Critical Mass?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Radius

SHREDDER
Location
London
What do people think?
I went on the London one yesterday, and have to say it was very very good fun.....for the cyclists...
Whilst it was easy to (and I did) just forget about the traffic being held up etc. and just enjoy the empty Central London roads, I really could see what the taxi driver meant when he was asking me "What about the people who've been working all day and want to get home?" as we brought Parliament Square to a complete standstill (even the bikes couldn't move)...
I've heard people saying it gives cycling an even worse name than it has already among motorists, and could this be adding to it?
On the other hand it's only once a month, and some motorists and pedestrians were very encouraging even when being held for a long time, and in London there's not really any other way of doing it with that many cyclists.

Was anyone there? I chatted with a few people, it could have been you! If you might remember, I was wearing a very white Nike sports top thing, riding a blue Ridgeback with bar ends, and had a black helmet on.

I talked to a guy with a kid in a seat, we went under the underpass together, and a guy with a beard and a lady who were leading at the time, and deciding whether to circle Trafalgar Square or go to Parliament Square and asked me what I thought :biggrin:

Also any opinions on the whole thing. I mean, I'd like to go again, but I did feel slightly guilty as well.... :blush:
 

Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
Personally I think it's a good idea and as cyclists we should all attend our local CM meetings from time to time. It's also a laugh !
 

Maz

Guru
I don't think CM serves much purpose, other than to make a nuisance and to inconvenience other road users.
 

Mr Phoebus

New Member
Radius said:
I really could see what the taxi driver meant when he was asking me "What about the people who've been working all day and want to get home?"

Blimey, it's a good job it's only ONCE a month that London traffic crawls to a stop.
 

John the Monkey

Frivolous Cyclist
Location
Crewe
I think it depends on what happens on the CM in question - some of the ones in the US seem far more militant than I'd be comfortable with, and because "no one" is in charge, seem a bit unpredictable. Deliberately causing gridlock seems to me to be a bit pointless and self defeating.

Having said that, CM seems to vary between locations, so it's hard to say definitely whether I'm for or against. I prefer things like the critical commute, and bike to work day (both of which I've participated in) as more practical forms of advocacy.
 
Top Bottom