Calls for rainbow-coloured pedestrian paths in Dublin

jon1981

As if parts of Dublin aren't already ugly enough, now we want to introduce this tacky crap?

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/calls-for-rainbow-coloured-pedestrian-paths-in-dublin-1.2339217

Introducing ‘rainbow walks’ to Dublin streets will make the city a more attractive proposition for gay tourists, according to local Fine Gael members.

Pretty for gay tourists, but would about the city as a whole?!

The proposal comes from Dale McDermott, a former president of the party’s youth branch, who says the Irish capital is now seen as a “beacon of hope” internationally following May’s same-sex marriage referendum result.

An 18-page document due to be submitted to Dublin City Council in the coming days identifies two locations on Dame Street – the junction with Great George’s Street as well as the Parliament Street junction in front of City Hall – and one on Capel Street for the multi-coloured pedestrian crossings.

This has nothing to do with anti LGBT, but why is it necessary to brand ourselves LGBT by defacing the city further? Haven't we already achieved LGBT friendly status in the latest referendum (yes voter btw).

magma69

I don't really give a shít either way.

Toto Wolfcastle

I think they sound awesome!

RayM

Seems harmless enough. Although they should be extended to 23 Merrion Square.

The Randy Riverbeast

Meh. I suppose it would annoy a certain group of people which would be a plus but at least its better than something like the spire.

Gongoozler

Do gay people not like the same types of roads and paths as the rest of the population?

Kev W

Go for it, it'll look nice and actually make the pedestrian crossings easier to spot from a distance.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Lol that McDermott Clown has very little to be worrying about, he should be reprimanded for wasting council time with ridiculous proposals.

Full Marx

Surely in order for road markings, signage etc to work they all need to be standardized? Should we change the colour of the lights at traffic lights too?

Bad idea IMO. Why not stick up some more flags or something instead?

Sheep Lover

Will we get pathways with Liverpool crests on them for 'pool fans?

20Cent

Nice idea hope they do it.

Sterling Archer

I've no real opinion on this but won't they end up looking like this after a few years http://cdn.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Rainbow-Damage-3.png

Sheep Lover

It's like some propaganda tactic from a dictatorship.

One eyed Jack

Kev W wrote: »

Go for it, it'll look nice and actually make the pedestrian crossings easier to spot from a distance.

As if they're not easy enough to spot already?

This idea doesn't contribute in any way to road safety, and if I'm being honest, looks to me like nothing more than another hair-brained notion from politicians with little else to be doing.

I had a google search there for the rainbow zebra crossings mentioned in the article -

Gaudy looking as fcuk, they look like those pastel drawings that pavement artists do.

There are much better ways to encourage more tourists to Ireland than this nonsense.

suicide_circus

Cynical effort to cash in on the lgbt tourist euro?

DoYouEvenLift

Being gay means you automatically love pretty, vibrant colours apparently. Funny, I thought the only difference between gay people and the majority of people was that they were attracted to people of the same sex (which really isn't a big deal anymore)...do we really need stupid sh!t like this? As if we need to try to appeal to gay tourists more after the historical events this Summer. Talk about pandering.

KungPao

Sounds like a fabulous waste of money to me.

DoYouEvenLift

Also, is this moron aware of how ironically stupid this would look for most of the year because of the sh!t weather we have in Ireland? If we'd warm, sunny weather year round it could probably pass but imagine walking across this on a cold, rainy day with a completely grey sky overhead when you're feeling sh!t

Kev W

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

Also, is this moron aware of how ironically stupid this would look for most of the year because of the sh!t weather we have in Ireland? If we'd warm, sunny weather year round it could probably pass but imagine walking across this on a cold, rainy day with a completely grey sky overhead when you're feeling sh!t

Yeah, what we really need on dismal rainy days is the absence of colour to really pick us up.

Have a grey day!

timthumbni

You see now what the vote was actually about. You were warned but youse didn't listen. Next thing will be compulsory "gay" classes for your young males.

I for one do not welcome our new alien rainbow overlords.







(Not serious in case anyone is in doubt)

K4t

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

Being gay means you automatically love pretty, vibrant colours apparently.

