I saw a Critical Mass ride while out for a walk. I walk, bike, and drive. They were doing a mass ride, taking up the whole street while moving, which is fine. They came to a very busy crossroads in my neighborhood, where they rode around in circles for about 10 minutes, whooping it up loudly. It was terrible PR. I asked a couple of them what their objective was, and they could not answer. They did tell me, Critical Mass, its done in lots of towns, once a month, but they could not explain their purpose. They had no banners or leaflets to hand out. After watching that collection of idiots for a few minutes, I started walking thru them, screwing up their circling. Other pedestrians joined me. It worked great, and if I am ever stuck in my car by their circling around several times in an intersection, I will get out of my car and start walking thru them. I do not mind their protest by mass riding, and even running red lights. But circling around for several minutes in an intersection while creating noise pollution is not acceptable.

Ahhh... m*******s.

You're kidding me! ******* is censored.

Ahh. Mass holes.

Kind of a turn of events, or coming down the food chain kind of thing.
Just think, you could cary some wire cutters and cut off their valve stems, spray brake fluid on their bikes, rip their mirrors off, spit a lugie on their spokes, or all mannor of dasterdly deeds that cyclists perform on jams.

Why you could even sell tickets.
Steven

Good for you! I don't approve of Critical Mass, either, and wonder why any responsible bicyclists tolerate them. They are bad PR for bicycling, an embarrassment even.

(But you probably set yourself up for a flamefest for posting this...)

They do it because it's a couple hours a month of anarchy for them. They couldn't care less about biking. I commute by bike everyday in Berkeley, CA. Hardly EVER have a run in with a driver. Bikes get their own friggin roads here... but yet, they have CM here too. Ugh. Even SF is pretty good for biking. Unfortunately, they LOOOOOOOOOoooooove to protest around here. Anything and everything.

CM is the best reason ever to get a F350. I've long maintained, their slogan claims they don't block traffic. I say thats good, because even if they did, they can't stop a big assed truck.

How do you know it was a Critical Mass? I think there was Youtube video posted recently of some idiots on those modified beach cruisers doing exact same thing in Oakland. I don't think they even knew that CM exists.

Acting like idiots, wooping up and down the city streets, weaving through traffic, once a month isn't killing anyone. It's turned into a social ride more than an advocacy one.

I have never even seen a critical mass. I can understand raising awareness but CM to me seems about as effective as raising awareness for TB by going around coughing on people.

+1

That was a great story, and some awesome responses so far. Let's keep it up!

I was hit in crosswalk by a critical mass rider a few years ago-- he ran a red light as I was crossing the street. So I'm knocked down, stunned, bleeding a little bit, hoping the cyclist who hit me is OK, when a bunch of other critical mass losers surround me and scream at me.

I so hate these people!

CM-The cycling anti-advocacy.

Wow. What tools.

Thanks, I needed a new sig

Neat avatar dobber.

I went to one Critical Mass, and never went to another. I didn't like the way pedestrians, and even buses were treated. Personally I think pedestrians have even more right to the space than cyclists do, as they are more environmentally friendly, so the CM group should yield to them.

People occasionally ask me to go, but I tell them I disagree with it. I think it just makes enemies for cyclists.

there is a regular contingent of PEDESTRIANS here in Vancouver that throw out carpet tacks in the path of the Critical Mass(*oles). They have had it with the antics of the riders.

To the OP - though I think what you did is quite amusing, be careful. The CM group was already riled up when you came upon them. Sometimes, when a group of individuals is riled up, anyone can become a target of mob mentality. You may find a bunch of them turning on you, or even attacking you for no good reason. What you may view as a little friendly disruption on your part may be misconstrued as an attack by them, and before you know it, you'll have a bunch of them surrounding you. Be careful!

Are you suggesting they're violent? Because they all claim to be peace-loving cyclists out for a fun ride, who just happen to beat up little girls and old women when they form a mob.

Anyone who claims to be "peace-loving", is not. I've had more near violent run-ins with pascifists than any other type of person. I call them militant pascifists.

The only time I ever feared for my safety though was when I was stuck in traffic in Seoul during a big protest there...in my Army dress uniform. The rest were just stupid college kids who were trying to be socialists.

I myself dabbled in pacifism once. Not in 'Nam of course.

All CM's are not the same. The one in Sac is very mellow, they stick to one way streets downtown and just take up one lane. They stop at lights and signs and the drivers wave them on. It's a good time with a bunch of folks that just want to ride. Clearly this is not the norm from the comments here but it's the only one I've riden in.

I think that's probably very true.

I think if all CMs were in that mold, nobody (with the exception of a few belligerent motorists who hate seeing cyclists regardless of CM) would take issue with CM. And perhaps it's just a few out of hand CMs that are giving other CMs a bad reputation...

That is good to know, I have read about some of the stuff that CM rides pull that I definitely don't agree with. I have not seen one, I will have to check out one that is supposed to happen locally.