Critical Mass Bike About in the city
Tash [alan lodge] | 30.10.2005 20:42
Critcal Mass is a regular event. The meeting point is the Savoy cinema on Derby Road in Lenton on the last Friday of every month now at 5.30pm. It is becoming a more popular event with many more riders this time, than the last..... Join them.
Previous Critical Masses in Notts: Oct | Sep | Apr | Feb I | Feb II | Jun 04
At the same time almost 1000 cyclists soon growing to a critical mass of an estimated minimum of 2000 cycled around central London. The meeting point was nearby the restricted SOCPA zone in front of the National Film Theatre. The CM moved on to Parliament Square and Downing Street. The samba band was on wheels for the occasion and many were in Halloween attire.
Pics 1 | 2 | 3 Pic-reports 1 | 2 | 3 Reports 1 Video reports 1 | 2
This is the first London Critical Mass ride after participants were informed about possible arrests at future Critical Mass rides. The Metropolitan Police demanded that the 'organisers' give notice of the route in advance. Read report.
Solidarity rides were taking place simultaneously in Bristol (more) and Brighton, Nottingham, Leeds and Gothenburg. We are collecting updates from the London streets in a timeline. For more info see full feature article on UK Indymedia.
Critcal Mass is a regular event. The meeting point is the Savoy cinema on Derby Road in Lenton on the last Friday of every month now at 5.30pm.
It is becoming a more popular event with many more riders this time, than the last.....
If you want to draw attention to transport policy, issues around climate change, health and fitness, pollution and the fact that cars keep injuring cyclists ...... Then please join in.
As a photographer, I've covered this and many similar direct-action events in a 'documentary style'. This time, I thought I would come over all 'arty' and this time present the event in an 'impressionistic style'. Street light colour, long shutter speeds [1/4 - 3/4 sec], giving a feeling of energy, vibrancy, colour and action. An event that is fun to be at, in fact.
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What's it all about?
Critical Mass is often described as an 'unorganised coincidence'. It happens when a lot of cyclists happen to be in the same place at the same time and decide to cycle the same way together for a while.
What's the purpose?
"Everyday, all over the world, people are resisting the problem culture of the car by getting on their bikes and riding, instead of driving.
Critical Mass is a celebration of the alternatives to cars, pollution, accidents and the loss of public spaces and freedoms.
Not an organisation or group, but an idea or tactic, Critical Mass allows people to reclaim cities with their bikes, just by getting together and out-numbering the cars on the road"
What happens on a Critical Mass?
Each one is different and they follow no set route, with the direction being spontaneously chosen as people cycle along. Anyone is free to join or leave the ride as it pedals along.
See also http://www.critical-mass.org
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You can see more piccys of an earlier Critical Mass in Nottingham at:
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/10/324826.html
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/04/310149.html
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/02/305420.html
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/02/305893.html
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/06/292966.html
and
Bicycle repair and support, at the ASBO Centre, check out:
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2005/10/325852.html
Please Note: "We are not blocking the traffic - We are Traffic!"
[ps. think I've mentioned this before, but some bastard has stolen my bike!]
____________________________________________
ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email: tash@gn.apc.org
Web: http://tash.gn.apc.org
WAP phone http://wappy.to/tash
My Blog http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com
BroadBand http://tash.dns2go.com
Member of the National Union of Journalists [No: 014345]
____________________________________________
"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
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OS Grid Ref: SK 575414 - Lat/Lon: 52:58:03N, 1:08:38W
Tash [alan lodge]
e-mail:
tash@indymedia.org
Homepage:
http://tash.gn.apc.org
Comments
Hide the following 2 comments
Glasgow CM
31.10.2005 13:21
mucho fun and laughs were had and will be the same next month -
Now - get on yer bike and remember
When freedom is outlawed - only outlaws will be free
Branded
Cyclists lobby for better access BBC News [Nottingham]
01.11.2005 12:17
Cyclists lobby for better access BBC News [Nottingham]
A major traffic revamp in Nottingham has failed to satisfy pushbike riders.
Turning Point has reduced traffic but does not offer cyclists clearly marked routes, according to Hugh McClintock, chairman of cycling group Pedals.
"Cyclists needs should have been considered much more systematically right from the start," he said.
The city council insists the £11m scheme, which includes a new one-way system in the city centre, provides better access for those on bikes.
Less traffic
When it was launched in the summer of 2005, the Turning Point scheme aimed to create a city centre largely free of traffic.
The council said it was the biggest road improvement scheme it had ever undertaken.
But Mr McClintock said: "Because of the widening of pavements and all the buses lanes, it has created problems despite the general reduction in traffic.
"It is difficult to travel across the city centre to the station and the scheme doesn't make that any easier.
"They have added advance-stop lines at lights that help cyclists - and that is a good move."
The city's major transport project manager Steve Hunt said: "Cyclists are not excluded from the city centre - and the Turning Point is their gateway to the city.
"There are extra cycle stands and the scheme provides better access to the city."
Runner with camera