Mass arrests 'Critical Mass' cycle ride during Olympics opening

[MacB]

No MacB, he did not have the option to walk away, he has a duty to discharge. His use of personal protective equipment is his to justify. Whether or not it was proportionate is a separate matter. However, you have chosen to swallow the context-free deception that the original posters of the edited version have chosen to sell. That you neither know nor care whether the trike rider was being an arse or getting physical demonstrates that in this instance you are not willing to let the cop even start to justify his use of force.

This is the problem with selective quoting but at least you've tried to flesh out your reasoning more than Pubrunner. I also recognise that my underlying point may not have been clear, so I'll try again:-

as a human being there is the option to walk away - as a policeman following orders that option may not exist - in my book being a human ranks before, and trumps in every respect, being a policeman.

I haven't swallowed any context-free deception, I clearly stated that I really didn't care about the background. We are policed by consent and my consent has never been given to that sort of behaviour whether it's following orders or using personal judgement in deploying 'protective' equipment.

My true problem lies with the fact that I no longer believe the police serve the greater good in the way I, and many others, envision they should. I fully accept that most of the policeman on the frontline try to do their best and stay within the remit as it's laid out to them via the chain of command. But I don't, never have and never will accept 'following orders' as any form of justification for transgressing against another.

 

[Arch]

Also Its a great place to meet people and friends without having to be competitive.

I've managed to meet plenty of people through cycling without ever having to be competitive....

It can be a bit s*** sometimes

It's just the scale of it for me, compared with York. Urban motorways (Obviously, not for cycling on, but they tend to end at rather big junctions), dual carriageways, big city feel. Plus not being familiar with routes makes planning ahead more stressful.

Plus of course, tramlines, which really scare me. Once I know the back routes, and it feels like home, I'm sure I'll cope.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

This is the problem with selective quoting but at least you've tried to flesh out your reasoning more than Pubrunner. I also recognise that my underlying point may not have been clear, so I'll try again:-

as a human being there is the option to walk away - as a policeman following orders that option may not exist - in my book being a human ranks before, and trumps in every respect, being a policeman.

I haven't swallowed any context-free deception, I clearly stated that I really didn't care about the background. We are policed by consent and my consent has never been given to that sort of behaviour whether it's following orders or using personal judgement in deploying 'protective' equipment.

My true problem lies with the fact that I no longer believe the police serve the greater good in the way I, and many others, envision they should. I fully accept that most of the policeman on the frontline try to do their best and stay within the remit as it's laid out to them via the chain of command. But I don't, never have and never will accept 'following orders' as any form of justification for transgressing against another.

I think most of us would have punched the "disabled" guy in the head until he actually was disabled, so in that way he was rather lucky that he just got sprayed with pepper spray.

 

[middleagecyclist]

You wanna try doing one in rural Yorkshire...............

They wouldn't be able to get the sound systems up the hills surely?

 

[Boris Bajic]

- we're safer in numbers
- the streets belong to us all, not just to people in cars (and especially not to people in Olympics BMWs)
- city life should be more various and more amusing

That might be part of the reason I see no need for CM and detect no benefit from their activities.

I feel no safer cycling in numbers.
I already know the streets belong to us all and have no argument with other road users who don't.
City life (when I lived it) was always fun. When it wasn't, it had nothing to do with traffic or other road users.

I applaud your stance on riding and agree with much of your thinking, but for me the above are not reason enough to ride as some elements of CM see fit.

No rant, no knicker-twistery. Just that I'm happy with the roads as they are, my children are largely happy with them and they are remarkable like the streets I first rode on all those decades ago. Rather fewer Morris 1100s than there were, but other than that they look the same.

 

[ufkacbln]

God help us!

And outside London? (yes, I know, it's hard to believe, but such a place exists...)

The hint is in the name... London 2012

There is no "outside London" as far as the Olympics are concerned

 

[ComedyPilot]

Well, we do hope to see a bit of evidence of the "mystic glue" that DZ likes to bang on about, yes. The key is in the word "community". It's not about sharing the same views - it's about common interest and common cause.

Common interest is one thing, but heaping us all into the CM pot as if we share the same antagonistic approach to cycle safety campaigning is something completely different.

I fully support people demonstrating for cycle safety in cities - but come on, 100 people normally attend and ride slowly past Harrods ringing bells and playing Slade tunes on a boom box. Yet on Friday night the numbers are swelled by 400%, and they decide the best way to further the cause of cycle safety is to go to the largest international sporting event of our country's recent history and ring their bells and let Dave Hill and Noddy Holder compete with 20,000 watts of Macca, The Jam and Mike Oldfield?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Taking the protest to Stratford was a great idea. The Zil lanes are there for the very Olympic bigwigs who couldn't be arsed to turn up with their free tickets. That's a disgrace, and it's good to see cyclists making the point.

This

 

[middleagecyclist]

Plus of course, tramlines, which really scare me.

Aahhh! Tramlines are horrible. Almost up there with wet manhole covers. I always try and use my fat tired bike if having to go into Manchester centre.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

Aahhh! Tramlines are horrible. Almost up there with wet manhole covers. I always try and use my fat tired bike if having to go into Manchester centre.

Oy, enough of the name calling! *walks away dejected*

 

[middleagecyclist]

The hint is in the name... London 2012

There is no "outside London" as far as the Olympics are concerned

I think sir you'll find there are plenty of places outside the M25 which are hosting Olympic events.

 

[Durian]

My point was that almost by definition there is not set type of anarchist. The world has enough people who focus on negativity (I'm not referring to you btw), Bill and Ted had it right with their mantra of 'be excellent to each other'.

To quote NoFx (not always wise) please form your opinion of me by what I do, not what I am.

__________________________________________________________________________________
Sent from settee #2 - steel & wooden frame, deep padded seat, low profile DFS 2000 model.

Apologies for not replying sooner but due to time differences between here and Britain and having had little sleep the night before, due to watching the Olympic Opening Ceremony,I had to be away to my bed!

Obviously I wasn't pointing to you or Ian Cooper when I made my comments about the anarchists, I actually like your idea of what an anarchist is and should I be persuaded down that path in the future then I will be more than happy to share that bottle of wine and some pasta with you!

 

[Arch]

I think sir you'll find there are plenty of places outside the M25 which are hosting Olympic events.

I think Cunobelin may have been being ironic...

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Good to see some solidarity from the cycling community on cyclechat.net

Don't be so naive, Fred, there is no such thing as a cycling community.

 

[middleagecyclist]

Oy, enough of the name calling! *walks away dejected*

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