johnnytheboy

excellent

mnkyman

true but how often is it done responsible

its also illegal and dangerous

when its a 3 lane road, they can contain themselves to one lane...two at max...no need to slow traffic
and yes, there is a law in tx that says if you can not keep within 10 miles of the speed limit, you are impeding traffic (that includes bikes)


If that is so, the laws apply to you as well... you shouldn't break the law by "rolling" through stoplights

kylejack

It is not dangerous to roll a red when there's no oncoming cross-traffic. When there is, we wait.

That's a very automobile-centric view of things. Are you sure you're a cyclist? You must be a very fast one if you never impede traffic using your narrow definition. Again, cars rule all roads all day every day. They can afford to give the cyclists certain roads for brief periods of time on one night a month. Traffic is light Friday at 7 PM in the downtown district and the neighboring districts the Critical Mass ride rolls through.

Look, Critical Mass participants could get a little more organized and shut down some streets for 3 hours with a permit (as various marathons, walk-for-the-Cures and parades do on Allen Parkway every other weekend or so), but they don't. You're sitting at a light watching some bicycles pass, and 3 minutes later its over, they're out of your hair, and you're on your way. When you think about it, its a very soft-handed approach with very little interference, comparatively speaking. What organized bike ride or fun-run that uses the streets has a smaller footprint? None, because the others shut the streets down completely for hours. My mother lives at Sabine Street Lofts and can attest to it personally.

What do you average crossing town on your bicycle, like 4 MPH or so?

Mr_Christopher

[soapbox]I don't want to seem rude but it is the adolescent, demanding, "me first" tone of the CM events (at least the ones I have read about and/or seen online) that have lead me to conclude these aren't for me. The "cars must obey the laws but we don't have to because we're special" makes me chuckle. I picture of a bunch of trust fund kids who need to validate their existence by pretending they're making a difference by protesting the fact that they are not treated special.

Making people despise cyclists is not the "difference" most cyclists are looking for.

And calling those who do not agree with them "cagers" is just precious. But the whole "look at me I can "roll" red lights because I'm special" has a very short shelf life.

Anyhow, I need to get out of this thread because I have absolutely nothing positive to contribute to it. Maybe my age has something to do with it. You see in my day I've seen real protests for real causes. I have seen real injustice, more than a few cyclists with hurt feelings who need to feel validated by being a part of a law breaking mob. So this high school "I'm special and YOU'RE a cager" just doesn't resonate with me. In fact I find it profoundly childish. And to suggest this constitutes a "political statement" is absurd and laughable to anyone who's participated in the political process (by ballot or protest). I just don't see a Rosa Parks taking up the cyclist "cause". Then again Rosa Parks is a cager because she took the bus. She had a very "automobile-centric view of things" which is of course bad.

The slogan "we're not blocking traffic we are traffic" makes sense, unless of course you are in fact blocking traffic and being a jerk. Then you become just another ass hole on the road who shouldn't be there. But having a public temper tantrum, breaking laws you think you're too special to obey while calling it a CM is not a political statement. It's called acting like a cry baby.

Chris [/soapbox]

hotbike

Critical Mass rides are held on the Last Friday of each month, usually at 19:00 hours (7:00 PM), in the downtown region of every major city.

Yes, it would be good if more motorists knew about it. It would be a good idea to stay home and not drive downtown on the last Friday of each month

kylejack

The stealth cager comment was tongue-in-cheek, but I have to agree with you that you should get out of this thread.

Mr_Christopher

Abondon this cry baby thread? Are you kidding me. I'm making a political statement here! ;-)

Ass holes on bikes should sell their bikes and stay home is my motto!

kylejack

You've never been on a Critical Mass ride and don't really know what you're talking about. You should come some time and see the police officers wave a friendly hello!

Edit: Anyway, love to stay and chat, but I'm going to go do about 60 miles on my bicycle today.

Mr_Christopher

Dude, spare me. Whiny, demanding, cry baby mobs are nothing new. And Abbie Hoffman they aint.

Enjoy your ride!

Fantasminha

Wow.... reading all this I was afraid we were getting to the level of the VC forum.

I had thought I would like to go, but Monday nights are impossible. I am not even home from work by 7!

kylejack

Hm, not really sure what you're describing here, because we just get together to ride our bicycles on the last Friday of every month. Its really a lot more casual than what you're envisioning. I don't consider myself an activist.

dougmc

Um, no, there is no such law that says that, not in the Texas laws.

But if you want to convince us that you're right, cite the law. Here is a good place to start looking in your quest. There is `545.363. MINIMUM SPEED REGULATIONS', but it doesn't say anything like what you've claimed, and even if it did, the `except when reduced speed is necessary for
safe operation or in compliance with law' clause would pretty much keep it from being applied to bikes.

