curbtender

It works in areas that accept it for what it is. Raising awareness of alternative transportation. Throw in a few anachist and you get a whole new message.

RaleighSport

I could see it flying berkley, but not oakland, SF I'm not so sure about.. how does it really work out in the bigger cities mr Curb?

curbtender

Why not Oakland? It's more Berkeley now days than Berkeley. SF became so notorious for it's confrontation with motorist that the local riders started to boycott it. How it's really supposed to work is to have a presence that can't be ignored like a single rider on his way to work, or the store, or a night out...

pkpyro

I say it's bad.

For a little while I freaking loved the idea of it and went to one with 2 inches of snow on the roads (we had about 200 people still show up) once. One time, though, it got bad when one cyclist decided to ignore oncoming traffic and got hit. Some of his buddies went up to the car (which, by the way, had the right of way) and smashed all the windows in.

I realize that not all cyclists are like that and most dedicated cyclists are environmentally-conscious, generally nice people. The kids who did it looked like they were maybe 16 or so. Little punks in their rebel stage, I suppose.

From a driver's perspective, I can understand how nervous it is to sit through literally 10 to 20 minutes of cyclists honking their way about. Sometimes they even lane split past your was-about-to-turn car and frighten you. Of course there are the usual d-bags that get high or drunk. Police department does escort CM in my city, but don't really advocate it. Again, blocks traffic.

The final straw for me was when a whole group of people decided to ignore ambulance sirens and blarge through traffic. It's stated at the beginning of all CMs in my city that you do NOT, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, block emergency vehicles. I have a jaded opinion of CM now... and even though it's fun most of the time, I will not be attending any more CMs in the future. The select few that do attend CMs ruin the cyclists' image. I hate that. I really do.

mike

Critical Mass is bad for the image of bicycling.

You don't make friends or create a positive image by frustrating and angering the general population.

Many of the people who participate in Critical Mass are not really bicycle enthusiasts anyway. They are just people who own bicycles and enjoy en mass trouble making.

Each and every one of us who believe in bicycling as a legitimate form of transportation needs to be an ambassador for bicycling and be diplomatic with the way we represent bicycling. Large groups of bicycles slowing down or stopping traffic or assaulting automobiles can not be considered diplomatic by any stretch of the imagination.

iforgotmename

Not true...at least here in Cleveland. The participants range from weekend warriors to the car free, commuters, local cycling advocates(who actually do positive things)and even some fully kitted roadies. It's too bad that it is a negative in other cities on because that has tarnished the ride in the eyes of a lot of people . I feel lucky to be able to ride in a CM that very rarely sees any negative reactions or problems. I believe that the concept of CM is a bit over analyzed here...hard to imagine that happening in A&S.

I guess I must be lucky here in CLE.

Typically the motorists who are getting overly upset are of the get on the sidewalk mentality.

curbtender

Like I said, good idea when it works...

iforgotmename

Agreed

Amesja

I think that most of the nay-sayers of CM are those who have never been to one -much less go every month.

Many of folks who really get their knickers up in a bunch about it are the type of folks who are boot-licking badge-worshiping holster-sniffers. I guess the world takes all types. Smash authority -don't bend your knee to it. It's always been a vocal minority that has been the motive force behind any change in paradigm.

Change doesn't happen without people acting out and breaking the mold. The meek really do not inherit the earth -that's simply fiction.

But in the end, those who think that CM should be different and the particiapants should act differently should just go and help influence the behavior of the event rather than sitting at home complaining about how other people are acting in public. Critical Mass is a leaderless, open, and all-embracing movement. Nobody is going to tell you to go home or that you can't ride the public streets during CM with the other bikes. That's the whole point. If you don't like what CM is all about then get out there and help make it something you think it should be -rather than that which you have a problem with.

Because if you sit at home they are going to do their own thing and not listen to you. It's that simple. Fail to participate and your voice does not count.

MMACH 5

So, are saying that CM is all about breaking the law and showing the cops that cyclist can do whatever we want?
If so, then you are just reinforcing the stereotype and proving that CM IS bad for cycling and endangers our right to the road.

