Dublin - Event Notice
Thursday January 01 1970

Critical Mass Organising Meeting

dublin | environment | event notice

Friday August 14, 2009 00:22

by Conor

conorm at riseup dot net

Seomra Spraoi, Dublins Autonomous social centre (10 Belvidere Court, Dublin 1) will host a meeting for those interested in reigniting the passion for critical mass. The idea is not to organise a 'steering committee' for the event, rather it is a chance for like-minded people to get together, print and distribute leaflets and fill the streets of Dublin with bikes once again.

Also, it would be pleasant to take to the streets on the 22nd of September for the ''CAR FREE DAY''.

Every September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets, intersections, and neighbourhood blocks to remind the world that we don't have to accept our car-dominated society.
But we do not want just one day of celebration and then a return to "normal" life. When people get out of their cars, they should stay out of their cars. It is up to us, it is up to our cities, and our governments to help create permanent change to benefit pedestrians, cyclists, and other people who do not drive cars.

Let World Carfree Day be a showcase for just how our cities might look like, feel like, and sound like without cars…365 days a year.

As the climate heats up, World Carfree Day is the perfect time to take the heat off the planet, and put it on city planners and politicians to give priority to cycling, walking and public transport, instead of to the automobile.

What is Critical Mass?

Critical mass is the cyclists of the city, cycling together in a large group. The
idea is to show how much nicer Dublin would be (for cyclists and
everybody else) if the streets were full of cyclists all the time.

What exactly will we do?

We will cycle! We go in one large group at a few miles per hour, which has
the effect of taking over the road. Traffic is calmed, pedestrians can
cross the road without running, you can hear the birds sing and you can
converse without shouting, and you think ‘wouldn't it be great to have
this all the time?’

So it’s really a type of demonstration?

Not really. Only in a society immersed in car-culture could people think
that cycling around is a demonstration. Cars take over the streets every
other day of the month, and we don’t think them as being on a
demonstration.

Who’s in charge?

You are. There is no steering committee, no treasurer, no chairman - we
just cycle. Many people design and photocopy leaflets to give to
passers-by to explain, but that’s up to each person.

Do we get a permit from the Corpo or the Gardaí?

No. We don’t ask anyone’s permission to use the streets of our city, we
do it by right. We reject the idea that driving is ‘normal’ and that
cycling is some far-out activity that has to be shunted off and catered
for specially.

Is this legal? Are we supposed to go two-abreast?

It is 100 per cent legal. Cyclists have a right in common law to use the
streets (motorists don’t). The rules of the road suggest that cyclists
go two abreast, but this does not have the force of law. (It also
suggests that motorists make hand signals when turning.)

What if we get aggro? (yeah right!)

Almost everyone is good-humoured about Critical Mass - most people are
amused and curious. Smiling and waving at people helps this a lot. Ring
your bell, or blow a whistle. You will get the odd tightly-wound plonker
who revs their engine or shouts abuse - smile and wave at them too.

To make sure everyone is safe, stay together in a group, don’t let
anyone get separated and don’t risk getting separated on two sides of a
traffic lights - if in doubt, wait.

save preference

Comments (24 of 24)

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Sounds good

by Aging Critical Masser

Fri Aug 14, 2009 16:46

Used to be a regular enough thing but faded since 2004 really so good to see a possibility of a biggie on the horizon
Absolutely key that the whole road is taken,nothing more frustrating tthan a tame mass cycle where people all stay to the side-so disempowering.
A sound system also helps and a party after!

recalim the roads

by ex cm'er

Fri Aug 14, 2009 23:47

There is a spelling mistake in your leaflet.

Critical Mass Dublin died off because ordinary cyclists (not political activists) didnt like coming to it when it got taken over by anarchists (feel free to dispute this if you like). The pace of it is not any ordinary pace that any cyclist would ever do, its artificially slow just to irritate drivers, and it was never able to reconcile the fact that the route (always starting in the same place, rarely deviating beyond the main city core) was usually populated with people waiting for public transport - which was visibly delayed by a group of 30 or so cyclists bringing the traffic to a crawl, thus turning a load of the possible audience for the idea against cyclists, I remember people waiting at bus stops being pretty pissed off seeing CM come up O'Connell Street with their bus lagging behind it. If CM is to be revived from the dead (and this is not the first time somebody has attempted it) then the meetup point has to change, the pace has to get faster, and the route has to deviate into the inner suburbs where less people are waiting on public transport. Otherwise the same mistakes will be made again and it will never get support beyond the 25 or so people who always show up.

recalim the roads!!!

by Conor. M

Tue Aug 18, 2009 16:54

Whoops, terrible mistake.

