Critical Mass London - Friday 30th November
Discussion
I fancy taking part as I have always wanted to ride around London to see some of the sights and this has fallen perfectly at the end of a week off work. Does anyone on here take part or have you been before? I don't know my way around London so I'm looking for some tips.
The meet point is the National Film Theatre, under Waterloo Bridge at 6.30 pm. Will it be an obvious spot or is this a "flash mob" style arrangement?
The meet point is the National Film Theatre, under Waterloo Bridge at 6.30 pm. Will it be an obvious spot or is this a "flash mob" style arrangement?
People going deliberately out of their way to inconvenience people trying to go about their day are frankly dispicable. People who go on these things appear to deliberately seek confrontation for the sake of it. They do no good for cycling or cyclists other than harden opinions and stereotypes.
I say this as an extremely keen cyclist that commutes by bike on a daily basis, rides extensively at weekends and would like to see the world ona bike. But these critical mass things are not doing the cause any good.
Yoghurt munching sandalistas and champagne socialists are in my opinion the kn0b heads that seem to partake in this cr@p.
Sorry for the above but you have struck a nerve with me on this!
As you were...
I say this as an extremely keen cyclist that commutes by bike on a daily basis, rides extensively at weekends and would like to see the world ona bike. But these critical mass things are not doing the cause any good.
Yoghurt munching sandalistas and champagne socialists are in my opinion the kn0b heads that seem to partake in this cr@p.
Sorry for the above but you have struck a nerve with me on this!
As you were...
Sounds a bit gay really. There's plenty of events when you can cycle around London with people that know the area. There's even the SKY do where they close off a few streets each year.
What about joining one of the London PHers for their morning mid week commute, that ought to be an experience.
What about joining one of the London PHers for their morning mid week commute, that ought to be an experience.
By the responses above this doesn't appear to be what I was thinking. I had an impression of a nice chilled ride around London in the safety of plenty of other bikes, if its the car hating brigade I don't think I would fit in or enjoy it. I think I will stick to climbing the mountains of my humble Valley!
Rob_T said:
People who go on these things appear to deliberately seek confrontation for the sake of it. They do no good for cycling or cyclists other than harden opinions and stereotypes.
On that St Crispins thing the first bit across London was embarrassing. After heading west along embankment at the junction for Northumberland Ave, the hip young things took the entire road and were cussing off the cabbies when they started leaning on their horns. Only marginally better than those tubes on rollerblades IMHO.
Their website is clearly something from 1996 - http://www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk/main.html
Is that alone, not enough to put you off!?
Is that alone, not enough to put you off!?
Critical Mass. Soap-dodging scum.
I have been caught in one of their rides once, when I joined the Embankment on my bike riding home. They incensed me and shamed me in equal measure. The contempt they have for cars and their drivers, and their open attempts to provoke drivers is odious.
They are genuinely the unacceptable face of cycling, ready to hitch themselves to any left wing, eco-friendly and preferably militant bandwagon that happens to roll past. They do far more damage to the image of cyclists in London than they ever do good, and they do not give a toss.
And breathe.
I have been caught in one of their rides once, when I joined the Embankment on my bike riding home. They incensed me and shamed me in equal measure. The contempt they have for cars and their drivers, and their open attempts to provoke drivers is odious.
They are genuinely the unacceptable face of cycling, ready to hitch themselves to any left wing, eco-friendly and preferably militant bandwagon that happens to roll past. They do far more damage to the image of cyclists in London than they ever do good, and they do not give a toss.
And breathe.
To be honest, it reminds me of the old Two Ronnies serial, The Worm That Turned. Remember it? It was the one where women were in the positions of power and men were in the role of typical 70s housewives. But what it did was give an idea of an alternative reality.
The CM does the same, it shows what it might be like if the transport infrastructure might be like if the bike was king rather than the car, but just like the Two Ronnies thing taken to the extreme. I don't think anyone wants everyday to be like a CM, even the CMers but it doesn't do any harm to stop and think about our urban transport priorities once in a while.
The CM does the same, it shows what it might be like if the transport infrastructure might be like if the bike was king rather than the car, but just like the Two Ronnies thing taken to the extreme. I don't think anyone wants everyday to be like a CM, even the CMers but it doesn't do any harm to stop and think about our urban transport priorities once in a while.
Justayellowbadge said:
Part of me thinks it would be fun to do clad head to toe in Rapha on a Venge Di2 with your bidons full of a decent Grand Cru.
And an 18 wheeler support truck.
+1And an 18 wheeler support truck.
soap dodgers the lot of them. Make decent cyclists look bad. Will have to avoid cycling to work on Friday, grrrrrr.
To the OP: If you want to see london by bike (best way to see any city, imo) then just turn up and cycle round. You'll get lost, but that's half the fun and as long as you have a decent smartphone you'll figure out where you are!
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