National Campaign - let's do it

It may be worth getting in touch with the CTC (Cycling
Tourist Club) ctc.org.ukctc.org.ukOpen ↗ if you haven't already,
as they are keen lobbyists and the focus of many cycling
campaigns.

Dave 🙂

"citydreams" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I would like to organise a national bicycle
demonsration to raise awareness of all the issues
facing cyclists in the UK.

I would be grateful if people could post a wish list of
specific areas that they would like to see adressed /
shortcomings of governement policy.

If people would like to get involved, please PM me with
your details.

Apologies if this is already an ongoing concern, but I
cant find anything similiar.

Travel well,

x citydreams

--

citydreams typed:

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I would like to organise a national bicycle
demonsration to raise awareness of all the issues
facing cyclists in the UK.

Wow .. focussing not your strong point then ?

Quoted message said:

I would be grateful if people could post a wish list of
specific areas that they would like to see adressed /
shortcomings of governement policy.

er .. what about CTC and other cycling 'lobby'[1] groups ?

Don't you think they do the job correctly ?

Quoted message said:

If people would like to get involved, please PM me with
your details.

One would prefer a little more detail and focus first, for
instance, Which specific issues ? How are you intending to
raise awareness ?

I can imagine people turning up to a 'demonstration' just
'cos it's a demonstration, and not with the best wishes of
what they're purporting to represent at heart ..

[1] lobbying being just one of the many other splendid
things they do for cycling .. 😉

--
Paul ...

(8(|) ... Homer Rocks

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by David Bullock
It may be worth getting in touch with the CTC (Cycling
Tourist Club) ctc.org.ukctc.org.ukOpen ↗ if you haven't already,
as they are keen lobbyists and the focus of many cycling
campaigns.

Thanks Dave,

I've been on the phone to them and they do seem keen, but I think the momentum for this might have to come from the public to get the ball rolling.

I'm in the process of emailing the Campaign Chair for the London Cycling Campain people as well.

The problem is that these groups seem to want to play the diplomatic card and as such I dont think they really grab the bull by the horns..

Transport for London have agreed (informally) to ensure that any demonstration will take place safely 😄

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Anonymous
er .. what about CTC and other cycling 'lobby'[1] groups ?

Don't you think they do the job correctly ?

No I dont think they do. I do support them, but I want more than they offer.

When was the last time you saw cycling policy being tackled on a national scale. For example, we have had 7 years of waiting for proper access on trains, and what do we have to show for it?

Quoted post said:

Which specific issues ? How are you intending to
raise awareness ?

I am seeking issues concerning other cyclists. Living in London I have plenty of my own axes to grind.

I think awareness will come from a demonstration:
Have a look at this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/germany/article/0,2763,1232798,00.html

citydreams typed:

Quoted message said:

Anonymous said:

er .. what about CTC and other cycling 'lobby'[1]
groups ? Don't you think they do the job correctly ?
No I dont think they do. I do support them, but I want
more than they offer. When was the last time you saw
cycling policy being tackled on a national scale. For
example, we have had 7 years of waiting for proper
access on trains, and what do we have to show for it?
Which specific issues ? How are you intending to raise
awareness ?

I am seeking issues concerning other cyclists. Living in
London I have plenty of my own axes to grind.

So you want to demonstrate, but don't have any issues, yet,
to demonstrate support for ... Nice start ... NOT.

--
Paul ...

(8(|) ... Homer Rocks

Quoted message said:

So you want to demonstrate, but don't have any issues, yet,
to demonstrate support for ... Nice start ... NOT.

"What are you rebelling against?"

"What have you got?"
--

Cheers,

Al

citydreams <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Anonymous said:

er .. what about CTC and other cycling 'lobby'[1]
groups ? Don't you think they do the job correctly ?
No I dont think they do. I do support them, but I want
more than they offer. When was the last time you saw
cycling policy being tackled on a national scale. For
example, we have had 7 years of waiting for proper
access on trains, and what do we have to show for it?
Which specific issues ? How are you intending to raise
awareness ?

I am seeking issues concerning other cyclists. Living in
London I have plenty of my own axes to grind.

I think awareness will come from a demonstration: Have a
look at this: guardian.co.uk0Open ↗
,2763,1232798,00.html

Err, don't we have a similar thing every month on a Friday?

(MartinM) said:

citydreams <[email hidden]> wrote in
message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Anonymous said:

er .. what about CTC and other cycling 'lobby'[1]
groups ? Don't you think they do the job correctly ?
No I dont think they do. I do support them, but I
want more than they offer. When was the last time you
saw cycling policy being tackled on a national scale.
For example, we have had 7 years of waiting for
proper access on trains, and what do we have to show
for it? Which specific issues ? How are you intending
to raise awareness ?

I am seeking issues concerning other cyclists. Living in
London I have plenty of my own axes to grind.

I think awareness will come from a demonstration: Have a
look at this: guardian.co.ukguardian.co.ukOpen ↗
0,2763,1232798,00.html

Err, don't we have a similar thing every month on a Friday?

Yup. And I wouldn't go to that either.

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 12:25:36 GMT, "David Bullock"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

It may be worth getting in touch with the CTC (Cycling
Tourist Club) ctc.org.ukctc.org.ukOpen ↗ if you haven't
already, as they are keen lobbyists and the focus of many
cycling campaigns.

And the Cycle Campaign Network, London Cycle Campaign,
Cyclists' Public Affairs Group and s on.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

"citydreams" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I would like to organise a national bicycle
demonsration to raise awareness of all the issues
facing cyclists in the UK.

