Critical Mass Croydon

[John the old'un]

Greenpeace??
NUKE THE WHALES.

[PeteS]

I suppose the problem with blogs is that people feel they have the right to be gratuitously unpleasant about others beliefs and opinions with the anonymity of doing it via a computer keyboard. That's usually acceptable, if a bit pathetic, in a public forum where meeting the recipients of one's bile is not likely but in a cycling club of 300 members you may well expect to bump into those whose views you've insulted. Greenpeace is a non-party organisation, it is, I would suggest, likely to be supported by a fair number of people in the club and to describe those people as 'whale shaggers', 'stupid', c'lueless', 'ridiculous' and 'a bunch of self-important, bunny-hugging, flatulent vegetablists' is hardly constructive. Of course people have differing views but I think to be deliberately offensive is not really the object of this forum.

[John G]

[quote="PeteS"]I suppose the problem with blogs is that people feel they have the right to be gratuitously unpleasant about others beliefs and opinions with the anonymity of doing it via a computer keyboard. That's usually acceptable, if a bit pathetic, in a public forum where meeting the recipients of one's bile is not likely but in a cycling club of 300 members you may well expect to bump into those whose views you've insulted. Greenpeace is a non-party organisation, it is, I would suggest, likely to be supported by a fair number of people in the club and to describe those people as 'whale shaggers', 'stupid', c'lueless', 'ridiculous' and 'a bunch of self-important, bunny-hugging, flatulent vegetablists' is hardly constructive. Of course people have differing views but I think to be deliberately offensive is not really the object of this forum.

[John the old'un]

You didn't see the emoticons in my last post?
Lighten up.

[philf]

PeteS -

re. 'whale-shaggers'. Have a look at my post again (5th response I think).

[Marcus]

[quote="PeteS"] to describe those people as 'whale shaggers'.

[RachelB]

PeteS, In relation to ANY party encouraging cyclist to be "A Force to be reckoned with" - is, utterly Stupid, Ridiculous and Clueless, while I do not condone some of the other lower comments, I accept them, as I would any other persons opinion, I just don't have to agree, BTW who is hiding behind a computer screen? ACC is one of the most open forums, what with pictures and names to add and available to the public also, remember Jo jo Who slipped the net - please do excuse pun - I don't normally give my opinion, BUT here we have a request from a supposedly Green Party / Organization, who are asking Cyclist to do their dirty work for them , That dirty work will only get us into more trouble

I take it your A GP Activist Pete, Respect , Good for you, No offence.........Loooking forward to "Bumping into you"

Warm & Kind regards, To ALL,
Rachel.

[PeteS]

Rachel, I'm not a Greenpeace activist that wasn't my point. I don't actually think that a Critical Mass ride in Croydon is something I'd be interested in joining but, as Jon had put the information on the forum for all to read, I don't believe that the comments made by some were in the spirit of our club.

[RachelB]

[quote="PeteS"] I don't believe that the comments made by some were in the spirit of our club.

[Marcus]

Ah lovely we're all in love again That's nice

[Dombo]

So 7pm on a Friday in late summer somebody thinks it a good idea to hold up traffic in Croydon, disrupt other people going about their business, trying to get home, make deliveries etc to show that cyclists are "a force to be reckoned with".

As Marco airily puts it, "so a few people will be held up" as if he and the other "protesters" have some divine right to decide whose time is more valuable while they stop people going about their lawful business.

And what do you think will be the reaction of those people next time they see a cyclist?

"Ooh, there's a cyclist, a force to be reckoned with and make no mistake, I'd better give him plenty of room"?

Or "There's one of those self-important, selfish w@nkers who made me late home from work, miss that delivery, miss my train, miss my son's/daughter's school play, whatever. Let's see how he likes me slamming the brakes on in front of him or squeezing past him at that traffic island"

My point is merely that I ride my bike for pleasure. I don't see the need to politicise it or ram it down anybody's throats as somehow "better" than however they choose to transport themselves. Organisers of such events may see these mass protest rides (protesting against what?) as making cyclists "A Force to be Reckoned With". What b0ll0x. They may indeed be so seen on that day. What about the day after, when you're riding on your own or with a couple of mates?

That said, I'm sure Marco and I can agree on something. The quality of the cheese straws at Peaslake Village Stores perhaps? The improvements to Barry Knows Best?

But not, I am afraid, the politicising and hijacking of an activity many of us do for enjoyment. Not in my name, thank you very much.