Eh, nope. Surely you're aware of the importance of those pretty, vibrant colours to the lgbt movement and most recently the election victory? It's not the colours themselves so much as what they represent. Aesthetically speaking it would look very well imo. I mean, who doesn't admire and appreciate a rainbow in the sky? What's the problem with having a few on the ground?

The Randy Riverbeast wrote: »

I suppose it would annoy a certain group of people which would be a plus.

The negative being it might make some of them speed up when they see it..

Capt'n Midnight

One eyed Jack wrote: »

As if they're not easy enough to spot already?

This idea doesn't contribute in any way to road safety, and if I'm being honest, looks to me like nothing more than another hair-brained notion from politicians with little else to be doing.

This is a road safety issue.

How visible would they be on a wet night ?

Stick with retroreflective white stuff.


TBH this sounds more like trying to be seen doing something for the sake of doing something rather than for any valid purpose. Plenty of poorly funded organisations to talk to about what's needed other than window dressing.

amdublin

Sounds great!

Not everywhere. Just one or two maybe.

They have them in Key West florida:
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/05/30/key-west-florida-gets-permanent-rainbow-crossings/

Kev W

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

This is a road safety issue.

How visible would they be on a wet night ?

Stick with retroreflective white stuff.

Why not have both?

Rainbow pattern in the middle with a border of the reflective stuff.

Anyway, we're not talking about some country lane here. You'd hardly miss it.

Menas

KungPao wrote: »

Sounds like a fabulous waste of money to me.

Agreed. And knowing the council they will use the wrong type of paint and the colors will run necessitating an expensive cleanup or re-work.

Fr_Dougal

You'd never guess there was an election around the corner.

The_Valeyard

Waste of money,


Fix potholes instead

PucaMama

absolutely no need for this. total stupidity. how about spending money cleaning the city of graffiti instead of painting it like a rainbow?

foggy_lad

If there is going to be rainbow paths I also want Mincing lanes next to the bus and cycle lanes!

osarusan

Harmless but pointless.

Paramite Pie

I think it's a stupid idea. I'm gay and stuff like this is more of a reminder of my 'minority' status than anything else. I'm a white male aged 18-35, the most over-represented group in media... I shouldn't feel like a minority.

What I like about Dublin is that it's gay bars aren't all clustered together on one street anymore. Panti-bar and the George are on different sides of the Liffey and I now feel more confident picking up guys in regular bars now too... we don't need a gay ghetto like other cities have just like we don't need a Chinatown.

Kev W

Paramite Pie wrote: »

I think it's a stupid idea. I'm gay and stuff like this is more of a reminder of my 'minority' status than anything else. I'm a white male aged 18-35, the most over-represented group in media... I shouldn't feel like a minority.

What I like about Dublin is that it's gay bars aren't all clustered together on one street anymore. Panti-bar and the George are on different sides of the Liffey and I now feel more confident picking up guys in regular bars now too... we don't need a gay ghetto like other cities have just like we don't need a Chinatown.

That's a really good point.

ressem

According to the link above, they are premolded thermoplastic plastic blocks that are attached to the road using a blowtorch.

So the wear and tear, traction shouldn't be an issue,

moreso down to higher cost, making sure that they are recognised as a pedestrian crossing and whether they make the surrounds look worse.

Links234

I think it's fairly pointless and tacky, but honestly I'd be all for it just to piss of the perpetually outraged crowd.

One eyed Jack

Links234 wrote: »

I think it's fairly pointless and tacky, but honestly I'd be all for it just to piss of the perpetually outraged crowd.

Will you pony up for the cost of a new irony meter?

Because mine just exploded.

Kev W

One eyed Jack wrote: »

Will you pony up for the cost of a new irony meter?

Because mine just exploded.

In outrage?

Cienciano

Gongoozler wrote: »

Do gay people not like the same types of roads and paths as the rest of the population?

As far as I know, anyone can use them.

I think they look good btw.

fuzzypickle

They should do that and make all lollipop men/ladies dress like leprechauns!

One eyed Jack

Kev W wrote: »

In outrage?

