This is a story about the regular cycle rides in London by Critical Mass.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6677589.stm
Now I’m wondering if the same rules could be applied to large scale bike rideouts or meets?
Almost certainly. 
The French have a similar system, so badly worded it makes wedding processions and funeral corteges illegal. Needless to say it is totally ignored by the general public.
Thanks for the heads-up.
What’s the point in this? What issue do they have with a cycle ride? It seems completely archaic that they would want to stop the promotion of something that cleary is hugely beneficial to our society. If they want to cut pollution and reduce congestion then alternative transport should be promoted, like cycling and motorcycling. Not opressed and banned! Madness!
Presumably the cyclists are doing something like causing a danger to pedestrians, which is why the Police have picked up on it? Who in the Police force would be instigating this?
Ride-outs could be the target of many forms of legislation, I don’t think this is anything to be unduly worried about. We’re more likely to be targeted by speed-checks and road-worthiness inspections than procession bans.
I have frequently encountered critical mass when a pedestrian without any problems. I would suspect the bigger issue is complaints from motorist about being held up by that group of cyclists.
Clearly the police have much more important things to worry about!
“Arresting cyclists at Critical Mass will be like arresting a group of passengers for gathering at Westminster tube station during the rush hour.”
Madness
Hope they start arresting all car drivers who arrange to commute into London together.
I’d like to see that Stu.