Critical Mass, scum journalism and the Victoria Police
by Takver Saturday February 26, 2005 at 11:56 PM

Have you ever wondered about what power a journalist wields? What spin they can put on a story? How they can have an honest cop transferred? On the February Critical Mass - the Bolty Ride - cyclists dumped their feelings on Herald Scum journalist Andrew Bolt, while honouring former police bicycle squad member Russell Lindsay who has been transferred to other duties due to pressure from said journalist. The ride also paid respect to a cyclist reported killed on Todd Road, Port Melbourne on February 1st.

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Photo: cyclists at Todd Road stand silent for a minute out of respect for the recent cyclist death nearby. Police blockade of Todd st in the background.

Herald Sun journalist, Andrew Bolt, and 3AW talk back radio host Neil Mitchell, and Melbourne police superintendant, Mick Williams, had done a wonderful job pushing for a ride on CityLink, except they failed to turn up with maps to hand out for their route. Instead we saw several squad cars, the police horse squad, half a dozen highway patrol motorcycles, several constables on foot, the police helicopter, and even members of the special force squad (riot squad) in plain clothes all outside the State Library to meet and greet the cyclists on the organised coincidence of critical mass. The media were present as well, although I doubt any had the gumption to send a reporter on the whole ride.

A map was handed out by cyclists called the Bolty Ride. It contained a route map for the ride and three text inserts. It included a ride by of the Herald and Weekly Times buiding on Southbank, and the Herald and Weekly Times printing plant in Port Melbourne, as well as riding along Lorimer Street which has been castigated by cyclists for dangerous car driving.

• 1. The CM-MELB email list was buzzing this month with riders' concerns about Lorimer Street.
  "I ride Lorimer St with trepidation each day .... I have had several run in with speeding drivers (always truckies). Some I chase and catch up to when they drop off their loads. When challenged about why they nearly hit me when passing at close quarters, the response is 'Mate, I didn't see you'"
• 2. news.com.au - Feb 1 ...
  Fourth cyclist killed this year
  A cyclist was killed when his bicycle and a truck collided in inner city Melbourne today. The 30 year old man was cycling along Todd road in Port Melbourne about 2.45pm (AEDT) when the accident happened. Police said they believed the cyclist and the semi-trailer were travelling the same direction when the collision occurred.

The carnage on the road continues. Pedestrians are killed, four cyclists killed so far this year, car drivers kill other car drivers and passengers, and sometimes themselves. Where was the concern from Andrew Bolt about the road rage of a taxi driver last year, who drove into some critical mass cyclists and was subsequently convicted of dangerous driving for such act. He's being victimised? you have got to be joking. Road rage is road rage and should not be tolerated. Vehicle drivers pay a licence fee for the priviledge of driving a vehicle, and those who earn a living from automobiles need to be particularly courteous and careful of other road users. That taxi driver should have lost his licence for the road rage he displayed. Or how about the drunk driver who tried to overtake Critical Mass in the oncoming lane, almost causing an accident and wiping himself and several others out?

There were a number of reports of motor bike cops riding dangerously and hitting cyclists in the mass, although I did not witness any myself. I thought they were sometimes provocative in forcing their way into a mass of cyclists rather than attempting to stay on the outskirts or corking at intersections.

The ride this month stopped at Todd Street in Port Melbourne, in the middle of an intersection, and a minute silence was given out of respect to the cyclist killed recently nearby. Everyone there new that it could be them next time. Down the road was a police blockade. A cyclist at the end of the one minute of silence commented that he found the police blockade in Todd street insulting. Several streets in Port Melbourne had been blockaded by the police, even though they did not provide access to the West Gate or Bolte bridges. Cyclists were denied the chance to ride down Lorimer street as per the route map, for no ostensible reason from the police.

After Todd street, the ride continued on to St Kilda and Beach rode with a sunset over Station Pier while the Spirit of Tasmania was being loaded. CM finished, about 100 cyclists continued down the cycle path towards the city. We were surprised the Motorbike cops continued with us. Normally when a CM finishes, the cops are happy to go home. Not so on this ride. It proceeded to split into smaller groups and recombine later. It did a drive through of McDonalds, then a drive throough of Crown Casino reception where a bike lift was performed. We had the police escort all the way up Flinders street to Federation Square.