That observation could come back to bite you spectacularly in the arse if you don't get your rainbow crossings. Then we'll see proper "outrage" :pac:

Brace yourselves people, the rainbow warriors cometh :pac:

gormdubhgorm

jon1981 wrote: »

As if parts of Dublin aren't already ugly enough, now we want to introduce this tacky crap?

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/calls-for-rainbow-coloured-pedestrian-paths-in-dublin-1.2339217



Pretty for gay tourists, but would about the city as a whole?!



This has nothing to do with anti LGBT, but why is it necessary to brand ourselves LGBT by defacing the city further? Haven't we already achieved LGBT friendly status in the latest referendum (yes voter btw).

I assume this excludes the straight streets? Winding roads or roads with of a bend only!?

RobbingBandit

Quick lets piss away more much needed funding that could go towards the homeless situation.

Less than 8 months before the 1916 centenary lets paint the roads like a rainbow, who cares that tens of thousands will be marching all over them in commemoration parades.

One eyed Jack

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Quick lets piss away more much needed funding that could go towards the homeless situation.

Less than 8 months before the 1916 centenary lets paint the roads like a rainbow, who cares that tens of thousands will be marching all over them in commemoration parades.

Pfft, homeless people don't spend money and have no political influence, therefore they're not as important as the pink pound attractions which divert attention away from the homeless issue plaguing the city centre :rolleyes:

Kev W

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Quick lets piss away more much needed funding that could go towards the homeless situation.

Less than 8 months before the 1916 centenary lets paint the roads like a rainbow, who cares that tens of thousands will be marching all over them in commemoration parades.

How does one effect the other?

Kev W

One eyed Jack wrote: »

That observation could come back to bite you spectacularly in the arse if you don't get your rainbow crossings. Then we'll see proper "outrage" :pac:

Brace yourselves people, the rainbow warriors cometh :pac:

Nah, probably won't care really. It'd be nice but there's better uses for the money.

One eyed Jack

Kev W wrote: »

How does one effect the other?

The politicians that want it are expecting Dublin City Council should have to cover all costs, and present an 18 page submission to that effect. Awful waste of paper too, how many pages does it really take to spell "gaudy looking shyte"?

Kev W wrote: »

Nah, probably won't care really. It'd be nice but there's better uses for the money.

At least that much we can agree on, there are absolutely far better uses for what little money there is without pissing it away on politicians pet projects.

darkpagandeath

You would swear FG were trying to get the LGBT vote or something...

Cienciano

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Quick lets piss away more much needed funding that could go towards the homeless situation.

Less than 8 months before the 1916 centenary lets paint the roads like a rainbow, who cares that tens of thousands will be marching all over them in commemoration parades.

I actually really hope it's done now purely to annoy people with your attitude.

One eyed Jack

Cienciano wrote: »

I actually really hope it's done now purely to annoy people with your attitude.

You hope that instead of spending money providing resources for homeless people, that DCC would instead spend money on frivolous pet projects... in the hope that it'll piss people off?

That's hardly a mature attitude, but given that you're all for rainbow coloured road markings, it's an opinion that doesn't surprise me one bit.

kirving

Ridiculous proposals like this only serve to impact road safety, where absolute clarity and standardisation across vast areas is essential.

This would also have implications to autonomous cars which rely on pre-programmed algorithms to recognise pedestrian crossings, and anticipate that a pedestrian may step out unexpectedly. This isn't even the future, this is technology available on new cars today BTW.

Of course our well qualified, competent politicians have considered these points.

gramar

Today is not April 1st and the link isn't to Waterford Whispers.

I'm finding it hard to believe that this is a serious proposal.

Cienciano

One eyed Jack wrote: »

You hope that instead of spending money providing resources for homeless people, that DCC would instead spend money on frivolous pet projects... in the hope that it'll piss people off?

That's hardly a mature attitude, but given that you're all for rainbow coloured road markings, it's an opinion that doesn't surprise me one bit.

The city council has pledged to spend €56 million on the homeless problem. You think the 10 or 20k extra will tackle the homeless problem?
It's not really a mature attitude to think nothing for tourism, no art, nothing fun or aesthetically pleasing should be done in Dublin city until the homeless problem is sorted.