London ride for 3 dead cyclists

bice

Apparently there was a ride meeting at Waterloo Bridge on Friday night at 6pm to commemorate the three recently killed cyclists. The idea was to ride to the spots where they were killed.

Did anyone attend? I wanted to, but can't leave work before 8pm on Fridays. How many attended and was there any press coverage?

Did the mayor attend or comment?

OldSkoolKona

It was part of the Critical Mass ride. Some commentary online about it:
http://velolovesthecity.blogspot.com/20 ... 32010.html

http://crapwalthamforest.blogspot.com/2 ... ckney.html

roger_merriman

was part of the critical mass lot. with all the baggage that brings.

don't think it got much press understandably, though I think one MP went.

bice

roger merriman wrote:

was part of the critical mass lot. with all the baggage that brings.

don't think it got much press understandably, though I think one MP went.

Well, I reckon this was a really good thing to do and I wish I had joined them. Are the critical mass lot seen as confrontational/ daft/ whatever?

lost_in_thought

bice wrote:

roger merriman wrote:

was part of the critical mass lot. with all the baggage that brings.

don't think it got much press understandably, though I think one MP went.

Well, I reckon this was a really good thing to do and I wish I had joined them. Are the critical mass lot seen as confrontational/ daft/ whatever?

It varies, seems to be like marmite...

I for one am pretty anti-critical mass. Because it's ostensibly just a big group of cyclists out causing trouble, it only worsens motorist-cyclist relations.

As I've said before, a motorist held up by a bunch of cyclists behaving in a yobbish fashion is very unlikely to think 'ah I sympathise with their cause (which I've worked out telepathically)'.

DonDaddyD

I respect and admire the sentiment.

I disagree with the mechanism used i.e. the critical mass.

If critical mass riders respected the road rules and etiquette in general then I would join their numbers but by the very nature of large numbers of humans in one place, they often forget themselves.

A more effective method would have been to dismount and walk on the pavement with bike on one shoulder. I think that would have made a far more poignant point. But I muse....

Wonderful thing though to want to honor those cyclists, won't take that away from them.

the_hundredth_idiot

I've never been to a Critical Mass ride. I had intended to go last Friday but other things put a spanner in the works (I ended up working quite late).

CM does get some negative press - I'm going to wait on forming a strong opinion one way or the other until I've actually been on one. But I do agree with the last couple of posters - how would anyone seeing the CM ride actually know what it was about?

pete54

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

how would anyone seeing the CM ride actually know what it was about?

http://ibikelondon.blogspot.com/2010/03/thank-you-london-cyclists.html

"People holding up the traffic took the time to explain to drivers that the ride was visiting the three crash sites and there were only a few occassions of aggressive drivers not prepared to wait for a few minutes as the Mass rolled past."

Porgy

When I was involved in CM in early/ mid 90s there was a real need for it. things have improved tremendously on the roads since then - and far from getting negative responses from the public I used to get mostly positives. I was one of the many using CM as a chance to give out information leaflets - and in the first few years CM increased from a tiny ride to a massive event.

Countless hundreds, maybe thousands probably had their first riding experience in London thanks to CM. and I know a few amongst my friends who have stuck at it ever since.

and far from trying to start trouble most of us were working to prevent trouble.

I do think CM has had its day now though - though personally I still find it a thrill to be cycling on bike filled, and not car filled, streets.

I can't speak for the last 10 or so years but the only yobs I saw on CM from 1994 to 1999 were in cars.

owenlars

DonDaddyD wrote:

IWonderful thing though to want to honor those cyclists, won't take that away from them.

At the risk of being controversial we need to understand the circumstances behind each accident before we get too mawkish. There is far too much jumping to conclusions!

bice

owenlars wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

IWonderful thing though to want to honor those cyclists, won't take that away from them.

At the risk of being controversial we need to understand the circumstances behind each accident before we get too mawkish. There is far too much jumping to conclusions!

Eh? I think the only point is that three cyclists have come to their conclusions in accidents.

MadammeMarie

roger merriman wrote:

was part of the critical mass lot. with all the baggage that brings.

don't think it got much press understandably, though I think one MP went.

The Standard reported it, surprisingly.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23819292-bike-ride-will-honour-three-london-cyclists-killed-by-lorries.do

Jenny Jones was there.

