2010-03-26 Fri - Critical Mass - The rolling LFGSS birthday party

aye lad, listen to Joe Brown there ^ petes eats all the way....

Took some pretty shady pics of the mass on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ning_chang/sets/72157623591701439/

Can we have a moratorium on claiming CM isn't your cup of tea? You know what to expect, if you don't like it don't go and STFU.

CM isn't my cup of tea.
I know what to expect.
I don't like it.
I didn't go.
Your opinion is not more valid than anyone else's. STFUY

Tea is shit too.

Tea is shit too.

calm down there boyo

Oh, and I always recommend trying fresh tea, brewed weekly, no milk (natch), no sugar. People are always overbrewing tea so that it tastes really bitter, and then they turn it into a milky, sugary sludge to overcompensate.

Oliver

brewed weekly

You use the same tea bag every week? Must be very weak after a few weeks.

I have recently taken to drinking green tea which is rather nice.

Hehe, proofreadwned by Clive. Can't com you but I would if I could.

I agree, tea is shit.

Fixed, boyo.

.
Maybe someone should link this thread to CM co-ordinators, or a CM forum?

ha, I think our ramblings are best kept to the confines of these 4 "walls" although some very fine tea making advice has been given here.
But perhaps we should give some feedback if we are all of the same concensus? (which is unlikely. Ever. )
off to make a cuppa the maxcrowe way.

CM is shite. It does nothing for improving relations between cyclists and drivers, it's just pissed off a whole load of people.

FAIL

This

Can't com you but I would if I could.

Schneaky Schickster.

CM isn't my cup of tea.
I know what to expect.
I don't like it.
I didn't go.
Your opinion is not more valid than anyone else's. STFUY

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Good to catch up with so many people. This forum has an amazing membership and it was brilliant to see so many people albeit fleetingly in many cases.

CM is a bit like the carnage of a forum ride but even slower. Forum rides tend to be more focused on socialising and fun, the mixed agendas at CM leave it a more mixed bag.

I have been to some CM's which were a huge laugh, soundsystems, dancing outside Buckingham Palace and all sorts of nonsense. Others have been slow, turgid and fraught.

Def agree re the antagonism generated on both sides at CM these days and its really counter productive. There are cars that try and push past etc and I see no problem in a few people holding them up. However I saw some terrible cycling and arguments caused by it.

I wish there was a way that CM could demonstrate the positives about cycling, educate about cycling safety issues etc without just coming across as a bizarre rabble on bikes simply jamming up the roads.

Generally forum rides and things like the Tweed run manage to go with fewer confrontations, and the public are much more interested in what we are up to. It helps to generate a much better image of cyclists.

I did a really shit bit of trying to filter past a motorbike waiting at a red light and just missed tumbling into him as the light turned green and felt a bit foolish.

At the next lights someone else did exactly the same thing and then started shouting at the motorcyclist for being dangerous. I stepped in, explain to the cyclist that he had just done exactly the same stupid bit of cycling that i had done, the cyclist looked really surprised that I was not supporting him. I apologised to the motorcyclist who smiled and shook my hand and things carried on.

A smile and a sorry can help a lot when we are in the wrong, and helps a lot more than arguing when we are at fault. We should pick our battles, no point in going on the offensive when we are not in the right.

Drinks afterwards was great, the stop on Edgeware road for schwarmas was perfect.

James has been taking drugs. They seem to work. Keep it up James.

Absolutely, either that or someone's hacked into his account... The latter, I think...

Except I can still kind of hear him saying it in his dulcit tones, neck-kerchief a-quiver, titanium glinting modestly in the background...

Clive, repped.

Heeey! The guys I was hanging with in soho theater bar headed for bagels around that time.....

Another great night, the mass was it's usual mixture of highs and lows but was good
to see it stick together all the way to hackney.
The pirate ride back to the dover castle was great fun, followed by a few sneaky pints
back at the theatre bar.
And what night would be complete without bagels..?
Good to meet some new forumungers and to ride with friends..

Ahh...the inner circle of trust.

There is only one way of making tea and that's my way.

Boil kettle
Put teabag in mug
Pour water in mug
Let the magic happen for 2-3 minutes
Stir
Remove teabag (squeeze extra juice out into mug upon removing)
Put in a bit of milk, too much is vile
Neck the lot while it's still boiling hot

No teapot? FAIL.

I have a strong belief that a number of the CM people are the ones that you'd find at G20 rallies shouting, "Look! There's a Starbucks. Let smash it"
Yet couldn't succinctly reason their actions or political view points.

Some of it was really cowardly. If alone would they behave like that? The level of hate I saw in the eyes of some innocent drivers...God help us when we need a break from said drivers when trying to change lanes later on by yourself.

Though I did have a good time.

If you want the happiest vibe of any mass bike ride, come and do WNBR on June 12th. 1500 nekkid cyclists and no trouble. It certainly puts smiles on faces! We'll be there on our tandem this year.
Thats not us on the tendem BTW. its me on the tallbike tho.

Conversation stopper.