Advocacy & Safety - don't forget - Portland Critical Mass this Friday

Hey all,

Don't forget Portland Critical Mass this Friday -

2 OPTIONS
- regular Critical Mass meets under the Burnside Bridge @ 5:30 p.m.
- Wussy Mass meets in the North Park Blocks near Couch St. @ 5:30 p.m. - this mass has a few rules to follow including: the head of the pack stopping at red lights, no riding in opposite lanes of traffic or incorrectly down one way streets, no banging on cars, etc.

:D

Hmm... I'd like to come down there for that some time. How often are they?

I've heard that Portland is one of the bike-friendliest cities around.

You're doing this at the risk of pissing off motorists and possibly making Portland a less bike-friendly city? :confused: :confused:

You're doing this at the risk of pissing off motorists
Absolutely. Having lived in Portland (as well as Seattle) I found it fairly easy to get around by bike. I've yet to find, however, a city that is "bike friendly". Well, the Netherlands had some bike friendly cities. Critical mass is an opportunity to assert your rights as a cyclist, the only way to do so is to congregate in a large group as defense - a bit like a school of fish. Fostering a victim mentality and plastering yourself with strips of reflective tape isn't the only path.

It takes place every last Friday of the month.

You're doing this at the risk of pissing off motorists and possibly making Portland a less bike-friendly city? I've heard that Portland is one of the bike-friendliest cities around.

Ron, i totally disagree.

Portland CM (which i've ridden about 4-5 times in the last 4 years), i think really HELPS contribute to the bike-friendlyness of Portland.

more motorists see cyclists and more motorists realize that bike are a real mode of transportation here to stay AND more cyclists or potential cyclists are encouraged to ride.

Maybe in places where there aren't many cyclists the effect of CM is different, but in Portland where so many people ride bikes and almost everyone has a good friend who rides to work or for pleasure, most people see CM as a positive community-building thing... most of the auto users and pedestrians cheer and whistle and honk (positive celebratory honking) as CM goes by... it's a party and a community celebration riding through NW, down burnside or across one of the bridges...

See you there!

The potential for giving cyclists a bad name is very high at these events. 99% of the rider can have the right idea, and the 1% who don't can give us all bad names.

I choose to stay away from CM.
Group rides yes, CM no.
How 'bout a ride called "Let's go kick the $hit out of people who don't understand us"?
:eek:

How 'bout a ride called "Let's go kick the $hit out of people who don't understand us"?
Cool! Where do I sign up?

WaltH,

again, i disagree. mayber where you live the attitude is different. I rode in the Austin TX CM ride and i think the effect was minimal b/c virtually no one noticed (30 riders among all the cars) and no one understood what we we doing and cycling is much less popular there -- recreational riding AKA Lance is popular, but only for recreational fun, not as a substitute for a Texan's personality indicator (one's car) and definition of self ("hi, i'm jack, i drive a '98 full size Chevy with 2" lift and Flowmasters...") ---- i lived 26 years in Texas, so i know

as i stated above, in Portland the CM rides are very well received by non-participants with most people reacting like it's a community parade (which it kind of is) and honking in support and cheering and whistling.

as with almost anything, there are bound to be a few rotten apples, but why should cyclists not gather and show their support for cycling and try and make their city a better, more friendly and safer place for cycling just because of a slight danger that a few rotten apples might make it bad?

Furthermore, if you're not one of those rotten apples, then by not going you INCREASE the chance that those rotten apples that DO go will make a bad impression -- i.e. they're going to be there anyway whether you approve or not, but if each "bad apple" is surrounded by 100 well-behaved cyclists, people probably won't see the bad side. and if as some of you claim, the CM rides give cyclists a bad name, well this is going to happen whether or not you participate. IF you do participate then you can help make it better. So as i see it, the only thing you gain by not going is that you can claim you are not associated "i'm not one of THOSE cyclists" --- and you can just hope that the movement dies out before it gets too much media coverage about the "horrors of cycling"

P.S. anyone know anything about the Munich CM. on the Berlin CM website there's a comment that says a Munich CM started in 2001 some time, but there are no details for where or if it still happens...

Nathank,
Touche. Very good rebuttal. Maybe I'll participate in the next one. I'd like to think I'm one of the good guys.

Please keep an eye on the kids hopped up on Pixie Sticks and Mountain Dew.

They may ruin it for the rest of us.

Originally posted by WaltH

...I choose to stay away from CM...


Hear hear!

Whoever it was who said that the primary purpose of public demonstration is to annoy anyone not participating in the demonstration might have been speaking of Critical Mass. I don't find the logic in enraging those that one wishes to educate and enlighten. Public relations folly of a very high order.

I'll sign petitions and practice aggressive obedience on the road as my contribution to advocacy and safety, and I'll applaud anyone who discovers the joys of responsible cycling. :)

-Rob