Thor Hushovd to boycott Olympic Opening

This was mentioned in the International Tribune on 28 March.

At last. Why does a Norwegian have to show us?

Good for him.

http://www.iht.com/articles

Brilliant! Critical Mass outside The Chinese Embassy

Quote from Critical Mass London:

A good turnout despite the weather. On the approach to Parliament Square a sound system managed to keep playing but was silenced by police under SOCPA legislation, within spitting distance of the Houses of Parliament. There followed a slow ride with lots of stopping and foot to the ground but happy neverthless. Outside the Chinese Embassy our cycle police formed a protective barrier to ensurer the occupants would not be upset. Guess whose side they are on. It seems that the fully armed copper there might not provide enough of a deterrent to a bunch of unarmed cyclists.

The ride continued and was last seen disappearing up Old Street.

Unquote

What an excellent place to go. What will British Cycling say? Nothing. They will not mention it on their website.

I’ve just written under the forums in pro-Olympic ‘Cycling Weekly’ and mentioned that Critical Mass have cycled yesterday to the Chinese Embassy in Protest.  I have also added a poll about whether or not our British Cyclists are right in participating.

That may ruffle a few feathers.

You can voice your views too on

www.cyclingweekly.co.uk and Click Forums and News

Well done to CM.

Raging Bike Website

www.ragingbike.co.uk

I like this website as it writes about idiots in cars, cycling statistics and levels of pollution.

British Motor Show, Excel 23 July – 3 August 2008

www.britishmotorshow.co.uk

Quote from this awful gas guzzling auto friendly site (note the Sponsors (change your insurance policy!)

The award-winning British International Motor Show sponsored by Zurich Connect  returns to ExCeL London from 23 July – 3 August 2008 bringing glamour, excitement, innovation, inspiration and more. There’s something for everyone  with hundreds of cars on display, global premieres and tons of interactive features.

It’s sure to be the motoring event of the year and this Summer’s hottest ticket!

The Heritage Enclosure, Supercar Paddock, Drift School, Kids Car Zone, Adventure Land 4×4 experience and on water displays are just some of the treats on offer and the entertainment continues as the sun goes down with The Motor Show Music Festival!

unquote

‘Something for everyone’ guys it says! A Hot Ticket?!

A list of car dealerships in the UK

www.freeindex.co.uk/categories/Transport_and_Auto/Car_Dealerships

May Day Ride

I’ve just read the Critical Mass website and there will be a Mayday ride at 11am, Thursday 1st May on the South Bank under Waterloo Bridge.

 However, I feel it is a good idea to meet outside Car Dealerships, petrol stations etc. There are several 4×4 car dealerships  near me and no on ever demonstrates there.

Chat with a fellow cyclist who worked in an Old People’s Home

I was talking with a fellow cyclist who used to work in an Old People’s home in London, four years ago, and he was telling me that ‘staff stealing from the old resident’s was rife’. He even looked at the Accounts and noticed that ‘all the money wasn’t going in them’. He noticed staff buying clothes out of the old person’s money for themselves and ‘getting away with it’. Some of these matrons and carers ‘just do not care at all’ he said. He even saw a matron stashing a whole of quality meat in her car at the old people’s home.

So if you have an old person stuck in a home, keep an eye on the staff. Maybe some reporters can work in these old homes and see this for themselves. Maybe if you are bicycle visitor perhaps, you can keep a beady eye out for ‘unusual behaviour’. Maybe we should have more CCTV in these homes?

Cyclist’s Defence Fund.. Legal assistance for British Cyclists

  

  www.cyclistsdefencefund.org.uk

The following links may be of assistance:

• The Highway Code can be found here.
• An apparent change in the approach to policing the Critical Mass event in London has produced some interesting debate on the legal status of the event. Samples of that debate are here, with acknowedgement where possible. The Fund is investigating the nature of the steps taken by groups, including Friends of the Earth, to clarify the legal position.
• We have produced a brief summary of the options to consider for funding a legal case or claim.
• There is also a guide to liability in cases involving cyclists available.
• What if you’re case involves an issue of contributory negligence? Perhaps because of the non-use of a cycle helmet?
• The CTC’s Technical Officer, Chris Juden, has produced a summary of the regulations and standards that affect the equipment used by cyclists. In short: whether your bike is legal to ride on the road and whether it was legal for the shop to sell it like that. You can find it here.
• And if you’re case involves cycle lights then this article may be of use.
• The Public Law Project has published – Third party interventions in judicial review (2001)
• The Centre for Corporate Accountability has some interesting research publications.
• Liberty has a wide range of briefing papers on all aspects of law.
• The Law Centres Federation is the place to go when you need to find someone who provide free legal advice.
• Justice has a useful set of publications.
• Here’s a link to a different Cyclists’ Defense Fund, not to be confused with us. This link has a critical mass connection!
• There’s a forum that explores cycling and the law.

Olympic Flame – security being tightened..

A quote from Yahoo News today:-

The torch arrives in Beijing on Monday following a handover ceremony in Athens the previous day when the Beijing Olympic organising committee officially take charge of the sacred flame.

Security is tight in the Chinese capital and details have yet to be released concerning the torch welcoming ceremony scheduled for Tiananmen Square on Monday.

China branded the protests a week earlier in Greece “shameful” and has put pressure on cities along the international route to ensure smooth progress while stops inside China such as Shanghai say they are stepping up security.

The torch relay is the longest ever, lasting 130 days and covering 137,000 kilometres (85,000 miles) and offers ample opportunity for demonstrations on an array of issues including Tibet, whose government in exile claims up to 140 people have died in recent anti-China unrest while Beijing puts the death toll at 20.

Pro-Tibet activists and others are planning demonstrations at various points along the way, including London on April 6, Paris on April 7 and San Francisco on April 9, the only stop in the United States.

Other potential trouble spots include New Delhi on April 17. The Chinese government has already approached India about security arrangements.

“Security has been tightened. Things are under control,” said Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi.

unquote

What a mistake for the games to be held in Bejjing. Everyone knew this would happen. This is a great occasion to highlight China and it’s abuses.

Girls talk Sport

girlstalksports.com/Special-Reports/Olympics/…

It’s good to see a website just for ‘girls’ and it’s good that these sportswomen are discussing politics and the Olympic boycott. I will add this to my links here too.

I see from the website that Rebecca Romero is still going and Richard Gere will boycott it.. he is particularly involved with people in Tibet and has fundraised for them.

I’ve written on the website that as woman endurance cyclist, I won’t be watching our British  Cyclists at  the Olympic Games in Beijing. So if you have an opinion, please add it to the forum. It’s a free country, so you can even agree with her but I won’t. I think it is important to disagree with our British Sports Industry. It’s one big marketing ploy that all of us cyclists ‘are for it’.

I am really looking forward to April 6 when the Olympic Flame dares to come into town. Bring some good placards!