Critical Mass



Critical Mass, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Before the off. The first one I’ve made it to in ages. Turn out’s lower than normal because all the students have gone home.

It’s Jeremy Clarkson’s nightmare!



It’s Jeremy Clarkson’s nightmare!, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Cyclists! As usual, I had forgotten it was Critical Mass day. Luckily I was reminded before I headed home.

Critical Mass April 2009


Critical Mass April 2009, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Another good turnout.

Critical Mass, August 2008


Critical Mass, August 2008, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Quite a good turn out. I expect there’ll be even more before we set off.

Critical Mass July 2008


Critical Mass July 2008, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Ready for the off.

Critical Mass May 2007


Critical Mass May 2007
Originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Critical Mass, May 2007


Critical Mass, May 2007
Originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

You need to power your ride somehow


Hip flask cage
Originally uploaded by spinneyhead.
This is definitely the best bottle cage I’ve ever seen on a bike. Snapped at the start of Friday’s Critical Mass Ride. Afterwards we played cycle polo in Platt Fields.

There’s a set of photos here.

We are traffic


We are traffic
Originally uploaded by spinneyhead.
Manchester Critical Mass. It’s been years since I’ve done one of these. It looks bigger and better than ever. There’s even a sound system.

Hallowe’en Critical Mass

Dammit! I forgot about Critical Mass again this month! And only 11 people turned up. My presence would have been so appreciated.

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Last Friday of the Month

Still We Ride, a documentary about the mass arrests of cyclists at last August’s New York Critical Mass (the one that coincided with the Republican convention). The film’s premiere will be at the very cool sounding Bicycle Film Festival.

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We are traffic

Critical Mass happens on the last Friday of the month in cities all over the world. I used to go on them, and when I remember which Friday is the last of the month I’ll do it again.

Of course, if you turn up to the regular New York Mass on the Friday before the Republican convention, the usually easy going NYPD will arrest the lot of you and throw you in “Little Gitmo”.

Indy

I went on a Critical Mass yesterday, for the first time in years, and people from the local branch of Indymedia were filming it. I look forward to seeing myself in jerky video action.

I did say I was going to photograph them for spinneyhead, but I don’t think I did in the end.

Pedestrianisation

One of Manchester’s busiest city centre streets is going to be closed to cars on Sunday. I remember back in my Critical Mass days when we were supposed to be holding up the traffic, by the time we reached Deansgate the traffic would be holding us up.

Rant

Is there something about getting into a car that turns some people into inconsiderate arseholes and lowers their IQ? Stretches of Oxford Road have a cycle lane, which should be a good thing. Except that some drivers coming out of the side roads have decided the gap is actually there for their benefit, so they can edge an extra two feet out into the road and remain protected from the stream of traffic going by. Of course, it doesn’t matter to them that this pushes those of us on two wheels out into the traffic they want to stay safe from.

If I wasn’t such a nice person I’d invest in a pair of sturdy metal pedals and start scraping them along peoples bumpers when they blocked my right of way. Alternatively, I could find out what the local Critical Mass folks are doing and start going on their demos again.