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A DEMONSTRATION HAS been held outside Leinster House in memory of the 14 cyclists who have died on Irish roads to date this year.
That is four more people than were killed in all of 2016, making 2017 the deadliest year for cyclists in over a decade.
The Stop Killing Cyclists vigil was organised by Cyclist.ie, Dublin Cycling Campaign, I BIKE Dublin, Safe Cycling Ireland and Cycling Without Age.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie at the protest, Dr Paul Corcoran, chair of Dublin Cycling Campaign, said cyclists are worried that the upward trend in deaths will continue.
Corcoran said the government “definitely” missed an opportunity by not allocating more funding to cycling infrastructure in Budget 2018.
“It could be a real solution to a lot of the problems in the city in terms of transport. The roads are blocked, cycling could alleviate some of that pressure.
“It’s a great way of travelling around the city. It’s good for your health, good for your mental health, good for the environment,” he stated.
Cyclists at the demonstration also called for the introduction of a mandatory distance of 1.5 metres to be observed by vehicles overtaking cyclists.
Segregated bike lanes
Corcoran said the government should look into developing fully segregated bike lanes and parking protected cycles lanes, initiatives that have “worked quite well in other cities” such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen.
However, he’s not hopeful that either could become a reality in Ireland any time soon.
“Historically, I don’t think the government has taken cycling seriously as a mode of transport, they see it as maybe a fun activity – but it could actually be a really serious mode of transport to get people around efficiently and quickly … We know that more cars in the city won’t work,” he said.
Corcoran said Ireland’s “cycling culture” of a few decades ago has been replaced by a car culture, noting it would take some time to change this mentality back.
Speaking ahead of the vigil, Stephen McManus for I BIKE Dublin said: “Death by car should never become normalised in a society that cares for its people … The state must act immediately and make infrastructure safer for pedestrians and cyclists to avoid further deaths.
We must all remember that roads are primarily designed to facilitate the movement of people. The people who choose the most dangerous mode of transportation must carry the most responsibility for the safety of other road users. Every death is one too many.
Speaking in the Dáil recently, Transport Minister Shane Ross said the government is committed to improving cycling facilities.
“We have been criticised by many deputies for not providing enough money for the switch to cycling that we wish to see.
“I have allotted €110 million towards cycling and walking over the next four years. The resultant changes will form part of the pattern that will emerge in the transport system, not just in Dublin,” he said.
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Trump threatened to sue the comedian Jon Stewart for suggesting that his father was an Orang Utan.
Trump even sent the TV show host a copy of his birth certificate.
Stewart replied that the short cert was no good and only the long form of the cert would be acceptable.
It was Bill Maher that Trump threatened to sue; they had a long running battle via Maher’s Real Time show on HBO. it’s fair to say that Jon Stewart isn’t Trump’s biggest fan either.
In fairness to the ferret, he’s doing a great job.
He’s almost just a sideshow act at this stage, mind you, a very dangerous one. There’s no flies on him, if there were he’d have them paying rent.
Sideshow Bob lives……
Finally! We are getting past silly season and down to the core principles of the candidates
The hero America deserves https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TuesauNtqTU
She should’ve given it a good ol yank !
It’s the most elaborate comb over known to man!
And that matters because?
Would his hair be so pristine on a wet night in Stoke?
Of course it’s real. Did anybody serioualy think it was a toupee? It’s the mother of all combovers. He’s a bald man who has weaved his remaining hair into something truly terrifying, but it’s obvious it’s all his own. No wigmaker would produce something so horrendous.
If it is real, it’s more embarrassing having all that money and still both being and looking like a complete bloody clown
He’s 70 years of age u tw@t!! What will u look like at that age!
Clowns live to 70 too David. Your close enough yourself I’d say.
I was referring to his David, that’s what the article was about
#hair
OMG it’s you!
Ah yes, but would he bring someone up to see if he actually has a soul?
I’d be more interested to know did she find signs of anything between his ears.
he’s an awful eejit that fella, him and the shredded wheat on his head!!
But at least he never bombed an entire country
The hair screamed and curled up in a ball.
she must have been a PLANT!
He’s right about the need to focus on mental health over gun control though. Lots of wackos killing people in this country too with no guns readily available.
It’s refreshing to see someone actual come out and say it rather than parroting the same jaded anti-gun talking points.
I’m surprised his hair didn’t attack her
I think her name is Barber-a
Trump the only candidate who can make America Great Again. Failed career politicians beholden to lobbyist and big donors can’t do it.
USA is built on the genocide of native Americans, the theft and rape of their lands, slavery of African people, and military campaigns in other countries, many illegal. If that’s what you mean by greatness, then I guess Trump will carry along those lines.
I have no problem with his hair it’s what’s under it
Head lice, sorry Headline news ….. ‘Donald Trump combs his hair’. Ground breaking journalism at it’s best!
The planet is in crisis and all liberals worry about is someone’s hairstyle.
Says is all really.
Its called Idiocracy and it gets worse by the month
Now if she could only do the same test on David Davin Power.
Why did she pull on the side??
Why not the top and show the entire comb forward?
PLANT
” I can confirm he does not have gills “
Of course it’s real, it’s a ferret trained to sit on top of his head but sometimes it has a mind of its own
A plant obviously..an implant..lol
trump for president hahaha only in America
His hair ‘might’ be real but trump is an obnoxious tool.
Implants.
have your say