2012 - Civil disobedience Led by Cyclists?

spen666

Well, I for one will not be obeying these sort of dictats. F**k the Olympic athletes and officials. If I have to go to work, then I will be using these routes and I'm damn sure there is little the police can do if their is mass civil disobedience.

I love the quote in the article about the need to keep London moving- how? by blocking off half the route into / out of East London, The Embankment etc



Daily Mail

The Olympic 'Zil' lanes: 250 miles of road will be coned off for 2012 VIPs
By Ray Massey
Last updated at 12:57 AM on 12th December 2008
Comments (145) Add to My Stories More than 250 miles of road are to be reserved for VIPs during the London Olympics.

Up to 80,000 officials, sponsors, politicians and athletes will have congestion0free lanes in London and at other venues.
Ordinary motorists face fines if they stray on to the reserved routes, which include sections of the M25. Challenging the fines could lead to a penalty of up to £5,000.

More than 250 miles of road are to be reserved for VIPs during the London Olympics - with ordinary motorists facing fines if they stray on to the designated routes
More than 200 traffic lights will be adapted to keep Olympic officials on the move in 2012.

Critics said the plans - outlined in a Department for Transport consultation paper yesterday - owed much to Soviet-style 'Zil lanes'.

In Communist times, these were used by high-ranking party and state officials to get around Moscow in their Zil limousines.

For the 2012 Games it is thought that key roads leading to the main stadium in Stratford, East London, will come under the Olympic Route Network, as are routes to and from Heathrow, under plans outlined by transport minister Jim Fitzpatrick.

The network will cover the Olympic sailing venue at Weymouth in Dorset and rowing events at Eton Dorney in Berkshire.

Hugh Sumner, Olympics transport director, said no public routes would be shut.

Thirty miles of the network might be assigned as 'Games lanes' - reserved lanes on dual carriageways and motorways. Mr Fitzpatrick-said: 'The network will be vital for transporting the Games Family and keeping our country moving during the Games.'

But AA president Edmund King said: 'The network will cause congestion for buses, taxis and other road users.


'Enforcement must be fair. The last thing we want is motorists straying into Olympic lanes by mistake and being hit with fines up to £5,000.'

The consultation document listed possible effects of the network, including the possibility of delays to other traffic during the Games, tougher parking restrictions for residents, stricter loading restrictions and the need for public utilities to reschedule roadworks.

Among the VIPs are members of the the International Olympic Committee and other affiliated organisations; technical officials, sponsors who provide £1billion of funding and services and members of the media. A 14-week consultation period on the proposals will now follow.

The Government says the network is designed to ensure that the 55,000 athletes, officials, media and sponsors on each of the 16 days of the Olympic Games and 16,500 on each of the 12 days of the Paralympics Games can move safely, quickly and reliably between the competition venues, their accommodation and other key locations.

simple_salmon

Nice attitude Spen.

downfader

Seems like another reason to boycott the olympics? So what if people live on those routes, are they going to be marooned, I wonder.

I know other problems have arisen around the 2012 site - several amateur photographers have been threatened over "terrorism threats" and it seems that many people have been forced out of allotments, etc.

When you think about it this is a LOT of fuss for 2 weeks of athletics and sport. :?

cougie

Oh bloody hell - how often do we have the Olympics ? Once in a lifetime probably. If I were in London - I could cope with disruption for a fortnight.

With so many NIMBYS around its amazing you can do anything. Already in Liverpool running races are pretty much confined to the park as you cant keep the sunday shoppers away from B&Q for an hour or so once a year can you ?

normanp

spen - you only get my support if you are on your BIKE.
Cars are mechanical dangerous extensions of thoughtless inflated egos (IMHO).

jeffhope

For the commonwealth games in Melbourne, back in the day they did this. It was FANTASTIC for cyclists during that week due to the restrictions discouraging car use

The best day was when they held the road race (on a Saturday if i recall correctly). The main north-south road corridor of the inner city suburbs was cut in two, and with virtually no car parking nearby, so all the good burghurs who wanted to watch were forced out with the missus and their kids on foot+tram/train or (shock, horror!) - bicycle. You know, the types who would never ride except off-road in a park, because its' "too dangerous"). I reckon at least a few of them must have enjoyed not being in a car for a change.

spen666

normanp wrote:

spen - you only get my support if you are on your BIKE.
Cars are mechanical dangerous extensions of thoughtless inflated egos (IMHO).

