Solidarity ride for recently killed cyclist 10th August.

This can almost be interpreted as a "Let's get back at them for mass arresting us, they wouldn't dare do it again now that a cyclist has died.".
This.

I think it's a disgusting proposal.
This.

build a ghost bike, deliver it today, do it with barely a handful of people, and leave flowers at the site.
This.

Dan Harris deserves better.

+1

Anyone know any journalists?

If anybody needs to get a press release out, send me a DM.

And if you don't think this is a hijack, then why have their not been half moon Critical Mass rides earlier this year when others died in the early part of a month? Because the Olympics weren't on then and CM hadn't been given a kicking by the police.

Which is what this is actually about, and why I find it foul.

This. Was going to say similar but Velocio did it better.

Some people over on the FB CM page are eager to make a point via this ride. Sickening.

Basically did a go slow near the olympic stadium on opening ceremony night.

Not what happened, and not the justification given for the arrests.

Some accounts:
http://london.indymedia.org/articles/12648
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2012/jul/30/critical-mass-arrest-olympic-games
http://london.indymedia.org/articles/12612
http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/kerry-anne-mendoza/mass-arrests-outside-londons-olympic-opening-ceremony-eye-witness-acco

Agree with you winjer, and the police justification was unjustified.

But 2 wrongs don't make a right and nothing about the proposed ride on the 10th is right.

I'd consider going on a ride, but NOT ANYWHERE NEAR THE OLYMPIC PARK. That would be just dumb. Especially given that anti-Limpdicks protesters are almost certain to hijack this (which is a shitty thing to do, but I bet they would). And unfortunately, the death of one more cyclist in a tragic (possibly avoidable) accident won't change the police's responsibility to security. They will just do their job.

Also, given that there was the massive knob who went on CM armed with a potato cannon, they now have genuine justification to do the same thing again. Respect for the cyclist or not, they just won't let it happen.

Ghost bike and flowers is a must. Then at the very least the thousands of people there will hopefully begin to understand what ghost bikes actually are.

If there is a peaceful ride well away from the olympic park, I'd be willing to join in with that.

As someone who is pro this idea, what's your response to this comment?

And if you don't think this is a hijack, then why have their not been half moon Critical Mass rides earlier this year when others died in the early part of a month? Because the Olympics weren't on then and CM hadn't been given a kicking by the police.

There have been 10 London cyclist fatalities so far this year.

There was one memorial ride for the first reported (2nd actual) fatality of the year. .
It was organised and attended in the main by messengers as he was one of their own.

Where are the other eight mid-month CMs?

As far as I can see this can be concluded one of two ways, either those 8 people were not worthy or this is little more than an a thinly veiled attempt to get their own back after the kettling of CM last week. The former is unthinkable and the latter is despicable.

Where are the other eight mid-month CMs?

As far as I can see this can be concluded one of two ways, either those 8 people were not worthy or this is little more than an a thinly veiled attempt to get their own back after the kettling of CM last week. The former is unthinkable and the latter is despicable.

It may be because this has been higher profile news.

Or possibly it's because people seem to be able to identify with this rider more than some of the others for some reason (that has been expressed by a number of people on this forum) and so feel more moved to do something about it this time.

Who knows. But a memorial ride that was just a memorial ride shouldn't be considered a bad thing per se, surely?

Not a bad thing at all.

Given that we know the route he took, we should follow it.

But there is no reason at all for that to be whilst the Olympics are on.

And further, when the memorial ride was organised for Eilidh it's because her family supported it. And when one was organised for Henry Warwick it's because he would've wanted it and the couriers (his friends and family) wanted and needed it.

We should not be organising rides in the names of others if it is against the wishes of the family and friends. And as it stands, not one person yet knows what his family and friends want.

So clearly the agenda isn't being set by their wishes.

If the family and friends want it... nothing could stop the whole forum rallying around it.

I think it's a disgusting proposal.

