Advocacy & Safety - chicago critical mass

anyone know about how many people rode. and...how far the route was?

chifgers estimated around 5000. soon after it started it was broken up into smaller chunks by the cops, but each group held close to a 1000.

tallahassee had 30 people. top that!

Only 30 in Tally?! We had at least 50 in Gainesville. I thought you guys had a better bike scene.

actually, the tallycat website says about 50. i was trying to keep it low. you know. contrast. comedy.


alright. i admit. i was lying to make friends.




oh and. we do. have a better bike scene. than you do.

ahem.

I was bored yesterday so I organized a Critical Mass.
It was just me.
I have a Critical Mass almost everyday.
I'm getting the word out about cycling.

It was one of the fullest CCM rides I've been on, I haven't seen numbers.

I will say that I left after an hour of walking because it was going so slow I couldn't ride.

http://chicagocriticalmass.org/rides?filter0=2007&filter1=9 to see what people are saying.

At its best, CM should be a demonstration, civil disobedience, crossed with a massive party...meaning the purpose is to have fun (and look like it) while demonstrating a point to on-lookers. At its worst (which it is getting closer and closer to with every ride), it is a alcohol and vandalism ridden group with an apparent inability to follow a route.

I guess if I was asked what I thought of it, I'd say "it's an experience, if you've never gone, go to a couple", but I might also have a gut instinct to say "i'm over it". Perhaps this is why there is a move towards CM by neighborhood...

yea it was my first one and i had a lot of fun.

ann arbor was about 15!

The way I look at CM is, the reason cars (drivers, actually) feel entitled to push cyclists around is, they are so many. But in places, like in Finland, where there are many cyclists, car drivers are much more attentive.

On the flip side, in cities like Rijeka in Croatia (where I was born), it's rather hilly and so there have not been many cyclists. In return, car drivers are agressive as hell and will gladly run over a cyclist because WTF ARE YOU DOIN THERE CYCLING!!???!!! and so even less people will brave the streets of Rijeka. Now, imagine if the number of cyclists on the streets of Rijeka increased dramatically - then the tables would be turned and all of a sudden, killing a cyclist isn't all that natural anymore.


So that's what CM does, in my view: it turns the tables, by increasing the number of cyclists on the road it sends the message that cars are not the exclusive citizens of the road, and that cars should be mindful of cyclists.




Or something such. Didn't sleep much last night, so this is just my creative, unrestricted "thinking".

So that's what CM does, in my view: it turns the tables, by increasing the number of cyclists on the road it sends the message that cars are not the exclusive citizens of the road, and that cars should be mindful of cyclists.


Absolutely, but when you start breaking the mirrors off of cars who don't "get it", you've crossed the line, and are no longer being the "better person", the "wise" one spreading knowledge. Facilitation of communication stops when your group loses credibility by using violence.

Absolutely, but when you start breaking the mirrors off of cars who don't "get it", you've crossed the line, and are no longer being the "better person", the "wise" one spreading knowledge. Facilitation of communication stops when your group loses credibility by using violence.
Nobody said anything about breaking mirrors of cars. Nobody said anything about the "wise one"??????

So that's what CM does, in my view: it turns the tables, by increasing the number of cyclists on the road it sends the message that cars are not the exclusive citizens of the road, and that cars should be mindful of cyclists.




Or something such. Didn't sleep much last night, so this is just my creative, unrestricted "thinking".

Being a veteran of many cm's, I think it's almost counterproductive. What is a regular joe going to see/think when they get stuck behind a CM?

No good bunch of hippies antagonizing drivers, causing confrontations. The increase in cyclists in CM is just temporary, it doesn't increase the amount of day to day cyclists, which is where it really matters. The best way to increase safety is to increase the number of cyclists on the road - and we should use all means to ensure this happens.

5000... I wish.

Our CM had the lowest turnout I've seen since I started riding in it in June but it was windy and pretty freaking cold... I guess we may have had 35-40 people.

The cold didn't stop us from partying our asses off and riding until well past 3 am though.

Nobody said anything about breaking mirrors of cars. Nobody said anything about the "wise one"??????