And so was I, but it wasn't that pleasant for me. The pace was really slow and I ended up freezing. Wasn't wearing the warmest of gear and not being able to cycle fast, I couldn't warm up! Also, I saw a cyclist, big guy, beer can in hand, viciously insulting another cyclist who got off his bike to walk it on the pavement (get back on your f***ing bike!) and then launched a torrent of abuse at a driver who was stuck near the Shard with all of us around him. Apalling behaviour, big time w@nker. Yeah, I know, it was only ONE guy, but it should be even ONE! Antagonizing other road users will get us nowhere.

It was my second Critical Mass and it will be the last one!

MadammeMarie

Porgy wrote:

When I was involved in CM in early/ mid 90s there was a real need for it. things have improved tremendously on the roads since then - and far from getting negative responses from the public I used to get mostly positives. I was one of the many using CM as a chance to give out information leaflets - and in the first few years CM increased from a tiny ride to a massive event.

Agreed with this totally. It served its purpose in those days.

the_hundredth_idiot

Oh ,why did I look at that Evening Standard link? Full of the usual ranters below the line.

Take "Josh" who claims to have been injured by cyclists 5 times in the last 6 months. Yeah, right.

He also has "never been hit by a car" but "nearly been hit by a cyclist" 4 times this week alone. "Never" vs "nearly" - hmm!

I think you're looking the wrong way when you "jaywalk", mate. :evil:

prj45

I went and this critical mass wasn't as militant as the previous one I'd attended, which I left half way through cos I didn't want to be part of it down to the behaviour of some of the attendees

There were some people holding their bikes up in junctions which I find a little over antagonistic, but in the main a very good night.

I will go to the next one to see if it reverts to its more militant form.

Oh, and it was a bit too much of a fashion show for my liking.

prj45

MadammeMarie wrote:

Also, I saw a cyclist, big guy, beer can in hand, viciously insulting another cyclist who got off his bike to walk it on the pavement (get back on your f***ing bike!)

I walked that bit too, it was a one way street., Cor I wish he'd said that to me, we'd have been finding out if his bike fitted up his arse sideways and what noise his bell made after.

DonDaddyD

bice wrote:

owenlars wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

IWonderful thing though to want to honor those cyclists, won't take that away from them.

At the risk of being controversial we need to understand the circumstances behind each accident before we get too mawkish. There is far too much jumping to conclusions!

Eh? I think the only point is that three cyclists have come to their conclusions in accidents.

+1.

Sometimes you have to set aside the differences and remember that human lives were lost.

sheesh.

spen666

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

how would anyone seeing the CM ride actually know what it was about?

Its about riding a bike!

The clue is hundreds ofpeople riding their bikes

the_hundredth_idiot

spen666 wrote:

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

how would anyone seeing the CM ride actually know what it was about?

Its about riding a bike!

The clue is hundreds ofpeople riding their bikes

Funny, I thought there was more to it than that. Seems I guessed wrong.

spen666

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

spen666 wrote:

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

how would anyone seeing the CM ride actually know what it was about?

Its about riding a bike!

The clue is hundreds ofpeople riding their bikes

Funny, I thought there was more to it than that. Seems I guessed wrong.

Its whatever you want ity to be. There is no single reason people take part in CM

lost_in_thought

spen666 wrote:

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

spen666 wrote:

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

how would anyone seeing the CM ride actually know what it was about?

Its about riding a bike!

The clue is hundreds ofpeople riding their bikes

Funny, I thought there was more to it than that. Seems I guessed wrong.

Its whatever you want ity to be. There is no single reason people take part in CM

Do you take part in CM, Spen?

Why do you do it? Not being inflammatory, just curious - you seem to have your head screwed on, yet I think it's idiotic and counter-productive, so interested to get another view.

the_hundredth_idiot

spen666 wrote:

Its about riding a bike!

The clue is hundreds ofpeople riding their bikes

spen666 wrote:

Its whatever you want ity to be. There is no single reason people take part in CM

Yup, much clearer now!

iPete

I'd be far more likely to turn up to an event like CM if the main priority was to get a cycle safety message across, rather than a no agenda cruise around the streets pissing off drivers.

Still, In a way it would have been interesting to attend fridays ride with 600 other people, just to see what it was about but injury is keeping me off the bike.

Off topic, looking at some blog photos from the event, reminds me of the 30 seconds from mars video, king and queens, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjJmYnTxT3w

spen666

lost_in_thought wrote:

Do you take part in CM, Spen?

