Northern California - Leap year ride and Critical Mass

Anyone going to Leap Day Critical Mass? It only comes around once in a blue moon.

i might come out to this one.

It only come around once in a blue moon.Less often than that, I'd wager. :)

I'm kinda leery of Critical Mass ... just don't want another riot, cyclists breaking every law in the book, and cars wanting to run everyone on a bike over. Kinda defeats the idea of making bicycling more appealing to the general masses.

I agree. I think originally it was a good idea, attract attention to the needs of bicyclists, but now I think it just pisses drivers off.

What makes this critical mass different from past critical mass in SF?

Besides the Leap Year designation.

What makes this critical mass different from past critical mass in SF?

Besides the Leap Year designation.

Nothing.. I like the philosophy of "Teaching people to share the road by taking it over". Makes about as much sense as a football bat.

I'm glad I check bf.net or I would have ran right into this thing on my way home from work on friday.. phew!

I guess I'll have to leave work early tomorrow so I can miss CM. I would hate to be mowed down by some crazy mom in a minivan while cycling because CM riders sent her into a rampage...:roflmao:

I'll be taking Caltrain 257 up for it, so I have time to cruise over to American Cyclery before it starts, riding my green '69 Raleigh Superbe 3-speed. CM is just a big group ride for me. The only "club" ride I can enjoy without wearing a helmet, that won't shun me for my personal choice. Vive la liberty!

Probably return on the 194 at 10:00. I always just start riding with the group and not look up or think about where I am until I'm done, or it's done, then figure out where I am and head to the train station. It's like being on the train; a continuum of people forming a single "supervehicle", others in cars needing to wait for it to clear the area, a little moment for a minority to exercise their right to a regularly scheduled peaceful demonstration.

Despite the bad rap for CM, the vast vast vast majority of faces seen will be smiling, understanding, patient and tolerant.

Bob, that's my general feeling about CM. I don't normally go but because it falls on the last Friday of each month, it's not going to fall on a Friday Leap Day again for a long time (at least four years:D).

Anyone going to Leap Day Critical Mass? It only comes around once in a blue moon.

This from timeanddate.com:

The year 2008 is a leap year. If you look at a 2008 calendar, you will see that February has five Fridays–the month begins and ends on a Friday. Between the years 1904 and 2096, leap years that share the same day of week for each date repeat only every 28 years. The most recent year in which February comprised five Fridays was in 1980, and the next occurrence will be in 2036. February 29, the leap day, has been associated with age-old traditions, superstitions and folklore.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bluemoon1.html

How Often Does a Blue Moon Occur?
Over the next twenty years there will be a total of 17 blue moons, with an almost equal number of both types of blue moons occurring. No blue moon of any kind will occur in the years 2006, 2011, 2014, and 2017.


A leap day critical mass only happens once every 28 years (this will be the first)
Since the first Critical Mass ride took place on Friday, September 25, 1992 at 6 pm in San Francisco.

I guess I'll have to leave work early tomorrow so I can miss CM. I would hate to be mowed down by some crazy mom in a minivan while cycling because CM riders sent her into a rampage...:roflmao:

I was thinking of participating this month, but ironically, I will be driving my minivan about the time critical mass starts since I need to pick up a bicycle that's missing a wheel at a friend's house.
I hope I don't run into that CM crowd. :D

"The only "club" ride I can enjoy without wearing a helmet, that won't shun me for my personal choice"
:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

Yeah, I remember my first ride with NorCal and forgot my helmet..they beat the crap out of me and through me and my bike in the bushs!..and took my wallet, do you remember that guys? I know all of you shun people all of the time because you don't believe in freedom.

I'll be taking Caltrain 257 up for it, so I have time to cruise over to American Cyclery before it starts, riding my green '69 Raleigh Superbe 3-speed. CM is just a big group ride for me. The only "club" ride I can enjoy without wearing a helmet, that won't shun me for my personal choice. Vive la liberty!

Probably return on the 194 at 10:00. I always just start riding with the group and not look up or think about where I am until I'm done, or it's done, then figure out where I am and head to the train station. It's like being on the train; a continuum of people forming a single "supervehicle", others in cars needing to wait for it to clear the area, a little moment for a minority to exercise their right to a regularly scheduled peaceful demonstration.

Despite the bad rap for CM, the vast vast vast majority of faces seen will be smiling, understanding, patient and tolerant.

