The worlds first “Kidical Mass UK” took part on Saturday September 19th 2015. Regent’s Park Cyclists had never heard of Kidical Mass before this one came up on our radar but were keen to support it! Cycling in Regent’s Park should be for everyone.
We take a moment to have a chat with one of the organisers, Jono Kenyon, who gives us the lowdown on the day.
Who are you, where do you come from and what do you do?
I am Jono Kenyon a Lighting Designer from Finsbury Park, where I have lived all my life
How often do you cycle at Regent’s park?
I cycle through the park on the way to the museums of South Ken 2-3 times a week. I commute by bike, but don’t ride for sport
Who do you normally cycle with?
My kids of course! We have a bakfiets cargo bike which we use to take the kids out with.
How did the idea for “Kidical Mass” come about and why did you feel it was important?
The idea has been around for quite a while starting in the US http://www.kidicalmass.org/ The idea to hold one in the UK came from Ruth-Anna Macqueen who is a fellow Hackney resident who also rides a cargo bike with her kids. Having been involved in other ‘organised rides’ we know that even kids as young as 4 can easily ride a few miles. Getting them started on roads is useful, but it is important that other road users recognise that children can use the road too.
How do you feel it went on the day?
Brilliant! We had between 80 – 100 riders overall including some very young riders who easily made it all the way round the outer circle. We met in the car park by the zoo before heading anti-clockwise round. The weather was fantastic which obviously helped. Families had come from across the capital to take part. We ended up passing by the zoo in the park before stopping for a long picnic. The kids all ran around together, whilst the parents tried out each others bikes. We had a large collection of cargo bikes from big three wheelers to a tandem that takes four riders.
How did the cars and other cyclists treat you during the event?
On the whole we had a really good experience. The vast vast majority of other cyclists and drivers were really patient. Especially big thank you to a Royal Parks Sweeper wagon, who followed us round for over a mile. We had a few drivers who were impatient and tried to overtake or got a bit cross.
You can follow Jono and Ruth-Anna on Twitter @jono_kenyon and @bikesandbabies and follow the #KidicalMass hastag to get the latest information about the organisers and the next events.
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