{"id":5094,"date":"2024-04-12T08:24:16","date_gmt":"2024-04-12T08:24:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/?p=5094"},"modified":"2024-04-30T11:16:42","modified_gmt":"2024-04-30T11:16:42","slug":"after-30-years-critical-mass-is-still-fighting-for-cyclists-on-londons-roads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/2024\/04\/12\/after-30-years-critical-mass-is-still-fighting-for-cyclists-on-londons-roads\/","title":{"rendered":"After 30 years, Critical Mass is still fighting for cyclists on London\u2019s roads"},"content":{"rendered":"

T<\/span>hirteen years ago, riding through central London<\/a> on my way to meet a friend one evening, I found myself surrounded by hundreds of cyclists, some blaring horns, one popping wheelies, and even someone covered in lights, thundering out drum\u2019n\u2019bass from a mobile sound system.<\/p>\n

In spite of being overdressed in a shirt and my best trousers, I was taken by the spontaneous solidarity of this diverse group, which I later found was mostly made up of strangers.<\/p>\n

Having been swept along in their pack, we made our way to the West End as other traffic momentarily came to a halt to let us pass, while perplexed tourists and shoppers looked on.<\/p>\n

This was my first experience of Critical Mass, a monthly, leaderless event held around the world, which promotes safer cycling by riding in numbers.<\/p>\n

As a nervous cyclist getting used to riding in London, participating in a \u201crideout\u201d gave me a rare chance to briefly experience what roads in the capital could be like without cars. It was liberating.<\/p>\n

This Sunday, hundreds of cyclists are expected to take part in the 30th anniversary of the first London event. Just like in 1994, the rolling demonstration will reiterate a message that cyclists have an equal right to use the road and that they should be able to ride in safety. Although numbers have been falling, about 100 cyclists still die on British roads each year, according to government data<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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