Bob, I know most of the BF'ers here wouldn't shun you fro not wearing a helmet or cycling "gear." It's your personal choice, and most of us are pretty laid back. ;)

However clubs like Western Wheelers, Alto Velo, SJ Bike Club, etc, etc... have an identifiable organization that may be held liable and/or get bad publicity from any kind of accident. BF is not an organization, it is a collection of friends who like to talk bikes, and meet up for rides.

On the North Bay (Mt. Tam) ride from last year, didn't you ride with regular athletic shorts and no helmet? No big deal.

Yeah, we didn't shun you Bob! :beer:
I've occasionally been spotted cycling around the world lidless too. ;)
And horror of horrors, I wear MTB shorts on my road bike.


The only times I generally roll my eyes are when I see:
1) Someone cycling with their helmet hanging from their handlebars
2) Helmeted kids riding with bare-headed parents

Nothing.. I like the philosophy of "Teaching people to share the road by taking it over". Makes about as much sense as a football bat.

I'm glad I check bf.net or I would have ran right into this thing on my way home from work on friday.. phew!

Hey, I like football bats. I also like my cotton rain cape and playdough front bumpers.:D

Seriously though I think CM has lost its meaning because making drivers get stuck in traffic caused by hundreds of cyclists is not really a good thing to do. I really doubt any of these drivers are thinking "Hmmm, I will be much nicer to people on bikes from now on and give them more room.", as most of them sit there in their cars, unmoving.

This was really drove home the day we did the Mt Tam ride and a group of us were riding back through San Francisco. A couple of elder pedestrians were crossing traffic and the group stopped to let them through. As they passed by one of them said "So, you guys are not part of that group?"

I crack up when I see folks wearing their helmets backwards (I just hope *they* don't crack up!). I'm always puzzled as to how someone could screw that up. It just seems so obvious which way it goes. Maybe I've spent too much time as a member of the Helmet Brigade.

This from timeanddate.com:

The year 2008 is a leap year. If you look at a 2008 calendar, you will see that February has five Fridays–the month begins and ends on a Friday. Between the years 1904 and 2096, leap years that share the same day of week for each date repeat only every 28 years. The most recent year in which February comprised five Fridays was in 1980, and the next occurrence will be in 2036. February 29, the leap day, has been associated with age-old traditions, superstitions and folklore.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bluemoon1.html

How Often Does a Blue Moon Occur?
Over the next twenty years there will be a total of 17 blue moons, with an almost equal number of both types of blue moons occurring. No blue moon of any kind will occur in the years 2006, 2011, 2014, and 2017.


A leap day critical mass only happens once every 28 years (this will be the first)
Since the first Critical Mass ride took place on Friday, September 25, 1992 at 6 pm in San Francisco.

Wow. I wonder if CM will still be around in 2036. I thought it was an uncommon occurance but 28 years? Whew.

Blast... I don't remember what thread it was.. but CM like all things on this earth will be gone in 2012.

Yeah, we didn't shun you Bob! :beer:
I've occasionally been spotted cycling around the world lidless too. ;)
And horror of horrors, I wear MTB shorts on my road bike.


The only times I generally roll my eyes are when I see:
1) Someone cycling with their helmet hanging from their handlebars
2) Helmeted kids riding with bare-headed parents

Oh boy you just gave me flash backs from this mornings commute to work.
I saw some lady take your #2 post to the extreme.
I was riding down the lower part of Page St. and I came upon a woman who was riding her bike with out a helmet ...she had had a small child strapped in a child seat on the back of the bike, the kid was wearing a helmet.
Anyway I found myself riding behind her for about 3 blocks. As I rode behind her we came up to a busy 4 way stop. The woman just blew through the 4 way stop, ignoring everyone around her. There were cars driving though the intersection and her actions left me thinking WTF is that woman crazy ... sad thing is she also blew through the next 4 way stop a block later.

Blast... I don't remember what thread it was.. but CM like all things on this earth will be gone in 2012.

Rats, those dang Mayans have to ruin everything. And the world had to end on Dec 12th too, why not 7 days later so I could have my birthday :(

Oh boy you just gave me flash backs from this mornings commute to work.
I saw some lady take your #2 post to the extreme.
I was riding down the lower part of Page St. and I came upon a woman who was riding her bike with out a helmet ...she had had a small child strapped in a child seat on the back of the bike, the kid was wearing a helmet.
Anyway I found myself riding behind her for about 3 blocks. As I rode behind her we came up to a busy 4 way stop. The woman just blew through the 4 way stop, ignoring everyone around her. There were cars driving though the intersection and her actions left me thinking WTF is that woman crazy ... sad thing is she also blew through the next 4 way stop a block later.