Absolutely- I only commute by bike- the car never gets used for commuting

eternal_headwind

This is a report in the Daily Mail. I don't feel the need to comment further on their journalistic integrity.

spen666

Eternal_headwind wrote:

This is a report in the Daily Mail. I don't feel the need to comment further on their journalistic integrity.

It was also in several other papers the same day, and on the BBC website

eternal_headwind

Agreed, but the soviet references?
here is a beeb article
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7282288.stm

Does The Mail editorial team believe we cannot understand the concept of a restricted traffic lanes without implying Stalin has moved into No 10?

spen666

Eternal_headwind wrote:

Agreed, but the soviet references?
here is a beeb article
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7282288.stm

Does The Mail editorial team believe we cannot understand the concept of a restricted traffic lanes without implying Stalin has moved into No 10?

sod the terminology, look at the reality of what is being proposed.

inseine

It's only for 2 weeks for goodness sake. Why not take a holiday so you can a) calm down, b) watch the games
How will effect your life exactly?

spen666

inseine wrote:

It's only for 2 weeks for goodness sake. Why not take a holiday so you can a) calm down, b) watch the games
How will effect your life exactly?

Erm try loosing over 50% of road capacity for the month of the games?
Roads which are already seriously congested and where it already can take over an hour to do 10 miles.
Try doubling or quadrupling travel times to/ from work.

The athletes will be staying a stones throw fromn the games site. these lanes are not for the benefit of athletes, but for the "VIPs" who are far too pretentious to stay near the games site and who want to stayin posh west london hotels and avoid having to travel with the hop polloi. Why should any of them be given exclusive use of our already over crowded roads?

The games can run perfectly well, if not better without these "VIPs"

inseine

Looks like you should move if you hate congestion so much. lucky you cycle or you'd be in a really bad mood.

spen666

inseine wrote:

Looks like you should move if you hate congestion so much. lucky you cycle or you'd be in a really bad mood.

i don't hate the congestion.

i hate the banning of British subjects from our roads for the sake of foreign "VIPs" who are not needed and do not add anything to the games.

If it was the athletes only who were using these lanes, then I'd accept it for the good of the Games

eternal_headwind

We should make an effort to welcome our foreign guests. A free bus pass should do the job...

OffTheBackAdam

What's wrong with sticking them on the tube?
The idea of closing bits of the M25 is ludicrous.

spen666

OffTheBackAdam wrote:

What's wrong with sticking them on the tube?
The idea of closing bits of the M25 is ludicrous.

its the bits of the Embankment and the A11 that will cause most problems.

Let the freeloaders stay in Stratford if they want to get to the Games quickly

steve-m

spen666 wrote:

Well, I for one will not be obeying these sort of dictats. F**k the Olympic athletes

spen666 wrote:

If it was the athletes only who were using these lanes, then I'd accept it for the good of the Games

Bit confused aren't we?

spen666

steve-m wrote:

spen666 wrote:

Well, I for one will not be obeying these sort of dictats. F**k the Olympic athletes

spen666 wrote:

If it was the athletes only who were using these lanes, then I'd accept it for the good of the Games

Bit confused aren't we?

Shame you take only half a quote and make it appear to be different to what I actually said

number9

It's an Olympics Whinge Fest!

"We should never have won, it'll never work, be like the Dome"

It's only two weeks, sheesh, let's for once take pride in our country and welcome the biggest thing to hit E London since the luftwaffe. The games will be fab, the regeneration will transform the area.

And The Dome is now the largest venue in Europe.

spen666

number9 wrote:

....

And The Dome is now the largest venue in Europe.

Really?


Largest Venue?

I'm sure it doesn't hold the 55,000 people that can get in St James Park, or the 60,000 at the Emirates or 75,000 @ Old Trafford or even the 90,000 at Wembley.

Its not even the biggest venue in London, let alone Europe


BTW at a cost of over £1billion - was it worth the cost of the Dome?

number9

Most popular = biggest.


As in Girls Aloud are the biggest girl group but have fewer memebers than the Dagenham Girl Pipers.

spen666

number9 wrote:

Most popular = biggest.


As in Girls Aloud are the biggest girl group but have fewer memebers than the Dagenham Girl Pipers.

What has that got to do with the largest venue in Europe?

