Riding in the bike lane and Critical Mass

I like this guy’s style. Gets ticketed for not riding in the bike lane – which isn’t apparently illegal – so he then goes and crashes into all the obstructions in the bike lanes…including cop cars 😀 (via Doug Jardine)

On a related note I see Critical Mass got to it’s 20th anniversary in London. I almost didn’t want to watch the video since the argument last year with a twunt who was riding on the pavement in front of the British Museum. EDIT: They do, not just at this point but later in the video, in Westminster and Victoria. Grr.

I’ve always supported Critical Mass in protesting and annoying the motorists with their right to ride en-masse, in that way I can agree as a non-driving*, usually non-cycling pedestrian – but don’t invade the pavement, that’s a dick move as you’re faster and bigger than us. It also spoils the original ‘We’re Not Blocking Traffic, We Are Traffic’ idea since it means you’re not on the road, showing the motorists what’s right…DUH Logic! That’s what the BM cyclist was saying, that he was going around since the road was blocked with cyclists (it wasn’t – but even if it was, isn’t that the point? Cycle slower, and show the motorists force in numbers? So by riding around others you’re not only annoying pedestrians, you’re sabotaging your own protest strategy. Fool). I suspect these are just young blokes who want a scrap and break some rules, not really caring if they hurt the cause, or someone else.

* Many bike riders actually drive, in fact, a telling point when you get into arguments with them over pedestrian’s rights, they come from a position of a similar entitlement. I can get the annoyance like with Casey above with blockages or people walking in cycle lanes, or those who stepping off the kerb and not looking (but hey it’s not always easy to see a high speed cyclist bearing down on you, and not everyone has good vision) but there is never an excuse for riding on pedestrian only paths or pavements or jumping crossings. Or giving pedestrians aggro when they remind you of the No Cycling sign you’re currently cycling over (Richmond Park, happened to me, got told to ‘Fuck Off’ – I stopped being polite to law breaking cyclists after that).