Bicycling Against The Birmingham Northern Relief Road

The March 14 "Cycle Lanes Not Fast Lanes - Stop the BNRR" Rally in Birmingham was supported by 50 cyclists, including several kids on their BMXs, plus some skateboarders and rollerbladers. The city's normally car-mad inner ring-road was gridlocked by the actions of the happy, slow (very slow) -moving riders. Music was provided by the bike-mounted "Little Nora" sound system. The one sour note was a malicious bus driver who drove his bus at a cyclist, knocking him off and buckling his rear wheel. The police, who had continually threatened to arrest everyone for obstruction, showed their customary bias by throwing the damaged bike onto the pavement and refusing to take action against the driver. The action ended at the local Highways Agency office where a copy of Max Power magazine and a large photocopy of car-junkie Jeremy Clarkson went up in flames to the accompaniement of whoops and cheers.