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Cycle Funding Protest 3 October 5:30pm

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    #92
    retalivity
    Registered Users Posts: 14,043 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


    "Some of them aren't even wearing helmets joe!!!"

    Couldnt make this as i was otherwise engaged...fair play to you all and hope iy makes a difference. Having witnessed my 2nd accident in a week this morn on my commute, it seems to be coming a more regular occurence and investment in safe routes for cyclists is paramount


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    #93
    brianomc
    Registered Users Posts: 683 ✭✭✭brianomc


    Alek wrote: »
    I've been there in plain clothes with kids in a trailer. Got interviewed by Brian (didn't catch his surname) from RTE1 about the trailer,

    Brian Dobson the news anchorman? I've seen him on a bike cycling around Dublin a few times.


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    #94
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,744 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    brianomc wrote: »
    Brian Dobson the news anchorman? I've seen him on a bike cycling around Dublin a few times.
    I saw him just a few days ago on his bike in Donnybrook.


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    #95
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,480 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    lovely job folks. couldn't make it myself.


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    #96
    Alek
    Registered Users Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Alek


    "Brian Dobson" sounds about right :-) I am trying to find if I can listen to this now somehow...


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    #97
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    So delighted that it went well. Was raging that I had to teach and couldn't go! (Not that I'm not glad of the work, like…)


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    #98
    AlreadyHome
    Registered Users Posts: 136 ✭✭AlreadyHome


    MB Lacey wrote: »
    Easily 1000 there, was great. All sorts of cyclists there. Spotted a beautiful chrome Bianchi single speed en route to protest with Alreadyhome sitting atop. Lovely meeting you, thanks everyone for reminders on this forum about the event.
    From little acorns with flashing lights....

    Pity about the fella, but nice to chat on the way over there.

    Would estimate there was comfortably 1,000-1,500 (without spoke-filled glasses). I think everyone there was genuinely pleased to see so many turn out - I had my fingers crossed for 300+!

    I'd encourage anyone who feels enthusiastic after tonight to attend Dublin Cycling Campaign's monthly meeting at Central Hotel next Monday 7th Oct @ 8pm. Would also encourage everyone to volunteer if they have any time to spare. Even an hour here or there makes a huge difference as you saw today.

    “Ordinary things merely annoy people. Inspired hatred is one more bit of evidence that bicycles are something great, something beyond the mundane – something worthy of grand animosity.” Bill Strickland


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    #99
    Alek
    Registered Users Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Alek


    398316.jpg

    398317.jpg

    398318.jpg

    398319.jpg


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    #100
    LpPepper
    Registered Users Posts: 638 ✭✭✭LpPepper


    Here's a video of the full route that the protest took today, bar Drury street as I headed off when we turned off Aungier street:



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    #101
    Eponymous
    Registered Users Posts: 1,374 ✭✭✭Eponymous


    Glad I went over, but sorry I didn't have my bike.

    That said, there were quite a few with no bikes in attendance at Merrion Square, so I didn't feel too left out. Incredible spectrum of cyclists and bikes on view too.

    Hopefully there are more events planned to try keep up the momentum.


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    #102
    Pinch Flat
    Registered Users Posts: 7,761 ✭✭✭Pinch Flat


    LpPepper wrote: »
    Here's a video of the full route that the protest took today, bar Drury street as I headed off when we turned off Aungier street:


    You were right behind me - I'm on the extreme right with a blue top / hi vis bag cover


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    #103
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    So… when's the next one?

    If we got 80 on the first protest looking for 10% of transport funding for cycling, and 1,000 on the second (with minimal publicity), can we get 10,000 on the next one, 100,000 on the one after?

    It's not a big ask; after all, the Great Dublin Bike Ride had 5,000 people on it, and these were exclusively people prepared to cycle 60+ kilometres. If we can get all of those, plus all of the grannies in cardigans and mammies with child seats and people who amble out along the riverside on the bike, we can get these cycleways, and more.

    If we can get cyclists from all over the country closing in on Dublin in one hour and cyclng through the streets ringing their bells and standing outside the Dail and Government Buildings - we've got a movement!


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    #104
    Peterx
    Registered Users Posts: 2,116 ✭✭✭Peterx


    I liked that it wasn't really a protest in the usual angry alienating way. It was very good natured. It only lacked a mobile coffee van setting up shop outside the minister's office.

    Reasonable people looking for a reasonable slice of the transport budget. It will be interesting to see if there is any result or is it the case that only more extreme versions of protest achieve anything concrete - such as actual concrete!