If you want to show respect and highlight road safety... build a ghost bike, deliver it today, do it with barely a handful of people, and leave flowers at the site.

Anything else isn't respect for anyone, least of all the person that died.

+1000000

I'll be leaving flowers there as soon as I can. I have no idea how to/who arrange(s) ghost bikes in London but I hope one is left to make sure this isn't forgotten anytime soon.

It seems that the police are now moving towards banning CM in any event. The "Olympics Liason Officer" has emailed them to ask for dialogue about their next ride. As the next ride is not until after the Olympics, it seems that the police will seek to keep their additional claimed powers well after the games. Any ride on 10 August will end is disorder. Leave well alone. It is not a fitting tribute to someone who, as far as I am aware, was not involved in CM.

I don't have any right really even to have an opinion but it feels to me that quietly and respectfully placing a ghost bike and flowers and continuing with the regular Critical Mass rides is the most appropriate thing. It's just my opinion, and that doesn't account for much, but it feels to me the right thing to be doing.

I'm really not convinced purposefully taking a CM back to the Olympic Park is the best way to pay respect to the person who died.

That it's even phrased "Solidarity ride" is revealing. There's no solidarity in death except in the inevitability of it for every living thing.

A far better way to show respect would be for a ghost bike to be placed with as little ceremony as possible as soon as possible.

It's an entrance/exit for press... remind them daily.

That I think is what should be done.

And if CM steers there at the end of the month as part of it's regular gathering then I think that would be a good thing too.

But don't go picking fights and call it respect for someone that died.

^ This

As someone who is pro this idea, what's your response to this comment?

There have been 10 London cyclist fatalities so far this year.

There was one memorial ride for the first reported (2nd actual) fatality of the year. .
It was organised and attended in the main by messengers as he was one of their own.

Where are the other eight mid-month CMs?

As far as I can see this can be concluded one of two ways, either those 8 people were not worthy or this is little more than an a thinly veiled attempt to get their own back after the kettling of CM last week. The former is unthinkable and the latter is despicable.

That's more than a little myopic.

The CM had legitimate cause to go to the Olympic site, not to sabotage the Olympics, but because there was considerably dismay at the way that cycling in London has been made more dangerous as a result of the Olympics, in terms of road/path closures, and the Zil Lanes in which cycling is banned.

It was not an anti-Olympic protest but a protest against the damage done to cycling in the name of the Olympics.

You can see on his Runkeeper site that he was not a 'racing' cyclist: http://runkeeper.com/user/gecko84/activity/106168308 He cycled through Victoria Park rather than sticking to roads.

I think the closed Towpath was not on his route, albeit that he would have passed over it; but it underlines the indifference of the Olympic organisers to the safety of cyclists that quiet routes like this were closed.

Saying that it's just a bunch of people trying to get their own back on the police or whatever ignores the serious issues here.

Whether or not his family and friends would support the idea, I don't know, but a peaceful ride to highlight the Olympics' impact on cycling safety would seem apt to me.

That's more than a little myopic.

The CM had legitimate cause to go to the Olympic site, not to sabotage the Olympics, but because there was considerably dismay at the way that cycling in London has been made more dangerous as a result of the Olympics, in terms of road/path closures, and the Zil Lanes in which cycling is banned.

It was not an anti-Olympic protest but a protest against the damage done to cycling in the name of the Olympics.

You can see on his Runkeeper site that he was not a 'racing' cyclist: http://runkeeper.com/user/gecko84/activity/106168308 He cycled through Victoria Park rather than sticking to roads.

I think the closed Towpath was not on his route, albeit that he would have passed over it; but it underlines the indifference of the Olympic organisers to the safety of cyclists that quiet routes like this were closed.

Saying that it's just a bunch of people trying to get their own back on the police or whatever ignores the serious issues here.

Whether or not his family and friends would support the idea, I don't know, but a peaceful ride to highlight the Olympics' impact on cycling safety would seem apt to me.