Heres the proper one.

Thanks for the heads up there. I'll try to aviod previous problems. Hopefully enough people will get involved and we can all be happy bikers!

Fell free to print & distribute

deadly!

by Barry

Wed Aug 19, 2009 20:23

great to see this initiative being taken (again!)
i really believe CM has an amazing potential to empower people and creates an amazing focal point / transitory public space for people to meet and share ideas.
as mentioned in a previous comment, it is imperative that CM not become associated with any particular group or political principles, or indeed that it allow itself to become stale by repeating a familiar route.
having been involved in a previous resurrection attempt, and reflecting on mistakes, i believe the real strengths of CM is in its potential fluidity (no one in charge, different people all the time) , a sense of ownership of the city routed in exploration (DONT take the same route all the time, DO ride to specific areas of interest, or end in a picnic or gig etc.) and interaction between the participants (chat with people and engage everyone, jars after)

anyway, thats just a few thoughts, hopefully we can share more ideas at Seomra and get back on the roads

see yiz there!

Potential Advice

by Mark C

Wed Aug 19, 2009 20:40

I won't make this meeting due to geographical challenges, but might I suggest that, in order not to piss off the ordinary people that use public transport, and to encourage more use of public transport, and less reliance on cars, Critical Mass do NOT block up the entire road, but only that section that is used by the main polluters (single occupancy cars).

Fair play to you Conor for trying to resurrect this, hopefully it'll get a better response than the last critical mass (see related link).

politricks.

Wed Aug 19, 2009 20:53

"it is imperative that CM not become associated with any particular group"

The fact that the organising meeting is taking place in an anarchist centre is already proof that past mistakes are going to be repeated with trying to revive it from the dead. By having it in "Seomra Sproai" its already instantly associated with a micro left organisation (or strand of thought). Ordinary cyclists arent interested in smashing the state, they're interested in the state exerting its power to change society for the better through better traffic planning and investment for cycling facilities. You might disagree but some people might be put off for an initial meeting involving going to an anarchist centre (in the same way they'd be put off going to a socialist or communist meeting about cycling), it would be better to hold it in a neutral venue where people can relax, talk openly, and not feel like they're being indoctrinated (consciously or subconsciously) into some political group. A pub would be a nicer spot.

to above post -

by Conor. M - hmmm

Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:32

'' it would be better to hold it in a neutral venue where people can relax, talk openly, and not feel like they're being indoctrinated (consciously or subconsciously) into some political group. A pub would be a nicer spot.''

I dont really drink and dont think the atmosphere of a profit driven place of alchohal consumtion is a good place to be at all. But Im sure people will end up there anyway, maybe I was wrong but I chose Seomra Spraoi because it is a venue where people can talk openly and relax. This 'indoctrination' idea is ridiculus. I have never been pressured or indoctrinated into anything in Seomra. In fact, the reason I chose Seomra is exactly because you dont have to worry about a certain 'indoctrination' such as being in an environment where everyone is drinking so you should too. Thats my own two cents anyway.

reply to Mark & Barry

Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:46

I agree Barry. It seems that one of the main problems was the percieved take-over by certain groups. I intent to have this meeting to get all cyclists involved so there is no repeat of past mistakes. I have no other interest in critical mass except for fun and to assert our rights on the road. Im looking forward to seeing you at the meeting and I hope everyone who is critical of past mistakes will come because I was never involved in the old cm's and simply can not say what went wrong & what went well.

To Mark, taking another comment into consideration, we should try to stay clear, as best we can, of roads which rely heavily on public trasport. I really want people to see how beutiful lots & lots of bikes are and I REALLY DONT want anyone pissed off with us. I was thinking about making a small banner that says 'sorry for the delay' and handing out leaflets explaining why we are doing this to motorists and pedestrians.

I hope it all goes well and I think all bikers should come along and get angry about past advertures and be optimistic about future rides! I hope to see lots of people with lots of ideas next week!!

Leaflets

Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:06

Conor,

I like your idea about a banner. Also, if you want some leaflets designed, I can put something together for you, just tell me what you want on them, and if I've time I'll do it.

Mark.

