Mass arrests 'Critical Mass' cycle ride during Olympics opening

[GrumpyGregry]

I'm not a regular CMer, and it wasn't a protest AFAIK (certainly nobody was saying anything about any planned protest).

CM is pf its very nature a protest (more power to its protesting elbow)

It can't ever be a planned protest or even a planned event because you need police permission for one of those....

 

[MissTillyFlop]

It's also relatively slow, but comfortable and very strong. Is that better?

Yes :-D

 

[middleagecyclist]

I think Cunobelin may have been being ironic...

Were you Cunobelin? I hope I didn't offend.

 

[Arch]

It's also relatively slow, but comfortable and very strong. Is that better?

I think I'm most like my Brom. Short, twitchy, and with a rather fat main tube.

 

[middleagecyclist]

Yes :-D

It can also carry a huge amount of weight and still looks good and handles well.

 

[middleagecyclist]

CM is pf its very nature a protest (more power to its protesting elbow)

What is the protest about though?

 

[dawesome]

I have observed that supporters of CM in this thread seem to want to paint a specific picture and are quite comfortable to refer to the police with derogarory names, and likewise do the same for people who a differing view. A someone who knows nothing about critical mass, I would respectfully like to understand the following.
1) what did they hope to achieve, and did they feel that they achieved it?
2) why have Cabbies, Farmers and others recently been able to hold peacefull protests attended by the police, but CM was not?
3) Why a video was edited to exclude specific sections which show the entire events which took place?
4) Why supporters of CM have only condemed the use of physical force from the police and nobody has condemed a very large gentleman standing up positioning himself to assault a police officer then following through with this action?

CM has an issue where it appears to judge people like myself who do not understand and rather than refer to name calling i feel it would be more effective to answer my questions and help this double-spacing self-important windbag

I don't slag off Johnny Law.

I don't expect to "achieve" anything on CM other than have a ride through the greatest city in the world, have a natter with mates and some beer and that.

It's a sight to behold, the road jammed with cyclists peacefully riding, a stop arranged at the latest fatality where tributes are made and flowers laid. The pedestrians encountered are overwhelmingly positive and friendly.

Here's what happened on one ride I went on, a black cabbie asked a copper why we were riding, I pedalled over and offered the cabbie a leaflet explaining what CM is about and reporting the latest fatality. "I don't want that!" the cabbie said, and brushed me away. "They're allowed to protest sir" said the copper. "Ok" I said to the cabbie, "I just thought you were wondering what was going on."



"Leave it mate! said the copper, "Some people are just tossers".

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Exactly, there are numbers and there are numbers. CM is just a nuisance. Law abiding cyclists, riding the same routes day after day, assertive but reasonable, are the way to reclaim the streets.

I have to disagree. A few law abiding types on bikes, I'm one, don't have enough of a critical mass to reclaim anything. My commute, outside London, is a daily battle to obtain space and consideration from other road users, some of whom seem to expect to be thanked for extending the courtesy of not maiming me.

I rather commute peak time in London than anywhere else in SE England.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

What did it say on the leaflet?

 

[dawesome]

What have they stood for though? No one seems to be able to answer this question.

Beer! Speaking for myself, I attend for the beer. It is a medical fact that if you cycle ten miles a day you can drink two gallons of Kronenbourg with NO adverse effects, I have zero medical knowledge.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

What is the protest about though?

the privatisation of streets, i.e. public spaces, and their domination by one interest group, the operators of motor vehicles. CM is a protest in favour of civilisation.

 

[dawesome]

What did it say on the leaflet?

This was ages ago, I think it mentioned Vicky Mcreery, killed on Southwark Bridge I think, the bus driver went to prison IIRC.

 

[middleagecyclist]

It's a sight to behold, the road jammed with cyclists peacefully riding, a stop arranged at the latest fatality where tributes are made and flowers laid.

Sounds great. Not, I think, what the current portrayal of CM in the media is at the moment.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

There has to be a balance. I've never had a problem with Critical Mass before and know that in general they are regarded fondly in London.

However the fact that there were four times the amount of cyclists and that it ended in arrest, whereas, I don't recall that happening before, suggests to me that you had people joining with a different agenda than usual - to make trouble. You know the sort - the type of people with no interest in any interest in positive change, just in starting fight so they can brag about it afterwards. About police "brutality" because, apparently, they are free to assault whoever they so desire but if anyone so much as tuts at them, it's a human rights infraction.

People, usually, who have such a privilleged and easy life, they have nothing really to protest about.

Let's call them Trustafarians.

 

[middleagecyclist]

the privatisation of streets, i.e. public spaces, and their domination by one interest group, the operators of motor vehicles. CM is a protest in favour of civilisation.

We need more dedicated and segregated cycle lanes in areas of heavy traffic. That would be civilized *winks*