By Car

Never has an AA Roadwatch presenter sounded so downbeat. "Donnybrook is moving OK," said the voice on the car radio, before adding, "the Stillorgan Road is very heavy, though."

One had to feel for her after her organisation had predicted widespread chaos, half-hour motoring delays and road-rage. It did not materialise - at least yesterday morning.

Yes, this Irish Times reporter was overtaken by 26 buses on the route from Foxrock church to Grafton Street. Yes, it took exactly 50 minutes to complete the journey by car - 19 minutes more than by bike, 18 minutes more than by bus. Yes, it was more costly to park the car in town for the day than take the alternative modes of transport.

However, on yesterday's showing, the disruption caused by the new Stillorgan QBC was nothing to deter hardened peak-time motorists from continuing in their ways.

However, it may be a different story when most schools and colleges reopen next month.

Setting off from Foxrock church at 8.10 a.m., this reporter found the early going surprisingly easy, reaching the Stillorgan Park Hotel at 8.18 a.m.

Any hopes that the QBC might mean Quicker By Car, however, were soon dashed as the traffic began to slow and the Irish Times man on the bike whizzed by. He was followed by the first 46A, the second coming just a minute later.

It was becoming apparent that, in volunteering to drive rather than taking one of the other means of transport, this reporter had made the Quintessential Bad Call.

For the next four miles, the traffic moved at a snail's pace, although it never quite came to a standstill.

After crossing the newly-painted 40 m.p.h. speed-limit signs under the UCD bridge at closer to 4 m.p.h., this reporter passed RTE at 8.33 a.m. and Donnybrook church at 8.45 a.m.

The volume of traffic seemed a little heavier than normal but it was orderly and only a few cars were tempted to nose out into the bus lane in contemplation of a short-cut. Greeting them, inevitably, was the sight of a uniformed garda, 12 of whom were counted on foot along the route, six on motorbikes.

The only hint of frustration came from the blonde driver who could be seen in the rear-view mirror biting her nails all the way through Donnybrook village. After a while, however, it seemed less a sign of impatience than routine early-morning grooming facilitated by the slow-moving traffic.

After passing Sachs Hotel at about 8.54 a.m., it was plain sailing. Leeson Street Bridge was crossed at 8.57 a.m. and Grafton Street reached at 9 a.m.

An empty parking spot awaited just yards away on King Street, leaving this reporter, a former car commuter who was tempted on to public transport, wondering what all the fuss was about and even half-thinking about leaving the bus pass at home on rainy days in future.

The car might not be quicker but, QBC or no QBC, many commuters will feel it is still Quite a Bit more Convenient, at least for the time being.