Rider down organisation thread

Then why not organize something ourselves, and just publicize it to other groups, fellow cyclists, and anyone else who'll listen, so that they can come and join in. I'm happy to write press releases, pester other forums, and go crazy with flyers.

This is pretty much what I had in mind - we organise a rise, and post on all the other forums out there asking people to turn up if they feel strongly enough about the situation.

The problems arise trying to accommodate every one who wants to help and every different idea. The tweed ride, for example, worked because one or two people were in charge and they could ask for the help they needed; if people didn't like the finished idea, they didn't go.

This is true, which is why it does have to be kept simple to work. We organise a ride, a route and publicise the plan, and clear it with the police beforehand. Then it's just a case of riding to city hall and giving Boris a letter saying something quite general along the lines of 'we are voters too - pay more attention to our safety'. No big political manifesto, just asking for a commitment to get more input from the cycling community and then the more motivated can do their own thing to try to turn that into action.

It's not the same with a memorial ride, sensitivities are higher and that's even leaving aside the involvement/non-involvement of the family.

Hence we do a ride for everyone who's been hurt or injured on the roads. A ride for the Unknown Cycler, if you will.

Fortunately we have time; a memorial ride in a month or two or three would still be effective. But everyone has to agree to let a very small group organise it, accept their decisions having given their view and make sure it is kept as simple as possible.

Yeah, basically agree - but fortunately I think we're all laid back enough for this to work.