Bike ride protest at Fairford airshow

[Sea King]

Considering the fact that Fairford is used, really, for one week out of the 52 weeks in a year, I hardly think that the pollution caused during RIAT is going to cause the whole of Goucestershire to become a health hazard for the next millenium.

Well said.

[john001]

I guess they are there for the 40th anniversary as Concorde says it reminds us all of Greenham.

[raffairford]

Lets be honest Riat will know about this and so will the boys in blue and they will have plans in place to make sure they will not get in the way off the traffic coming or going toward Riat. Now when the gulf war was in action there was a protest then but they was well behaved during the show .
So lets see what happens .

[mrlovepantsuk]

Do they honestly think that if RIAT wasn't on that the planes would be grounded and the spectators sat at home. The planes would still be flying somewhere causing the same amount of pollution.

[DanH]

Do they honestly think that if RIAT wasn't on that the planes would be grounded and the spectators sat at home. The planes would still be flying somewhere causing the same amount of pollution.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Surely having all of the aircraft on the ground in one place for most of the time is less damaging to the environment than having them all flying around willy nilly carrying out their normal squadron duties, be it safeguarding airspace or pumping innocent Iraqi children full of depleted uranium.

[mrlovepantsuk]

they would be far better protesting at something like F1 or any other motor sport event which isn't a necessity unlike the defence of the nation.

[StevenH]

they would be far better protesting at something like F1 or any other motor sport event which isn't a necessity unlike the defence of the nation.

RIAT is involved in defence of the nation?

[Sea King]

I'm sure these cyclists will have their eyes firmly fixed on the skies, when the flying begins

[swingy]

Oh man best laugh I have had in a while reading the links you folks put on this thread. Thank goodness for free speach ( I will refrain from commenting at length on how free speach was achieved for the people of Iraq). Perhaps he should send his profits after paying for his self promotion to Help for Heros who ensure his freedom to ride and rant

[Macc]

"On yer bike, lads."

[AlexC]

A naked bike ride protest might get a bit more publicity if that's what they're after?

[capercaillie]

A naked bike ride protest might get a bit more publicity if that's what they're after?

Surely you're not going to do that again this year Alex?

[Hurn]

The good news is that RIAT have now secured a couple of Raleigh Choppers for the static!

[postman1967]

The good news is that RIAT have now secured a couple of Raleigh Choppers for the static!

is that the new chopper squadron at raf bike norton

[Abingdonman]

Maybe the cycle protesters are hoping their demo will open new 'Dawes' to their cause,and 'Raleigh' the public behind them....anyway,a few times up & down that runway will give them 'BSA's'

[AlexC]

Surely you're not going to do that again this year Alex?

Yoi must be confusing me with someone else mate. I haven't had a bike for about 20 years!

[nigelblake]

Surely you're not going to do that again this year Alex?

Yoi must be confusing me with someone else mate. I haven't had a bike for about 20 years!

Me neither, but I had several in my younger days!

[st24]

anyway,a few times up & down that runway will give them 'BSA's'

Inspired Sir! You spoke for all of us....

[XP282]

Mind you, he does raise a valid point on the allocation of funds raised at RIAT!

I did hear this year that of your ~£40 ticket, about 40PENCE finds it way to people who need it!

[TomTwin]

If they think that the CO2 emissions at Fairford are a problem I have some suggestions for them...

1. Don't breathe - you'll exhale CO2,
2. Don't heat your house - produces CO2,
3. Why stand at Fairford and protest?! Surely the M25 or Heathrow would be more sensible!

[Martin the Martian]

Obviously he has a right to free speech and democratic protest, as do we all thanks to the actions of many thousands of service personnel down the years, exactly the sort of people he seemingly dislikes. I feel his grand gesture at RIAT will be little more than that, as it will be lost among the numbers arriving to attend the show. The anti-war lecture he is promoting may end up being drowned out by the noise of F-16s, A-10s etc.

He does seem to bear a particular grudge against RIAT, as opposed to other airshows, and one wonders why.

Still, I'd happily put a few quid in his bucket for a children's hospital in Iraq, assuming of course that it is a valid, registered charity.

[pako-2008]

:lmao:

If they think that the CO2 emissions at Fairford are a problem I have some suggestions for them...

1. Don't breathe - you'll exhale CO2,
2. Don't heat your house - produces CO2,
3. Why stand at Fairford and protest?! Surely the M25 or Heathrow would be more sensible!

Furthermore, what about a Volcano eruption?

All these examples don't even come close to the amount of CO2 a volcano produces.

[Liveforriat]

Not sure you can protest a volcano though

Look, the guys got the right to protest. People protesting the very things that earnt them that very right is not new and it is an Irony often lost on these individuals however im happy that I live in a country where individuals can do these types of things without serious consequence (for alternative see syria). Conversely we have the right to hold and attend an airshow that celebrates all things aviation.

There is no reason as to why these two events will not co-exist quite happiily,as long as the protest is peacful and not disruptive then there is no reason why they cannot. We all know the boys in blue will nip any toruble in the bud before it means they have to do any serious overtime on a weekend and ultimately in a who shouts loudest match the afterburner will always best the hippy

Like mentioned above if the charity is legit I will drop a pound in the guys bucket and then I will proceed to enjoy a weekend that celebrates not mans ability to make war and carnage but our ability to be creative , push boundries , celebrate our past endevours and to simply entertain.

[nigelblake]

How about dropping some sort of aviation related item in their collection buckets, such as patches, books, RIAT baseball caps etc that they can then sell on E-bay to raise funds!

[Concorde216]

http://directactionstation.com/?p=3476

The bloke is an idiot.......

Totally agree. The stuff he was coming up with was unbeliveable, he is suggesting that just because we go to the show that we're somehow war supporters . I have given him my two cent's worth in the comment box though it wont change who he is. He is definately a lost caused.