Do these happen outside that London?

Specifically local to me like Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, basingstoke or (God forbid) the new forest.

Look fun and a nice way to highlight strength of feeling.

They have them in Manchester

Unfortunately.

They’re a bunch of crusty, confrontational, middle class, trustafarian, leftie bell ends, who think that needlessly preventing people getting home from work on a Friday evening, by playing shit dub reggae as they close off the city streets, will somehow endear cycling to those people, and further the cause. Whatever ‘the cause’ is

Utter cockwombles, the lot of them.

I’m a great believer in peaceful protest, but I’d be happy to see the SPG reformed just so they could CS gas them, then wade into them with side handled batons

They used to have them in Germany, they were great, the police closed of quite large loops of roads and people (often families) cycled and inline skated around city roads that were normally the preserve of motorised transport only. They have died out now, there just isn’t a need to make that political statement in Germany, which is a shame because they were cool community events.

Funny how different cultures handle such things, Germany is as much if not more car obsessed as the UK, yet still are able to make space for alternative transport. It is the same for bike races, triathlons and runs, cities, small towns and villages seem more than happy for roads to be closed for a day while these events happen.

Sitting on the fence again B?

Ah, if that is the kinda demographic that attends them then maybe I’ll abstain. What a shame.

I probably did two critical mass rides when I lived in Manc, but decided that it did indeed not really endear cyclists to the general public. I don’t think antagonising motorists is the way to encourage more cycling.

Edit – does having taken part make me a cockwomble?

I think the ultimate irony is that James Murdoch has achieved far more by sponsoring the Sky Rides on closed city streets, than those dreadlocked half-wits ever managed.

The irony I’m sure would be utterly lost on them

Lady Gresley – You’re not a cockwomble if you saw them for what they were. When I worked in town they went past our office every time. It was always the same people. The same tiresome middle class lefties who’d protest about pretty much anything that was fashionable this week. You looked at them and their shit bikes and realised this Critical Mass nonsense was the only time their bikes saw the light of day. There wasn’t a ‘proper’ cyclist amongst them. It was just another convenient way of getting on everyones tits

We have something similar to what MSP described happening in Bristol. Closing off a few streets for people to use without traffic. Always popular with families but seem to enrage those people that comment on newspaper articles. Some even make binners response look moderate. I think we have a traditional critical mass too but I’ve never seen it.

I think the ultimate irony is that James Murdoch has achieved far more by sponsoring the Sky Rides on closed city streets, than those dreadlocked half-wits ever managed.

Also perhaps a demonstration that authorities will co-operate with rich and powerful corporates in ways that they won’t with communities.

I think the ultimate irony is that James Murdoch has achieved far more by sponsoring the Sky Rides on closed city streets, than those dreadlocked half-wits ever managed.
The irony I’m sure would be utterly lost on them

+1.

Because “The Man” is behind it there’ll most likely have some kind of Machiavellian theory as to why it’s a “sell out….”

Also perhaps a demonstration that authorities will co-operate with rich and powerful commercial corporates in ways that they won’t with communities.

They’re not communities. They’re confrontational idiots who deliberately set out to wind people up for no good reason. They represent nobody but themselves. I wouldn’t engage with them either. Mainly because they’re a bunch of ****ing clowns

At least one of the ones in Germany was well over 60km of road closed once every year.

CM varies on location. London one was a bit special in that someone managed to get a favourable judge to declare that it was not an organised mass participation or mass protest event (in a city where there are special by-laws about gatherings), even thought there were organisers.

As a protest ride or “just a ride”, if it cheeses off road users, it’s not exactly going to win them round.

So I’d do a German one, or Ride London, or Sky Ride, but no frickin way in hell would I go near Critical Mass.

You looked at them and their shit bikes and realised this Critical Mass nonsense was the only time their bikes saw the light of day

Of the many people I know who took part, their bikes were in fact used daily.

Despite being a bit of a middle class lefty I still have to agree with binners.

