Monday, September 22, 2008

Car Free Day... yeah, right...

*UPDATE UPDATE*
So... from someone who was actually at this rubbish... One side of Merrion Square closed off, nothing happening in the park. One tent for Dublin Bus, giving out timetables, Dublin Shitty Council... had a tent that housed a form where you could win a piece of shit bike... that's all... the Dublin Transport Office were supposed to have a stall, but apparently all they were giving out were balloons and when they ran out they left... A few stalls selling the obligatory overpriced food, and that's World Car Free Day! What a model of progressive thinking Dublin is really showing itself to be. I hope the rest of the world was watching that shining display and takes heed. At this rate we'll have global warming licked by next Thursday.
Once again... COWARDS...

*UPDATE*
So I tell a lie, the West side of Merrion Square is being closed to today... woo-hoo!!! Bet it's closed to bikes as well... and there's a family fun day in the park! That has a lot to do with Car Free Day doesn't it? Report here.

Once again Ireland shows its true colours by completely blanking World Car Free Day.
Apart form a bike parade and picninc happening in cork, there is nothing going on in this entire island.

This certainly puts into perspective that wonderful ride through car free streets at 9.30 am on a sunday that the government threw last week. They couldn't have waited and maybe had it today? CarFree Day? Seems to make sense doesn't it?

Check here for details of cities and countries that actually give a shit and don't just pay lip service to issues of sustainability.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is Ireland, what do you expect? Organisation?!

blogless said...

Um, yeah, thanks Dublin Council for disrupting my morning commute…on a bicycle. If I’d heard about in advance I could at least have avoided Merrion Square. Had to do internet detective work to even find out what the street barriers were about. Sigh

Anonymous said...

I'm shocked they even bothered with the event in Merrion Square. I don't recollect it being advertised any where.

So next year, who is on for taking matters into our own hands and organising a mass cycle around the city centre during peak hours ;-). It could be along the lines of a bike train, getting people to work safely though city traffic. It is plainly obvious at this stage that if the 22nd Sept falls on a week day, Car Free Day is going to get brushed under the rug by the powers that be. We can't have it disrupting the ever growing commute by car.

Anonymous said...

ooo like a critical mass in dublin, do it!

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure about calling it a critical mass, I think it has a stigma that comes with it. A bike train getting people to work sounds a lot less threatening but has the same effect as Critical Mass :)

One other idea would be to reclaim car parking spaces such as the Park(ing) Days in the US (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/parking-day-san-francisco-2008.php). I'm not sure of the legality of it here though. Does paying and displaying give you the right to use the space if you aren't a motor vehicle?

Anonymous said...

why dont we just pipe bomb petrol stations?

Unknown said...

Dublin Community television are cover car free day for a documentary about cycling in the city centre

A documentary crew will be around the city centre tomorro, if you would like to be interviewed about your views on Car Free Day

e-mail: barra@dctv.ie to arrange an interview

Anonymous said...

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