Wotcher,
By the sheer accident of turning up early last Friday I ended up planning
the route of the Sydney mass, and leading off. (Get there too early, and
nice people ask you to do work 🙂.
A Bus driver came up to ask us where we were going, and we didn't know, so I
sat down with a second time masser and we planned. From Hyde Park, down
Elizabeth, then Liverpool, we wanted to go down Oxford for a bit, given
Mardi Gras, then turned right to Anzac (underground expressway merges in
from the right) to get some commuters towards UNSW, then onto Cleveland
(illegal right hand turn, thanks for blocking traffic police). Then right
onto Crown, and left down Fouveaux (steep fast down hill). Up George to a
bikelift, then to Chinatown.
Fouveaux needed fast good corking because of the Taxis. Bike police helped
big time with the merging from the right on Anzac, and the right turn into
Cleveland. Suggestions if you commute South down Anzac then right onto
Cleveland: use the road parallel to the busway instead of Anzac.
The route worked out okay, it was major roads most of the way.
Corkers did brilliantly, and we didn't need more than the two cycle police
and the spare car because we kept it good.
We didn't have a sound system so I yelled instead when people asked "which
way next?"
Lots of interesting bikes and people. I didn't do a head count though. I'd
say it was a small mass (50ish?).
Downsides:
Some people wanted to go to the beach. You should have said earlier! I did
a city route to cause maximum time on main roads! Leaders betray you! 🙂
People kinda wanted to occupy or bikelift Whitlam Square (Liverpool becomes
Oxford). I kept moving on in the lead instead. When you turn people into
leaders, they end up letting you down. Solution: decide the route and the
bike lifts ahead of time.
The police complemented us for a trouble free Mass. They enforced helmet
laws (though they were nice enough to politely warn helmetless riders not to
ride or they'd be busted). Solution: always have lights and helmets. In
Winter the NSW police enforce light laws too; so get some tadpoles, or $20
K-mart battery lights. Or get safer and get some high powered flashy LEDs
or a modern dynamo system. Lights and helmets are cheap. They make the
Police on massing easier.
Need a sound system. I'm used to the songs played in Sydney. I'm expecting
them. I'm humming them when they're not there.
yours,
Sam.