Election of Nial Ring as DCC Lord Mayor

Qrt

So Nial Ring has been elected as the Lord Mayor of DCC. He's previously had pretty anti-cycling views, especially with regards to new cycling projects, one time even criticising the North Strand/Fairview cycle scheme as it ignored the "mental health of drivers".

Anyway, should this be a cause for concern? Given the redesign of the North Strand/Fairview cycle scheme came as a positive move.

Amirani

Should be fine, it's a pretty ceremonial role with no executive power.

Tenzor07

1st Act by this Ring character will be to turn the new section of the S2S cycleway into another Car lane!

tomasrojo

The current one (Mac Donncha) doesn't seem to be too interested in cycling, while the one before him (Carr, appropriately enough) was mostly hostile.

The role does indeed seem to be ceremonial (the Chief Executive of Dublin City Council is a more important role). Ring is an embarrassing weirdo, so that's not ideal for a ceremonial role.

buffalo

I saw this last night and thought about posting, but then thought it'd be cruel to end such a gorgeous day on a downer.

Am I right in thinking the Mayor has a casting vote in tied motions? That and increased visibility of whatever he says are probably the only things to worry about.

CramCycle

At the minute it is worse than ceremonial as it is a pass the parcel between SF and a few independents to make sure they can hold a large voting block. The skeptic in me suspects many of the independents of signing up to top up their pensions rather than giving any sort of a sh1t about people in Dublin.

Chips Lovell

A traffic warden probably has more power than the Lord Mayor. It will give him more airtime however, but that mightn't be a good thing for him as he risks more of his constituents actually hearing some of he eejitry he comes out with.

tomasrojo

Fun ahead:
He wants to focus on transport, and he'll be mayor when VeloCity 2019 is in town.

https://twitter.com/ccferrie/status/1011714895845486592

Qrt

Maybe me might persuade them to revive the Inner Tangent scheme.

Tenzor07

Ah sure didn't he stop those nasty cyclists from cutting down all the trees in Fairview park!?

Qrt

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Ah sure didn't he stop those nasty cyclists from cutting down all the trees in Fairview park!?

He seemed to try his best to stop the scheme but I would've agreed with him there. The trees hold incredible significance.

tomasrojo

Qrt wrote: »

He seemed to try his best to stop the scheme but I would've agreed with him there. The trees hold incredible significance.

Local councillor Nial Ring (independent) said last week on Facebook (and similar things in news article afterwards) that “Dublin City Council is proposing to remove/destroy 62 trees from Fairview to facilitate a new cycle path”, but is this true?

Spoiler: It wasn't true(*).
http://irishcycle.com/2017/08/02/fairview-trees-could-be-saved-with-a-two-way-cycle-path/

I guess a year passes quickly enough.




(*)It was a wholesale redesign of the road, for various reasons.

monument

Baron de Charlus wrote: »

A traffic warden probably has more power than the Lord Mayor. It will give him more airtime however, but that mightn't be a good thing for him as he risks more of his constituents actually hearing some of he eejitry he comes out with.

The Lord Mayor has a bit more power than traffic wardens — especially in terms of how he can shape debates at council meetings and push or not push an issue to a vote.

Tenzor07

tomasrojo wrote: »

Spoiler: It wasn't true(*).
I guess a year passes quickly enough..

A year later we're still here, cycling along that stretch it's still lethal, even a removal of those parking spaces would improve things, pretty dangerous having cars and vans half out onto a narrow bus lane and risking being doored, not to mention the surface of that road is pretty broken up in places.(probably from the tree roots spreading out to the road).

AmberGold

On the radio today ( or yesterday) having a go at cyclists and making the point that the city should be open to cars. Made a very valid point that a cyclist won’t be able to fit a 50” tv in their front basket. Total waffler:)

How many people drive into the city for a 50'' TV or into any town in ireland??? They are all going to out of town retail parks that have sucked the life from town centres to Argos and Harvey and the like.

tomasrojo

It's such a tired trope. Nobody is proposing to stop cars driving into the city centre anyway. The proposals are all to stop people trying to drive *through* the city centre. If you need to buy a large TV (presuming you don't want to just have it delivered and don't have a suitable cargo bike), you would still be able to drive from your house into town, and then drive home again.

AmberGold

Sorry I should have said he made that great point after waffling on about motorists contributing to the economy, paying tax blah blah.

A total ledge! How much is he on again?

magicbastarder

How many of the city centre stores carry 50 inch tvs in stock anyway? I assume they'd be delivered from a warehouse.

