Cycle campaigning

Guns don't kill people, rappers do.

Save the date: 28 April 2012, central London - biggest every cycling protest.

Details to be announced in January 2012 following conclusion of discussions with authorities.

In the meantime, please:

1) do not organise any clashing events (other than to be ready for feeder rides into central London) on Saturday 28 April 2012.

2) start spreading the word that there will be a big event in central London on Sat 28 April 2012.

Thanks!

^ will there be intention for mirror events in other cities?

wonder what protest is about / against?

Probably campaigning for the banning of all motor vehicles from all roads ;)

Save the date: 28 April 2012, central London - biggest every cycling protest.

Details to be announced in January 2012 following conclusion of discussions with authorities.

In the meantime, please:

1) do not organise any clashing events (other than to be ready for feeder rides into central London) on Saturday 28 April 2012.

2) start spreading the word that there will be a big event in central London on Sat 28 April 2012.

Thanks!

Organising a protest without informing anyone what it's about?
Then how can it possibly represent the views of anyone but it's organisers?

Can someone summarize what we are all campaigning for?
It seems that "cycle campaigning" means a lot of things to a lot of people, but who can define what the purpose actually is?

tl;dr

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Stonehedge again.

Cycling isn't dangerous, it's the behaviour of people (including cyclists) out on the roads that can and does create dangerous situations for cyclists (and others too).

Cycling in urban environment is dangerous and always was.
It makes you interact with traffic in a different way you would as a pedestrian.

(in the same way riding a scooter when you're 16 is more dangerous than taking bus to school, as long as you've got a knife on you)

Obviously there's a huge need to campaign for city planners not to endanger cyclist further - through a stupid road layouts, to rise awareness of drivers and so on.

Given that campaigners are largely extremely opinionated, defensive and convinced they're always right (and I'm including myself here) it's hardly surprising we don't agree all the time.

Can someone summarize what we are all campaigning for?
It seems that "cycle campaigning" means a lot of things to a lot of people, but who can define what the purpose actually is?

That's because we are campaigning for lots of different things: safer roads, improved infrastructure, increased numbers of cyclists and with that, healthier/happier communities, better provisions for cyclists in the work place, responsible cycling, more cycle racks, theft prevention, tougher penalties for those who injure or kill cyclists, reduction of CO2 emissions and better air quality - the list goes on.

So in a nutshell, no, I can't summarise what we are campaigning for but hopefully each campaign that is cited in this thread will be clearly described by those who post about them.

What would you like to see changed?

Organising a protest without informing anyone what it's about?
Then how can it possibly represent the views of anyone but it's organisers?
An elected committee (elected because they share the views of its 11,000 members) has come up with a plan which will be shared in a couple of weeks. I can't see the problem with that.

Given that campaigners are largely extremely opinionated, defensive and convinced they're always right (and I'm including myself here) it's hardly surprising we don't agree all the time.

+1 and also hardly surprising that many of us feel alienated. (based on the sheer number of reps and PMs of agreement I've received as a result of my initial post on this thread).

These organisations need to have a think about how to make more cyclists feel welcome to join the dialogue.

An elected committee (elected because they share the views of its 11,000 members) has come up with a plan which will be shared in a couple of weeks. I can't see the problem with that.

Then they are only campaigning for that body, not for cycling.
And then only those members who agreed with their views, which certainly won't be 11,000 of them.

I guess I don't like people claiming to speak for me without informing me what they intend to say.

Why don't you go start your own anti-campaign campaign? You'd make a good campaigner. It'd be ace.

Then they are only campaigning for that body, not for cycling.
And then only those members who agreed with their views, which certainly won't be 11,000 of them.

I guess I don't like people claiming to speak for me without informing me what they intend to say.

This really only holds water if you are an active member who voices their opinion, votes and campaigns. No one will force you to go on the protest and I am sure there will be plenty of opportunities to voice your opinion if you disagree with what is being proposed; assuming you are a member of the relevant organisation(s).
You are tilting at a windmill that only you can see.

