The latest London Critical Mass ride saw around 150 people ride to Calais to donate bikes. The ‘solidarity ride’ came about after organisers learnt that bikes were in great demand in the refugee camp known as the Jungle.
A Facebook post promoting the ride, said:
“Most cyclists can relate to the sense of freedom, mobility and self-sustainability afforded by the bicycle. For people living in the camps, bicycles are an invaluable asset, improving quality of life by increasing access to basic essentials like the local shop and support and advice services, currently over an hour's walk away. Bikes are in great demand in Calais and many more are needed.”
One cyclist to take part was Julian Sayarer, the man who once broke the record for fastest person to cycle round the world as “a quixotic protest against the previous record holder’s proud affiliations with big finance.”
Sayarer left a day before the main Critical Mass convoy. Writing in The Guardian, he explained his motivations for doing so. “I’d been moved to donate the bike because, out of the cold inhumanity in so much policy, reporting and public comment, I wanted to provide some small gesture to show the refugees in the camp that people in the world did care about their plight and did want to help them.”
Despite admitting to doubts about the means by which he was trying to help, Sayarer felt that his donation had been appreciated. He added that as he left, a London architect was working with a Pashtun carpenter to construct a bicycle workshop.
Another of the participants, David Charles, told Newsweek:
“Personal, individual one-on-one connections are much, much stronger than any news story. I introduce one person to Calais through this bike ride and that person will have a set of images and conversations that no news story can ever erase.
“The hope is, they’ll go back and tell their friends, and their friends will be motivated to see for themselves the situation and the consequences of what our government and the French government are doing.”
No, that's blood doping, which is used to increase your red blood (oxygen carrying) cell count so that your muscles get a higher level of oxygen to...
The car is actually closer to the house which has scaffolding. Later in the article you can see a picture where metal hoops are used as barriers....
All excellent advice but I wonder how much time this takes per submission?...
This problem can be overcome. I once met a bloke in Slaidburn YH who had had enough cycling (?) by the time he'd got to John O'Groat's and was...
To be fair the "independent witness" is described as "someone known to one of my friends" and so not really independent. Nobody comes out of this...
I saw a sign in the window of a bike shop a couple of years ago which read, "If you bought your bike on the Internet, send it back to the Internet...
Cover for thieves !
Hi not many ever mention jra or just riding along wheels hand built cheap and customisable, yiu cam have aluminium or carbon aswell worth a look ?
Im afraid the writing has been on the wall for a few seasons. with a very heavy heart I will probably do the same.
Or more likely an elementary course in unit conversion....