Manchester Cycling Events Calendar

Ever since I took over compiling the GMCC Newsletter I have had trouble getting an up-to-date rides and events diary to include.



Now things are looking up because the people over at Love your Bike have started a Cycling Events Calendar for all of Manchester.



So if you are organising a cycling even in Manchester then let Love your Bike know by filling in this form and then it should also get included in the following GMCC Newsletter.

Now that's what I call progress...

Oxford Road - Pavement Driving

It is depressing to walk along Oxford Road sometimes. There are plans for Dutch style cycle routes along the road, but what hope is there when road traffic law is not enforced?



The pavement along Oxford Road is regularly used as a car park by lazy delivery drivers who seem to get away with driving on the pavement.



I fear that when we do get the segregated cycle lanes they will simply become car parks for lazy drivers and drop off areas for taxis.



As was illustrated by this sight further along the road....

Observations from Amsterdam - Machines

Amsterdam is not just a place of standard upright bicycles.

The load carrier is quite common and often carries passengers.







Trikes are somewhat rarer, this one looked rather well used.





And this lovely handcycle was locked up on the opposite side of the road. Yes the seat is made of wood!

Observations from Amsterdam - People

There is a definite empathy between rider and machine in the people I saw cycling in Amsterdam last month.



The choice of pedal cycle seemed to say a lot about the rider.



Some more flamboyant than others,



but many of the machines seemed to be chosen at least as carefully as the clothing.



Just occasionally I felt there was a bit of a mismatch,



but I got the impression that many dutch people put more effort into selecting a bike than they would buying a car,



but then they probably spend more time riding the bike than driving the car...

Horrifying Halloween Critical Mass

With an epic thunderstorm and torrential rain at around five o'clock, everyone was beginning to worry that the Halloween Critical Mass would be a washout. However, the pedal powered party people of Manchester are made of sterner stuff, had spent far to long on the costumes and own sufficient waterproofs to not be put off by rain on a warm autumnal evening. Besides, I'd spent far too long sorting out a music mix for the ride so I wasn't going to let the effort go to waste. In the end between 150 and 200 people turned out, which last year would have been a good turnout on a dry day!

And the costumes really were good.



The ride was colourful if somewhat wet.



Some had painted faces,



others had gone to town on the outfits.



The orange devil with trident was the full works,



whilst little more than bandages were used to horrifying effect.



The ride was pretty wet at times but that just seemed to add to the atmosphere.

The ride ended at Platts Field Park, for the pedal powered film night.



The boat house was dressed with lanterns providing a wonderfully warm welcome, and the interior was even better.



A big thanks to Anna & co for organising the film night.

Blocked Cycle Parking Update

There seems to be some progress on the crap bikes and bike trailers which have been blocking cycle parking in the city centre. Following complaints to a local councillor and some on-line campaigning, there seems to be some progress.

A week ago it was noticeable that the cycle trailers had moved away from the cycle racks and were attached to other pieces of street furniture.

A signpost in Cross Street,



the bollards warning sign in Market Street



and a big lamppost in Piccadilly Gardens.



However, this Saturday, only the trailer in Piccadilly Gardens was still there,



and just round the corner the same company seems to have resorted to people standing around holding placards.



Lets hope with further pressure from bike riders and councillors we can get rid of the remaining few BMX bikes and get some more cycle parking back into use.

However, there is a much greater problem with blocked cycle parking in the city centre, and that is the many motorbikes which block cycle racks. Last Friday, this was the state of the cycle racks outside MOSI. Not a bicycle in sight.



All the bicycles have been displaced onto the nearby iron railings, which are less secure than the purpose built Sheffield bike racks.



That's a campaign for another day...

Observations from Amsterdam - Cycling

You read a lot about how segregated cycle tracks are the key to Dutch cycling, well that is not the whole story.Take this patch of south Amsterdam. Yes the dual carriageways and many of the main roads have segregated two-way cycle paths on both sides...







And they are well maintained and regularly swept for rubbish.



However, many roads in the area do not have separate, protected cycle tracks, they have plain old cycle lanes, and they exist alongside car parking, right in the "door zone"





They work, because they are wide, and every dutch driver is taught to open the car door with the hand they use to change gear, so they have to turn and look as they reach for the door handle.



But there are many roads with neither cycle lanes or cycle tracks, most of which are 30km/h zones.







Strikingly, in this area, most of the residential streets are closed off at one end to motorcars, but are open for cycling.







So, the cycle facilities are a range of measures which all contribute to sustaining cycling levels, but segregation is only common on the major roads.


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