Qrt

magicbastarder wrote: »

How many of the city centre stores carry 50 inch tvs in stock anyway? I assume they'd be delivered from a warehouse.

I'd say the likes of Curry's/PC World in Jervis just have halographic projections of televisions and if you asked to purchase one, they'd go red in the face and ask you to leave.

Qrt

AmberGold wrote: »

On the radio today ( or yesterday) having a go at cyclists and making the point that the city should be open to cars. Made a very valid point that a cyclist won’t be able to fit a 50” tv in their front basket. Total waffler:)

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/dublins-lord-mayor-apologises-for-parking-in-cycle-lane-to-attend-ribbon-cutting-ceremony-862058.html

Says a lot really.

py

AmberGold wrote: »

On the radio today ( or yesterday) having a go at cyclists and making the point that the city should be open to cars.

Let's have a "Drive to Work" day, where everyone drives to work. Let's see how long commute times take then, never mind where the hell people will park.

magicbastarder

oh, this is sweet:
https://www.gofundme.com/on-your-bike-lord-mayor

Grassey

magicbastarder wrote: »

oh, this is sweet:
https://www.gofundme.com/on-your-bike-lord-mayor

What's better is "George Hook" donating €20

CramCycle

Could we not just get him a DB card and be done with it.

Tenzor07

Ring is a total asshat, i've challenged him on Twitter previously when he objected to cycle lanes in Fairview...

I believe his quote was "Ring said: You can’t come in a throw your 26 inch plasma TV into your front little basket on your bike, you need cars coming into the city.”

And.. "Ring said: “We used to all have a couple of pints and drive home"

Regards to texting while driving ..“we’ve all been guilty of it”.

What an exemplary person to hold public office!

tomasrojo

He really come across as a spiteful dimwit.

tampopo

tomasrojo wrote: »

He really come across as a spiteful dimwit.

A dimwit, anyway

buffalo

magicbastarder wrote: »

oh, this is sweet:
https://www.gofundme.com/on-your-bike-lord-mayor

I went to give a few quid this morning, they've already hit and exceeded the target!

Chips Lovell

Ring was subject to one of my favourite bits of election poster defacement (at least to my juvenile mind). Attached, as it's slightly NSFW.

magicbastarder

buffalo wrote: »

I went to give a few quid this morning, they've already hit and exceeded the target!

one perseon seemed very keen that the target was met.

buffalo

I love this:

https://twitter.com/IBIKEDublin/status/1034466219380940800

Qrt

Anyone know that model bike the Lord Mayor was given? It looks like one I'd like.

Miklos

Qrt wrote: »

Anyone know that model bike the Lord Mayor was given? It looks like one I'd like.

It's a Gazelle from the Dutch Bike Shop.

cython

Qrt wrote: »

Anyone know that model bike the Lord Mayor was given? It looks like one I'd like.

Seems to be a Gazelle of some sort from the Dutch Bike Shop:

https://twitter.com/dublincycling/status/1034440019879100416

Grassey

Those blue builders jackets really add nothing do they?

tomasrojo

They've been using the blue jackets for years. I guess it's part of their thing now.

ED E

Its branding more than anything I'd say.

The IBike folks have tees instead if that tickles your fancy.

magicbastarder

buffalo wrote: »

I love this:

https://twitter.com/IBIKEDublin/status/1034466219380940800

the comments underneath make it.

AmberGold

I see Nial's photos all over the start of the Dublin City Bike Ride, did he actually do the 60?

He had a number on his bike and all the gear on, we'll have to elevate him to a new status if he did.

Nial all is forgiven!

tomasrojo

I think, though happy to be corrected, that his beef has never been with recreational cycling. He hates people who use a bicycle for transport.

Qrt

tomasrojo wrote: »

I think, though happy to be corrected, that his beef has never been with recreational cycling. He hates people who use a bicycle for transport.

Rememeber he pleaded for the mental health of drivers to be considered? As if they were being negatively impacted upon by cycle lanes? He's awful.

AmberGold

Good point Tomas.

Just had a scan at his twitter feed and he indeed did complete the 60k.

CramCycle

Where there are votes, there will be a politician ready to do a 180 on his opinion without even thinking about it.

tomasrojo

CramCycle wrote: »

Where there are votes, there will be a politician ready to do a 180 on his opinion without even thinking about it.

Yes, I can well believe he'd at least drop the subject if he thought his bilious attitude was losing votes.