Would a world wide demonstration do instead? How about
Critical Mass, which originally started in San Francisco.
The London demos are held on the last Friday of each month,
starting at the S. end of Waterloo Bridge. Their programme,
in so far as it's coherently expressed, seems to coincide
exactly with yours.

I think there are web sites somewhere.

Personally, I avoid Critical Masses like the plague, but if
you go, demonstrate against the damn bike facilities for me.
They are universally designed by idiots, for idiots, and
anyway every inch of London's 8500 miles of road and street
system already is a bike facility, and always has been.. My
own slogan is, "A critical mass is one bike."

Jeremy Parker

Quoted message said:

citydreams typed:

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I would like to organise a national bicycle demonsration
to raise awareness of all the issues facing cyclists in
the UK.

Wow .. focussing not your strong point then ?

Quoted message said:

I would be grateful if people could post a wish list of
specific areas that they would like to see adressed /
shortcomings of governement policy.

er .. what about CTC and other cycling 'lobby'[1] groups ?

Don't you think they do the job correctly ?

I think there may be a germ of an idea within the proposal.

When at the York Rally (CTC National Rally) it was clear
that there was little 'campaigning' evident. Indeed I was
quite disappointed with the CTC presence. When looking
across at the many hundreds (thousands?) of car-borne
attendees, I wondered what a great rally it would be if
everyone had cycled to it from all corners of the UK. It
could turn into be a tremendous publicity and campaigning
opportunity.

John B

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 22:04:23 GMT, JohnB <[email hidden]> wrote in
message <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

When at the York Rally (CTC National Rally) it was clear
that there was little 'campaigning' evident. Indeed I was
quite disappointed with the CTC presence.

Maybe that's because it was not a campaigning event. You
should talk to Roger Geffen some time :-)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

Just zis Guy said:

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 22:04:23 GMT, JohnB <[email hidden]>

wrote in message : said:

When at the York Rally (CTC National Rally) it was clear
that there was little 'campaigning' evident. Indeed I was
quite disappointed with the CTC presence.

Maybe that's because it was not a campaigning event. You
should talk to Roger Geffen some time :-)

Yup, its an enormous opportunity lost.

John B

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 22:29:25 GMT, JohnB <[email hidden]> wrote in
message <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Maybe that's because it was not a campaigning event. You
should talk to Roger Geffen some time :-)

Quoted message said:

Yup, its an enormous opportunity lost.

In what way? Campaigning at York would be preaching to
the choir.

The great thing about York is lots of people riding bikes
like it was normal or something :-)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

Just zis Guy, you know? [email hidden] opined
the following...

Quoted message said:

In what way? Campaigning at York would be preaching to
the choir.

The great thing about York is lots of people riding bikes
like it was normal or something :-)

Although something that Mike Burrows (along with a great
many other people) was the CTC day rides. There was very
little geared <he he> towards weaker or newer cyclists and
the ride he attended finished their distance with an average
speed of 19.5mph! Not very C_Touring_C! Despite it being a
good opportunity with a reasonable number of irregular (as
in not regular) cyclists from the local area there was very
little promotion of cycling. A few higher profile "family"
rides wouldn't have gone amiss along with (possibly) some
advertising in town.

I know the volunteers work hard at this, and they deserve
much praise for it, but it could very easily be a little
higher profile and a little more encouraging rather than
giving off the appearance of being somewhat cliquey.

Jon

On Sun, 11 Jul 2004 00:58:34 +0100, Jon Senior
<jon_AT_restlesslemon_DOTco_DOT_uk> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Although something that Mike Burrows (along with a great
many other people) was the CTC day rides. There was very
little geared <he he> towards weaker or newer cyclists and
the ride he attended finished their distance with an
average speed of 19.5mph!

We did the Sustrans pedalling picnic last year, wihch was
grand fun.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

Just zis Guy, you know? [email hidden] opined
the following...

Quoted message said:

We did the Sustrans pedalling picnic last year, wihch was
grand fun.

I did look at that, but wasn't there in time. It was the CTC
rides that were particularly bad. The Velovision ride was
good, but wasn't really serious (About 3 miles on cycle
tracks, many unusual machines and dinner at the pub!).

Jon

"JohnB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

citydreams typed:

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I would like to organise a national bicycle
demonsration to

raise

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

awareness of all the issues facing cyclists in the UK.

Having watched campaigning, and participated, for about a
third of a century it's my conclusion that it's the
campaigning that is the cause of the decline in cycling that
has gone on all through that time.

The best way to convince people not to cycle is to present
them with a long list of "all the issues".

Most of these "issues" are non existent.

If cycling is dangerous, for you, it is because you are
doing it wrong

If cycling is uncomfortable, for you, it is because you
are incapable of adjusting your bike or buying the
right clothes.

If cycling is hard work, for you, it is because you are
incapable of using your gears, oiling your chin, or pumping
up your tyres.

If you look a dork when cycling, the cause may not be
bike related.

If cycling makes you lose status, you are in. or trying to
get in, a group too out of it to be worth associating with

The trouble with cycling is that its status is too high.
People want to do it even though the way they do it makes it
unpleasant and dangerous for them. They continue to try to
do it even though they are so clueless that they don't
realise that they don't know anything, and so think that the
unpleasantness and danger are inevitable.

We have a generation now whose parents didn't know anything
about cycling, and so they know less. Instead of just being
ignorant they are full of "facts" which unfortunately are
not facts at all. We have to get a cycling culture back, and
knowing Shimano's catalogue off by heart is not a cycling
culture. Good books about cycling exist, but so do bad ones.
Courses about cycling exist, but I don't know how we get
people to take them, and it's going to be struggle to stop
idiots from becoming the teachers. The back of every bike
map is a golden opportunity for bike education, always,
tragically converted into a black farce.

I despair

Jeremy Parker