weepej wrote:
Dusty wrote:
any other bids for what other "genuine" reasons might qualify??
Do motorcyclists not meet up at Box Hill of a weekend?
There is a social aspect to the ride; think of it as a car rally if that helps you see past your blinkers.
A car rally has to be organised - like a time trial or the TOB with various council and police permits for these events to go ahead.
A CM meanders in a huge mass in London (not so elsewhere .. in the UK
) Ohter processions do require some prior notification. I agree that sometimes - if this takes up a lot of police officers from normal duties .. such as football matches and other events - we will invoice the organisers for such additional services as this should not be a cost to the taxpayer at large
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Again, I remind you, not all cyclists on the ride block junctions, only a tiny minority.
It only takes one or two such idiots to create a gridllock though.
A gridlock costs all caught in it time, money and frustration. Especially in London as these people, as I note Wildy posted up on PH , have paid a congestion charge on the promise that they would not be held up for this fee.
The Londoners then do not just pay normal taxes .. they pay an extra fee to drive on those roads. They thus have a little more right to expect not to be held up by a mob of lycra clad yobs who create a very negative impression of cycling and thus put a lot of folk off the very idea. In short .. an own goal given it achieves the very oppposite by virtue of it s arrogant disregard of all other road users from pedestrian to taxi to bus to car as far as London is concerned
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Arguably though, for those that do get militant, I've seen taxi drivers and hauliers blocking up central london to make a point, I guess that's ok with you...
I was with the Met in my early years. I recall booking belligerent taxi drivers and wayward lorry drivers .. just as I booked errant drivers and the odd cyclist
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Perspective wise they block up Central London to protest about the way their money flows. Trivial compared to real serious injuries and deaths suffered by people on cycles where people in large vehicles were not taking the due care and responsibility you think they might considering the potential of the vehicle they're driving to cause such harm.
Ah..
But .. weepy . I have lost count of the number of times we could not charge the HGV driver because the cyclist decided to rid up their inside.. and seemed oblivious of any indication to turn left :roll; It works each way. We all have that responsibiluity to look ahead .. never ever take anything for granted and always expect a muppet to do the unexpected
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Seriously, I don't support the ride, but opinions expressed here make me want to join the next one!
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The mad Cats were justified . They booked a weekend away.. Anniversary for them. They wanted to enjoy each other without their kids. (When he says I was pale thereafter
I do declare I have never met a chiid quite like Lukas. He makes "Ben and Karen" from "Outnumbered" seem quite tame
That kid has an answer for
everything )
But back to the Mad Cats. As Ted stated - he shelled out for first class train tickets. Whisked his wife in fair style to a Mayfair Hotel. I know he splashed out big time for a land mark anniversary for them and he wanted things to be "perfect" He ended up disapoointed and completely alienated towards militant London cyclists because of this experience
I suspect he will not be alone amongst other tourists to London.
CM here? We do not really have one. Northerners have more sense