2012-04-28 - Love London, Go Dutch - The Big Ride

Hmm, I may be able to join in with this. I've just worked out what they mean when they say "Difficulty: Family". It's darned tricky to fit this into other family commitments, let alone persuading other family members to join in. I'll see if I can get son #2 to join me on a feeder ride from Catford.
Ludd - if you want to join our feeder ride from Southwark Park or Peckham Rye, please do. Might make the journey in to town more fun for the boy?

Tweet and Instagram #theBigRide as you go!

Managed to swap my morning shift to an evening one to do this ride :) my friend is dressing up as big ben!

1. Sonny
   
2. CelesteGreen
   
3. Jakebrown
   
4. Jacqui
   
5. ian
   
6. pom (mrs conker)
   
7. dublinkevin
   
8. apolloxl
   
9. almac68 - going as sly and the family stone .. biatches!!
   
10. somebody.
    
11. photoben - If you see a photographer with a forum cap on give me a wave!
    
12. Hairnet
    
13. little white bike
    
14. markbikeslondon
    
15. missmouse
    
16. JAH tim
    
17. Big Dave.
    
18. onyerbike
    
19. jb000
    
20. CelesteGreen
    
21. Thoma
    
22. 790
    
23. rob
    24.Beardie+1
    
24. fotochap
    
25. Edscoble
    
26. Big Dave.
    
27. hats
    
28. mjs110
    
29. tibbly
    
30. roolbg
    
31. 'dan - I'll be on the crystal palace via catford feeder ride too
    
32. deLights
    
33. TheRanger
    
34. Zebs - didn't put my name down before because I am a Marshall
    
35. Clara - ditto
    
36. brokenbetty, on the harringay feeder ride
    
37. SRBradley +1 on the red tandem!
    
38. ive2dogs
    
39. RIDE
    
40. scoot
    

^ :) :) :) x

Now trying to think of a suitably flamboyant red outfit...

I'm coming along but not will join a list as a protest at the structural dictatorship that lists impose.
Hope to see all or many of you there. We may avoid getting wet.

Count me in! Will join southward feeder ride at the cafe on gomm or the needle, depending on how early I drag my bony arse oot of bed, :)

just heard on BBC London that the ride sets off at 12. Anyone know if this is so? Only I don't fancy hanging around in the rain for an hour.

Also, Mrs Conker will not be attending due to any old excuse she can think of

1. Sonny
   
2. CelesteGreen
   
3. Jakebrown
   
4. Jacqui
   
5. ian
   
6. pom (mrs conker)
   
7. dublinkevin
   
8. apolloxl
   
9. almac68 - going as sly and the family stone .. biatches!!
   
10. somebody.
    
11. photoben - If you see a photographer with a forum cap on give me a wave!
    
12. Hairnet
    
13. little white bike
    
14. markbikeslondon
    
15. missmouse
    
16. JAH tim
    
17. Big Dave.
    
18. onyerbike
    
19. jb000
    
20. CelesteGreen
    
21. Thoma
    
22. 790
    
23. rob
    24.Beardie+1
    
24. fotochap
    
25. Edscoble
    
26. Big Dave.
    
27. hats
    
28. mjs110
    
29. tibbly
    
30. roolbg
    
31. 'dan - I'll be on the crystal palace via catford feeder ride too
    
32. deLights
    
33. TheRanger
    
34. Zebs - didn't put my name down before because I am a Marshall
    
35. Clara - ditto
    
36. brokenbetty, on the harringay feeder ride
    
37. SRBradley +1 on the red tandem!
    
38. ive2dogs
    
39. RIDE
    
40. scoot
    42-43. 2 Wheel Pony + other half
    

Missing this, as I'd completely forgotten that son#2 has to spend the whole morning playing his trumpet. (By the way, that's not a euphonium, in case you were wondering). The dampness out there looks untroublesome.

Have a good day you lot.

Standing in the drizzle in Hyde Park with JakeBrown. Only seen 1 forum cap so far...

very large crowd. No real idea but I'd hazard a guess at around four thousand or so.. maybe more. We bailed early i admit, the weather turned really shit and we werent going fast enough to keep warm. Well done to LCC on the turnout.

10,000 on the ride

Saw Skydancer and Munky and met Scoot + friend with the most awesome Big Ben hat !!

Awesome to see SE1derful, JakeBrown, CliveO, Alien, Jacqui, Zebra Cyclist, Jayloo, Aram, Scoot, a tall guy whose name I forget at London Bridge pick up, and many other forumengers.

Now also with Sumo, Hats, Chainhugger, smackboy in lmnh.

Soggy and quite cold. Good turn out though!

Allister Carey (father of Ellie Carey) was here today along with other family members. Such an inspiring dad!

I don't know what we will, can achieve with such rides but I believe a presence is always vital. Things are shifting...

Photos: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjzDHjCe

Was big, wet, slow, controlled, sociable, hi-viz, invisible and sterile.
Not sure what the point was

Nice seeing people though

Traffic light marshals from that security outfit were pretty rude. swearing at pedestrians etc...

I'm doing research into cycling advocacy in London. We have a short online survey at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFRCbEpaOXgxMFY3UDIzY29NQk9NNVE6MQ for people who went on the Big Ride - if you can spare a few minutes to fill it in, that would be great.
thanks
Rachel
University of East London

One wonderful bit was when this arrogant old nodder was riding along in a road crowded with cyclists, speaking on his phone. A Police cyclist, riding along with us went to him and told him to stop. "But my daughter called and I had to speak to her". "Why not pull over and do that?" He had no response.

Arrogant, ignorant twerp. It was a ride about cycling safety. What part of that don't you understand?

I rode up to the police officer and thanked him. He was rather pleased to have positive feed back for once.

It was a ride about cycling safety
Actually it was about safer road design and junction layout not about individual behaviour...

Was big, wet, slow, controlled, sociable, hi-viz, invisible and sterile.
Not sure what the point was

Nice seeing people though

That's the spirit ;)

Actually it was about safer road design and junction layout not about individual behaviour...

Surely that's still cycling safety?

I think it's a bit rich to ask for changes to road layouts and then not obey rules already in place to keep cyclists safe.

I saw 3 people fall off their bikes on their own accord...maybe some rider training is needed too. :-)

The Go Dutch campaign is not asking for Londoners to act like our friends from the Netherlands.

It's asking the Mayoral candidates to implement Dutch style load layout.

Behaviour on a bike is a separate issue. Linked, yes, but not what the Mayoral candidates are being pressured for.

So cycling safety is all about road layout?
And that was why we were all riding...for a different road layout.

Thought we settled that one in the 90s

Sure, individually each person could have been there for their own reasons but to a spectator we were all under the "Go Dutch" banner...

...which is about road design.

I agree with you David, about all the points you brought up earlier about the image of cycling, the helmets, the HiViz etc, all valid points, which I'm sure half the people on the ride would agree too as well but like I said, today we were following the Go Dutch flags (fbofw)