To Conor M

Fri Aug 21, 2009 14:23

You might not think that about SS but others would/do. Its an anarchist centre and it has certain political leanings, which dont appeal to the vast majority of cyclists in Dublin (say, 99% or so). By having a meeting in an explicitly politicised venue, then you instantly associate it with the politics of that venue (same way if you had a meeting in 44 Parnell Square then there are instant associations or assumptions made about the organisers of the meeting). It might be more difficult for you to see it because you are on the inside of that activist scene. Its just an observation so please dont take it personally or anything. But I still think to get other people (non activists) involved in the regeneration of CM it would be better to have the meeting elsewhere. You might not drink, or you might consider pubs as "a profit driven place of alcohol consumption" but most people think of them as a place to sit down and relax and chat to strangers over a pint or two. I know such a vista must seem incredibly appalling :-) but this is generally the way people socialise in Dublin! IIRC the old CM get togethers used to take place in Conways on Parnell St. I think Seomra Spraoi tried to revive it before on their own and it failed.

meeting place

by XXXXX

Fri Aug 21, 2009 15:13

That's actually why Comway's was closed down isn't it? State REPRESSION! :)

To be honest, it's true anbout Seomra Spraoi- it's the anarchist centre in Dublin and known as such, not a neutral venue.

If you don't want to meet in a pub then there is plenty of other places.
Parish halls, GAA clubs etc which will let you have a room for next to nothing.

Where does the dublin cycling campaign meet?

If you really don't want to go to the pub, what about a cafe?

critical mass here

by Galway also

Sun Aug 23, 2009 01:11

There has been a critical mass demo here in Galway also, annually I think, for the last while. Any idea if it's taking place this year? It would be great if the actions around the country could be synchronised.

Sun Aug 23, 2009 10:42

Hi Mark, thats cool. Im sure good leaflets will be vital. Heres a bit of an idea. I was at the climate camp and there was a march/parade. The idea of the parade was to have the 'bog zombies' with zombie make-up, dressed in black with a chimney at the front and very colourful people with a wind vane and a solar panel aec at the back, it was great.

The idea is, on Sep 22 (car free day) the climate campers do the same parade up o connol strreet. The critical massers leave just before the parade sets off... The critical mass moves at a nice pace with music and lots of colour. When we cycle we take the whole road, except fforr keyparts of town where only buses go, (nopoint in turning the public service users against us). We then, as suggested, cycle far and wide (outside the main part of town) celebrating car free day and assert our right to using the roads. It would also be nice to have people in the Liffey witha banner (looked great in the Shannon in Offaly) Also, something similar could be done i Galway and anywhere else!

As for the venue, I really did think it was the best place. As someone said, I might not see the way other people see it as Im ''inside the activist scene'', I can see things from other perspectives, Im obviously trying to convince people to use Seomra because it has a bikeworkshop (yay) a place to relax before and after the meeting, meeting rooms, and it it a not-for-profit place which is totally open. Id just rather gives a few euro to Seomra (its probably, or definitly the cheapest venue in Dublin) as its a good contribution to a centre that stuggles to maintain itself on a volunteer basis. It has not-for-profit language lessons, music nights, plays and on and on and on, and I see no reason to not activily support a centre which shows the way forward. As for neurtality, a church? c'mon!!! Also, it has materials for banners, leaflets etc : )

Look, the meeting has been advertised and many people know its happening in Seomra, it would be silly to change the venue last second. However, there will be another meet-up (hopefully) before the 22nd Sep and the meeting should happen in a cafe or something. Like I said before, Im not really happy going to a place which has a top priority of PROFIT, but if someone feels strongly about it I think a compromise is cool.

So the meeting will be in Seomra on Tuesday and I hope the people put off by the 'anarchist' ideology are not put off. Its an amazing centre run by beutiful poeple, anyway, we'll only be there for the meeting and you can just leave straight after the meeting!

I hope a few people go, it would be fantastic to have a good turnout of the 22nd. I hope this post wasn't too much : )

Conor

to ex - cm'r

by Conorm

Sun Aug 23, 2009 13:07

I really hope you come along. Like I said before, we'll have it somewhere else next time and Im sorry if you dislike Seomra but please do come, we need critical people like you to point out the cons = )

Cant see the wood for the trees

by William

Sun Aug 23, 2009 19:59

As someone else mentioned earlier - CM died off because cyclists who arent activists got annoyed with political groups using it as part of wider events, which had little or nothing to do with cycling - yet here again I see that the Seomra Spraoi organiser wants to link it in with a Climate Change march or protest on O'Connell Street. Cant it just be about cycling, and not about a protest camp, or an EU enlargement protest, etc?

to William

Sun Aug 23, 2009 22:36

''CM died off because cyclists who arent activists got annoyed with political groups using it as part of wider events, which had little or nothing to do with cycling'' this particular event is the world car free day, I thought it would be nice to have all the bikes out. Besides, as I said, the cm will not be with the climate parade.

