 2017

Earlier this year, campaigners in Kansas used toilet plungers as a way to try and keep motorists out of a bike lane at a dangerous junction.

Their efforts proved highly effective as a month later city authorities installed vertical wands at the same location.