[Closed] So how would you improve Critical Mass?

Indeed. A consensus that has brought together cyclists as diverse as Junky, Binners and I. As well as almost everyone else. On a bike forum, FFS!

Is this the first time that every poster on a thread has been in agreement (except the OP obviously)?
We should celebrate this occurence, preserve it for posterity.

The ST Forum has reached consensus.

Shall we try sorting the Middle East Peace Process now? 😉

Shall we try sorting the Middle East Peace Process now?

I'm not, so I'm not entitled to have an opinion 😉

Stumpy01, if you're cycling in a group and want to keep everyone safe, letting cars split you up and get in the middle is the worst thing you can do. So you proceed as one group and if that means people at junctions have to wait, so be it.

A similar system is also endorsed by BC for local Sky Rides (the ones not held on closed roads). The official position is that you don't control the traffic, but by moving as one group, like a long vehicle, you stop people pulling out and splitting you up. And yes this causes some drivers to react badly.

We should celebrate this occurence, preserve it for posterity.

I suggest a monthly ride through London. Who's with me?

I suggest a monthly ride through London. Who's with me?

I can only make it on a Friday.....shall we say around 6:30pm for maximum disruption?

Surely from what Mike said, nobody represents it

Which is of course, bollx.

It's just that they use an embarrassingly spineless version of the Spartacus defence.

When someone in Authority asks "who's in charge here" instead of all shouting "I'm in charge" as one forceful voice,

Everyone looks down at their shoes and points at someone else randomly.

I'm swooning at the bravery of it all to be honest.

Mr agreeable - so you can jump red lights if in a large group?

What happens at a t-junction if there is ample room for some of you to get out, but not everyone due to an approaching vehicle? Do you wait until there is a large enough gap or just pull out & hope that the car who has right of way realises what is going on and stops? I can understand this approach if there are marshals to control the traffic, but how does it work on a ride where there are no leaders and no organisation? It just turns into a free for all.

What is to stop car drivers jumping red lights to stay with other cars that are going the same way as them and arguing that they are staying in their group - for example a Scooby Owners club drive or something?

If anyone uses the Spartacus defence (or inverse Spartacus as we shall call CM), they should be prepared to go the way of the rebels; crucifixion along the M25.

Is anyone here Middle Eastern? or live there?
I'm not, so I'm not entitled to have an opinion

I, too, have had to move from my previous stance against murder, to a more correct "unsure" position - and all due to my lack of personal experience in the matter.

CFH: Not TJ, I'm thinking one of the older posters from back when?

The STW lynch mob are out then?

Mike Connor has been nothing but polite throughout. Or as polite as he can be under the circumstances. Which is more than I can say for 90% of the replies.

[img] http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQhSE4KBJFwGOvkUoRwds5cYyD3JUo-26iUJ2Il8gXKHeL2-1bk&t=1 [/img]

butcher - Member

The STW lynch mob are out then?

Mike Connor has been nothing but polite throughout. Or as polite as he can be under the circumstances. Which is more than I can say for 90% of the replies.

Mike Connor re-appears on the forum for another bout of seeking support for his unpopular activity.

Sees once again that just about everyone here is in agreement that it's risible nonsense.

butcher describes this as a "lynch mob".

Mike Connor resorts, after a feint at being polite and reasonable, to another series of long-winded, patronising and repetitive responses because he cannot accept that nobody agrees with him (having asked for ideas and got some which he doesn't like).

Mike Connor, earlier: [img] [/img]

I've read the threads, I've read Mike Connor's posts, I've seen the videos.

"Stick it up your bum" pretty much covers it, I think.

PS: No car. Three bikes. 120 miles commute so far this week, BTW.

Stumpy01, I believe that legally Critical Mass is considered to be a procession, and it can lawfully move through red lights providing the start of the group went through on green. CM uses an informal system of marshalling where "corkers" stop up side roads and T-junctions.

Its legal status is also the reason that no-one owns up to organising or leading it. If it had organisers and a set route, it would be possible for the Met to refuse permission for it to be held. As it stands, following a judgment by the House of Lords in 2008 it can be held legally, as long as the route is decided on the ride.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/nov/26/critical-mass-london-police

Please don't let the above facts get in the way of you slating the RLJing crusties though.

Mike Connor has been nothing but polite throughout. Or as polite as he can be under the circumstances. Which is more than I can say for 90% of the replies.

see now I agree with this. Whether or not you agree with CM, or Mike or whatever this thread ,and the previous on,e have not reflected well on this forum.

I'm a big believer in making things good for yourself and the place you live. Any London riders who genuinely think that CM does a disservice to cycling in their city need to turn off their computers and go and DO SOMETHING about it, or just accept that in many ways the only thing a lot of people on bikes have in common is two wheels.

