LATER THIS YEAR there’ll be an extra 950 bikes on the streets of Dublin city with the expansion of the hugely popular Dublin Bikes scheme.

The plans were ratified by Dublin City Council last night and will see 58 new stations spread out across the city.

There are similar plans for a scheme in Galway, with bike commuting on the up across the country.

Whether you’re a pedestrian, a cyclist or a driver, here are a few things you may not know about getting around the country on two wheels…

1. Cyclists aren’t obliged to use cycle lanes

In October 2012 the transport minister Leo Varadkar published legislation which abolished the requirement for cyclists to use designated lanes.

According to one TheJournal.ie Towers cyclist:

If we aren’t in [the cycle lanes] it’s usually for a good reason.

Cyclists are only required to use cycle lanes in pedestrianised areas or where a contra-flow cycle track is provided.

Flickr/Creative Commons/RichardMasoner

2. Locking up your bike is practically an art form

Video: YouTube/Cycling Campaign

3. But not everyone gets it

via Imgur

4. If you get knocked off your bike, you might still come away with a useful souvenir

via Imgur

5. Dublin is the eleventh most bicycle friendly city in the EU

Well, it’s ninth on the grid, but with Seville and Bordeaux in joint fourth and Nantes and Antwerp in joint fifth, that makes Dublin 11th.

The list was compiled by Copenhagenize, which gave marks to cities “for their efforts towards reestablishing the bicycle as a feasible, accepted and practical form of transport”.

6. If you’re on a bike you should give hand signals to traffic behind you and ahead of you

(But remember: signals do not give you right of way, they just indicate what you intend to do)

Info via Rule Of The Road/ROTR.ie

7. What about taking bikes on buses and trains?

Bus Eireann will carry your bike, but only in the luggage compartment and only if there’s room and you might be charged for the privilege. A folding bike which is folded and wrapped appropriately will be treated as normal luggage.

Intercity trains have space for bikes (but only three per service, and there’s a fee) while bikes can be carried on commuter and DART services between certain times only.

Folding bikes are allowed on Dublin bus, but according to Cycling In Dublin, this is up to individual drivers, so be sure to have a smile ready.

You’d probably get away with this one though:

8. It’s not against the rules of the road for a cyclist to pass drivers on the inside… with exceptions

The same legislation published by Minister Varadkar in October 2012, it was clarified that cyclists have the right to overtake on the inside if the vehicles are stationary or moving slower than the cyclist.

There are exceptions though:

• If the vehicle is turning left and looks like it will turn left before the cyclist overtakes
• If passengers are getting in or out of the vehicle
• If the vehicle is loading or unloading goods

9. Cyclists cannot break red lights

Nope, not even if you’re in a terrible hurry and there’s nothing coming. Not even then.

10. Anything you can do, Michael D can do better

via Imgur/Michael Donnelly

11. There’s a National Bike Week

It runs from 15-23 June and is aimed at encouraging people to be at one with the pedals, just like these lads:

Video: YouTube/SamHorgan

‘On yer bike!’ Cycle commuting is on the up in Ireland>

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