30 October 2010

Halloween Critical Mass St Stephen's Green Dublin 29/10/10




















It was a terrible Day of Torrential Rain and I had gone into the City three hours earlier and my Trouser Legs was Saturated with Cold Rain. I had lost my Pully up Trousers about a Month Earlier in Clontarf. So I got a new pair in the City in a Cycling Shop and went up to the Memorial Arch outside Saint Stephens Green  to wait for the CM to begin. Thankfully it did not Rain again during the CM.

The Cyclists began to come in a Trickle until there was around 40 ,a lot had Dressed up in Hollyween Garb of Ghouls and Goblins. So they all headed of eventually at 6.30 pm all laughing and Giggling and Whistling and giving the odd Shouts and offering encouragement to Cyclists and People to come and join us on their Bikes. We eventually ended up at the Garden of Rememberance on Parnell Square
and took some more Photo's and Cyclists gave the Victory Salute of raising their Bikes above their Heads. Then we all went off to the Social Club on Belvedere Court Shomra Spraoi/ Fun Room and looked at the Pedal Project Film of Cycling in Dublin London and Amsterdam . Highlighting the Contrast of the bad Infrastructure in Dublin and London and contrasting it to the best Practice of the Netherlands and the European Continent. Why can it not be like there,The Authorities are still Pandering to the Motorists and Promoting Car Dependency. Everybody had great Fun on CM and enjoyed the Bicycle Film.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

You should have dressed up :p
Looked like a really fun time though.

Not sure if you have heard, but Toronto will be pandering even more now to motorists. Monday they voted in a VERY pro-car/anti-bike mayor.
Along with him they also voted in quite a few anti-bike councilors.

The first thing he will do when he gets into office? Remove the $60 vehicle registration tax.

I'm not sure how Dublin is setup, but the main problem with Toronto is that those living in the suburban cities surrounding the actual city of Toronto had a vote.
It truly was another example of suburbia killing the city.

l' homme au velo said...

I dressed up for the last Halloween CM but this time there was a huge queue at a Theatrical and Novelty Shop nearby Saint Stephens Green and I did not want to queue.

I could have got stuff the Day before in my local Supermarket but held off until it was too late.

Yes I had seen the Report of Bob Ford becoming Mayor ,your worse Nightmare.He is a very ignorant Person no Intelligence at all and he looks terribly unfit. A prime Candidate for a Heart Attack but by the time that happens the damage will already be done with constrictions on Cycling and more choked Roads full of Traffic.

We have the same problem with some of our City Councillors as well who are pro Car and who try to vote down any suggested improvements for Cyclists or Pedestrians.

We are to small an area to have the same System as the Toronto Municipality but it does not matter we have the same type of begrudgers on the Dublin City Council anyway.

Ours are more Subtle they pretend they want to promote more Pedestrian and Cycling use but say it cannot be Justified because it will Wreck Business and besides the Roads are too narrow anyway.

There are Battles being fought all the time including trying to restrict that 30KM Limit that was brought in some time ago. They have succeeded in stopping it's use along the Road beside the River Liffey where the Traffic is very bad. The area of this 30KM Limit is very small only in the Centre Core of the City and they still wanted to get rid of it completely,so this is a compromise.

They are taking a Vote on whether to go ahead with the Building of a Cyclist Bridge over the Tolka River as part of the Coastal Cycling Route all around Dublin Bay. Which has already been given Approval by the City Planning Board. A Tranche of Councillors want to Vote this down unfortunately.

The Cyclists movement are Agitating to make sure it is Voted in ,so you see we have the same sort of problems over here as Canada. Only our Councillors are more Sneakier they pretend they are for more Infrastructure but they will try andVoteit down.

Anonymous said...

What great photos. I like the ghost one in a sheet. That looked really funny. The girls did a grand job. The Irish certainly know how to party.

Unknown said...

I do consider myself lucky ONLY because I live about 110 km outside of Toronto. (Actually directly across a lake).

My biggest fear is this attitude spreading throughout the province. Fortunately most other cities voted in either people strongly in favour of bikes or those indifferent.
As sad as this may sound, I think I'll take the person that is indifferent over a person such a fOrd.

This whole "it will wreck my business" thing is utter BS.
I see it in all cities throughout Canada.
My city has caved in twice to business pressure, including a multi million national store.

At least a city such as Vancouver has pushed through despite businesses whining.
One person claims he had to shut down because of one of the bike lanes. He had no proof it was the bike lane. All this took place a couple of months into the recession. He didn't even think of blaming that.

Why more business owners, especially of smaller businesses, don't push for "pedestrian malls" is beyond me.

l' homme au velo said...

Thanks Velochick,it is always the Ladies who put on the best Show. The Photos was spoiled in a lot of cases by the Darkness and the grab shot circumstances. One Girl had Fake Blood and Sores down her Face and Legs but it does not show to well. One Chap was dressed in Black from Head to Foot in a long Cowel with a big Scythe but it does not come out to weel ,all it shows are Black Stuff around his Eyes.

l' homme au velo said...

Over here a lot of these Councillors are Business People who have vested interests and are not prepared to Vote in any Infrastructure.

In the Past a lot of them were Charged with Corruption and some of these cases are still being held in the Courts. They were accused of accepting Bribes for Land Developments.