75 miles so far this week

I'm a big believer in making things good for yourself and the place you live.

Clearly, you're not a Londoner who relies on the motor car to earn a living, sometimes on a Friday night.

Mr Agreeable. Thanks for the link & info. Interesting.

Any London riders who genuinely think that CM does a disservice to cycling in their city need to turn off their computers and go and DO SOMETHING about it

[img] [/img]

😆

No worries. My info on Critical Mass being considered a "procession" comes from Wikipedia so may not be strictly accurate - it would explain why they don't all get ticketed each month though.

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

Mikeconnnor, the leafleting seems a progressive and relatively doable objective in an unordered organisation, with the right message and info it would help aleviate a bit of friction , most people don't mind being inconvenienced when there is an explanation, its the unknowing that tends to wind people up---- apart from internet warriors

Video evidence not enough, then?

Frankly, the reason I ride the bike that I do, is because I want a fast getaway from London of an evening. If I was unfortunate enough to encounter this particular irritant getting in my way, I would probably share the communication skills evidenced by the taxi driver in the latest video of the "celebrative procession" of cycling therein.

see now I agree with this. Whether or not you agree with CM, or Mike or whatever this thread ,and the previous on,e have not reflected well on this forum.

No he hasnt. He's been a self important arse. And a troll.

No, I wasn't there.
No, I don't live in London.

But the bloke that made the film was there, so that will do for me.

Some moments that Critical Mass can be proud of.

Some nob stopped in front of a taxi for no reason other than to cause trouble.
(everyone else was moving)
Careful to make antagonistic eye contact to provoke a reaction.

[IMG] [/IMG]

Another nob stopped in front of a taxi for no reason other than to cause trouble.
(again, everyone else was moving)
More antagonistic eye contact to provoke a reaction.

[IMG] [/IMG]

Another nob stopped in front of a taxi for no reason other than to cause trouble.
At a green light refusing to move.(everyone else was moving)
Odd really, as all the others seem unable to stop at red lights.

[IMG] [/IMG]

Those examples do seem to go firmly against Rule 1 of commuting by bike/car/foot and indeed living, i.e. "Don't be a dick"

I'll have to watch the rest of the film to see if they're far outweighed by positive, celebratory, processional riding.

Feel free to watch it. And make your own mind up.

It's on page 5 or 6 I think.

The Taxi Drivers were trying to bully their way through a moving legal procession.

I like Critical Mass! The 'little people' making a stand; not for world peace/ awareness / political gain / better cycle lanes.. just for cycling in their overcrowded City
And they do it legally..

Always got a soft spot for the freedom fighters 😉

Always got a soft spot for the freedom fighters

me too.. but those antagonistic young men in the vid and pics need a good hard kick in the goolies..

preferably from their grandmothers

And they do it legally.

And they do it legally.

No they don't. RLJ, riding at night without lights, many bikes without 2 working brakes, reflectors or an audible warning device.

Always got a soft spot for the freedom fighters

One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist.

Plenty of these:

Celebrating cycling, my arse.

The Taxi Drivers were trying to bully their way through a moving legal procession.

How did you come to that conclusion ?

One of them was trying to pull away from a set of traffic lights as they turned green. And some twunt refused to move in front of him.

And we didn't see what happened leading up to the other two on the bridge, so you are either some kind of mystic psychic, or you are just making stuff up.
( Or you were there, and saw all three incidents first hand)

Which option do you want to take.

[i]The Taxi Drivers were trying to [s]bully their way through a moving legal procession[/s][/i] earn a living, instead of fannying about.

with the right message and info it would help aleviate a bit of friction , most people don't mind being inconvenienced when there is an explanation, its the unknowing that tends to wind people up

ignoring your constant stereotyping of all on here, with **** all knowledge of what i am about, what are you going to write on this leaflet??? You've said with the right info people will tolerate inconvenience, well go on then...

 

One man's freedom fighter does indeed appear to be another mans complete bell end! 🙂

Traffic lights do not give anyone the right of way when there is a legal procession taking place. If you want to talk hypocritical nonsense about not being able to see what is happening then ask your self the same questions..(Thanks for your options but I will talk my own crap thank you)

Some don't have lights you say.. Naughty naughty!(The procession in principle is legal)

Yep always one or 2 who might need 'a kick in the goolies' but that could be said for any group of people.. Let's ban groups of people because there will always be a few who over do it 😀

Let's banish all legal processions so that Taxi drivers can earn their living..(London Taxi drivers are fully aware that this goes on 12 evenings a year)
I think fannying around is important :0) and I'm not fussed if the system got shut down every now and then for a bit more fannying around.