It’s some vague, aimless protest, that just winds people up without any clear goals or statement of intent…

Reckon it would go down really well in Winchester. 😆

Problem with critical mass is that they all have slightly different reasons for protesting; some want safe space, some want rid of petrol vehicles, some want to overthrow the government/corporations and some want to be nihilistic antagonistic … so the upshot is that they’ll never achieve anything other than a traffic jam. They even take great delight in obstructing other cyclists. And they have a principle that no one is in charge or runs it, it’s just a “like you know it just happens man” . It’s the most self obsessed load of boll0cks

They used to have them in Southampton years ago. They were fun. Good people who wanted to promote cycling went for a ride together. Normal pace, no confrontation. Very positive.

Then, the leftard cockwombles started to arrive, waffling about sticking it to the man. Man. No idea what causes they were trying to promote, but it sure as hell wasn’t a positive message about cycling.

So, if Binners-San and I agree that they’re cockwombles, there’s really not much more to say. They do more harm than good for the cause of cycling.

Didn’t know hey still have them, thought they’d been accepted as bawbaggery a long time ago!

Also, who was the CM sock puppet that was on here for a while? I assume it was on of Fred’s secondary log ins. Was always amusing watching the contortions of trying to convince anyone that they weren’t cockwombles.

I think the ultimate irony is that James Murdoch has achieved far more by sponsoring the Sky Rides on closed city streets, than those dreadlocked half-wits ever managed.
The irony I’m sure would be utterly lost on them

+1.

Because “The Man” is behind it there’ll most likely have some kind of Machiavellian theory as to why it’s a “sell out….”[/quote]

I still bear a grudge against Sky Rides after me and a group of friends, including our blind and physically disabled friend on the back of a tandem, dismount and walk as we made our way out of town on a camping trip because they’d closed a cycle path, part of a Sustrans route, in preparation for a community ride later that day.

Community ride (as long as you’re wearing a Sky tabard). Sustainable transport (as long as you’re not actually trying to get anywhere).

Do they really make them wear those fluro tabards? Closed roads and they still have to conform to a drivers idea of cycling attire, (do they have to wear helmets as well?) I think I would rather be a cockwomble.

MSP, that’s only for the organised/led rides. The mass ride around town is a free for all. Wear what you like, ride what you like, and have fun.

Cookeaa – I’m not slagging off middle class lefties per se. I’m slagging off a certain type, who wear their confrontational ‘anti-establishment’ posturing as a badge of honour. Without stopping to ask if it’s actually achieving anything. Or whether it’s totally pointless, at best, or more likely simply shear counterproductive bell-endery

a certain type, who wear their confrontational ‘anti-establishment’ posturing as a badge of honour. Without stoping to ask if it’s actually achieving anything. Or whether it’s totally pointless, at best, or more likely simply shear counterproductive bell-endery

Do you think they all go to Byron for a burger afterwards?

They’re a bunch of crusty, confrontational, middle class, trustafarian, leftie bell ends, who think that needlessly preventing people getting home from work on a Friday evening

I’ve never come across them. But then I only walk across the road to Piccadilly to hop on the train home.

I still bear a grudge against Sky Rides after me and a group of friends, including our blind and physically disabled friend on the back of a tandem, dismount and walk as we made our way out of town on a camping trip because they’d closed a cycle path, part of a Sustrans route, in preparation for a community ride later that day.

Community ride (as long as you’re wearing a Sky tabard). Sustainable transport (as long as you’re not actually trying to get anywhere).

Sounds like a jobsworth to me.

Pity to label the whole organisation inconsiderate off the back of one individuals actions…..

I thought the Critical Mass chaps had given up and joined Momentum.

There was one in my hometown that was really friendly for a while, but then it pulled in some confrontational arseholes. I stopped going after I ended up at the pub afterward talking to a Free Man Of The Land who wouldn’t shut up about it, and a massive racist bellend.

We have a Kidical Mass.
It’s a lot of fun.

We do a few family rides throughout the year, that involve a short stretch of road that obstructs traffic for a few mins. I’ve only ever had two drivers give abuse. The vast majority realise it’s only a few mins delay & wait patiently.
The chap in the white Merc in Lichfield on Sunday wasn’t one of them. Knob.

Surely cm would have had a greater impact if they had got back in their cars, say the last friday of the month in a kind of “well we could have cycled to work today, but you had to bleat on about how we cyclists don’t pay road tax…suck it up”

Missed opportunity?