Amesja

If the boot sparkles, licki it...

RaleighSport

Get to CMing or you're doing nothing, and any opinion but your own exact one doesn't matter.. that's how you're coming across to me and exactly why I've suspected CM is a bad thing.

Keith99

I've never been to a Critical mass and likelynever will.

Why?

Becaseu a huge percentage intentionally schedule to start at 5:00 Friday afternoon/evening. I happen to have a job. The reason for the schedule also seems clear, to be intentionally disruptive.

Heck I'd not like them anyway, from what I've seen they are far too slow to be fun for me. No I'm not racer rick. Not even close, a real cat 4 rider would drop me like a brick. But I like to at least have to turn the pedals. Here in Los Angeles when Reardon was Mayor he had rides. I went to a few. Some were OK, but on one I literally did not turn a pedal for 3 miles when going North to South through the San Fernando Valley. It looks flat but 1% or less grade is enough on a good bike to go faster than this kind of ride would go.

Last time I talked live with someone who did critical mass she went on about how fun the bike lift was. That is when they block the intersection and all lift their bikes. Sort of thumbing their nose at motorists.

No thanks, I might have to deal with the fallout of that on my next ride.

Amesja

Everyone's opinion matters to them. But if you hide your candle under a bushel basket your opinion really doesn't have any traction.

If you don't like the way people are having an ad-hoc ride and the way the "leaders at the moment" are conducting it you have two choices:

1. Show up and lead by example how you think a bicyclist should behave.
B. Sit at home and complain about it on the internet.

curbtender

I've never been to Chicago so I don't know the dynamics of the rules you live by, but if one of these boot lickers needs to help you out, are they denied? Or do you come to the reality of why they work for you. You are out there. Take away the middle-man, streetlights, stop signs and lets just do the right thing. I think utopia is on it's way.

weshigh

1c. Go on about your business not complaining.

iforgotmename

One persons opinion makes you dislike an entire group?

That happened in Germany once.

RaleighSport

Hmmm you're not helping your case.. I state my opinion and why and you make a "veiled" reference comparing me to hitler... I didn't even come across with the force Am did in which I found I didn't like his opinion.... oh show me where I said the entire group was bad ever? I've been attempting to engage in conversation to find out about a viewpoint I don't understand.. but the knee jerks I'm getting back push me further into my stereotyping of you guys. (except you Curb, you've been quite informative).

Edit: Hey wait a freaking minute.. aren't you CM guys supposed to be representing me and other cyclists... and aren't you part of the same herd? Some brotherly love you got for someone with a different viewpoint, guess I'll go be a cager.

iforgotmename

I know that you think that you understand what I wrote, but I'm not sure that what you comprehend is what I meant.

BTW I wasn't comparing you to Hitler...just sayin.

RaleighSport

I think you should apply your own insights to yourself there too.

capejohn

Critical Mass is nothing more than rush hour traffic on bikes. It a "how do you like it" thing. But actually they do slow down the traffic and that inherently make it safer. Eventually everyone gets home.

Genaro

Concept = Good
Execution = Bad

JanekTheFizyk

I have no idea how does CM looks in your cities, but judging from negetive response not everything is right. Maybe try to give some input how it should look like? Especially when claiming that

Amesja

Judging from the negative response that ANY bikes on the road tend to get from a sizable minority of auto drivers by this logic there isn't something right with riding bikes in the road.

These are people who won't be happy until bikes are totally banned from the road. There is no way, shape, or form of making these people happy doing ANYTHING short of that.

Screw them.

FrenchFit 

Amen brother. The post-script in SF is a little hard to read. SF government has made enormous improvements in the environment for bike riders in the last five years, whether CM gets some credit or whether it's all the SF Bike Coalition is a matter of argument I guess, but change has been dramatic. Ask an SF commuter whether CM is "bad for cycling" and suspect the answer would be $%ll no. And, boot-licking badge-worshiping holster-sniffers, seems to be a very big club here in the USA...just saying.