Critical Mass Photos

by Starstruck - UCD Left Mon Aug 02, 2004 02:53

Lads there is great potential for a big monthly critical mass.Could we not have posted the event on indymedia events and associated sites such as struggle and DGN?
You could get at least 60 people on a regular basis no problem!
Is there going to be one this August 31st?
If so lets get organising...
The buzz is still there after Bush and Mayday but its fading and a regular event like this could really help keep people motivated and active?
Anyone agree?

by Elaine Mon Aug 02, 2004 03:34

cleaning my spokes as we speak. The last Friday in August is the 27th if my calendar is correct. Gonna be good times.

by Starstrucki - UCD Left/Grassroots Mon Aug 02, 2004 15:14

You can cycle,walk ,skateboard, roller-blade,run,jump whatever.
Critical mass is about showing how our city streets would be so much safer,cleaner and friendlier without the monoxide spewing exhausts of vehicles.
Seriously a big one this August could be a good thing to get the scene re-energised after the Bush/Mayday events...
Suggestions for organising,postering would be good....
Dont go to mass,go to Critical Mass!

by dube Mon Aug 02, 2004 15:15

how about cycling the s2s route sutton to sandymount as example of bike travel....

by Starstruclk Mon Aug 02, 2004 17:57

Something like the 46a or 10 route might be an idea .they take in most of the central spine of dublins roads.
Maybe the cop who is permanently watching indymedia has a suggestion???
Sweet job by the way....

by mb Tue Aug 03, 2004 18:49

sorry i missed it!

i agree with some of the other posts....it would be a lot bigger every month if there was a little bit of publicity. i admit my guilt in forgetting about it!

in vancouver, canada, the june critical mass had about 800 cyclists. amazing, when dublin has at least ten times more cyclists than vancouver does. (i suppose it has to do with the cyclist culture in vancouver, where there are many hills, few bike lanes and there is near-constant rain from october until april.)

i also recommend the practice of 'corking'. this is what police do at other demonstrations. as soon as we approach an intersection, the people in the front on either side would move to spots where cars could come from and line up their bikes in front of the cars, waving friendily, so that angry drivers do not have the opportunity to try to drive into the mass.

here is a better article on corking:
http://www.criticalmass.org.au/melbourne/cork.html

by de Wed Aug 04, 2004 20:12

i understand that it's not the college year yet, but surely during the college year critical mass should be hoping to get students on the street, or at least posting flyers around colleges etc. i don't know how many people were at the last critical mass, but it appears to be a pretty poor number from the photos, compared to vancouver as mb mentioned (though i think there are many more cycle lanes there than compared to dublin, and with a grid system, most side streets are quiet and comfortable to cycle etc.). its quite a success in many other cities around the globe, and dublin can surely get three or four hundred monthly, with a bicycle celebration sometime during the summer swelling numbers. bicycle revolution!!!

by Al Wed Aug 04, 2004 22:28

Folks,
For once I dont have a problem with your posts or your plans, cycle till your legs fall off by all means but remember some things. For one, who pays for the roads? Not cyclists but car drivers. Tax pays for the roads, can you honestly say its fair for the person thats paying for the road not to use it? Buses also spew out nasty things but public transport is needed for many many people. Not everyone can walk or cycle to work day in day out.

by john h Thu Aug 05, 2004 04:16

im not a critical masser myself but i can't remember critical mass ever been advertised mcuh bar on car free day etc (please correct me if im wrong), i dunno who supposed to do the advertising...

anyway car free day is coming up very soon any ideas suggestion welcome

contact rts-dublin@yahoogroups.com to organise a collective

info re car free day 2004

sustainable energy ireland the official irish organisers of car free day

http://www.irish-energy.ie/content/content.asp?section_id=1050&language_id=1&publication_id=1393 ..nothing but a press release so far

the european mobility week states: Safe streets for children will be the hot topic of the 2004 European Mobility week.

http://www.mobilityweek-europe.org/thematic/safe_streets.html

www.freewebs.com/rts-dublin/ the site i created which has a decent amount of content and links on it... (please suggest changes !!!)

afaik the trend for the official regcognition of car free day in ireland has been to spread it around to local areas... and have this mobility week... bring it schools etc... which meant virtually nothing happened in any of the major towns and cities especially when business men made cork cancel it... last year wasnt it....

only kilkenny with the gluaiseacht crew did anything inspiring last year ... the things ive been reading on the carbusters site is to use carfree day to start something regular rather then a token day , i believe they have this carfree thursday thingy?

which is probably where the the cc's dcc gcc etc come in in the pro bike kinda way