Die-In and Vigil at TfL HQ. Public

about 2150 signed up on facebook

carry the decimal place...

So who is going tonight

1. Zebs
   

Going to CM , although it kinda has to be when it is it's too early for most

Good job there's lots of hi-vis so people don't trip up over them.

reporter on bbc london going about asking people where their helmets, hi viz and lights are and then getting indignant when one bloke told her he had no need to defend himself to her. Eddie Nestor failing to challenge any of the cockwits phoning in, as per.

I went by for 15 minutes, massive group.

If they were serious they should do that every Friday but split up into 4 or 5 teams. Oxford Circus, Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park Corner, Old Street..

wow much more people than i would have thought.

well done you guys and gals.

Most of the TfL staff will have been told they can sod off early to avoid any inconvenience. I would imagine an uncanny number of them would have found themselves on child duty this evening.

The comic punts for 2000, the Standard punts for 1000 on the floor. I reckon that makes 1500 a fairly reliable figure. That's a pretty damn good showing of political will, the sort of thing that might have policy makers carefully considering the future they're responsible for designing. Alas, I suspect they won't really. A few words will get chucked about, a couple of quick sops will be wheeled out and then they'll nix an real change from the original course by careful use of language. Phrases like consultation, stakeholder engagement and detailed analysis will be bandied about, the end result of which will be that they were right all along.

Can you circumvent this kind of spineless gobshite? It would be tempting to say no. Once the policy makers are the other side of some security barriers, it's easy for them to ignore some occasional noise outside on a Friday evening, very easy indeed. But it is possible. It'll take a bit more than a maudlin die in though. You'll need to keep that big showing of political will motivated, and occasionally be brave enough to hit them where it hurts. Head offices are one thing, if you knock out a bus depot for an hour next time they may start to take you seriously.

I asked a policeman who estimated there were 1500 there.
Ashok the Chief Exec of LCC said to me counted about 500 lying down
Seemed more to me though

The person behind this is an extremely devious and divisive little freak who has pissed off virtually everyone he's ever interacted with in his campaign work.

He once called me a cyclist murderer because I wouldn't agree with his stance on bike lanes....:/

Obviously if these Die Ins achieve something, I'm happy, I just don't want to be involved with such protests myself. I see this was on the 10 o'clock news tonight.

Most of the TfL staff will have been told they can sod off early to avoid any inconvenience.

Not true

Obviously if these Die Ins achieve something, I'm happy, I just don't want to be involved with such protests myself.

This.

i met a tfl worker yesterday.

she was working from home.

yes i saw it on the news tonight.

i thought the coverage was positive.

Apologies if already posted in one of the other threads:

http://talklondon.london.gov.uk/blogs/cycling-team/53-cent-cyclists-jump-red-lights-cycling-london-becoming-dialogue-deaf-andrew

It was a strange event.
A few (not many at all) TfL personnel were peering down from Palestra building.
The road was closed from the junction with Stamford Street to St George's circus so the people seemed quite isolated with their protest. There were some media and people being interviewed. Lots of hi viz and helmets.

It was very downbeat. It started with a woman singinging some sad operatic music then some sombre cello playing. Some guy spoke for what seemed ages though I couldn't hear a word.

I was standing outside The Ring pub when people got on the ground. The drinkers and passers by were taking picture (as was I). They were making jokes. Saying things like 'Some of those idiots aren't wearing their helmets to bed' and 'Bet they've got ipods in so they can listen to music while they sleep' . They got up after about 10-15 minutes then more speeches. People were slowly moving on (many to CM which was busy).

Whole exercise seemed pointless. There didn't seem to be a coherent message

I agree. I was by the rail bridge. A lot of passers by we're laughing and making jokes, mostly about the naked guy who was there. I couldn't hear any of the music or singing or speeches.

I'm not sure there is one , proper segregation not blue paint is all these people want and I don't think it's so unreasonable

The best arguement is that Amsterdam is not London.

That is we don't have a circular medieval street plan built around a canal network. It's also a very compact city.

Oh , and that there are large motor ways that take cars out of Amsterdam

So lets not obsess with Amsterdam as the soloution...

We need , borrowing from the Dutch or the Danish, city specific soloutions. So what would work in a N American city grid system may not transfer well to London's sprawl. Paris might be a better comparision?

Personally, I don't know if this made a difference, I'm just glad that I was one who tried to make a difference.

It was a strange event.
A few (not many at all) TfL personnel were peering down from Palestra building.
The road was closed from the junction with Stamford Street to St George's circus so the people seemed quite isolated with their protest. There were some media and people being interviewed. Lots of hi viz and helmets.

It was very downbeat. It started with a woman singinging some sad operatic music then some sombre cello playing. Some guy spoke for what seemed ages though I couldn't hear a word.

I was standing outside The Ring pub when people got on the ground. The drinkers and passers by were taking picture (as was I). They were making jokes. Saying things like 'Some of those idiots aren't wearing their helmets to bed' and 'Bet they've got ipods in so they can listen to music while they sleep' . They got up after about 10-15 minutes then more speeches. People were slowly moving on (many to CM which was busy).

Whole exercise seemed pointless. There didn't seem to be a coherent message
....and yet the chief organiser will undoubtedly throw his own spin on proceedings, tell some whopping lies, sneer at his critics (or those who just don't agree with his approach) and make a claim for the moral and political high-ground, which is precisely what he has done time and time again, piggy-backing various community organisations to get his somewhat extreme messages heard.

Sorry to sound so cynical, just talking from my experience.

Okay I'm going to say it one more time, we'll get no change in how drivers interact with cyclists until we enact Strict Liability Laws, which would put the onus on drivers to take care of those more vulnerable than themselves, rather than playing chicken or viewing you as an obstacle to them getting to their destination quicker.

Also cultural change will take years, and isn't something that will change overnight, see wearing seatbelts, eating your five a day, or recycling, and it definitely isn't going to change unless there is a bit of stick to get the change going.

All the arguments above are about trying to get something done now, without taking into account the biggest obstacle to change is modifying drivers behaviour, make them more aware, make them think before doing something dodge, make them think about us, as much as we think about them.

Just chanting for segregation and talking about infrastructure isn't enough. The big battle is to get motorists to change their behaviour.

Don't you dare say this only one more time Cornelius Blackfoot! Keep on saying it! Grrrr X

The best arguement is that Amsterdam is not London.

That is we don't have a circular medieval street plan built around a canal network. It's also a very compact city.

Oh , and that there are large motor ways that take cars out of Amsterdam

So lets not obsess with Amsterdam as the soloution...

We need , borrowing from the Dutch or the Danish, city specific soloutions. So what would work in a N American city grid system may not transfer well to London's sprawl. Paris might be a better comparision?
This was my main concern about the LCC's Go Dutch campaign at launch - how can we attempt to (and why would we want to?) mimic the Netherlands or any other place? By all means, let's take on board what works in other cities but we have to create solutions that are specific for London. I think the LCC campaign has evolved to reflect this commonly held view.

Miss Mouse who was the orgaiser of this event?