xyntiacat

I love Critical Mass - wish that we had it here in North Dallas.

https://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-315522

steve0257

I hope that never comes to my town. The drivers here aren't to bad, but if something like that happened the cars drivers' attitude towards bicyclists would go right into the toilet.

randplaty

We have it in San Diego... and it seems to have a pretty bad rep.

lil brown bat

Oboy. Here we go. Cue ten pages of flaming and uninformed opinions.

Kojak

I like the message, and the general approach.

Unfortunately, like any other "protest" group, it only takes one, or a small handful idiot(s) to sully the entire movement, at which point things go backward instead of forward.

JeffS

Nah... motorists who roll through stop signs and constantly drive faster than the speed limit would NEVER dream of criticizing cyclists for not following traffic laws

Kimmitt 

Critical Mass is fun to be in. It's almost as fun to justify in the face of humorless scolds.

Quel

If 1% of those people actually participated in their local government meetings, they'd have bike lanes on every road in the city.

Hot Potato

What, no car tipping or u-locking? Boring!

Lightingguy

Anybody know if it's still happening in NYC ?.

I live in the 'burbs and after the incident with the rookie cop that decked a rider last year, as well as the city's attempts to quench the ride (which they repeatedly lost in the courts), there's been nothing in the news. which might mean there's been no recent incidents.

SB

ban guzzi

feh.
After meeting and learning that one of the Vocal Local Agitators for CM drove to the beginning of ride and agitated/pissed people off on purpose at every opportunity, my scant interest turned to disgust. Turns out this person is not even a sometime commuter, just agitating scum. Some people just need to agitate. I'd rather smack 'em upside the head for not practicing what they preach, bastards!

woof! Rant over.

Have fun. CM has its heart in the right place and its collective foot in its mouth, around here anyway...

exile

Sorry, not a fan. I really don't understand the point of it unless it's to be a PITA. I like the idea of cyclists to be visible, but not to this extent.

CCrew

I consider it using bicycles to agitate. Paramount to walking by a lions cage and rattling a stick across the bars...Nothing good can come of it.

NABRXX

Anyone who seems to like the idea that he is making someone perhaps miss a scheduled flight is an A$$%le. Its a shame that he is speaking for many of us. Only is Canada, land of the weak.

lil brown bat

As I was saying...

Thread full of fail. FULL of fail.

BarracksSi

Every day here is CM, although on a smaller scale.

When you see a cyclist of some flavor whenever you make a trip somewhere, whether you're on foot, in a car or taxi, on the bus or subway, or while riding your own bike, then there's already plenty of awareness. There's no need to change from everyday bike usage to CM's obnoxious aggravation.

Zipster90

We have something similar to this in Denton, TX, but on a drastically smaller scale and weekly. Every Tuesday night about 100 people meet up at UNT and then ride around town for about two hours. Since it takes place later at night, the traffic isn't too bad.

Just in case, we have some people designated as "blockers." When we approach an intersection, the blockers zip ahead and warn motorists of the coming swarm. Once we pass, they rejoin the pack. We very rarely get angry motorists. They usually wave and cheer us on. It's a lot of fun.

CliftonGK1

How is this any less illegal than the local Corvette club having a couple of drivers zip ahead and block an intersection as 100 cars drive through the intersection? Maybe things are different down there in Texas, but around here if you want unrestricted street access for a procession of any type, vehicular or pedestrian, you need to file for a parade permit or risk getting ticketted/arrested.

capejohn

We have critial mass every day here. The roads are jammed with cars running lights and stopsigns. Every day cars block intersections when they get stuck in a line of traffic at a light.

But it really does suck when people on bikes do the same thing.

And that my friend is too effin bad. Cry me a river.

BarracksSi

So you MA drivers are the ones who "block the box". You and the Jerseyians need to stay out of Manhattan.

FWIW, it's rare to see a blocked intersection here, whether it's through better light timing (HA!) or fewer idiot drivers (...really?).

DanBraden

I've participated in two cm's when I lived in Durham. While I did enjoy the camaraderie, I hated moving in a group at a snail's pace. Increased speed may increase risk, but sheesh! Can we break 10 mph people?!?!? They're not for me.

Quel

In DC, I find the drivers much more accommodating to me than other cyclists are.

Kojak

If you're replying to my post... a rebuttal.

First of all, I'm an American citizen, lived in the states (Seattle) all my life up until 2 years ago when my wife accepted a University position here in this little burg. My opinion now is the same as when I lived in Seattle. As for Canada being the land of the weak, perhaps you'd like to lace up some skates and take that point of view up with some of the hockey playing lads up here. Your opinion might change.

My assertion that I like the message (that bikes have a place on the road), and their general approach (that a mass ride will bring attention to this message) is one that should be shared by all cyclists. I also placed my disclaimer that was meant to imply that the other antics that go on such as willfully blocking intersections for prolonged periods of time and menacing behavior actually do more harm than good with regard to getting that message across.

As for causing someone to miss their flight? I would guess that this person was cutting it too close to begin with. The only time I've ever come close to missing a flight was my bad, I overslept.

As for being an a$$%ole?.... that might be the nicest thing anyone has said to me this month.

BarracksSi

Isn't this old news? As in, older than any of us have been alive?

What's to protest? I ride on the streets every day -- got some lunch a while ago, and I might go ride to see a movie. So what's the problem that CM'ers are going on about?

gholt

There was one in Ogden, UT, a couple weeks back. Cops ended up showing up. A car hit a couple of bikes, and the normal. Cop takes Cager's story over the bikers. I wasn't there, but there is always 3 or 4 sides to a story. These incidents just make the fight between cagers and bikers worse.