Also William, you know my name, you know who I am and you know I would have read this comment, you could have directed you comment directly to me, rather than calling me the seomra spraoi organiser! Im open to all ideas, I simply wont call for a cm if I think most cyclists are not interested. William, please come along to this, or another chat/meeting and get involved. I REALLY want a nice cycle. I dont want it to be some big political thing. I love cycling and I have never been in a cm and I was SO excited when I first heard about it. As I said, Im open to all ideas and Im just throwing around suggestions. I dont want to alienate 'ordinary' cyclists (which is what I would consider myself to be), and I stated the reasons above why I wanted to use seomra. But if you think the cm on car free day is a terrible idea then fine, I was wrong. But, I still want the cm to happen. I dont want to piss off motorists, I dont want to protest, I just want to cycle with others because Im dying to see how wonderful it is!

best group ride of the year

by cycler.

Tue Aug 25, 2009 23:00

While this meeting was on, several hundred (maybe a thousand?) cyclists were off enjoying the evening sun in the Phoenix Park with Lance.

1200

Tue Aug 25, 2009 23:54

Irish Times is reporting 1200 people showing up.

That was easily the best ride I have ever been on in Dublin. Impromptu, spready by worth of mouth by wildfire, young and old, fast and slow, low end beaters and real high end bikes, positive atmosphere, decent pace, it was great. Nothing to do with anarchists, "autonomous social centres" or "direct action" either, just lots of people out enjoying being together on bicycles. Take a leaf from this book and learn from it, Critical Mass!

Good stuff

Wed Aug 26, 2009 02:53

Hi there cycler, I heard about the cycle just after we had the meeting. It sounded dealy and thats exactly what I want. I obviously didnt hear about it until the last minute, but I would have loved to have been there. Thats preety much what I would love to see happening regularly. The meeting was really great. There will be another cm meeting in a cafe, probably is templebar, you should come along and help advertise a nice cycle. It could turn into a nice regular event, and all it will be is cycling, there wont be anything political and there definity wont be any 'direct action'. I really do hope you, and all other cyclists come along next time and put an input into the cm.

There will be a cm on the last Friday in September, and it will leave from the entrance of Stephan Greens park. It will go on a nice route, probably in around town a little and out along the canal, but the route is supposed to be flowy so I suppose theres no real route!

There will be an end, and maybe some sandwitches and tea, or something along those lines.

I think theres a really good chance to get a mass of cyclits to just cycle for fun and enjoyment, and I think thats what the Dublin cm could be, a celebration of bikes.

Confused! Confused! Confused!

by Confused!

Thu Aug 27, 2009 16:00

Conor. M, I'm completely confused! I though there was going to be a Critical Mass on World Car Free Day which is on Tuesday, September 22nd. Now to quote your last comment "There will be a cm on the last Friday in September," But the last Friday in September is the 26th! Has the original Critical Mass which was taking place on World Car Free Day,Tuesday, September 22nd, as it is in every other country, now being cancelled in favour of a Criticial Mass on Friday, September 26th instead? If so, I think that's a very big mistake as that now means that there would be nothing happening in Dublin to mark World Car Free Day on Tuesday, September 22nd!

good for you conor

by siobhan

Mon Oct 05, 2009 10:23

i've been reading all these comments and I just feel like saying 'give conor a ****ing break!'.
He comes across as someone just wanting to do something voluntarily for the good of cycling and he's getting criticised for
1)trying to bring people to a (not for profit people!!) venue which is also used by ...anarchists (intake of breath) Weird suggestions of parish halls and Gaa clubs as 'neutral' alternatives??!!?

2)not being lance armstrong and not automatically getting the celebrity publicity for a sunny cycle in phoenix park. I'm assuming conor's not Elvis either - maybe he should be criticised for that too.

I've never met conor but fair fux to him getting off his arse and Trying to get something like CM organised again.
Be cool to see more offers of helpful advice and less put downs.

