syda

With all this talk about how the road is "not meant for cyclists and we should use the sidewalk", which by the way is illegal in many parts of the country including New York City, I think it is imperative that Critical Masses are supported throughout the cycling community as we "take back the road".

Brief article from the NYCC:

NYCC takes issue with NYC policy

***
"Over the past year the NYPD and the city government has taken action against the monthly “Critical Mass” ride. There have been well-publicized occurances of arrests and confiscation of bicycles. In addition, the city has filed suit against the Time’s-Up organization and four of its members. Part of the suit affects our club and has ramifications outside of cycling that will affect groups of all kinds. The suit seeks to require a permit for the gathering of 20 people or more on city park property and to declare the advertising of such events on park property to be illegal. By filing this suit the city seeks to prevent people from participating in lawful activities. Although the NYCC as a policy does not support or condone the “Critical Mass” ride, the the executive board of the NYCC felt that it was necessary to make known to the Mayor and the City Council our displeasure with the lawsuit and their current policy."

twahl

It's also imperative that CM discussions not be brought here. Try A&S.

johnny99

I think Critical Mass is great when the cyclists obey traffic laws. When they start running red lights, riding on the wrong side of the road or the wrong way on one-way streets, etc., then they are causing more problems than they are solving. You can't expect car drivers to drive safely when the cyclists don't either.

I'm not even going to get into the pounding on cars, spitting on drivers, keying the sides of cars, etc.

ShinyBaldy

Critical Mass is bad activisim.

Critical Mass rides often become events where the goal is to disrupt regular traffic. The whole idea of bicycles being valid transportation devices means we follow traffic codes and ride as we are vehicles. That isn't what happens in CM rides - it ends up like a mob of bikes heading whever they want and blocking traffic in general.

If turns people who are favorable to cycling and sharing the roads to cyclists against cycling. Why? Because damn - on that particular day they were all over the place like idiots and disrupting traffic... previously they might think of idiot bicyclists are individuals - organizing it into an event only seems to reinforce the sterotype that bicycles dont belong on the road.

ZappCatt

Our critical mass rides have become "Anarchist Unite rides" withthe main goal to shut down the "other" vehicular traffic movement. It is due to this that I am VERY against CM rides.

Are any of them positive? I have NEVER seen/heard of one that was...

Urban Shooter

Here in Portland, Critcal Mass devolved into a chaos movement with the only real agenda being collecting a group of fools on bikes to cause a scene in downtown traffic. I'm not sure how it is working in other parts of the country but here, Critical Mass is something to avoid if you consider yourself a real cyclist because they don't really care about promoting rights of cyclists.

1955

I ride for many reasons, but NOT for a political statement. You guys keep up the CM rides and it WILL backfire and only hurt your cause. I mean come on, are you trying to make enemies or get people to come around to your way of thinking??? Use your brain for once and see this for what it is, a ride for hate, not the for environment.

formulaben

Wow, where did all this common sense come from? I've been muttering the same thing about CM for some time, that they are doing more harm than good for cycling and have no desire to "share" the road.