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    #105
    Pinch Flat
    Registered Users Posts: 7,761 ✭✭✭Pinch Flat


    Peterx wrote: »
    I liked that it wasn't really a protest in the usual angry alienating way. It was very good natured. It only lacked a mobile coffee van setting up shop outside the minister's office.

    Reasonable people looking for a reasonable slice of the transport budget. It will be interesting to see if there is any result or is it the case that only more extreme versions of protest achieve anything concrete - such as actual concrete!

    I was thinking of this while cycling around. It was a great turn out, that's for sure. Probably a different approach than the 'die-ins' in London, but I thought 50 lying on the road, representing the numbers killed since 2010, might have had an impact as well.

    be interested to see how it develops either way - was also impressed by the friendly support of motorists shown by their beeps! :pac:


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    #106
    Eponymous
    Registered Users Posts: 1,374 ✭✭✭Eponymous


    Peterx wrote: »
    I liked that it wasn't really a protest in the usual angry alienating way. It was very good natured. It only lacked a mobile coffee van setting up shop outside the minister's office.

    Reasonable people looking for a reasonable slice of the transport budget. It will be interesting to see if there is any result or is it the case that only more extreme versions of protest achieve anything concrete - such as actual concrete!
    Maybe charge everyone €35 and they get a jersey?

    Food stop at Ely Place?

    :D :pac:


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    #107
    AlreadyHome
    Registered Users Posts: 136 ✭✭AlreadyHome


    Pinch Flat wrote: »
    I was thinking of this while cycling around. It was a great turn out, that's for sure. Probably a different approach than the 'die-ins' in London, but I thought 50 lying on the road, representing the numbers killed since 2010, might have had an impact as well.
    Chuchote wrote: »
    So… when's the next one?

    If we got 80 on the first protest looking for 10% of transport funding for cycling, and 1,000 on the second (with minimal publicity), can we get 10,000 on the next one, 100,000 on the one after?

    Agreed on the 'die-in'. If you picture everybody at the start and how much space was taken up at Fitzwilliam Square, just imagine how much space would've been taken up if everyone was lying down! What you need is to plan in advance, have someone on top of a tall building ready with a decent camera and you have a great image to send to newspapers.

    I got the feeling yesterday that there were much greater numbers than anticipated - the infrastructure wasn't there for speakers to be heard and there seemed a fair amount of uncertainty in terms of cohesion of movement. Not knocking the organisers at all, but hopefully lessons were learned for next time.


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    #108
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,744 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    I won't be taking part in a "die-in". I detest them.

    The protest yesterday I liked a lot.


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    #109
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    I liked the first protest for the same reason - it was calm and funny and people were nice, and drivers were friendly - and it made its point well. From the sound of it, the second one too.
    Die-in; hmm, maybe. It might be more to the point to ask for O'Connell Street to be blocked off, call the papers and have a 'die-in' for the number of people who have died in car, bus, truck and van crashes since 2010. Considerably more horrifying, and people just don't realise; they see "Young talented woman killed in horror crash" as today's headline, read it, nod sadly and pass on to the next, and then the next day it's "Pensioners killed in head-on smash into tree", or "Man dies after road strikes ditch in early hours" or "Mother and daughter die in 5pm smash", and they nod again.
    Back in the day, Paris Match had a shocking cover with the bodies of dogs and cats that had starved to death that August when their owners left them behind and went on holidays. It caused absolute outrage - but it awakened people to the need to mind their animals.
    How many people have died in road crashes in Ireland since 2010? Anyone got the figure?


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    #110
    Pinch Flat
    Registered Users Posts: 7,761 ✭✭✭Pinch Flat


    I was there and heard the speakers - the fact we're 30 - 40 years behind the "Stop the Kindermoord" movement in Holland and similar movements in Denmark probably gotten to where we're at. It's going to take a huge momentum to get us anywhere near these countries in terms of ingraining the bike and walking in everyday life - the fact that over 50% of journeys by car is less than 2km, and another huge chunk less than 5km, speaks volumes as to how it's become omnipresent.

    Movements in other countries brought this to national attention and changed policy. Although I loved the protest yesterday, I wouldn't like to see it viewed as "sure isn't it great, a few lads and ladies on their bikes, ringing their bells".


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    #111
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    In fact, how many people have "died on the roads" (a nice piece of reality-hiding, that phrase) in the last 10 years.
    If we could get that number of people to walk slowly in silence together through Dublin city, each one holding a placard with the name of one of the dead, the age, the profession, the place and date of death; this might bring it home to people how crazy our car-centred culture is. All those lost people, all that talent, all that love, all those families destroyed.


