Critical Mass Bristol

[EasyCrank]

Hi everyone,

I have somehow only just become aware of the Critical Mass cycling events whilst preparing to organise pretty much the exact same thing. I was wondering if there is anyone on here who attends the Bristol Critical Mass?

For those who don't know what Critical Mass is, it's a monthly cycle taking place on the last Friday of every month, starting at 6:30 and heading whichever way the group feels on the day. With large turnouts and a finish point at the pub, the event looks to be great fun and a real community builder.

The aim is to build awareness for:

• The benefits of cycling
• The need for better public transport
• The need for more cycle lanes
• That you can easily cut down your driving
• That cycling is fun and accessible and full of like-minded people.

If you'd like to find out more about the event, their facebook group can be found here and their Blog can be found here

 

[Banjo]

Your aims may be well intentioned.

The actual result will be to pi$$ off drivers by swamping the roads with bikes.Quite how that will achieve anything that benefits cyclists is beyond me.

 

[vernon]

Critical Mass only appeals to people who want to participate in Critical Mass. The rest of the population regard the Critical Mass participants with contempt and disdain.

Critical Mass does nothing to further the interests of the cycling community.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

The gathering gets its name from a technique of holding up traffic. In China, both motorists and cyclists have an "understood" method of negotiating intersections without traffic signals. Traffic would queue up at these intersections until the backlog reached a "critical mass", at which point that mass would move through the intersection.

So no matter how people describe the gathering or intent, the fact remains its purpose is to disrupt and hold up or delay traffic without good reason which does nothing for improving relationships with other road users imho. It equally does little to present a positive image of cycling.

 

[Spartak]

Good Friday ?

Don't imagine there will be much traffic ?

 

[Profpointy]

i rather agree with the naysayers here. I commute daily in bristol and find drivers overwhelming courteous and reasonably. and I absulutely DO NOT want more cycling lanes which merely annoy motorists when I don't use em - though in fairness most seem to understand and not mind. annoying and inconveniencing the general population with what is essentially a protest is not helpfull (in Bristol) . that said, I might be in favour in a city where cycling wa problematic and a protest might be justified

 

[EasyCrank]

On further investigation this may not be what I had originally thought, or at least, not in its entirety.

I've simply been after a healthy sized regular cycling group in Bristol. I wasn't particularly looking for a disillusion activist group.

Any recommendations for what I am after?

 

[Profpointy]

try the Bristol CTC group. Though I''ve only been on one of their rides, and a friendlier and more welcoming group you couldn't hope to meet. This was their "slow" paced ride, a bit slow for me as it happens, but the key thing is that it was carefully paced to be comfortable for some unsporty riders - and the pace-setters themselves could easily have doubled the speed. Really good "inclusive" team spirit.

Funilly enough , given the thread, i joined CTC to support the political aims rather than to participate as such

 

[User482]

People need to remember that nothing does more for cyclists' safety than more bums on saddles, and that if CM causes no inconvenience for others it loses its point. I'm not a CMer, but many of the benefits we enjoy today were hard won, and if people can't tolerate an occasional reprioritisation of our streets away from the car for a very short amount of time, I suggest that their priorities are rather skewed.

 

[fossyant]

You want a cycling club. Not a bunch of tree hugging hippies on fixies !

 

[Sara_H]

Isn't critical mass theoretically just doing the same as alot of motorists do twice every weekday, every day but onbikes instead of cars? Don 't see why it's considered to be so arsey myself.

 

[ianrauk]

Isn't critical mass theoretically just doing the same as alot of motorists do twice every weekday, every day but onbikes instead of cars? Don 't see why it's considered to be so arsey myself.

I guess you have never been on a CM ride?

 

[Sara_H]

I guess you have never been on a CM ride?

Never. But the ones I've seen in Sheffield seem to only have about 7 participants!

 

[vernon]

People need to remember that nothing does more for cyclists' safety than more bums on saddles, and that if CM causes no inconvenience for others it loses its point. I'm not a CMer, but many of the benefits we enjoy today were hard won, and if people can't tolerate an occasional reprioritisation of our streets away from the car for a very short amount of time, I suggest that their priorities are rather skewed.

That's bollocks, User482.

 

[User482]

That's bollocks, User482.

It's an opinion that's different to yours. Perhaps you should stop assuming that everyone feels the same as you.