You never know what the police are going to do next on the London ride. They clamp down on some things and relax on others from one month to the next and from one part of the ride to another. ‘Shambolic’ is perhaps the word that best describes their behaviour. They seem at times to behave more like Anarchists than the riders. You would think with their radios they could at least arrive at some sort of a consensus. In addition to our usual police overkill the Forward Intelligence Team were also in attendance at the South Bank, poking their cameras in people’s faces. All this just because of a bike ride!
This time the cops decided to get tough with riders without lights and those who go through red lights and also with sound systems in the SOCPA zone. Did you know, it is OK for someone with a car to play their sound system in the vicinity or Parliament but not for a cyclist with a sound system? How discriminatory is that? Anyway, the cops allowed an extra long ‘bikes high’ stop in Oxford Circus but no stop whatsoever in Picadilly Circus. Those riders who were pulled for going through red lights are now facing a £30 fine, despite the fact that some cops were actually ushering other riders through red lights!
One of the highlights of the ride was storming through the Aldwych underpass, something the police normally prevent. We had a fun time with Brian Haw in Parliament Square, he led the “More bikes less cars!” chants on his megaphone and seemed in a very good spirits. The ride split up after that at around 9pm, going off in all directions and leaving our yellow coated retinue behind, chin-wagging among themselves.
http://www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk
Quicktime video version – video/mp4 8.3M
Windows video version – video/x-ms-wmv 8.6M
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45 people rode around Leeds for just under an hour last night, with no police interventions. The largest ride for some years, its hoped that this is the beginning of reversal in the downward trend of recent times.
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critical mass manchester last friday and the next one..
Critical Mass on Friday was absolutely amazing. We stood around chatting outside the library for ages just chillin and socialising and meeting the many newcomers to the mass. People making the I Bike MCR did some filming for part of the film and someone taking photos for the bicycle exhibition in March.
Then the 40 or so of us took to the streets, riding around the city centre and down past the station right down Grosvenor street and onto oxford road where masses of students waiting for some gig cheered us as we rode by the union. We rode through Rusholme and then up to Withington and back , hardly any negativity at all instead we were greeted with cheers and friendly beeps and waves from car drivers and pedestrians… woooo!
After the ride we all went for a nice cold beer..mmm
Join us on Friday 23rd Feb for the next one, which will end at the rampant lion on upper brook st/anson rd where we will have our very own celebrate critical mass party with bands and dj’s playing reggae, ska and punk..
email us at: mcrcriticalmass@yahoo.co.uk
be our myspace friend: http://www.myspace.com/mcrcriticalmass
see our website: http://velorution.x21.org.uk
Manchester I bike Mcr festival:
From 30th March to 20th April the I Bike MCR festival takes place in
Manchester. It is a grassroots festival organised by cyclists for cyclists
with diverse events that will entice any cyclist. From Bicycle Polo
classes and matches to Alleycat racing to a Bicycle Art Exhibition,
there’s something for everyone.
Those involved in organising the event are cyclists from different walks
of life including cycling instructors, daily commuters, bicycle
messengers, Critical Mass advocacy group members and bicycle mechanics.
Timetable
Friday 30th March
6pm Critical Mass bike ride, meet at Central Library to celebrate the
bicycle over car culture.
8pm Exhibition Opening at The Basement, 24 Lever St. The opening event
will be one to remember and will feature the premier screening of new
Manchester bicycle film “I bike MCR”. We shall also be showing other
bicycle films and having a roller race (an indoor bicycle race- on
rollers) with lots of prizes to be won! Local acoustic bands will be
performing including the amazing Cooper Jones and Dr Butler’s Hatstand
Medicine Band
Saturday 31st March
1pm Platt Fields Park Bicycle Polo class. Oxford bicycle polo team are
coming to teach us how to play the sport. Please email to reserve a place.
(they return 2 weeks later to play a match: Manchester vs Oxford)
Sunday 1st April
2pm Central Library April Fools Day Bicycle Treasure Hunt. A fun treasure
hunt around our city.
Wednesday 4th April
Moonlight Pub Ride Start 7pm Sandbar, Grosvenor St (off Oxford Road/opp.
All Saints Park. A night ride out and around the outskirts of Manchester
stopping off at some lovely pubs for a drink on the way.
Friday 13th April
Hell Of The North West Alleycat
Fixies and roadragers ride the alleycat for a fast race round our city. £5
entry, amazing prizes to be won. with some donated by the wonderous Twin
Six and Keirin Culture
Email to register
Alleykitten
Shoppers, bmx’s and silly bikes ride alleykitten for a random race full of
games and nonsense round our city centre. £5 entry, amazing prizes to be
won. Email to register
Saturday 14th April
1pm Platt Fields Park Bicycle Polo Match: Manchester vs Oxford.
For more information see the website: www.ibikemcr.org.uk or email
info@ibikemcr.org.uk