Why do you do it? Not being inflammatory, just curious - you seem to have your head screwed on, yet I think it's idiotic and counter-productive, so interested to get another view.

I turn up for the social side- meet friends and go off for pancakes afterwards

Monkeypump

spen666 wrote:

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

spen666 wrote:

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

how would anyone seeing the CM ride actually know what it was about?

Its about riding a bike!

The clue is hundreds ofpeople riding their bikes

Funny, I thought there was more to it than that. Seems I guessed wrong.

Its whatever you want ity to be. There is no single reason people take part in CM

Perhaps I'm being cynical, but is it possible that the tragic loss of three lives (whatever the circumstances) conveniently provided more ammunition for 'the cause' for SOME (more militant) CM riders?

bice

Monkeypump wrote:

spen666 wrote:

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

spen666 wrote:

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

how would anyone seeing the CM ride actually know what it was about?

Its about riding a bike!

The clue is hundreds ofpeople riding their bikes

Funny, I thought there was more to it than that. Seems I guessed wrong.

Its whatever you want ity to be. There is no single reason people take part in CM

Perhaps I'm being cynical, but is it possible that the tragic loss of three lives (whatever the circumstances) conveniently provided more ammunition for 'the cause' for SOME (more militant) CM riders?

I don't particularly want to get involved with a load of aggressive tosers, such as the guy described above. But at least they are activists, which means you are bound to get rough edges.

I think riding to mourn 3 dead London cyclists was a really good thing and I wish I had done it.

I would also ride to oppose Boris's gimmicky £114m cycle hire scheme (for 6,000 bikes!), as opposed to using the money on road safety - the KEY concern of London cyclists.

Maybe CM just needs to be more specific, as there are a fair number of issues London cyclists should demonstrate about.

W1

bice wrote:

Monkeypump wrote:

spen666 wrote:

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

spen666 wrote:

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

how would anyone seeing the CM ride actually know what it was about?

Its about riding a bike!

The clue is hundreds ofpeople riding their bikes

Funny, I thought there was more to it than that. Seems I guessed wrong.

Its whatever you want ity to be. There is no single reason people take part in CM

Perhaps I'm being cynical, but is it possible that the tragic loss of three lives (whatever the circumstances) conveniently provided more ammunition for 'the cause' for SOME (more militant) CM riders?

I don't particularly want to get involved with a load of aggressive tosers, such as the guy described above. But at least they are activists, which means you are bound to get rough edges.

I think riding to mourn 3 dead London cyclists was a really good thing and I wish I had done it.

I would also ride to oppose Boris's gimmicky £114m cycle hire scheme (for 6,000 bikes!), as opposed to using the money on road safety - the KEY concern of London cyclists.

Maybe CM just needs to be more specific, as there are a fair number of issues London cyclists should demonstrate about.

Heading off topic here, but in my opinion having 6,000 more cyclists on the roads will add to road safety for cyclists - safety in numbers.

OldSkoolKona

Spotted this video of the ride online, worth a watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ2s-OHrINU

bice

OldSkoolKona wrote:

Spotted this video of the ride online, worth a watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ2s-OHrINU

Great link. Good bit of social network journalism. Unfortunately, no driver would have had a clue what the ride was about: not placards, handouts. I think if people had understood what it was about they would have been more sympathetic to it.

Re Boris, 6,000 hire cycles are pathetic at that cost. The money should be spent on better causes and the only cause that really matters in London is road safety. (I am not knocking him. he's a libertarian maverick and has an interest in cycling in London. But the hire scheme is an expensive distraction. It is the sort of thing better funded by one of Ken's Peckham collectives, I reckon. Sure, the money would have been frittered away in the end, but that is often the way with social investment where it is difficult to keep momentum up etc.)

Porgy

spen666 wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Do you take part in CM, Spen?

Why do you do it? Not being inflammatory, just curious - you seem to have your head screwed on, yet I think it's idiotic and counter-productive, so interested to get another view.

I turn up for the social side- meet friends and go off for pancakes afterwards

I thought CM was illegal. :?

spen666

Porgy wrote:

spen666 wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Do you take part in CM, Spen?

Why do you do it? Not being inflammatory, just curious - you seem to have your head screwed on, yet I think it's idiotic and counter-productive, so interested to get another view.

I turn up for the social side- meet friends and go off for pancakes afterwards

I thought CM was illegal. :?

You thought wrong.

CM is no more illegal than cars in a procession in traffic jam at rushhour is illegal