The issue of road users rights has gained prominence in recent days. The following links to information on Road Design/Traffic Management are available on the web for Irish "Reclaim the Streets" activists who wish to get a more holistic view of the issues.
Information for Irish Reclaim the Streets Activists
The issue of road users rights has gained prominence in recent days. The following links to information on Road Design/Traffic Management are available on the web for Irish "Reclaim the Streets" activists who wish to get a more holistic view of the issues. These consist of Galway Cycling Campaign information sheets and adopted Galway Community Forum Policy documents. Some of these may be quasi-technical in nature and hard to read but unfortunately what is going on Irish streets complex and not given to simple sound bites.
CHILD PEDESTRIAN DEATHS
In 1997 and 1998 Ireland had the highest child pedestrian deaths rates in Western Europe
http://www.geocities.com/galwaycyclist/info/childdeaths.html
CAR SPEEDS ON IRISH ROADS
How this happened (in part) and what the Gardai haven't been doing about it
http://www.geocities.com/galwaycyclist/info/speeds.html
GALWAY COMMUNITY FORUM MOTION ON 20MPH SPEED LIMIT
Part of the solution
http://www.geocities.com/galwaycyclist/forum_20mph.rtf
GALWAY COMMUNITY FORUM POLICY DECLARATION
MULTILANE ROUNDAOBUTS
http://www.geocities.com/galwaycyclist/roundabout/forumroundabout.html
GALWAY COMMUNITY FORUM POLICY DOCUMENT ON A PEOPLE FREINDLY
ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE
This is a large word document (120 kb) but sets out the basic principles
http://www.geocities.com/galwaycyclist/forum_mtn_pple_frndly_rds.doc
GALWAY COMMUNITY FORUM POLICY DOCUMENT ON WALKING
http://www.geocities.com/galwaycyclist/forum_motion_walking.doc
Finally, the car lobby and their allies in the Gardai, Govt Departments and National Press have long controlled and managed public access to information on road safety and other issues. RTE is alleged to be involved in an illegal relationship with the AA and this matter is currently before the Supreme Court. The Irish National Safety Council is largely funded and controlled by the same motor insurers who have been making huge profits out of the excessively high level of death and injury on Irish roads. Many of us, through no fault of our own, have ended up internalising the lies and misinformation put out by these sources. The only remedy to misinformation is information, and sometimes the picture that emerges is not very nice.
http://www.geocities.com/galwaycyclist/info/seatbelts.html
Even more information sheets on various issues are available on the GCC web site
http://www.geocities.com/galwaycyclist/
or by request from galwaycyclist@yahoo.co.uk
Well done to everybody who came out.
Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4in the purchase of cars (none of which are made in Ireland)?
Also do you have any data on how much of my taxes gets spent on building motorways which I will never use as opposed to bicycle facilities which I do?
Too late. You live in a globalised economy, no escaping that. Where do you think the rubber and the steel comes from that makes bikes, Tipperary?
Cars are made by workers from other countries. However its the capitalists from each 'nation' that profit from our work. Your nationalism only leads us behind Irish bosses.
Internationalism means linking with workers elsewhere and forging a better society everywhere.
If both my bicycle and your car come from outside of the country then we should obviously use cars instead! Good logic.
A bicycle apart from causing less damage to people contains a lot less rubber and metal than a car, it costs a lot less, so importing it is less of a drain on our economy.
I can see you now when I'm trying to drive my Ford Explorer SUV instead of a Chieftan tank
ME:"how much damage does my bike do to the economy and the roads compared to my Ford Explorer?"
SID:"we live in a globalised economy, don't worry about it, you may as well drive the tank, sure aren't they both made abroad?"
Brilliant Sid, brilliant!
the effects ( and nevermind the affects) of global warming caused by modern & post-modern capitalist production ( i.e. you and me mate, -you & me- gettin' in our cars and going to work!)-
collectively we are causing climate change and making disasters for humanity of all classes-
but especially for the multitudes without property, for the animals and for the vegetation of our planet-
it's all our futures that are on the line-
take some action - get out more often-
relaim the streets
love and rage!
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