Moonlight mass - Canceled indefinitely!!!

[awesme]

awesome news,

 

This sounds like an event that must be protected,

 

when people don't pay and they simply take part in something this then it's proper community building,

 

G

 

"#moonlightmass reinstated after all parties reach concensus". Dankie tannie Helen, WC minister of toursism and the organisers.

[Icycling]

Even made front Page of the Argus - glad to see the city has come to terms with this event!!!

 

Hopefully they will never try cancel it again!

[(Deon)]

Even made front Page of the Argus - glad to see the city has come to terms with this event!!!

Hopefully they will never try cancel it again!

I think this lies in the hands of those taking part.

[iteachcoffee]

this is my account of yesterday, (posted here https://www.facebook.com/david.donde/posts/10152021542541427):

 

Yesterday was a very interesting experience for me. When I heard #moonlightmass 24.0 was being cancelled, due to the City of Cape Town revoking it's permit.

 

Some background as I understand things. The #moonlightmass started by Elad Kirshenbaumand Daniel Graham was all fine, until the city decided it was big and needed to be controlled. Bureaucracy stepped in, and they demanded a permit be applied for. This was done and 80 pages of application later, was received.

 

Next the city started bullying the Moonlight Mass Cycle by regularly threatening to revoke the permit. Concessions were made and the permit continued. More strong arming was done.

 

Last week the officials in the city went as far as finally revoking the permit without consultation. The city officials claimed repeated requests for meetings, yet their last request was in March and it happened.

 

Daniel and Elad only see themselves as facilitators and as such declared the ride cancelled. Much to their delight and the city officials' horror the ride was going to happen anyway due to public support and good old fashioned civil disobedience. This put the officials in panic mode. It would seem that there was a realisation that the power being used in a bullying tactic with the threat of revocation of permit, was in actual fact an empty threat. A dog with no teeth. The officials now threatened to have everyone arrested!

 

Sanity prevailed when I spoke to minister Alan Winde who stated to me, on the record, that he would be willing to be the first arrested. He and Beverley Schafer have been two politicians (apologies for calling you a politician Bev) willing to stand up for the cause.

 

Then on thursday on Kieno Kammies Cape Talk radio show, Grant Pascoe (Executive Mayoral Committee Member for Tourism, Events & Marketing and Cape Town DA Metro Chairperson) and Beverley were interviewed. Grant Pascoe stated that the issue was the R200,000 cost per event! An unsubstantiated claim, in spite of multiple requests from myself and Beverley. (I am sure others too) The city has so far provided between 2 and 6 motorcycle traffic cops per event. Do the math.

 

The city officials were now realising:

a) the ride would happen anyway

b)the public were turning against them

c)Every right thinking politician from @helenzille down wanted it to happen for the greater good of cape town

 

A meeting was called by Grant Pascoe with Alan Winde, Beverley, the guys from mass and one or two others for 1 pm Yesterday.

 

Mr Pascoe wasn't even there despite calling the meeting... 35 officials were. And they had just had a massive prep meeting including presentations. It seemed like an ambush we were being led into.

 

Minister Winde chaired in the end. The city officials raised a number of issues, none of which upheld, other than wanting someone to be responsible as their only real and valid concern was liability in the event of an incident. Interestingly other than safety, another huge debate, no mention of the elusive 200k was tabled.

 

Safety, it would seem was more of an issue in case something happened and the city wasn't seen to be doing it's job.

 

They were terrified of claims for negligence. I personally pointed out, that they could only face a claim of negligence if they were. And so they should if they were.

 

At one stage the officials threatened to have everyone arrested, until Beverley Schafer's obvious and warranted anger was appeased! It felt to me that I was present in the offices of a Nationalist Party government. Fascism apparently was not dead in the ranks of officialdom.

 

The other larger theme was enforcement of the city's bylaws. The officials wanted to abdicate their responsibility onto the non existent "organisers" It is the job of Law Enforcement to enforce the law. Not for events to do so. There was the helmet issue, of which the City wanted enforcement, although there was NO clarity as to what the law was, if there is one, or what the penalty might be! Of course helmets are a debate in themselves with there being no evidence that helmets are a positive safety item for those over 15 years of age. An any event, Law Enforcement must do their own work. It is what they are paid for. Rush hour traffic isn't cancelled because some drivers speed or don't wear their seatbelts.

 

Interesting side issue: as we were wrapping up, their was a DEMAND from officials that we have all skateboarders and roller skaters(etc) physically removed! We did say no! There are more than a few personal vendettas!

