urbanknight

I think that once again depends on which CM you're referring to. I know of ones that intentionally start at 5pm on a Friday a couple blocks away from the busiest intersection downtown, while others roll at night or on the weekends with safety being the primary motivator for the route. There's one in Pasadena that rolls at 10am on a Saturday once a month, and the most common participants are entire families covering ages 5 to 50. They roll at about 10mph riding single file or two wide, and avoid major arterial roadways. For me personally, I don't know what separates that from a regular group ride, or what makes it a critical mass other than the riders' decision to call it such, but a name is a name.

banerjek

This is not true. These drivers just happen to use the same form of transport as the people who do those things to you.

For all the talk about bad drivers, all the trouble is caused by a minuscule fraction. If it were any different, the roads would be a lot worse than they are.

Yesterday when I was walking my dog, I woman I'd never met asked me if I ran a stop sign the other day. Apparently, she'd seen a cyclist who she didn't quite make out blow through a stop sign a little after 6am get pulled over by a cop. She'd obviously seen me on the roads early before. I told her that I don't do things like that because people always appreciate the gesture of doing what you're supposed to, and that my treatment on the roads is better.

It was not a hostile conversation at all, and it was clear I struck a chord when I observed that drivers always seemed to appreciate it when I did the right thing even when it wasn't necessary on a purely practical level.

Curiously, I was able to figure out who the rider was. He's a nice enough guy, but he doesn't worry about stop signs if there are no cars there. He also has a commute that's over an hour each way so losing a few seconds isn't going to make any difference. The cops here are very equal opportunity about who the ticket, so I'm sure that messed up his day.

work4bike

I've been commuting since 1986 and I think CM rides are very damaging.

david58

Very well put, SF!

hhnngg1

I disagree. I'm not saying all drivers are awful - I actually think the vast majority of drivers are good people doing their best. But if you think drivers in general are going out of their way to look for a cyclist before reacting, think again. This is simply a reality of our small numbers and low visual profile on the road.

Perfectly good drivers do this time and time again. My wife is well aware of my cycling (she doesn't ride) and supports cyclists, but when I watch her drive, she buzzes cyclists wayyy closer than I would, and complains when they're rightfully hugging the side of a country road which is too small for us to pass and we're stuck behind them at 15mph for a minute or two. She also doesn't give them extra room or consideration at intersections, which I would do. I'm sure that in the wrong place at the wrong time, she'd accidentally cut someone off or block someone or not see a rider going into a right hook.

Again, my wife is an excellent driver, with a flawless drvigin track record. She just isn't a cyclist, and does drive with cyclists even remotely on her mind. It's just the reality of cyclists on the road. If we could raise awareness (in a nonconfrontational way about this), it helps. Every bit helps.

FrenchFit 

I did a Mayday CM in San Francisco. It was more militant, more a celebration of anarchy, than what's described in the OP's attached article. There were some terrible bicyclists that were a hazard to themselves and everyone, and there were some very skilled riders....watching the fixed gear riders come down some of those hills was a treat...as long as I wasn't along side of them. Our groups of 100s ran every red light, and were intentionally a barrier to cars trying to exit the city around 5pm, as well as pedestrians in the shopping district - yes, the consumers and cagers were furious. The police were not happy, but played along. And we got cheers too, lots of people exited stores and bars to cheer the group on, surreal.

So, my take away was two fold:

a) It's performance art. And, it's intended to get a rise out of you one way or the other.

b) I had the opinion that CM was counter-productive, that it invited some backlash from government and the public. But observing what's happened in SF in the last so many years, it seems like it sent the message bike riders are not going to be marginalized and ignored. The city has become loads more bike friendly, and I think CM get a little share of credit. The SF Bike Colalition gets the lions share of credit, but CM is lurking in the background ready to make its statement.

Ride it, your opinion might change.

pallen

Its funny she noticed a cyclist getting pulled over for running a red light. I wonder if she notices when cars are speeding?

banerjek

Agreed -- your wife fits the typical profile for a "good" driver. In reality, the issues are about the same as those drivers who actively dislike cyclists.

What helps a lot is to open the lines of communication when you're riding. When one car passes too close, the ones behind tend to do the same. This is dangerous, particularly since some tailgaters who don't see you at all could have drifted a little right for whatever reason and could actually hit you. In such situations, I push out. It makes drivers uncomfortable and they don't like it, but they will shift out and the vehicles behind normally follow. As this happens, a friendly wave of acknowledgement for the room as you drift back helps encourage the others. If they start drifting too far right, you need to repeat the process.

I'll often wave to people who are still behind me if I see them cutting space. If I can tell they have good control, I'll signal for them to squeeze through because small clearances are not a problem with careful drivers. It makes a difference when drivers know you're looking out for them and appreciate any consideration you get. Eye contact helps too.

For the right hook and those who simply pull right without looking to see if anyone is there, you have to be careful, but there are things you can do. If they have to stop or slow down (they're frequently in a line of traffic) I hold my line as much as practical and if they're in my space, I make sure we're literally only 2" apart. If circumstances dictate they really should be yielding (i.e. it's obvious that I will be able to proceed before them), I'll pull right in front of them to remind them of my presence. I know they don't care about me, but they do care about scratching their car.

banerjek

In her defense, there are so few cars or bicycles when she's out that it's reasonable to notice them all whether or not they do anything wrong. I certainly recognize the vast majority of people, vehicles, and whatnot I encounter when I'm out early. My wife figured out who the cyclist was based only on a vague description, and she's never met him.

People do notice speeding cars on this street and do something about it. The cops issue lots of tickets, and the general feeling is that this is a good thing.

The only traffic law I break is that when I'm on my bike on this section of road, I often speed (I don't speed in the car). It's flat and the speed limit is 25. I've been trying to get a ticket, but no luck even with cops right behind me. I have received comments on my speed before. People don't seem to perceive it as dangerous, but it does seem to make them a bit uneasy.