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    #112
    AlreadyHome
    Registered Users Posts: 136 ✭✭AlreadyHome


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    I won't be taking part in a "die-in". I detest them.

    The protest yesterday I liked a lot.

    There are plenty of alternatives - perhaps a high-up shot of the protest body crossing O'Connell bridge or something. Some way of communicating scale.


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    #113
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,744 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    The thing I think makes politicians react more than anything is when it's clear that there are votes to be had or lost.

    Ross seems to think that cutting off funding to active travel is a low-risk strategy for him electorally. A strong visual reminder, hopefully repeated, should make him realise there are plenty of cyclists (and pedestrians), and should be an effective way to make him think twice. (I'm trying out optimism for a change.)


    Incidentally, Mike McKillen pointed out that until last Friday the DTTS website still had Paschal Donohoe as Minister of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Ross is about five months into the job now. He is also the only minister who hasn't at this stage laid out his priorities for this government term.


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    #114
    Weepsie
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 19,898 Mod ✭✭✭✭Weepsie


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    The thing I think makes politicians react more than anything is when it's clear that there are votes to be had or lost.

    Ross seems to think that cutting off funding to active travel is a low-risk strategy for him electorally. A strong visual reminder, hopefully repeated, should make him realise there are plenty of cyclists (and pedestrians), and should be an effective way to make him think twice. (I'm trying out optimism for a change.)


    Incidentally, Mike McKillen pointed out that until last Friday the DTTS website still had Paschal Donohoe as Minister of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Ross is about five months into the job now. He is also the only minister who hasn't at this stage laid out his priorities for this government term.

    I imagine it's mostly about feathering the nest for the likes of Ross and some others at this stage. This Govt won't see out its term, he knows it, he arguably doesn't care.


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    #115
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    Weepsie wrote: »
    I imagine it's mostly about feathering the nest for the likes of Ross and some others at this stage. This Govt won't see out its term, he knows it, he arguably doesn't care.

    What? Cycle protests will bring down the government? :pac:


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    #116
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,744 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    Weepsie wrote: »
    I imagine it's mostly about feathering the nest for the likes of Ross and some others at this stage. This Govt won't see out its term, he knows it, he arguably doesn't care.

    He really doesn't seem interested in doing any work, no. Remarkable, given his constant and often vituperative chiding of everyone who fell short when he was in opposition.

    Someone on thepropertypin.com was speculating about how long he needed to serve before he got his ministerial pension, and which stage they imagined that he'd find something to get righteously angry about and flounce out of government.


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    #117
    Eponymous
    Registered Users Posts: 1,374 ✭✭✭Eponymous


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    He really doesn't seem interested in doing any work, no. Remarkable, given his constant and often vituperative chiding of everyone who fell short when he was in opposition.

    Someone on thepropertypin.com was speculating about how long he needed to serve before he got his ministerial pension, and which stage they imagined that he'd find something to get righteously angry about and flounce out of government.
    Two years as a minister (or Ceann Comhairle, AG, Tanaiste or Taoiseach).


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    #118
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,744 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    Eponymous wrote: »
    Two years as a minister (or Ceann Comhairle, AG, Tanaiste or Taoiseach).

    Can't see him hitting that milestone! Mind you, Enda's counting on hanging around that long.


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    #119
    Moflojo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,006 ✭✭✭Moflojo


    AlreadyHome wrote: »
    There are plenty of alternatives - perhaps a high-up shot of the protest body crossing O'Connell bridge or something. Some way of communicating scale.

    I think you raise an important point. Although the symbolism of arriving outside the Dept. of Transport is obvious, the narrow space on Leeson Lane doesn't lend itself to communicating the scale of the protest. I'd suggest Smithfield Plaza as a potential Start/Finish point for future protests. Smithfield -> Merrion Square West (Outside Govt. Buildings) could work well.

    Another potential assembly point could be the green space alongside the Royal Canal on Guild Street, near where Donna Fox was killed. Cycle from there across the Beckett Bridge (visually impactful) up Pearse Street and then take a left towards Merrion Square to finish up and have a rally.


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    #120
    AlreadyHome
    Registered Users Posts: 136 ✭✭AlreadyHome


    Chuchote wrote: »
    What? Cycle protests will bring down the government? :pac:

    "Government must help to eliminate cars so that bicycles can help to eliminate government" Anarchist slogan from the Netherlands, 1970s (apparently)

    On a large scale presence note...has anybody or does anybody attend Critical Mass in Dublin? I've never been but used to love it in London.


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    #121
    Alek
    Registered Users Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Alek


    Critical mass is a critically flawed concept.


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