 

In any event an impasse was reached with no-one from the city being prepared to be responsible for the ride. Eventually Alan Winde took it on, and for this he is a Hero, it is outside of his mandate and will probably land him in all sorts of trouble. The officials too (I hope) as it is their duty to protect him as I understand things?

 

So now there is a temporary permit, for this mass only. The officials are learning that crowd sourcing cannot be tamed. There is an issue of cost, which needs to be resolved. But at this stage, the costs are far smaller than the benefit. From 2 traffic cops, the city now will provide a traffic officer at EVERY major intersection. We now get about 15. Even this cost is way less than 200k. Marshalls will continue to be volunteers.

 

The power of social media for good was in evidence.

 

The fight will continue in the coming weeks, and I am proud to be counted alongside Alan, Bev, Daniel & Elad fighting the good fight.

 

See you Sunday. Let me know If I can answer any questions?

[Mntboy]

Glad it's back! :-) Maybe somewhere along the line people on both sides decided to use some 'common' sense because it seemed that for a while some were using 'uncommon' sense! Eish us Cape Townians hey!

[rock]

i would have preferred it to happen without a permit and show that people on bicycles can ride around for an hour without breaking any rules....

[Tumbleweed]

i would have preferred it to happen without a permit and show that people on bicycles can ride around for an hour without breaking any rules....

 

That was kinda my point about the word "Mass" being used. Mass rides are an act of civil disobedience. Maybe they should change it to a "Critical Manners" type ride?

[DJR]

A little reminder to get ready for tonight

 

Cyclists unite

It is our human right

Officials took flight

Permit got a rewrite

 

Helmets on tight

Make it light

Make it bright

Just stay upright

 

Don't give Ape Town a fright

No need to fight

Lets be Polite

Its a ride of delight

(Yea, I'm an undercover rap songwriter just add your own beat & squeak)

[NOFX]

This is now back on

[jimmy hardtail]

Sweet! Although it was gonna happen anyway. Even the weather is playing along

[Danger Dassie]

That was kinda my point about the word "Mass" being used. Mass rides are an act of civil disobedience. Maybe they should change it to a "Critical Manners" type ride?

 

Traditionally maybe, but semantics change and adapt. Anyway the civil disobiedence was at play in the post from iteachcoffee.

 

From his description of the exchange it seemed positive overall and I found it interesting to see some politicians (sorry Bev) showing some lateral thinking instead of the uniformly paraad attitude.

All in all this experience could be something other 'mass' types could take something from.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Traditionally maybe, but semantics change and adapt. Anyway the civil disobiedence was at play in the post from iteachcoffee.

 

From his description of the exchange it seemed positive overall and I found it interesting to see some politicians (sorry Bev) showing some lateral thinking instead of the uniformly paraad attitude.

All in all this experience could be something other 'mass' types could take something from.

 

 

Not sure about that. Most "Mass" rides worldwide are still not sanctioned or technically legal. There are alternatives run and sanctioned by the authorities, some of which go by the name Critical Manners.

[udxcob]

And all cyclists have to obey the rules of the road, I can just see moonlight mass riders in single file from start to finish

[Simon123]

I'm officially a thread necrophiliac by bumping this.

 

Saw in events there's a ride tonight.  Moonlightmass at 9pm.  Awesome.

 

But nothing on their page etc.  My wife loves this ride, but I'd hate to load the bikes and shoot into town for nothing.  Also with no word, it'll probably be dead?

 

Heeeeeelp.

[Donovan Le Cok]

I'm officially a thread necrophiliac by bumping this.

 

Saw in events there's a ride tonight.  Moonlightmass at 9pm.  Awesome.

 

But nothing on their page etc.  My wife loves this ride, but I'd hate to load the bikes and shoot into town for nothing.  Also with no word, it'll probably be dead?

 

Heeeeeelp.

 

https://www.facebook.com/CriticalMassCapeTown/?fref=ts 

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/195200927508363/ 

 

I cant speak to the legality of the event. I don't think they are the same organizers from past.

[WW87]

I'm officially a thread necrophiliac by bumping this.

 

Saw in events there's a ride tonight.  Moonlightmass at 9pm.  Awesome.

 

But nothing on their page etc.  My wife loves this ride, but I'd hate to load the bikes and shoot into town for nothing.  Also with no word, it'll probably be dead?

 

Heeeeeelp.

We drove past the mass last night.  Really great to see its started up again, but sad to see the conduct of the riders.  Lots without any lights or helmets, cycling with no regard to motorists.