Originally posted by wassupdawg
See the letter in the Age this morning re the CM ride.
Now that's how to represent cycling and get a result!
For those of you who are interested, I have cut and pasted it below. I agree with the "dawg", a good succinct response to a negative reporting campaign being conducted by media, which however, will still report the public perception and not the idealistic and long term aims of the participants.
Steve
Cyclists perform a valuable service
The 530 cyclists who rode over the Bolte Bridge on Friday night were performing a public service. Australians are getting fatter and fatter and less fit. It is time to persuade people that you don't need a car to get around.
If we made our roads more bicycle-friendly and persuaded people to use a bicycle for 5 per cent of their trips, we could cut millions of dollars off the health and transport budgets. The Critical Mass bicycle ride is a monthly reminder of the efficiency and joy of bicycle riding.
Roads are regularly closed for the Grand Prix, the Moomba Parade, the Great Melbourne Bike Ride and numerous festivals and street parties. The disruption to traffic was minimal, most delays being caused by other cars.
Let 's be glad we have citizens with the independence and imagination to get out there and make a point.
Helen Lee,
Brunswick
Letters to the Editor "The Age" 2 Mar 04.