Wembley has had far more spectators per event as has Old T, SJP, The emirates and others.


Largest venue in Europe- not a cat in hell's chance. its probably not even the largest in south East London. I suspect The Valley holds more spectators ( ok- can hold more given Charlton's current form, its unlikely to get that many more)

number9

I didn't say largest you dumbass prick.

Dagenham Girls Pipers have not had fewer memebers than Girls Aloud.

I think that was my point..

Crapaud

number9 wrote:

I didn't say largest you dumbass prick.

Dagenham Girls Pipers have not had fewer memebers than Girls Aloud.

I think that was my point..

Charming! A powerful and reasoned arguement as alwaya number 9.

spen666

number9 wrote:

I didn't say largest you dumbass prick.

Dagenham Girls Pipers have not had fewer memebers than Girls Aloud.

I think that was my point..

so who posted this then?

number9
Joined: 22 Nov 2007
Posts: 128



Posted 05 Jan 2009 15:42
It's an Olympics Whinge Fest!

"We should never have won, it'll never work, be like the Dome"

It's only two weeks, sheesh, let's for once take pride in our country and welcome the biggest thing to hit E London since the luftwaffe. The games will be fab, the regeneration will transform the area.

And The Dome is now the largest venue in Europe.

number9

. The O2 Arena has a capacity of 20,000 which makes it one of the largest indoor events venues in Europe. It is built on the basis of the big American Style Multipurpose Arenas. Since opening a year ago it has become the most popular indoor music events arena in the world with ticket sales beating New Yorks Madison Square Garden and Manchester’s MEN Arena.



Most popular in Europe, hence largest.

Apology accepted, please be more careful in future.

spen666

number9 wrote:

. The O2 Arena has a capacity of 20,000 which makes it one of the largest indoor events venues in Europe. It is built on the basis of the big American Style Multipurpose Arenas. Since opening a year ago it has become the most popular indoor music events arena in the world with ticket sales beating New Yorks Madison Square Garden and Manchester’s MEN Arena.



Most popular in Europe, hence largest.

Apology accepted, please be more careful in future.

Hmm so now the LARGEST VENUE in Europe has been down graded to "one of the largest indoor events venues in Europe"

So as I said it is not the largest venue in Europe.

Indeed now you are providing the proof of that.


In fact you are now even saying it is not the largest indoor venue in Europe.



Most popular and largest are 2 completely different things. You claimed it was the largest (not the most popular) venue in Europe

Indeed, now you are claiming it is the most popular INDOOR venue in Europe. That is a very different thing to your original quote


Remember posting this- or are you still denying posting this?

number9
Joined: 22 Nov 2007
Posts: 128



Posted 05 Jan 2009 15:42
It's an Olympics Whinge Fest!

"We should never have won, it'll never work, be like the Dome"

It's only two weeks, sheesh, let's for once take pride in our country and welcome the biggest thing to hit E London since the luftwaffe. The games will be fab, the regeneration will transform the area.

And The Dome is now the largest venue in Europe.

Now it seems you have changed largest for either "one of the largest" or for "the most popular"

"Venue" becomes "INDOOR venue"

So apart from changing everything you said, you are still sticking by your original post.

Clearly I must be a dumbass prick for not realising you meant something completely different from what you orifginally posted.


however you deny that it was you who posted that "...The Dome is now the largest venue in Europe.." Remember denying posting that?

number9
Joined: 22 Nov 2007
Posts: 129



Posted 05 Jan 2009 20:43
I didn't say largest you dumbass prick.

Dagenham Girls Pipers have not had fewer memebers than Girls Aloud.

I think that was my point..

number9

Girls Aloud = largest girl group in the world (most popular, not the group with the most members, although I bet they've handled a huge number of members)

02 arena- largest venue in the world, ie most popular:

The O2 arena is on course to be named the world's most popular venue this year with ticket sales set to exceed one million.


http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/art ... article.do

Pwned, guffaw!!

spen666

number9 wrote:

Girls Aloud = largest girl group in the world (most popular, not the group with the most members, although I bet they've handled a huge number of members)

02 arena- largest venue in the world, ie most popular:

The O2 arena is on course to be named the world's most popular venue this year with ticket sales set to exceed one million.


http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/art ... article.do

Pwned, guffaw!!

you need to learn the difference between LARGEST and most popular.

They are not the same thing.