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Sunday, July 31, 2011

Democratic responsibility to hold an opinion

(Photos: Helen Carey Ireland, Melbourne)
























Melbourne Punk Commute!!! - a counter culture cycle protest & ride from Federation Square to Parliament House, exercising our responsibility to participate in democracy...

There were:

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* * * * * * * *30 BIKE SHARE BIKES & ANORS
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* * * * * * * *34 ACTIVE PUNK COMMUTERS
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* * * * * * * *FED SQUARE PUNK COMMUTE SUPPORTERS++
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* * * * * * * *SPEECHES++
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* * * * * * * *1 HECKLER
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* * * * * * * *MEDIA & RADIO & TV INTERVIEWS
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* * * * * * * *NO POLICE
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* * * * * * * *NO BOOKINGS
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* * * * * * * *NO ARRESTS
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* * * * * * * *BRUNETTI DE-BRIEFING

...& notwithstanding the fact that only a handful of places in the world have made bicycle helmets compulsory and that the countries who lowered cyclist injury did so by preferring instead to improve the cycling environment, we still received the usual specious & predictable comparisons to 'climate change deniers' from the journos...but it was good to see them there anyway!!!

- & great to have a heckler as well!!! - now we really have 'street cred'!!!!

13 comments:

  1. It was fantastic to come along to this. Well organised Sue!! You were a champion on the mic. and with the 'heckler'. It was unfortunate that he was more keen to dish out insults rather than actually have a discussion with us.
    Sorry I didn't come along for coffee, I sort of got split up from the pack a bit and was pretty keen to get out of the city (I'm not a city boy by any means)!
    By the way, great photos.
    Regards,
    Jason - Formerly of Tas

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  2. Thank you so much for coming down here and getting punk commute rolling here as well. I've posted the best of the photos I took here: http://goo.gl/WoX7h

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  3. Jason & Rasmus, brilliant to meet you both - love the photos - here's to our next meeting!!!!

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  4. Sounds like fun. I'll have to see if I can make it to Brissy for the next one.

    And have you seen the news reports out of the British Medical Journal held a poll and over 2/3rds of health professionals rejected helmet laws - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8669773/Bicycle-helmets-should-not-be-compulsory-say-doctors.html

    ride2wk

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  5. Congratulations to all on getting this event happening. I would really have liked to have been there. It sounds like we must be getting somewhere when the police stay out of it.

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  6. Sue, Thank you so so much for organising what was a fabulous event. We got plenty of exposure, which in bike monoculture Melbourne, was very important. Fascinating to see the range of responses from the onlookers - from 'where's your helmet?' through sheer astonishment to cheering. Melbourne has not seen a group that size riding 'sans' helmet since 1989.

    Congratulations also to your photographer for a really good collection, Now my daughter in Canada, who would have loved to attend, can feel as if she was there.

    My only regret was not having enough time to talk to every one.

    But I know this is going to continue and there will be more fun times.

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  7. Hi Jason and Rasmus if you are reading this.

    I missed getting your contact details on Saturday.

    I'm trying to get a Victorian based group together to fight the helmet laws. If you are interested contact me at kathy.francis@westnet.com.au

    Thanks for coming along. Hope we meet again.

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  8. Thanks for a great day, Sue! Looking forward to Brisbane - let's hope it is even bigger up here!

    Cheers,

    Paul

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  9. ride2wk, Peter, Kathy & Paul - great day in Melbourne, and yes, great survey result from BMJ...

    ...'put that in your pipes, aussie pollies, & smoke it!!!!!'

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  10. Hi Sue,
    Thanks for organising a great day out.
    Quite a few people saw us on the news, or heard about it. Generally supportive comments.
    Love the news from the BMJ. Have they finally woken up and seen that the emperor has no helmet?

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  11. Ha! Ha! Alan, they must have!!!!

    - good to see you too!

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  12. Well done Sue and all who took part. You're making a great contribution to our cause.

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