What utter, self serving rubbish.

Don't drag the death of a young man, unconnected with your dubious organisation, into your intended re-match with the Police. If you want round 2 with the Met, by all means chance your arm, but we will know your true motives, and shall not forgive nor forget such a grevious insult to the family and friends of the deceased.

Whether or not his family and friends would support the idea, I don't know, but a peaceful ride to highlight the Olympics' impact on cycling safety would seem apt to me.

Sure thing.

But in the space of a day we've gone from a Solidarity ride (protest) to a Memorial ride (in-memoriam but without family and friends who would remember him) to a "peaceful ride to highlight the" yada yada (protest disguised as memorial and still without friends and family).

Do what you want, but don't take a person's name and the memory of him that his family and friends have that is still fresh, and then in their time of grief use that name to further a protest.

Unless the family and friends want this, and express so, CM should step down.

CM has no leader, but it certainly has participants. Every participant of this proposed ride should be ashamed. Deeply so. And those choosing not to participate should be vocal in telling others why.

No good can come of this ride. It is not an act of respect. Leave it until the end of the month. Lay flowers at the site instead, that is something you could do in the next day or two.

That's more than a little myopic.

The CM had legitimate cause to go to the Olympic site, not to sabotage the Olympics, but because there was considerably dismay at the way that cycling in London has been made more dangerous as a result of the Olympics, in terms of road/path closures, and the Zil Lanes in which cycling is banned.

It was not an anti-Olympic protest but a protest against the damage done to cycling in the name of the Olympics.

You can see on his Runkeeper site that he was not a 'racing' cyclist: http://runkeeper.com/user/gecko84/activity/106168308 He cycled through Victoria Park rather than sticking to roads.

I think the closed Towpath was not on his route, albeit that he would have passed over it; but it underlines the indifference of the Olympic organisers to the safety of cyclists that quiet routes like this were closed.

Saying that it's just a bunch of people trying to get their own back on the police or whatever ignores the serious issues here.

Whether or not his family and friends would support the idea, I don't know, but a peaceful ride to highlight the Olympics' impact on cycling safety would seem apt to me.

Bollocks.

For all the intentions of Critical Mass to ride to the olympic park, that was then.

Even with the best of intentions, and with a massive leap of assuming good faith, this is only ever going to be perceived as a cynical exploitation of a young man's tragic death.

Looking at this with less rose tinted glasses - It's despicable.

Suggesting that anyone here is ignoring the serious issues? Get to fuck.

You must think people are fucking mugs.

What utter, self serving rubbish.

Don't drag the death of a young man, unconnected with your dubious organisation, into your intended re-match with the Police. If you want round 2 with the Met, by all means chance your arm, but we will know your true motives, and shall not forgive nor forget such a grevious insult to the family and friends of the deceased.
Yes!

What utter, self serving rubbish.

Don't drag the death of a young man, unconnected with your dubious organisation, into your intended re-match with the Police. If you want round 2 with the Met, by all means chance your arm, but we will know your true motives, and shall not forgive nor forget such a grevious insult to the family and friends of the deceased.

Which dubious organisation would that be?

I am a cyclist, I am not a member of any 'organisation'.

I did try to join the CTC once (yes, the gentle geriatrics who pootle about on Sunday mornings) but I don't think the form went through. That's the extent of my 'organisation' I'm afraid.

And just to add I have not had any 'rounds with the Met'.

You seem very angry which is understandable, but your anger is misplaced.

^^ Er, yes.

^^^^^^ How about moving your (regular) anti-critical mass rant away from this thread. Not the place

...the gentle geriatrics who pootle about on Sunday mornings...
Srsly?

I suggest you pick your fights a little more wisely.

So clearly the agenda isn't being set by their wishes.

Nor would this agenda: "build a ghost bike, deliver it today, do it with barely a handful of people, and leave flowers at the site."