I don't know if you recall, but this thread is about Chicago Critical Mass (CCM). Your reply to the thread had nothing to do w/ CCM, but did make about CM as a whole.

I was specifically addressing your point : that CM (as a whole) "sends the message that cars are not the exclusive citizens of the road, and that cars should be mindful of cyclists."

Unfortunately, at CCM, it is frequent for riders to break mirrors, tail lights, etc on cars that try to drive through despite being "corked"; the point is when a rider crosses the line and uses violence, the message to the driver changes from "wow, they're trying to make a point, maybe I'll listen" to "you broke my mirror, you f***ng ***hole"

Also, to go back to the ErikVX orig post, I saw a post that said 3600 people.

i think they tried to organize one in fullerton lsat month and 4 people showed up.

Chifg
!!!!1

If that's the message you want to send I don't think CM is the right messenger. Anyone I talk to about critical mass refer to the participants as jerks or worse. Since they're all on bikes it just IMHO forms a connection in people's minds that cyclist=jerk, that's the message most people will get from being inconvenienced by a CM ride.




So that's what CM does, in my view: it turns the tables, by increasing the number of cyclists on the road it sends the message that cars are not the exclusive citizens of the road, and that cars should be mindful of cyclists.

The increase in cyclists in CM is just temporary, it doesn't increase the amount of day to day cyclists, which is where it really matters. The best way to increase safety is to increase the number of cyclists on the road - and we should use all means to ensure this happens.

Well put. I agree.

**** Critical Mass.

well look whos johnny rebel

**** Critical Mass.

Thanks for the substantive post.

Being a veteran of many cm's, I think it's almost counterproductive. What is a regular joe going to see/think when they get stuck behind a CM?

No good bunch of hippies antagonizing drivers, causing confrontations. The increase in cyclists in CM is just temporary, it doesn't increase the amount of day to day cyclists, which is where it really matters. The best way to increase safety is to increase the number of cyclists on the road - and we should use all means to ensure this happens.

i pretty much agree with your first point, but completely disagree with your second... i have met so many people that started riding because of critical mass and it's spinoffs. and not just commuters, a lot of the mass kids in SD have taken to road racing, serious MTBing and even racing at the velodrome.

Man... our CM rides are usually a peaceful and enjoyable affair and I see more drivers honking in support with smiles and waves than they are honking out of frustration.

Most of the people I see at our CM rides are people I know and people who are regular commuters and riders and not a bunch of ne'er do wells who show up to cause trouble.

Our Friday ride did have a little ugliness when a guy in an SUV tried to cut through the middle of the group (at speed) and had he just slowed down he could have pulled in behind me (I was riding in the rear) and made his turn without any issue.

This guy was reckless and was endangeriong riders (and the police have his license and vehicle information) and I do think he'll be talking to the authorities about his driving and also touching up his paint as the guys he nearly ran over were not happy campers at all.

I see more drivers honking in support with smiles and waves than they are honking out of frustration.


thats what i thought was so cool. i mean sure there were a lot of pissed off people but at least with the experience i had, there were also a lot of motorists who were smiling, honking, and yelling happy friday.

The best way to increase safety is to increase the number of cyclists on the road - and we should use all means to ensure this happens.

I very violently and unambiguously agree!

I see more drivers honking in support with smiles and waves than they are honking out of frustration.


thats what i thought was so cool. i mean sure there were a lot of pissed off people but at least with the experience i had, there were also a lot of motorists who were smiling, honking, and yelling happy friday.
http://www.filmreference.com/images/sjff_01_img0480.jpg

Philly Critical Mass is pretty chill compared to some. Congratulations on Chicago's turn out. It's not like that here. Here are a couple of videos from Philadelphia I put up on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noIYQI-HtjQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI15a4piasg

I prefer to ride legally, but I like the mass because it's a chance to take the road once per month. I wish people would stop cutting through pedestrian areas though! Not so smart.

Peace out

Nice feelin' there ate the Philly CM.

I was thinking: if I lived in the US or Canada, the only time I'd dare to cycle in a city is in a CM. Otherwise it seems way too dangerous.

So, how about increasing the number of CM events to a bit more than once a month... perhaps twice a month, and then once a week, and then, before you know it, everyone's cycling!