Critical Mass!!!!!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tommie on September 24, 2008 at 5:26pm

Hrm.

I'm thinking of trying CM again this Friday. Hopefully it doesn't leave me with a bad taste in my mouth this time around *raise eyebrow*

Anywho.

Permalink Reply by Chris on September 24, 2008 at 9:05pm

One thing youre missing is that cars and motor vehicles have not been around for all that long and before they were around there were still roads everywhere. they were used by people walking, horse drawn carriages, lone horse riders, bicycles, whatever. The streets were never created for cars they were created for anyone who chose to travel them thats why i get so defensive when motorists tell me to get off the road. its no ones road/ its everyones road

Video_Drome said:

What better way to gain positive attention to bikes then BRAKING (haha) the laws!!!!


CM is fun, no doubt about it. 300 drunk people riding bikes is a good time. But what leads me to think that CM is actually detrimental to the cause is simple and down right obvious: running reds, corking streets (like every damn one) and basically being rude and obnoxious to other drivers. Just remember, its a ROAD FOR CARS, we're just simply guests, and as guests we should take our shoes off and not get mud on the carpet.

holy shit! did i just say the road is for cars? yes, i sure did. Because guess what, stop lights, yellow lines, white lines, medians, tell me that is made for cars. I might ride my bike like an ass, swerving, riding close to cars, yelling at cars, but one thing is for sure, I never forget what i'm riding on, and who it was meant for.

So please, don't get me wrong, its nice that we're trying to fight for our rights (to party!!!) to ride in the street sans traffic, but I don't care if you have a million man march for bikes, the roads will always be for the cars as sad as that is to say.


did that make any sense?

last minute edit:
someone else posted this.
http://chicagocriticalmass.org/node/130050

done and done.

Permalink Reply by Chris on September 24, 2008 at 9:15pm

Also Nuclear assault kicks ass and speaking of dan lilker brutal truth is comin out with a new record real soon!!

Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on September 25, 2008 at 9:48am

I definitely have mixed feelings about Critical Mass. I see how it can really make people angry at cyclists and I see a lot of bad behavior of participants during the mass (riding on sidewalks, riding into oncoming traffic, littering, etc). While it may piss some people off, I think that even more people see that riding bikes is fun and I love when people do things to make the ride more about fun like bringing music, wearing costumes, riding really cool bikes, wishing spectators a happy Friday, doing high fives with motorists, etc.

I try to do my part to make the mass more fun and I decorate helmets with balloons since that's my thing. If you'd like some balloons for your helmet, come find me. I usually try to claim a table over by the fountain since it's easier for me to work that way.

Permalink Reply by vxla on September 25, 2008 at 3:49pm

DEADhex said:

How is that "distasteful" its not like it is some private information. License plates are for identification. They are committing a crime by doing this, shouldn't someone at least point out their flubs. I would take a pic of a plate number for any other crime as well. So how is this any different?

Careful!

Permalink Reply by L. Jerome on September 25, 2008 at 4:35pm

keep preaching DEADhex - great points - cars pulling out in the bike lane to try to turn yet stop in front of our path, quite dangerous - i was riding behind a guy last night that was hit in the left leg/back tire by are girl driving while talking on her cell phone and trying to turn right from Milwaukee onto Division - he had some good moves and stayed up, although fishtailing into the middle of the intersection... luckily the girl pulled over

keep your eyes moving, kids... never know when the drivers aren't

also, a few pages back Video Drome asked why we don't just ride on the expressway with the logic i dropped... i assume it was tongue-in-cheek, but just to clarify, sidewalks and expressways = illegal to bike on - road = legal, just as legal for cars as bikes - gotta recognize that, get the word out.. and critical mass is a way we can do it

thats a big reason i ride.. that and friends and fun - im bringing 4 first timers this time, see you all there - merging late after you've probably left daley plaza

Permalink Reply by mister bob on September 25, 2008 at 7:02pm

Getting back to the original topic - why Critical Mass?

There are as many reasons to ride Critical Mass as there are to bike. Is it a protest? Sure, if you want to protest oil wars, transportation priorities, pollution, or whatever, take your pick. Is it a demonstration? Sure, it's a demonstration - of what it looks like when a lot of bikes get together and ride. Why cork and run reds? Um, that's so we can all keep together, duh. Is it legal? Well, it's not too terribly illegal, and in places where it's sanctioned (ie. Chicago) it goes by more quickly and safely than in places where they try to shut it down (ie. SF, NYC).

The main thing I've gotten out of it over the years is the community-building nature of it. You meet people on rides and see them again at bike events over the years. Through the people you meet you might learn how to be a better biker or citizen or figure out where to go for grad school, or heck, you might pick up lousy habits and become an enviro-terrorist or worse a Republican! But the point is you're meeting people and building community. It's a community commuting.

So for many participants it is mostly about having fun and meeting other people on bikes. I find it very sad that the so-called "charitable event organizer" thinks his or her undescribed charitable event should take priority over any other community's needs to mobilize and socialize in safety and numbers, but whenever people complain about the congestion that we cause as we go by, I just want to look into their eyes and ask: what if all 50 or 100 or 1000 of us had all brought our cars today instead of our bikes? There would be no parking for 5 miles around. Instead of 10-15 minutes to breeze by this would take a couple of hours to go through! Just imagine it, next time you're on a mass, if everyone was in a car instead.

And that's what it's all about for me. Together, once a month, we have a really great time commuting somewhere together quickly, efficiently, safely - unlike the other 29 days of the month that we're left to fend for ourselves against the slow, inefficient, unsafe, vast, unquestioning, unsocializing majority of car commuters. Thankfully, MOST drivers get this, and cut us some slack, or come join us the next time.