Conor please keep posting details of meetings on here so I can try make it to the next one, thanks for your efforts.

ps - apart from this article on here I couldn't see anything recent on the internet when doing a search for 'critical mass dublin'.
If people have blogs, whatever, maybe they could write about the Critical mass meetings so that the information comes up when doing a google search on CM dublin.

Maybe try leafleting / postering the universities, the bikes in town - leave leaflets in the cables on each bike? Maybe get a networking site for critical mass dublin which you can update easily (so it's not alot of work for you) and people can access easily (facebook, myspace).
Anything which makes it easy for people to get the info on meetings, cycles and which opens it to loads of different people.

anarchy club

by Successor of JP

Mon Oct 05, 2009 11:40

No said that hiring a room in a parish hall or a GAA club amounted to a neutral venue, but anyway, if you don't see a difference between hiring a room in a parish hall or a GAA club, and meeting in Seomra Sproai, then you're on your own.

can someone please elaborate

by Cyclist

Mon Oct 05, 2009 15:26

on what the difficulty with meeting in seomra spraoi. Ive been in and out of there a couple of times, and people have always been friendly, welcoming and make great food really cheaply.

Are people afraid of the space because some people call themselves anarchists? I dont really get it.

Critical mass budapest has 80,000 participants - has Dublin that many moaning about CM Dublin?

by Dunk

Mon Oct 05, 2009 16:59

Regards the bike rides

Great stuff that SOMETHING is happening, well done for doing something to organise it. Why is it still so small, what is stopping it from growing, try contacting Hungary critical mass crews where they have managed to get 80,000 people participating. Keep on at it, let it grow, it makes sense, enjoy the ride.

There have also been docklands bike rides that have been well attended in the past, any cm-ers at them, letting people know about cm in dulbin?

Regarding the begrudgers and nay-sayers

I dont get it either, what is the problem in using seomra sproi - it has been a long hard effort by Dublin people, some anarchists, many not, some not too political at all, to make a space that caters for people to come together to try to make something happen in the city; be that watching films, having political meetings, organising a party, ORGANISING A CRITICAL MASS. To simply say "its only an anarchist space" is bolix. It should be used more, its there, use it.

Its easy to slate conors initiiave, but what have others done. the fact that so many cycled with lance armstrong, shows that there is loads of bike heads in dublin. if and when CM becomes a regular event, last fri of month, surely more will join in. If CM leads to further bike culture growing great, lovely to imagine a changed city. That change will not come from wishing or thinking, it comes through action.

Dont be put off, keep it positive, happy, fun and inclusive.
Enjoy yourselves

Critical mass history, other bike stuff and a few films

Critical Mass is a bicycling event typically held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 cities around the world. While the ride was originally founded in 1992 in San Francisco with the idea of drawing attention to how unfriendly the city was to cyclists, the leaderless structure of Critical Mass makes it impossible to assign it any one specific goal. In fact, the purpose of Critical Mass is not formalized beyond the direct action of meeting at a set location and time and traveling as a group through city or town streets on bikes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_Mass

Films

We Are Traffic! - film by AK Press
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAkBV4LST3A

Critical Mass Budapest 20070922 Carfree Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q_45HGoo2w
related - http://www.criticalmass.hu/blogbejegyzes/20070922/criti...ujtes

other bike stuff

Car Free Day 2005

we tried to get a week of alternatives to car culture car free day, we managed 4 days:
thr- crit mass
fri - seomra spraoi arts night
sat - take back the city (reclaim the streets of sorts)
sun - community garden day dolphins barn, greenway cycle, new garden in phibsboro

- state of emergency - day of action : international car free day S22
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=71392
- CarFreeDay cRiTicAL mAsS!
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/71930
- Seomra Spraoi collective invites you to a night of play, art, discussion, film, food, disco
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=71888
- Take Back The City
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=71773
- Take Back The City - Post Match analysis..
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=72157
garden day - sun 25th sep 2005http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=69689&con...21854

Other bike initiave; a greenway for Dublin city
Dublin City greenway Cycle (may 2005)
http://ireland.indymedia.org/article/69929

Caption: Video Id: wAkBV4LST3A Type: Youtube Video
We Are Traffic! - film by AK Press

Caption: Video Id: 6Q_45HGoo2w Type: Youtube Video
Critical Mass Budapest 20070922 Carfree Day - 50,000 participants?

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Comments (24 of 24)