Nothing and nobody is perfect

[quote=theocb ](London Taxi drivers are fully aware that this goes on 12 evenings a year)But as they don't know the route, how can they avoid it?

I didn't say they needed to avoid it! They are aware that this comes with the job 12 evenings a year..

[i]Nothing and nobody is perfect[/i]

Clearly....

..however, this philosophical truth does not excuse bellendery and particularly not bellendery done in the name of cyclists and cycling.

Me me me me me me........theocb how old are you?

Has anyone who previously considered CM to be just a bunch of dicks on bikes causing trouble, had their mind changed by any of the arguments in thread?

Cos that's what it's really about, changing peoples perception of cyclists to make the roads a safer place to be.

And if CM can't convey anything to already committed cyclists, then it's kind of a big fat fail in my view.

Anyone had their minds changed, either way?

Procession

For other uses, see Procession (disambiguation).
A procession (French procession via Middle English, derived from Latin, processio, from procedere, to go forth, advance, proceed) is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner.

Probably not the most accurate, but it suits my purpose.

In summary: "organised", "formal" & "to go forth". Not to stop and be a bloody nuisance. You are allow to go forth, though.

If CM tried that where I live, if [b]anyone[/b] tried to disrupt people getting home from work on a Friday by being bell ends where I live, they would get a lesson in why they shouldn't be bell ends.

It's nothing to do with cycling, it's to do with not being a knob.

Traffic lights do not give anyone the right of way when there is a legal procession taking place.

So what ?

Two out of the three images I have shown, are on a bridge, with [b] no traffic lights[/b] and everyone travelling in the same direction.

And in the only one that did show traffic lights, the lights were green, the Taxi and the cyclist were travelling in the same direction, but the twunt on the bike refused to move 🙄

So...... Where do you get the evidence that the Taxi drivers were "bullying their way through"

Maybe you made it up ?

If you want to talk hypocritical nonsense about not being able to see what is happening then ask your self the same questions..

I did, and the pictures show exactly what I described (as does the video that are from)

Thanks for your options but [b]I will talk my own crap thank you[/b]

I won't be arguing with you on that one.

Also.

If its a "celebration of cycling"

WTF were there so many hipsters on skateboards ?
I've nothing against skateboards, just don't see what they have to do with a "celebration of cyclin"g that's all*
.
.
.
.

* unless it's actually nothing to do with cycling really, and just an excuse to dick about and cause trouble and post the videos on YouTube, then it makes perfect sense.

Anyone had their minds changed, either way?

The blogs by the guy that went and joined in *after* seeing tweets about things kicking off, and all the nonsense about legal advisers handing out "bust cards" swung it for me.

Anyone had their minds changed, either way?

Yes, I used to think is was a group of north London Yogurt Weavers and mostly harmless, with the occasional hijacker from the lunatic fringe.

Now i think it's a bunch of weapon grade tools. HTF is anything in that video going to convince anyone to want to ride a bike.

I'm broadly positive about critical mass and hope they don't go away. I think London is a big enough city to fit CM once a month.

I started off wondering if, maybe even hoping that, it wasn't just a bunch of angry young boys with self esteem issues looking for edgy larks.. that maybe something positive was coming from this group that have chosen to very publicly represent cycling on my behalf..

disappointed with the outcome 😐

I was broadly sympathetic to this whole idea until I saw the video. Now I want to get a black fred perry t-shirt and a taxi.
Stop messing around with people's commutes and get a life

Yep, also was broadly sympathetic in principle, Now watched some of the vidoes off the CM site. So annoying seeing something you believe in and participate in most days being bastardised and misrepresented by such a bunch of arseholes. Shame you're too ****ing stupid, or too up your own arses to see the damage you do.

In your own words: "Shame on You".

Mike I think the conclusion is you could improve it by stopping.

Really if this is the reaction of cyclist - have you tried registering on other cycling forum and asking as i rather suspect our response is fairly typical- how on earth do you expect to change the opinions of those who started off disliking cyclists?

Like many I support the aims i just find it to be the most counter productive thing imaginable as these threads demonstrate.

In the court papers from the 2006 case regarding Critical Mass, the person acting on behalf of Critical Mass listed their aims as :

To raise the profile of cycling in towns and cities
Campaigning for better provision for cyclists
To raise awareness about pollution and other problems caused by cars
[b]Getting our own back at motorists
To demonstrate opposition to car culture
To cause disruption[/b]
To feel good about being safe on a bike on roads which are usually dangerous
To create a vision and experience of a possible future
To meet friends and go for a beer later.