WC2N: free art

The rain seems to have stopped for the time being, so if you’re in London, hop on your bike and head down to Trafalgar Square to take in some free art exhibits.
Aside from the obvious National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, there are plenty of things to immerse yourself in.

Saint Martin in the Fields is currently hosting “Odyssey” an installation by Robert Koenig which tracks his mother’s journey from Poland to the UK, constantly growing as the family of giant sculptures visits a new location. The 40 icons stand guard around the Saint Martin’s church grounds until the 20th July, find out more here or visit the artist’s website.

A few years ago Saint Martin in the Fields also unveiled the new East window designed by Pip Horne and Turner Prize nominee Shirazeh Houshiary. I’ve always thought of this abstract design as ‘The Stargate’: it’s an architectural move that  was always bound to make an impact.

Just across the road is Trafalgar Square’s most recent Fourth Plinth commission by Elmgreen & Dragset entitled ‘Powerless Structures Fig. 101’. The statue raises its eyebrows at the traditional figures cast in bronze and plaanted on the corners of grand squares; instead of a lord and steed this is just a child on a flat-pack rocking horse.
The statue isn’t dramatic or particularly moving, but then if it were, would it undermine the message of the piece? The following is an excerpt from The Guardian:

‘The boy on the horse, as the artists see it, is a depiction of what we should really celebrate: banal, everyday life, the heroism of the unexceptional, the powerless. “The word hero is also a problematic term,” Elmgreen says, “because it is about being outstanding. But what about being a hero because you managed to grow up at all, despite all the obstacles? It is heroic to become a relatively civilised human being, despite everything.”‘

Cabot Square

Cabot Square, Canary Wharf.

It may be cold and drizzly, but Spring is definitely in blossom. It’s hard to believe that these could be natural blooms – flower beds are regularly re-planted in the City – but regardless, few things are so uplifting on a grey day than the sight of such lovely bright petals.

I heart my… Beamish Museum

“Where are you going to my pretty maid?”
“I’m going a’cycling, sir” she said
“May I come with you my pretty maid?”
“Yes if you can keep up with me sir”, she said.

Thank you to Ingrid, author of Postmodern Pain for sending me this picture of a poster from the Beamish Museum in County Durham. The museum tracks the industrial developments of the nineteenth century, this poster is for Beamish Motor and Cycle Works (pictured above, by Rob Langham @flickr)

Blue skies

April showers have turned into a chilly May, and I’d be lying if I said that I cycled my way through last month’s torrential rains. When the heavens open a bus is dryer and much more comfortable, but if you’re braving the elements, make sure you stay safe by keeping an eye on your bike maintenance, especially the brakes – remember that wet brakes are less responsive!

For tips on how to stay dry, here’s my How To guide.
And if you want to keep your head in clear skies, check out these beautiful bespoke helmets by New York designer Belle Helmets.

Sky helmet, @Etsy or @bellehelmets.com. £95.35 or as agreed with seller.

Addison Lee

I’m sure you are aware of the recent uproar caused by Addison Lee boss John Griffin when he declared that his drivers should break the law by driving in London’s bus lanes (see video here), promising to reimburse any fines that they might incur for doing so, whilst encouraging an attitude of SMIDSY (“sorry mate, I didn’t see you”) as being something that cyclists just have to get used to.

The courts are currently in the process of blocking AdLee cabs from entering bus lanes, but do your part by raising awareness amongst your friends: this article from The Evening Standard might help towards making your blood boil.

If you haven’t read the inflammatory article from Addison Lee’s ‘Chairman’s Column’ of their free Spring 2012 Add Lib magazine, see what you make of this:

“Green party candidates and others are up in arms about what they see as the murder of Cyclists on London Roads. There has, as we all know, been a tremendous upsurge in cycling and cycling shops.

This summer the roads will be thick with bicycles, These cyclists are throwing themselves onto some of the most congested spaces in the world. They leap onto a vehicle which offers them no protection except a padded plastic hat.

Should a motorist fail to observe a granny wobbling to avoid a pothole or a rain drain, then he is guilty of failing to anticipate that this was somebody on her maiden voyage into the abyss. The fact is he just didn’t see her and however cautious, caring or alert he is, the influx of beginner cyclists is going to lead to an overall increase in accidents involving cyclists.

The rest of us occupying this roadspace have had to undego extensive training. We are sitting inside a protected space with impact bars and air bags and paying extortionate amounts of taxes on our vehicle purchase, parking, servicing, insurance and road tax. It is time for us to say to cyclists ‘You want to join our gang, get trained and pay up’.

John Griffin Chairman”

If you want to make a stand, you can sign a petition to have Addison Lee’s license revoked: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/33116

Now, as a passenger, I cannot deny that AddLee provide a great service, but as a cyclist I have been in many situations where Addison Lee cabs have overtaken only to quickly turn left into me, overtaken without giving sufficient space to ensure my safety, turned left without indicating thus not giving me time to manouevre and all those inconsiderate faults that make cycling dangerous in cities.
The danger is not because I am ‘throwing myself onto one of the most congested spaces in the world’, it’s because these drivers aren’t just being permitted to disregard vulnerable cyclists, they are being encouraged to do so through the ignorant spiels of those who are too comfortable armoured within their vehicles where even if they do happen to get a little blood under their wheels it will only take a drive through the car wash to cleanse their consciences.

Signing the petition isn’t really about killing off Addison Lee, it’s about killing off the disgusting attitude that makes people think that if cyclists die then maybe they should have been more careful.