halloween critical mass cycle ride

for the second month running, the critical mass appeared to be without police presence. one cycling paramedic accompanied the ride. the mass was generally peaceful, well self-organised, and very pleasurable. one of the longer rides too!

maybe 200-300 riders congregated under waterloo bridge at 6.30pm for the monthly (last friday of every month) critical mass cycle ride.

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for the second month running, the police laid off the mass, apparently deciding on a softly softly approach with one or two plain-clothes among the riders and back-up units keeping an eye on things from afar.

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the corking was by all accounts better than the previous month, with very few rage incidents, although i did hear of one collision and altercation with the inevitable taxi at elephant and castle.

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the route was unusual and far-ranging, first south to the elephant, then towards the city, a brief stop at spitalfields (where security guards got on the loudspeaker system to much merriment), and off up north towards stoke newington.

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there was a real spirit of soidarity and care, and front-runners occasionally stopped at junctions and traffic lights to allow stragglers to catch up and bunch up the mass again. there was a cycling paramedic with us the whole time in case of problems, but as far as i am aware his services weren't required.

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my overall impression was that this ride was less lairy and much more relaxed and fun than many of the recent over-policed rides, and the mass showed itself to be a responsible, self-policing, show of pedal power. all this without any 'organisers' - truly a testament to anarchist principles