• 3. Andy Bolt dumps on da bike cops - Herald Sun, Feb 16
  Still, as you see, many other emails (Russell) Lindsay sent Critical Mass tend to show what seems to me a remarkable eagerness to keep the activists happy. But this is classic "keeping the peace" policing - avoiding confrontations, trying to be inclusive, calming and non-judgmental. Some will call it civilised. But you may also see why activists reading these emails could feel emboldened to blockade streets...
  You may also see why one of these frustrated citizens then suspects police are more sympathetic to the activists...
  Many police have now had enough. The city's new police chief, superintendant Mick Williams, banned Critical Mass from illegally using the Burnley Tunnel last November, and the activists caved in. This time.
  But had there been a showdown, would Christine Nixon have endorsed Williams' bid to uphold the law, rather than the "peace"?
  I'd like to think so. "We've listened to public concern", a police spokesman now reassures me - adding Lindsay had been moved while his bosses pondered the emails I'd pointed out.

Russell Lindsay was prepared to engage with Critical Mass as a police liason. He was critical of the actions of some on critical mass, but was also prepared to listen to people too. He earnt the respect and cooperation of many critical mass riders. I do not believe he overstepped any boundary of performing his police duties. Rather, he provided an excellent public role model of engagement with the public, and in particular the cycling community in Melbourne. So why has Superintendant Williams decided to place more weight on the scum journalism of Andrew Bolt than thousands of members of the cycling public? Why should Andy be allowed to call the shots on which police are employed where?

Much has been made of disruption to traffic caused by critical mass. The real problem is the vehicle traffic which clogs our streets and leads to the Friday evening traffic jam. Critical Mass often comes up to a wall of one or two person vehicles queueing to move often at less than cycling pace and sometimes less than walking pace. The real problem is auto congestion on our streets.

So what about when critical mass has ridden the Bolte bridge or Burnley tunnel in the past. Didn't this cause a huge hold up to peak hour traffic? Funnily enough, the holdups to traffic was minimal. When Superintendant Williams said we were planning on invading the Bolte Bridge at 5.30pm, he is rewriting history. Critical Mass rode the Bolte Bridge in February 2004. Holdups to automobiles were minimal as the ride did not start the approach to the Bolte till after 7.00pm and had completed the bridge crossing in 20 minutes. So the north bound lanes only were closed to vehicular traffic for 30 minutes (traffic continued as normal on the southbound lanes). Similar situation with the Burnley tunnel.

The police have learnt through experience that with demontrations, protests, or processions, it is usually easier to facilitate their smooth movement which causes the least amount of disruption and expense. In November 2004 I joined the critical mass in Sydney which rode over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The NSW police facilitated this ride. I still remember the Cahill Expressway full of cyclists, banked up behind a traffic jam of vehicles waiting to cross the bridge. Facilitation of the ride kept the cyclists happy - they got to ride the bridge - and minimised disruption to traffic.

Unfortunately, without an effective liason between the police and critical mass, a role which Lindsay performed well, policing the monthly ride will prove to be much more expensive and a real headache. Critical Mass used to get by with one squad car and four members of the police bicycle patrol. If February's Critical Mass is any thing to go by the cost of several fold increase in police numbers and vehicles and use of the police helicopter will prove an excessive waste of tax payers money. It seems Mick Williams has much to learn, both from his predessesors and from his interstate colleagues in NSW, not to mention appearing to pander to pressure from scum journalism.

In a liberal democracy there are competing interests, mostly invisible. When one interest group chooses to protest in a peaceful fashion, society should accept some disruption as the price for tolerating dissent. Andrew Bolt would rather speak for the interests of CityLink (and the inflated amounts of money they calculate they lose) than perhaps allowing an occasional procession of cyclists to use public roads normally denied them.

Superintendant Mick Williams also appears to be protecting the monetary interests of a private company, CityLink, at the expense of the right of protest and freedom of speech of cyclists. We should demand better of our public servants.

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Very Impressive
by Takver Saturday February 26, 2005 at 11:56 PM

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Some constables on foot at the State Library as CM prepares to leave

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Corking a car from a carpark
by Takver Saturday February 26, 2005 at 11:56 PM

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Riding past the MCG and Rod Laver Arena
by Takver Saturday February 26, 2005 at 11:56 PM

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Have you got your e-Tag?
by Takver Saturday February 26, 2005 at 11:56 PM

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World Trade Centre
by Takver Saturday February 26, 2005 at 11:56 PM

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Police Headquarters. Strange as it may seem, we were there to give support to Russell Lindsay, formerly of the Police bicycle patrol.

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Critical Mass is kid friendly
by Takver Saturday February 26, 2005 at 11:56 PM

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cyclists paying respects
by Takver Saturday February 26, 2005 at 11:56 PM

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panorama of cyclists standing silent for a minute remembrance of the recent cyclist death nearby

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Corking the traffic
by Takver Saturday February 26, 2005 at 11:56 PM

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Spirit of Tasmania at Station Pier
by Takver Saturday February 26, 2005 at 11:56 PM

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Bike lift at Crown Casino
by Takver Saturday February 26, 2005 at 11:56 PM

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