I'm not sure that protests work unless you have a genuine critical mass (recent events in the middle east for example). Cycling is a large minority sport that battles huge negative perceptions. Placard waving, petitions and protests are far less effective than constructive political measures.

I know this is a minority opinion but I believe that if you want to change the world you need to utilise professionalism, intelligence and network to the point that you have access to the key people and win them over with clear and intelligent argument. You need to get stuck in, build respect for who you are and what you stand for and then lead with dignity and humility.

I am only going to post one more time in this thread because it's all a bit too much like work, but that is what the cycle campaigning orgs do to be fair. It's just to raise public awareness and get media coverage etc (which does make the key people pay attention) you also need to get lots of people involved and people are generally more interested in waving placards and shouting stuff than spending days going through casualty statistics and having tedious meetings with civil servants.

Why don't you go start your own anti-campaign campaign? You'd make a good campaigner. It'd be ace.

Then they are only campaigning for that body, not for cycling.

And then only those members who agreed with their views, which certainly won't be 11,000 of them.

I guess I don't like people claiming to speak for me without informing me what they intend to say.

You sound really resentful BQ.

I don't see how LCC develops and manages its campaigns any differently from any other campaign organisation? Once the key arrangements have been confirmed LCC will of course inform its members who will no doubt discuss, question, debate, challenge and work with the staff/committee to hone the details.

Of course LCC doesn't presume to speak for all members let alone all cyclists but with so many sub-groups, forums, campaign polls, expert staff who keep in close contact with the local subgroup volunteers, etc, I think it tries hard to. (Oliver may disagree on some of those points.)

The members are such a mixed bunch, increasingly so - we don't all agree on everything but this is one of the reasons it's such an important and vibrant organisation.

Will definitely be there, is there going to be a dress code =p (maybe suite, tie and tweed?)

tl;dr

too long; didn't rep?

You sound really resentful BQ.

I don't see how LCC develops and manages its campaigns any differently from any other campaign organisation? Once the key arrangements have been confirmed LCC will of course inform its members who will no doubt discuss, question, debate, challenge and work with the staff/committee to hone the details.

But don't you agree he's got a point? At this stage it's just "hey guys we're going to protest! Not sure what we're going to protest about yet but we can count on your support, right?"

Well, no, there should be an idea of what's actually on the table. There are many different opinions about what the biggest issues are, and as many different opinions on how to fix those issues. Those opinions are in many places irreconcilable. There's no point in lending your support to a cause that hasn't been established yet, otherwise if it turns out to be incompatible with your views when it is established you're just going to abandon it. "Oh wait, turns out I don't want to carry ID with me wherever I go so my bike can be impounded", or "oh hang on, I didn't realise this protest was geared towards agitating for a completely separate cycling infrastructure".

Calling BQ "resentful" for pointing that out seems a little over-emotional and ignores the main thrust of what he's saying.

Thanks. Someone gets what I'm saying.

The thing is the LCC for years actively campaigned against separate infrastructure and in favour of vehicular cycling in the face of sizeable opposition from their members and only now, after a referrendum have changed their tack.

Therefore it is important to know what a protest is for before a) lending it your support, and b) participating in it.

I don't see how LCC develops and manages its campaigns any differently from any other campaign organisation? Once the key arrangements have been confirmed LCC will of course inform its members

Exactly. It will present them with a fait accompli. It should be consulting it's members, not merely informing them.

True Blue Quinn has an amusing point: thing is, on a thread entitled 'cycle campaigning', it's likely you'll encounter messages from bodies like LCC. Even if it's a bit vague, I think we can guess at some of the possible issues the event might highlight. All Alex has done is mention the date, some may want to keep it free in anticipation of elucidation of the actual point of it. I think TBQ likes baiting the lefties. Just for tge hell of it. If someone started a thread about TU activity, I reckon he'd be trolling it constantly. Call me a conspiracy theorist. Niall knows he's a troll.

I hereby offer my support to LCC's as-yet-undefined purpose. Seriously. I wholeheartedly support LCC, even if the details of their policies might not always tally with my particular foibles - in general, I support them. Is that a totally unreasoned position? I think not.