Obviously I'm against confrontation on critical masses. If you want to avoid situations like those posted in the YouTube links, I suggest riding towards the front-middle to middle-back of the mass. The very front sometimes has aggressive riders trying to take over the direction of the ride to bring us onto LSD or the Interstate. The very back of the ride is often a mess, where stragglers can fall back and become victims of the backup or of angry sociopathic car drivers whose rage we've fueled. Always be prepared to communicate and negotiate with people who are growing angry, and understand that one of the things that angers them is that they don't know why we're there.

"To promote biking," "It's a fun monthly ride," "We'll be through in about 2 more minutes," "I like bikes," "Bikes are fun," "Usually you guys outnumber us!" "I wanted to show off my new chopper and meet some cute girls," these are all explanations that can help satisfy their bafflement and quell their rage, if you do wind up having to talk to one of them. "When ambulances come we move aside much faster than cars do," "We meet up last Friday of every month at Daley plaza and in cities around the world, you should join us."

See you tomorrow!

Permalink Reply by vxla on September 25, 2008 at 8:10pm

I used to agree with all of the CM ideals, but that has worn a bit over time. I do understand what CCM (specifically) has done to promote bicycling in Chicago over a decade, and how it has led to many other wonderful groups (Cycling Sisters, Bike Winter, etc.), but the idea that it promotes something positive for it's onlookers isn't something that I necessarily buy anymore. Of course I do not claim to be a pundit on the global opinion of Critical Mass, from inside out; it's just my $0.02.

For all the reasons above, I find myself less and less interesting riding in CM each month, and even the most minimal distractions seem to be grabbing my attention on the last friday of the month, instead of it. Winter CMs are fun, but from April-October, this was probably the last year that I'll do them.

Permalink Reply by Bart on September 25, 2008 at 9:16pm

maybe you're just becoming a bit of an elitist, hmm? Winter CM's are more enjoyable because they're smaller and attract the more "hardcore" crowd. Sounds like your issue might be that the summer CM's have just gotten too big and they're not as exclusive or edgy or something.

Permalink Reply by vxla on September 25, 2008 at 10:01pm

Bart said:

maybe you're just becoming a bit of an elitist, hmm? Winter CM's are more enjoyable because they're smaller and attract the more "hardcore" crowd. Sounds like your issue might be that the summer CM's have just gotten too big and they're not as exclusive or edgy or something.

No, I highly doubt that. I think the original message has long since gone, and the whole idea of "xerocracy" is pretty much bullshit. Look at the way routes are chosen.

Permalink Reply by Vilda on September 26, 2008 at 8:09am

Can't wait to drink some beer and break some windows - see ya'll tonight! ;-)

Permalink Reply by EJ on September 26, 2008 at 8:29am

The best reply so far.

mister bob said:

Getting back to the original topic - why Critical Mass?

There are as many reasons to ride Critical Mass as there are to bike. Is it a protest? Sure, if you want to protest oil wars, transportation priorities, pollution, or whatever, take your pick. Is it a demonstration? Sure, it's a demonstration - of what it looks like when a lot of bikes get together and ride. Why cork and run reds? Um, that's so we can all keep together, duh. Is it legal? Well, it's not too terribly illegal, and in places where it's sanctioned (ie. Chicago) it goes by more quickly and safely than in places where they try to shut it down (ie. SF, NYC).

The main thing I've gotten out of it over the years is the community-building nature of it. You meet people on rides and see them again at bike events over the years. Through the people you meet you might learn how to be a better biker or citizen or figure out where to go for grad school, or heck, you might pick up lousy habits and become an enviro-terrorist or worse a Republican! But the point is you're meeting people and building community. It's a community commuting.

So for many participants it is mostly about having fun and meeting other people on bikes. I find it very sad that the so-called "charitable event organizer" thinks his or her undescribed charitable event should take priority over any other community's needs to mobilize and socialize in safety and numbers, but whenever people complain about the congestion that we cause as we go by, I just want to look into their eyes and ask: what if all 50 or 100 or 1000 of us had all brought our cars today instead of our bikes? There would be no parking for 5 miles around. Instead of 10-15 minutes to breeze by this would take a couple of hours to go through! Just imagine it, next time you're on a mass, if everyone was in a car instead.

And that's what it's all about for me. Together, once a month, we have a really great time commuting somewhere together quickly, efficiently, safely - unlike the other 29 days of the month that we're left to fend for ourselves against the slow, inefficient, unsafe, vast, unquestioning, unsocializing majority of car commuters. Thankfully, MOST drivers get this, and cut us some slack, or come join us the next time.

Obviously I'm against confrontation on critical masses. If you want to avoid situations like those posted in the YouTube links, I suggest riding towards the front-middle to middle-back of the mass. The very front sometimes has aggressive riders trying to take over the direction of the ride to bring us onto LSD or the Interstate. The very back of the ride is often a mess, where stragglers can fall back and become victims of the backup or of angry sociopathic car drivers whose rage we've fueled. Always be prepared to communicate and negotiate with people who are growing angry, and understand that one of the things that angers them is that they don't know why we're there.

"To promote biking," "It's a fun monthly ride," "We'll be through in about 2 more minutes," "I like bikes," "Bikes are fun," "Usually you guys outnumber us!" "I wanted to show off my new chopper and meet some cute girls," these are all explanations that can help satisfy their bafflement and quell their rage, if you do wind up having to talk to one of them. "When ambulances come we move aside much faster than cars do," "We meet up last Friday of every month at Daley plaza and in cities around the world, you should join us."

See you tomorrow!

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