bromptonfb said:
okay, firstly, i am speaking about the worldwide phenomenon known as cm. there is carnage on the roads worldwide and cyclists get killed daily. a quick youtube search fetches up loads of helmet cam incidents and only a very small percentage of cyclists wear them. when was the last time you saw a child cycling manchester city centre? why not? because any sensible parent would not let there child cycle in a busy centre. is this right? should a child be safe cycling on any city roads? should the elderly be safe on roads? yes they should! why should a group of cyclists not have the right to 'protest'? because we don't pay ved or smell? what about religious parades? what about funeral car processions? what about when the wagons were stopping the country? oh but that was ok as it was supported by motons. why is the cm a nuisance? i was not criticising club runs, i was asking why is that group of regular cyclists ok but the cm, another group of cyclists, is not? why was the blenheim palace outing ok but cm is not? why do people call cm particitents stupid smelly hippy druggy crazy loons. i'm not and tbh i have never seen anything of that ilk on any cm i have been on nor have i seen any on youtube videos of worldwide cm's. the cm's i have been on have not gone round and round a compact city centre. i usually follows an outward spiral and visits many parts of the outer city districts i would never have seen without cm. i see children with parents on cm, where are they when not in the cm? where is the dog in bakfiets when not on cm?
Agreed, the roads could and should be a lot better and safer for cyclists, so what have CM actually achieved in the plight to improve this?
People refer to the unsavoury characters because they appear not only the vocal part of the group but the crux of it, the ride by definition is anarchic, set normally during rush hours, with no intent. A key aspect of it is corking (getting somebody to stand in front of cars so that the procession can pass at leisure), regardless of the status of the traffic lights - and we all know how crazy people go to get their turn when the lights are changing in their favour during rush hour. In effect, you are not only undermining the cities paid traffic controllers, but the rules of fair play on the roads as well.
The good old Christian adage of 'treat others as you would wish to be treated' goes a long way, and in itself could disarm the Critical Mass argument.
The dogs in Bakifets, the mock eccentric chaps on Penny Farthings, and the recumbent racers alongside families, predominantly on mountain bikes, are seen at other events. There are several organised rides such as the Skyride, the Tweed run held across the country. These are done in such a way that they can run smoothly without disrupting others. Yes, I know that the dominance of the motorcar encroaches upon our personal space, lowers our standard of living, and reduces daily communication between individuals in shared spaces and thus hampers communities, but again, how does CM challenge this?
Best, invest your time and money in a movement that actually has a purpose. The CM by definition, to circumvent various rulings, plays the coy approach, much like swingers advertising personal parties (albeit paid), and brothels advertising the services of a masseuse, there is an unspoken yet plainly obvious intention behind it; very few drug dealers would readily concede if you approached them on the street and asked if they sold drugs. In spite of these extreme examples, the prevailing intention of CM is to have an orgiastic bash at the expense of the petrol-burners. By cycling in a mob and holding up traffic, you are showing your lack of regard towards your fellow citizens who you hold back with an intentionally slow procession of cyclists, without a fixed route nor 'agenda'. You are reducing yourself to a level below that of the average inconsiderate driver, and contradicting claims about the bicycle being a more civil form of transport. It is merely primitive 'us vs them', urban clans getting one up over the other in a myopic battle whose ultimate purpose is lost right at the offset. What is the war about?
If a similar ride were organised, say on Saturday mornings across the Thames paths, and other quiet places, then this would encourage the families you desire to join. Especially, if a community spirit was envoked, in getting people to discover their surroundings by bike.
Fortunately for you, my friend, this does exist and has for over a century, the CTC is an organisation that operates under the pretext of improving the conditions and lives of cyclists, they have national branches which organise regular rides. In London, the London Cycle Campaign do the same, similarly this organisation operates under the pretext of improving the cycleability of the city. Volunteers run regular cycles, and they seem a welcoming bunch.
If you really want bakifiets, you can get involved and probably organise a market day ride, in which fellow cargo cyclists can flit from one market to the other (markets are some of the best treasures of London, and make eating good quality produce much more affordable than most other parts of the country.) I believe the CTC rides are run by volunteers as well.
These regular rides will introduce you to a diverse range of people, interested in cycling and its advancement (to varying degrees), thus will put you in better stead to improve the conditions for your fellow countrymen. All this for an annual charge of £30 - £35 on membership with these organisations, and you get magazines and 3rd party insurance as well.
Unfortunately, many of these organisations can be rather stagnant on the campaigning front, perhaps you are the spark required to civilise Manchester.