Poor kid.

Oh boy you just gave me flash backs from this mornings commute to work.
I saw some lady take your #2 post to the extreme.
I was riding down the lower part of Page St. and I came upon a woman who was riding her bike with out a helmet ...she had had a small child strapped in a child seat on the back of the bike, the kid was wearing a helmet.
Anyway I found myself riding behind her for about 3 blocks. As I rode behind her we came up to a busy 4 way stop. The woman just blew through the 4 way stop, ignoring everyone around her. There were cars driving though the intersection and her actions left me thinking WTF is that woman crazy ... sad thing is she also blew through the next 4 way stop a block later.

Why does that leave me thinking of Peanuts?

http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/peanuts/meet_the_gang/images/strips/f4l2.gif

JB

Hey, I like football bats. I also like my cotton rain cape and playdough front bumpers.:D

Seriously though I think CM has lost its meaning because making drivers get stuck in traffic caused by hundreds of cyclists is not really a good thing to do. I really doubt any of these drivers are thinking "Hmmm, I will be much nicer to people on bikes from now on and give them more room.", as most of them sit there in their cars, unmoving.

This was really drove home the day we did the Mt Tam ride and a group of us were riding back through San Francisco. A couple of elder pedestrians were crossing traffic and the group stopped to let them through. As they passed by one of them said "So, you guys are not part of that group?"

+ 1, I had to stop doing it in protest...I don't think the intoxication with alcohol or whatever is a good idea. I've seen a couple of people go down pretty hard. Not a great example for the young generation. I'd rather ride with my bike buddies somewhat sanely on the open road, even if they shun me for trying to hit every rock and scattered road kill in the road and being just generally foul and annoying. :(

I would hope that the event will eventually get back to its routes and the trouble makers will find something else to latch onto. I liked the idea of critical mass, but the actions / philosophy lately have seemed a little off to me.

I'd rather see critical mass make the news for something more constructive and positive for the cycling community, as opposed to the current trend of having the few people with an agenda and flair for the dramatic get out.. and set up a fake car mauling by some poor unsuspecting elderly couple.

Hopefully todays ride went well and nobody, cyclist or motorist was injured.

Bah. The dudes with the rockin' bike stereo wasn't there. Plus it was a lame route. The fish bike wasn't there. Much of the eclectic bike/cyclists (except SanJoseBob) weren't there. "They" took us down some really wide streets and the mass got all spread out and sparse. There were a lot of riders but the group had too many gaps. Oh well, still glad I went... I love riding in SF.

I went straight after work. Got there at 5:40, and had to wait 40 minutes. Ride started at 6:20 because everyone was standing around listening to the dudes with the drums. Boooo...
Route was lame. Lots of backtracking. The tunnels were awesome though.

I must have gotten separated from the main group when we hit Market around 8:15, because I turned around a few minutes later and there were only about 20 people around me. Did the people behind me go straight instead of right? We ended up cycling all the way up to the north end of Market, and dispersed. There were a few fixie and bmx riders there.

Where did everyone else go? I heard people talking about riding to the beach.

Next time I'm riding near the back.

Afterwards, I stopped at Pier 9 to check out the view, and then ate at a Burger King near Pier 43. On my way home I passed Justin Herman Plaza again (10:00), and a few of the bmx dudes were still there.

CM and BK? I'm glad I stayed home with my girlfriend. ;)

I apologize if anyone here took offense at what I said above about being "shunned" by "club" riders for not wearing a helmet. I never considered this group to be a "club" (in the modern sense) because of its lack of concern regarding leadership, waivers and helmet requirements. You have all been nothing but polite and accepting, and I appreciate the opportunity to ride with y'all.

It was great bumping into Henry last night before we started riding. We got separated pretty quickly once on the move though. My left knee got strained going up a hill on the way over to American Cyclery before the ride, however, and as we rode I had sharp pains along the outer side of it as it bent through the stroke. It just kept getting worse, so as the mass went past the train station at about 7:00 I stopped and went home. Big drag because I was really having a blast.

Bummer, take care of yourself, hope your knee gets better soon.

Bah. The dudes with the rockin' bike stereo wasn't there.

I joined too late (about 6:30) and missed the main mass but caught up with a small group of about 13 bikers. We tried finding the main group but couldn't! There was a guy with a stereo on a trailer and that was fun for a while but then the group got smaller and smaller, we kept on being indecisive about where to go, and my friend and I left for In&Out at Fisherman's Wharf. Maybe next time...