In other words, you didn't hijack the ride, nor were you responsible for the conduct of others in it - you were just part/not part of a loosely allied group of people on bicycles...
Mass arrests 'Critical Mass' cycle ride during Olympics opening
- Thread starter lordloveaduck
- Start date
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In other words, you didn't hijack the ride, nor were you responsible for the conduct of others in it - you were just part/not part of a loosely allied group of people on bicycles...
middleagecyclist
Call me MAC
- Location
- Prestwich, Manchester
I think it may actually be love. What colour Merino do you wear? What colour are your eyes? Tell me moreI own way more merino than I do lycra
I freely acknowledge I am not a 'proper' cyclist. I often dress for the destination not the journey. Mind, it does depend on how long the journey is. And sometimes the destination is a pub or cafe full of those proper cyclist types and one does like to blend in. And sometimes, often, the destination is the same as the start point in which case it's all about the journey. Whatever!
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
I'm spoken for.I think it may actually be love. What colour Merino do you wear? What colour are your eyes? Tell me more
middleagecyclist
Call me MAC
- Location
- Prestwich, Manchester
So am I. Shame!
I clicked on that for context. As ever, the US is talking out of his backside - but please note, that's not why I banned him! I was on a CM earlier this year. And, yes, it was all over the shop.
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
Wow there's definitely some reaction here
I thought the whole point of CM was that it was individuals, to the point that the only regular atendees I know well (surprisingly enough there isn't a CM Cumbria so I haven't attended one myself) go to the start, ride for a few minutes then leave the ride and retire to the pub. I don't know if it stands for anything or whether it's actually an entity at all, but hundreds of people on bikes will be as varied as hundreds of people in cars/on foot I would expect.
Whether it was an anti Olympic protest this time, or an anti Zil-lane or whatever, considering (from the newspaper reports I've seen) they didn't arrive in North London until after the start of the ceremony, surely it would have been better to just leave them cycling round in circles until people got bored and discipated, in the same way as CMs usually seem to end. Then again I don't know whether the kettling started first or the ride started trying to puncture police lines before anything started.
Unfortunately if one group starts courting confrontation, the other side gets more comfrontational (whichever way round you want to apply that) and between the two the situation gets to the point where a load of arrests were made and probably at least a few assaults were commited on police officers and cyclists.
Do I think it was stupid for the CM to head for the highest security area of the capital? - yes.
Do I think this was overblown by heavy-handedness? - quite possibly.
Noone has supported the use of violence (with the possible exception of someone who signed up to post/troll and was given short shrift by both sides), despite some of the accusations made by some posters. What each side of this argument has done is excuse agression from one side or the other (police/cyclist) dependant on who they believe is 'to blame'.
This discussion hasn't exactly been friendly though (calling others liars, names and referring to blow up dolls spring to mind). Calm down!
As for whether it's useful or not to me, I have no idea. Infuriating motorists in the area around where law makers are driving isn't going to do much for cycling nationally, then again if you consider how much money London has spent on cycling (and transport in general) per capita recently to all the rest of the UK combined, it may be having a local effect.
(Now ducks)
I thought the whole point of CM was that it was individuals, to the point that the only regular atendees I know well (surprisingly enough there isn't a CM Cumbria so I haven't attended one myself) go to the start, ride for a few minutes then leave the ride and retire to the pub. I don't know if it stands for anything or whether it's actually an entity at all, but hundreds of people on bikes will be as varied as hundreds of people in cars/on foot I would expect.
Whether it was an anti Olympic protest this time, or an anti Zil-lane or whatever, considering (from the newspaper reports I've seen) they didn't arrive in North London until after the start of the ceremony, surely it would have been better to just leave them cycling round in circles until people got bored and discipated, in the same way as CMs usually seem to end. Then again I don't know whether the kettling started first or the ride started trying to puncture police lines before anything started.
Unfortunately if one group starts courting confrontation, the other side gets more comfrontational (whichever way round you want to apply that) and between the two the situation gets to the point where a load of arrests were made and probably at least a few assaults were commited on police officers and cyclists.
Do I think it was stupid for the CM to head for the highest security area of the capital? - yes.
Do I think this was overblown by heavy-handedness? - quite possibly.
Noone has supported the use of violence (with the possible exception of someone who signed up to post/troll and was given short shrift by both sides), despite some of the accusations made by some posters. What each side of this argument has done is excuse agression from one side or the other (police/cyclist) dependant on who they believe is 'to blame'.
This discussion hasn't exactly been friendly though (calling others liars, names and referring to blow up dolls spring to mind). Calm down!
As for whether it's useful or not to me, I have no idea. Infuriating motorists in the area around where law makers are driving isn't going to do much for cycling nationally, then again if you consider how much money London has spent on cycling (and transport in general) per capita recently to all the rest of the UK combined, it may be having a local effect.
(Now ducks)
CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
In other words, if you want to hijack the ride and take it to the destination of your choosing, all you have to do is ride to the front of it.
middleagecyclist
Call me MAC
- Location
- Prestwich, Manchester
Seems like it. Of course I'm not a CM rider so probably not allowed an opinion on the subject
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
No one is required to follow.
CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
Right. But, er, they do.
MissTillyFlop
Evil communist dictator, lover of gerbils & Pope.
Oh you're in no danger of ever being hit on from this quarter.
Linford
Guest
I work with a bloke who rides an E-bike, has wicker baskets on it (for carrying onions and garlic I presume), wears a Beret, and a stripey jumper, has a beard, wears sandals and loves Jazz.
He is also a fairly argumentative leftie
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
Not when I've been on CM's they (all) don't.
Durian
Über Member
- Location
- Chiang Mai. Thailand.
I used to go to a pub in Charlton, South-East London. The star act was 'Elsie and her jazzmen'. Even Elsie had a beard.
I have changed my post to reflect that I demand an apology from your well below the belt attempt to hit me. Your remark was a total disgrace and falls well below the standards in a civilized society.
Apology demanded.
