hotbike

I have found a flyer from the first Critical Mass Ride, circa 1986. It wasn't even called "Critical Mass" back then.
NOTE: I myself don't ride with Critical Mass. I just wanted to scan this flyer and share it with anyone who wants to see it. It's so old, it's starting to yellow.

labelcd6

Thanks for the post. Interesting poster.

Kneez

It is interesting, at least as an historical artifact. It's also amusing that breaking laws is presented as the way to get people to stop treating cyclists like criminals.

hotbike

Yes, I present this poster as an historical artifact. It's a pre-internet document, and I don't know if anyone else managed to save a copy of it. At least I've never seen it online before.
IIRC, the cyclists were faced with a complete ban of all bicycles in Midtown Manhattan. That was under Mayor Dinkins administration. Totally absurd considering that cyclists are not allowed on sidewalks.

While I do not condone breaking the law ( and car windows), I do believe cities would be more livable if more people rode bicycles instead of driving. Potholes still need to be filled, speed limits need to be enforced, (No, Lowered), and more streets should get sharrows or other lane markings. If one doesn't like riding a bicycle, New York has a wonderful Subway system. I hope the 2nd Avenue Subway gets built soon, to replace the 3rd Avenue Elevated, which was torn down in 1940 and sold to Japan as scrap metal.

randya

The name 'Critical Mass' was first used in San Francisco in 1992

spock

I saw one on Thursday night. There was at least 70 riders and all going pretty fast with a full roadie kit. It was so cool to hear that buzzing sound as they passed by. shhzshzzshzshzclickshszshclickshzzzz...z........z...................z..............................z

hotbike

Ahh, there we go. The poster (above) was from 1986.

Seattle Forrest

But it worked for motorists. And bankers. And politicians; the Kennedy fortune and esteem came from bootlegging during prohibition. Civil rights were won, in part, through nonviolent civil disobedience. You can't really be respectable this day and age without breaking a law or two.

At the Christmas 2009 Critical Mass ride, we were passed very unsafely by a car that was unable to hold a straight line. It turned out her back tire was flat, and she was driving on the rim. We passed the car, and several of us stopped in front of her. Somebody motioned for her to roll down the window, and told her about he flat tire when she did. The driver had no idea that she'd had a flat, but said "I thought my car was steering a little funny." She had no idea how to fix it, so we removed the flat, put her spare on for her, and told her not to drive further than home, and then to a repair shop the next day, on it. After taking about a half hour to accomplish this, the ride fizzled to an end. But Critical Mass helped a motorist who actually needed some help.

Very cool poster, by the way - thanks for putting it up!

rumrunn6

out of curiosity I looked up videos of critical mass bike rides and saw many incidents in NYC where bicyclists were attacked by cops. fyi: if you think you're participating in a peaceful protest - you are not. if you kids want to do this in NYC - show them these videos and prepare them for what might be a very dangerous situation. I was really surprised and disappointed at what I saw. I've never seen a NYC cop behave like that.

Shadowex3

Yes, what a stupid yet amusing idea. Obviously nobody of intelligence and moral fiber would ever agree to such methods.

Kneez

There is no parallel between people who wish to break the law for the sake of convenience and those who do so for liberation. Running red lights and corking doesn't not constitute civil disobedience in the cause of a greater social good.

apricissimus 

Mandatory fenders? Bizarre.

randya

liberating our public streets from the hegemony of the automobile will not occur with meek subservience to the auto-centric laws

ilmooz

Yow! I was actually able to spell out this entire sentence with my alphabet soup during lunch this afternoon. I even had a hyphen. Who'd a thunk?