There was a weird moment right at the start with the bus bumping someone. What was all that about? And then a cyclist coming down the road slapping the guy who was hit on the back as he went past? (That's what it looked like from my viewpoint).
I was there with the small white box soundsystem playing mainly breakbeat stuff. We bailed out just after everyone stopped under the bridge to hide from the rain in Lewishaw. We had to get all the way back to north London which took ages. Soundsystem got a bit wet at the end, I think the paper is peeling off the foam :(
The mass was taking a direct route straight to the Blackheath climate camp. At least we didn't go round and round in circles at any roundabouts, and it was covering new ground. Lots of smiley people on the way. Paul
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There was a gap between the 20 or so of us at the front and the rest of the mass so the bus sort of, almost, had time to cut through. The guy who was bumped tried to block the bus but the driver wasn't having it..
There was a warm welcome at the camp, a couple of dozen of us went on to the site but most of the rest hung around the entrance for a while before heading back. Those of us who went in were given free food, stood round camp fires for warmth and saw the 'Inner Terrestrials' play in the main marquee.
It was fun but easy to lose your friends in the dark and have accidents with guy ropes and unlit compost toilets.. =:o) Nym.
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Two years ago I vowed never to go on another Critical Mass bike ride. Tonight I broke that vow. I thought it highly likely that Critical Mass would make an unusual foray out of Central London, and end up in Blackheath - just a short ride home for me.
Critical Mass was much better tempered than I remembered, almost a carnival atmosphere, I'd estimate between 500 and 800 cyclists. Yep - some car and van drivers appeared to be about to blow a blood vessel at not being permitted to drive within the Mass, but most accepted that they would just have to wait. It is probably faster and safer for all that the Mass stays together anyway.
The route from Waterloo Bridge followed Southwark Street, Tooley Street, Tower Bridge Road, and then the Old Kent road and the A2 to Blackheath.
Towards the end of the Old Kent Road, just before New Cross, the Mass was going straight ahead at a road junction. Two cars were prevented from turning right across the mass. A following police van seemed to take exception to this policy of treating the Mass as one vehicle, and overtook the two right turning cars and tried to turn right across the two cars and into the mass. Fortunately the police driver had second thoughts and waited like a naughty puppy told to sit.
At Deptford Bridge the heavens opened and the whole mass stopped for about five minutes under the DLR railway bridge to shelter from the rain. Traffic was blocked for some time, and several motorists, understandably, became very upset. Great cheers greeted every horn blast.
During the long haul up Blackheath Hill I was passed by an ordinary. I later asked the rider the size of his wheel, 48.5 inches and he was hammering up a steep hill!
We were greeted warmly at Climate Camp, but I elected to go straight home. Tom
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