Most Critical Mass cyclists arrested on eve of Olympics will go free

Maybe its about time London cyclists who are not joining the CM because of its political side, start a Critical Manners or "RideCivil" in conjunction with the police and other authorities to show to "proper" cyclists in the kind of way we should all been seen.

Not the rabble that the CM seems to attract for the protest side of it.

After looking online as who "organises" the London CM, all I could find was Urban75?? Who seem to be a very political movement. Are they behind the London CM's??

I laugh at the below description from Wikipedia regarding the London CM's

Quote:

Critical Mass participants have insisted that these events should be viewed as "celebrations" and spontaneous gatherings, and not as protests or organized demonstrations. This stance allows Critical Mass to argue a legal position that its events can occur without advance notification of local police.

In the town where I work there is, as there probably is in a lot of towns, a 'local cycling action group'.

Now the first time I ever saw a mass ride was on my birthday a few years back and there were tons of riders all cruising down the street and it looked ace. So seeing as I work in a bike shop and thought it seemed like fun I decided to go on the next one.

That's when I realised it was all car-hating hippies

So tell me, does anyone know of a 'CM' that I can go on where there are no hippies, just people that like riding

We've done this debate at some length on Singletrackworld, and the consensus seemed to be that most people who ride bikes for transport and/or for leisure think that CM is counter-productive in terms of 'promoting cycling' largely because of the behaviour of those who attend. There are a number of attendees who are deliberately provocative and who do damage to the cause of cycling in cities rather than help it.

It's also becoming clear that cycling in the UK and in London is getting more and more popular and even becoming aspirational; neither of which can be attributed to a monthly gathering of people prepared to deliberately antagonise other road users.

As before though, no one who identifies with CM will take any notice of what other cyclists say, because they're too busy 'sticking it to the Man'.

Critical Mass isn't a protest and it's not held in conjunction with the police. Despite people stating the contrary, it's not illegal to ride a bike in London.

there are no organisers, so the fact that someone mentioned something on a website is irrelevant.

More importantly, you neglect to mention the first of the police's tweets warning riders to stay south came out at 7:49pm, 49 minutes after the ride started.
https://twitter.com/MetPoliceEvents/status/228925116715778048

Don't know about you, but I tend not to check twitter on my bike.

Also there wasn't a 'scuffle' by the Olympic park. The police just kettled and arrested people for riding their bikes.

I really hope their civil claims are successful. Disgraceful behaviour by the police.

I've never joined a CM ride because I'm wary of the confrontational aspect but I'm tempted to start now. Two fingers to the uniformed thugs.

As for the slowing traffic down aspect - I think the traffic does that quite well on its on a Friday evening in London.

They look so happy blocking roads, must be such fun.
When they grow up they might realise why the police and drivers in general have a poor attitude towards cyclists.

"It is a spontaneous celebration of cycling and a regular procession, as agreed by the House of Lords judgment."

How can disrupting the Olympics be a celebration of cycling?

I forgive Roadcc if they've got CM wrong, as for all I can see they were deliberately blocking a road, without any real cause, protest or meaning. Causing a policing problem when the police were already stretched.

Dunno about smack heads, but idiots is the word that springs to mind.

The real celebration of cycling was all of the Olympic Cycling that has done more to improve everything for all of us cyclists.
Including awareness, roads, attitude, facilities, etc etc etc.

Mummy or daddy giving you A smack is not the same as being a smackhead, is it?

Perhaps you could ask mummy or daddy to help you with your reading, it appears to be somewhat deficient.

"Critical Mass rides are monthly protest rides"

Sorry, but that is factually incorrect. No wonder it is so widely misunderstood if even a cycling news website reports it wrongly.

It is a spontaneous celebration of cycling and a regular procession, as agreed by the House of Lords judgment.

So pleased for those arrested by this news.

I'm sure that arresting them was OTT.

The police should have asked their Mums and Dads to give them a smack and send them to bed early.

Police: 'Don't go here, it's the start of the Olympics and we don't want to be fannying about with you.'

CM: 'Come on, lets go and antagonise the police, make sure you've got your what-to-do-if-arrested cards, but be sure to explain that we're not an organised group'