Poll. Are critical mass rides helpfull to cycling in general?

[Mile195]

Nobody is terrorised on CM. Nobody is delayed for an hour by CM. The rides I've been on have been brilliant, pedestrians cheered and took photos. Try it, then have an opinion, if you've never been on one I can't see how you can pass judgement.

I'm not passing judgement - just saying what I've observed. Indeed I'm sure most of the riders are sensible and it's a good evening out. I just remember seeing this video once and it kind of tainted what I thought of the whole thing. Probably unfair really. After all, you usually get some kind of trouble at any event involving that many people, often from people that have very little to do with the cause, and just fancy making a bit of trouble.

 

[Rob3rt]

Nobody is terrorised on CM. Nobody is delayed for an hour by CM. The rides I've been on have been brilliant, pedestrians cheered and took photos. Try it, then have an opinion, if you've never been on one I can't see how you can pass judgement.

I don't need to put my hand on the hob to know it is hot...

To put it simply, there is no need to try something to have a well informed opinion on it!

 

[gavintc]

Try it, then have an opinion, if you've never been on one I can't see how you can pass judgement.

There are a lot of things I don't need to 'try' to know that I disagree with the concept; burglary, domestic violence etc etc. I will give 'pissing off motorists' a miss thank you.

 

[glenn forger]

How do you know drivers are pissed off if you've never seen it?

 

[MontyVeda]

I'd say no... it promotes us and them, and to quote our prime minister, we're all in it together.

Years ago there were CM rides in Lancaster, but they weren't very well attended.... 50 at most, 15 on average, and only a handful looked like regular cyclists... the majority were that bunch who turn up at any old protest such as Occupy Dalton Square! Save Our City! Campaign Against The Cuts! Ban The Bypass! ... the only time I've seen most of them ride a bike is on the now defunct CM rides.

 

[dellzeqq]

I don't need to put my hand on the hob to know it is hot...

To put it simply, there is no need to try something to have a well informed opinion on it!

a sound strategy. Remind me not to take any notice of anything you write in future.

 

[RedRider]

I know several cyclists who started commuting after their first experience being 'shepherded' around central London in a 'safe' way on CM. I'd say it can give confidence through numbers and a sense of belonging. It's also been useful over the years to demonstrate the 'mass' of cyclists in the city and to promote the idea that roads are not just for cars.
It's not really my scene but I've been on one (15 years ago) and didn't see too much disapproval from non cyclists. There was a bit of a carnival atmosphere which got positive response from motorists. I've seen and been slightly held up by CM both on my bike and travelling by bus. Nobody batted an eyelid on the bus. It's just part of London's pageant.
There's a view of CM - largely confined to cyclists on forums - that it must really wind up motorists (o my god we should never annoy the big boys eh?) but in my experience this just isn't the case.
There's a class of motorists who hate cyclists and don't think we should be on the road. CM or not. that's the way they are. For those motorists a demonstration of power is all they'll understand. CM does that nicely.

 

[RedRider]

I'd say no... it promotes us and them, and to quote our prime minister, we're all in it together.

Years ago there were CM rides in Lancaster, but they weren't very well attended.... 50 at most, 15 on average, and only a handful looked like regular cyclists... the majority were that bunch who turn up at any old protest such as Occupy Dalton Square! Save Our City! Campaign Against The Cuts! Ban The Bypass! ... the only time I've seen most of them ride a bike is on the now defunct CM rides.

It certainly can promote a sense of 'us'. Is that a bad thing?
The view they're all hippies and anarchists is ill-made. You only have to look at the London one to see it includes all sorts of people.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

No

 

[theclaud]

No

You can say that using just the handy poll above...

 

[DiddlyDodds]

You can say that using just the handy poll above...

I am a man on few words , I could have spent all night telling people on the internet they are wrong but decided to plump for a No and then eat my tea

 

[MontyVeda]

It certainly can promote a sense of 'us'. Is that a bad thing?
The view they're all hippies and anarchists is ill-made. You only have to look at the London one to see it includes all sorts of people.

can't quite see as far as London... hence me talking about our local version. It's not an ill-made view.

 

[theclaud]

I am a man on few words , I could have spent all night telling people on the internet they are wrong but decided to plump for a No and then eat my tea

One more than was necessary...

 

[RedRider]

can't quite see as far as London... hence me talking about our local version. It's not an ill-made view.

Fair enough. The London one is more varied though.

 

[steveindenmark]

At the moment the NO is romping away. If that is the view on a cycling forum it makes me think that someone is either organising them to make money, or there is an agenda to make cyclists look bad to the rest of the public. The second one is quite effective I think. What about the first?

Steve