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07-05-08, 11:39 AM
I'm a pretty committed bicycle commuter, and I do believe in responsible cycling. I've been of mixed feelings about Critical Mass, specifically because of the disconnect between intent and execution. But last night burned me up, because it was a (pardon the pun) massive failure of intent.
For those of you who don't know Minneapolis, the Stone Arch bridge is the best place to watch fireworks. The bridge is a fairly narrow two-track railroad bridge that's been converted to two bikeways and two pedways in each direction. It's a few dozen yards down river from where the fireworks are set off, you're up above the river quite a ways, and there's room for lots and lots of people. Thousands. Packed shoulder to shoulder, stoller to wheelchair. It was already bad enough that people were trying to walk their bikes through the crowd. But then some cyclist idiots decided that was the perfect opportunity for a Critical Mass in their underwear. Great way to set an example.
There were already thousands of people who had cycled to the event as it was, which was the good example to set. What was the point of the CM? If the intent of CM is to tell motorists to share the road, how does taking an already auto-free bike and pedway send that message? If the idea is responsible cycling, how does mowing down dozens of spectators in a crowd enhance that message? One of the CMers shouted that this was a bikeway. Someone in the crowd shouted back "Not tonight!" I think our well meaning but misguided CMers really screwed this one up.
This gets added to my list of Cyclists Who Are All That (which would be separate post).
OK. Rant over.
For those of you who don't know Minneapolis, the Stone Arch bridge is the best place to watch fireworks. The bridge is a fairly narrow two-track railroad bridge that's been converted to two bikeways and two pedways in each direction. It's a few dozen yards down river from where the fireworks are set off, you're up above the river quite a ways, and there's room for lots and lots of people. Thousands. Packed shoulder to shoulder, stoller to wheelchair. It was already bad enough that people were trying to walk their bikes through the crowd. But then some cyclist idiots decided that was the perfect opportunity for a Critical Mass in their underwear. Great way to set an example.
There were already thousands of people who had cycled to the event as it was, which was the good example to set. What was the point of the CM? If the intent of CM is to tell motorists to share the road, how does taking an already auto-free bike and pedway send that message? If the idea is responsible cycling, how does mowing down dozens of spectators in a crowd enhance that message? One of the CMers shouted that this was a bikeway. Someone in the crowd shouted back "Not tonight!" I think our well meaning but misguided CMers really screwed this one up.
This gets added to my list of Cyclists Who Are All That (which would be separate post).
OK. Rant over.