Report from the list:
The June mass started at about 1930, around the Imax, up to the Strand Tunnel, from Holborn to Oxford Street and a turn up Tottenham Court road, to proceed up to Camden to go down the next road to emerge beneath St Pancras to go east up Pentonville Road before heading south to Mount Pleasant, then back to Fleet Street, to go through the centre, Picadilly, etc., back down to Trafalgar Square then back East along the embankment, over the river at Blackfriars down to Tower Bridge. 5 minute wait while a DIESEL boat passed beneath. Then east a little on the cycle lane, looping back to go west along the embankment, turning up to trafalgar square again and finally to Buckingham Palace.
Which is a huge distance. Points to note; when the leaders are on electric scooters they push ahead without remorse. Second, new attendees need to be briefed not to sale thru the reds without corking behind. This is crypto fascist behaviour.
So;- no rests. and the mass split repeatedly. Which is probably no bad thing.
Didn’t see any major issues or problems. I’d plead with the front runners not to split cars, but to let them go, otherwise it’s a bottleneck in the mass, leading to stringing out and a break in integrity. Anarchism means responsibility by all with a clear set of logical procedures to enable a good time for all. Let’s work together for that.
I’d note that there were voices to travel west to protest Kensington & Chelsea’s “shared space” bicycle policies. However, those voices did not manage to speak up, or move to the front to ensure nice, clear corking which would give us those options. In this current epoch inner West London remains a regressive and dangerous place to cycle. On the Battersea/Clapham border this week there was yet another death in a ghoulishly predictable place on the Wandsworth Road. As the roads continue to narrow, yet vehicles continue to widen we see more outrageous behaviour from vehicle drivers in places where previously they would have always been reasonably behaved.
The Wandsworth Road is actually a Lambeth street – it’s a 20mph main road. But it sure doesn’t look like one. Or seem the need for it. So vehicles now travel quite randomly at 20-40mph. It’s hellacious. The police don’t care. The councils are a mess. Cycle infrastructure is expensive and dangerous. The politicians don’t respond. London needs safe, integrated road infrastructure.
Critical Mass is the only time I can cycle in peace in London. Without the fumes. The sound. So I appreciate everyone taking part to make it what it is, to keep going. It’s as relevant today as ever.
Comments from some closed network that spies on every one, whether we belong to it or not, and is only accessible by selling your soul and friends:
Biggest and best mass I’ve ever been on
Wow what a Mass.
Trafalgar Sq at about 10pm, heading down The Mall.
Around 16 miles in total.
It was brilliant.
It was good no?! Best for ages, knackered now!!
Can the next Critical Mass end surrounding the BBC at Broadcasting House please?
They really should be covering cycling issues and deaths more.
It affects so many Brits.
And it is also a potential way to mitigate the climate crisis.
WE NEED TO STOP MORE. NOT EVERYONE’S BUZZING OFF.
WE STOPPED ONCE AT BUCKINGHAM AT THE END. SHOULD OF STOPPED AT SHADWELL OR PRIMROSE
It’s a slow group bike ride! Stops are not really needed…
I thought it had a pretty fast pace this month.
I don’t really enjoy the stopping for no reason
The stops are way too long.
Chris Best Nothing wrong with the speed.
Its a bike ride not a piss up…. loving the new ‘ethos’ of actually cycling, not just getting pissed!! And we have gained more friendly people again as a result… The way forward Massers!! 😍
Are there still chavvy **** robbing shops and stuff?
I think the way to treat them has to be quite wise as I think
Don’t go to the youngers come to the oldest because then we’ll Be able to chat to the youngers with no drama needed
I just say would be cool to be able to influence them in a good way while being a mass, they have a good potential, they decide to be in the group every month.
If you speak to them respectfully they are unlikely to turn on you even if they don’t appreciate what you’re saying. “Don’t give the mass a bad name.” “If you get prosecuted you risk their own future.”
You can’t speak to chavs respectfully.
They know exactly what they’re doing, and they use mass as a cover for it. It’s calculated and devious, you can’t just talk them out of it.
If it was an ‘on a whim’ thing they would just do it locally, and not ride all the way into town with mass to then do it.
Some of them kids are just out to ride and have some fun
Free for all cycling event = kids on bikes = kids stealing from shops. It happens. If you dont like it and want to control it, then organise another ride with people with your desired age.
Don’t care about age, just want criminals to stop using mass as a cover for their thieving.
The store reports it as they are bound by policy to do with ‘bunch of cyclists robbed us’
I do think that treating thieving with hostility is better than pseduo-embracing it as ‘kids will be kids’