Advocacy & Safety - chicago critical mass 8/31/07

anyone ride in it tonight and wonder why only 30 people actually followed the map? had to be the silliest mass ive ever seen. the lead 30 (me included) followed the map to the letter and the rest of you, where the **** did you go? critical mess anyone?

critical mass seems to be getting stupider and stupider. last month in philly they went through upenn campus...

At least you didnt get arrested like some of the people did.

that is true... who got arrested?

that is true... who got arrested?

About two hours in, the Chicago PD stopped the ride at Canal and Roosevelt, sealing the intersection with a couple of paddy wagons, marked and unmarked cars, ATVs, and their own bikes. We stood around for maybe 20 minutes, filling the length and width of the block of Canal north of the intersection, a few people chanting ("whose streets? our streets" and so on), and then the CPD pulled a few people off their bikes, zip tied their hands, and threw them in the wagons. A report on CCM (http://chicagocriticalmass.org/node/5106) says the charge was "inciting a riot," but I've not seen anything to confirm.

My partner and I called it quits after the first three or four people were arrested, and joined a small stream of people heading west and north through UIC (again). We stopped in Greek Town for a bite, and about ten minutes later a stream of about 50-75 riders passed by cheering and wishing everyone a happy Friday.

The whole thing was bizarre, but fun until the CPD started directing the route. Hope next month is better.

I was there and brought my son. We arrived when the ride was already in motion. I'd guess tehre were a couple of hundred riders behind us and it seemed like the slowest, most disorganized ride. We stopped riding wehn at Canal and Roosevelt but didn't see anyone arrested.

critical mass seems to be getting stupider and stupider. last month in philly they went through upenn campus...

The problem is we have these idiot riders who only come out for Critical Mass and assume leadership. Seriously, go to any philly races or ride around and you NEVER see these dudes, yet they pull this stupid **** there.

They rode through UPenn again this month. One of the aforementioned weirdos went on a huge rant about "F*ck Ivy League!!."

They also did a bikestand thing at Broad and Chestnut for way too long, and made a ruckus weaving down gridlocked South Street rather than just taking a parallel street.

Ugh.