In the future, please refrain from attempting to make up new laws or modify existing ones. We've got enough already, and they're messed up enough already. ktnx!

johnnytheboy

^^^^

mnkyman

thanks for the link, very insightful, i must have been mistaken on the 10mph less "law"


however, here are a couple laws that cyclists involved in CM break (that i mentioned in my earlier post):

tcs

America Bikes: favors separate facilities & trail networks
Bikes Belong: 17 of 21 grants in 2006 for paths & trails
Complete Streets: promotes separated bike lanes
League of American Bicyclists: bike friendly community recognition program based on paths, lanes & separate facilities
Rails to Trails: supports trail construction


Critical Mass: supports bicyclists use of and right to streets


tcs

tcs

every charity ride in the state

tcs

dougmc

Yes, there are some laws that tend to be broken by CM rides -- red lights/stop signs may be run, `two abreast' is flaunted, and corking is certainly illegal. But `must right as far right as is practiable' is debatable -- it's generally up to the cyclist what's practiable.

In any event, CM participants (and cyclists in general, and motorists in general as well) who get caught doing these things by police tend to get tickets. And these things aren't a fundamental part of what CM is anyways. (And really, the `no more than two abreast' law (and to a lesser degree the `as far to the right as is practiable' law) is a prime example of how cylists are treated as being inferior to other road users.)

But ultimately, my point was that there is no `minimum speed = speed limit - 10 mph' law. Good for you to acknowledge that -- many people just start going `lalalalalalala!' at the top of their lungs when confronted with documentation that shows what they `knew' was wrong.

Oh, and it was stated that charity rides tend to break these laws? Well, they do, but they generally have a permit that allows them to do that. They also often have roads closed and police *******. In general, CM rides categorically do not want any sort of permits -- you shouldn't need a permit to ride your bike, why would you need one to ride with lots of your friends?

In general, you'll find many of these laws broken in any group ride. Sure, the local riding club says they follow all the laws, but in practice, they'll roll through stop signs and will ride 3 or 4 abreast (if they're big enough) just like a CM ride. (Never seen any corking in any of these rides, however They also tend to avoid the heavy traffic areas, so it's less noticeable.

kylejack

Minimal corking in the Houston ride, but the route selected is pretty low-traffic, especially at 7 PM on a Friday. Very few people inconvenienced. Certainly far far fewer than all the people who were blocked off half a day by the Houston Marathon last weekend.

Rammer

I'll probably regret stepping into this thread, but...

LAB offers several bicycle education courses, including programs on riding safely and confidently on roadways.

Consider commuting daily to be true bicycle activism. Join and volunteer a bicycle advocacy group. Become involved in politics. Have fun riding.

Re-consider annoying others with no clear message.

kylejack

Critical Mass rides are mentioned favorably in LAB's bike-friendliness ratings of various cities. For example: https://www.bikeleague.org/programs/b...fc_chicago.php

LAB was also a notable presence capitalizing on the Critical Mass crackdown in San Francisco, saying that while the unrest was unfortunate, this was an opportunity to make safer conditions for cyclists and motorists. LAB does not oppose Critical Mass rides.

Mr_Christopher

The stupid in this thread burns! IT BURNS!

Rick Rubin

Ft. Worth Crit Mass has been dying down since the first time i rode it probably eight months ago. I think it maxed out with 20 people. The objective of a critical mass is difficult to achieve with that small of a group and riding at such a time - 630 on a monday there usually isnt a crazy amount of traffic and often enough the ride just goes around with no real destination or area restriction and spreads out and becomes less critical and less massive every time... I think if people really wanted to make an impression the ride should be more like 5 o clock and in downtown and high traffic areas specifically, but with this desire the risk of the ride is increased and with the amount of people Ive seen around here not obeying traffic laws I do not think it will be effective. Texas has a long way to go.

Also, Critical Manners rides have become popular in cities where the Mass is a little to chaotic and criminal.

tx_what_it_do

yea houston's has a decent turnout. we're not ballsy enough to pull it off at 5pm though, usually starts at 7-8.

i dont do it for the "protest". i just do it because it's a fun ride to do with my friends. i'm not fortunate enough to live 3 minutes away from my school, job, and friends so most of my time commuting is spent in a mini truck.

bikinpolitico

I've yet to make it to the Austin CM but plan on going this Friday. (In Austin, they're 5 PM on the last Friday of the month leaving from the west mall on the UT campus.)

There were some bad incidents between cyclists and motorists a few years ago, but now they are pretty peaceful. I'm just bummed I missed the September ride which made its way onto the upper deck of I-35.

Nimitz87

what is corking?

Chad