Kuala Lumpur : Critical Mass Ride

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Kuala Lumpur : Critical Mass Ride

Kuala Lumpur : 30th August 2013

Public Large Group Ride : Ampang Park LRT Station>Pavilion Mall>Jalan Ipoh>Odeon Cinema>Medan Pasar

Distance covered : approx. 10.2 km.
Time : 9:00 pm - midnight
Time Taken : approx 1 hr. (actual ride time including regrouping).

Ride Observations :
1. Ride meet time was at 9:00 pm but actual start of cycling was at 11:00 pm.
2. There was a certain lack of discipline among some riders, eg. doing stunts, riding onto pavements, etc. Perhaps the "organizers" could post some guidelines in their FaceBook page to avoid such incidences.
4. There are no appointed ride leaders, when someone feel that enough "getting to know you time" have elapsed, some will just start riding. Some others, "volunteer" to be self-appointed marshals but there were no sweepers. If one gets lost just ride back by oneself.

PRELUDE

The idea of a mass gathering of people to meet for a common (cycling) cause is good. Strangers will ride with each other; and the concept is the more the merrier. A critical mass cycling event is normally a monthly event on a regular schedule, eg on the last Saturday, etc.

Critical Mass events seems to be catching on worlwide, such as the ones at San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Houston, London, Hamburg, Australia etc.

FB Profile Photo of Critical Mass/Massa Kritikal KL

Over here in Malaysia, there is a critical mass FaceBook Page at Massa Kritikal KL for those keen to catch up on some news.. I believe the ride is on every last Friday of the month, meeting at the Ampang Park LRT Station at 9:00 pm.
I have missed a few of these events, so this time I am going to make it. This time I will go lend my support to my fellow cyclists.

THE RIDE

Crtical Mass Ride KL 30-08-13 Route Map (click for Map Link)

Ride Route : Ampang Park LRT Station>Pavilion Mall>Jalan Ipoh>Odeon Cinema>Medan Pasar
Riders meet at the Ampang Park LRT Sation, opposite the Ampang Park Shopping Mall at 9:00 pm. The actual ride starts, er.... perhaps an hour or so after the meet up time. The gap between meeting up and starting the ride is a good time to chat with fellow riders and getting to know them.
I am not certain if the route is a fixed one; this time we rode off to the KLCC then to Jalan Bukit Bintang, headed down Jalan Sultan Ismail, to Jalan Raja Laut and then down Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and ended at Medan Pasar.

Sin, Nash & me met up at Jalan U Thant, parked our cars, unfolded our bikes and headed off for the meet point, Ampang Park LRT Sation As the following day will be Malaysia's National Day, being patriotic, we had the Malaysian Flag (called the Jalur Gemilang) attached to our bikes.

At the meet point, there were already a large group of cyclist and a few skater-boarders gathered. All in there were at least a hundred people, all raring to go..... but then not yet; time to hang around and chat a bit first.

Ride regulars - Redzuan, Nunu & Morris. Morris will be riding a bike with a flag sending out a message "Cars Kill!"

While Nunu will be riding a bike with an effigy that will sure be an eye-catcher.

I met up with Seksan too.
Great! I have not seen him for like fifteen years or so.

Roberto (above) came too. So did other friends like Jer Ping, Dhruv & Machu Picchu.

RIDE TIME!!
Heading down Jalan Ampang we turned into Jalan P Ramlee, riding below the Petronas Twin Towers.

The Petronas Twin Towers does indeed look majestic at night.

A Dahon Dash cyclist wearing a batik sarong.

At Bukit Bintang,.

Nunu riding with the effigy, she does take on a load with that. But then she's a hard-core cyclist who cycles to work, so it shouldn't be a problem for her.

At Jalan Sultan Ismail, cycling below the elevated MRT tracks.

Wee, a new friend, at the Maju Junction, er... junction.

A patriotic cyclist carrying the Malaysian flag - along Jalan Raja Laut.

My friend Nash, cycling along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

My Dahon Dash at the pit stop at the Odeon Cinema.

Cycling along Jalan Dang Wangi with the KL Tower towering ahead.

Our patriotic friend still going strong - at Jalan Tun HS Lee.

And the ride ends at Medan Pasar.
We hung around the area for a while before dispersing, each finding their own way back.

Other than some riders being indiscipline, it was a rather good experience. I do hope that this Critical Mass event do gain momentum and more cyclists will join in - riding amongst thousands will be even greater!

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