Gun pulled on Critical Mass riders tonight - The Chainlink2024-03-28T11:37:51Zhttps://thechainlink.org/forum/topics/gun-pulled-on-critical-mass-riders-tonight?commentId=2211490%3AComment%3A1064244&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI think that was my son! Did…tag:thechainlink.org,2017-07-11:2211490:Comment:10664132017-07-11T06:57:15.088ZJane Healyhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/Jane
<p>I think that was my son! Did this happen in Little Village on 18th Street?</p>
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<p>If it's any consolation, said son is now 19 and still rides his bike. ;-)</p>
<p>I think that was my son! Did this happen in Little Village on 18th Street?</p>
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<p>If it's any consolation, said son is now 19 and still rides his bike. ;-)</p> As one of the "old guard", t…tag:thechainlink.org,2017-07-11:2211490:Comment:10665052017-07-11T06:54:04.343ZJane Healyhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/Jane
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<p>As one of the "old guard", the summer rides have always been an opportunity for the "frat boys" to come out of the wood work. That said, I don't ride much in the mass anymore because I got tired of creating handouts, flyers, making t-shirts, helping do the Derailleur, etc and then having people ignore me. I think it doesn't help that I'm older, fat and FEMALE. I'm not cool enough to be taken seriously.</p>
<p>It is *very* hard to redirect the Mass once it's been hijacked. I've…</p>
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<p>As one of the "old guard", the summer rides have always been an opportunity for the "frat boys" to come out of the wood work. That said, I don't ride much in the mass anymore because I got tired of creating handouts, flyers, making t-shirts, helping do the Derailleur, etc and then having people ignore me. I think it doesn't help that I'm older, fat and FEMALE. I'm not cool enough to be taken seriously.</p>
<p>It is *very* hard to redirect the Mass once it's been hijacked. I've tried numerous times, as have many other riders. It only works if you have a highly visible head group who have a lot of voice amplification to be heard. As an earlier poster implied, with no map, any ol' person can become the ride leader by default.</p>
<p> It's also very, very hard to stay up with the Mass once it starts speeding up past 10 mph. Just one car or bus nudging into traffic, one narrow street turn, or worse, a long straight WIDE road, and the mass thins out so much that it disintegrates. The fast riders have no clue this is happening as they sprint off into the sunset, but trust me, the mass must stop frequently, and it benefits by leaders who will actually sit through 3 or more light cycles before continuing the ride. Ride thinning leaves slower or more vulnerable riders scattered like fallen leaves in the wake of the speedsters--WHICH IS NOT FUN. I have been riding the CCM with kids for 17 years now (mind-boggling, that!), and it's become hard for us to stay together and it's also extremely hard for younger and less experienced riders to enjoy the ride. Which is a shame. I know that CCM was a game changer in my life. It caused me to fall into bike commuting which led to bike advocacy and activism. Chicago's Mass has always been a kinder, gentler, happier mass than many of the rides in other cities. I would hate to lose that feeling of friendly "happy Friday!"s, smiles and ringaling bike bells.</p>
<p>I think many of us from the old guard have grown up, moved away or gotten tired. We do need new blood. I'm just not sure how to educate the younger, ambitious set that are the present day leaders. </p> Three of my friends from Velo…tag:thechainlink.org,2017-07-07:2211490:Comment:10655882017-07-07T03:33:46.785ZSmart Bike Partshttps://thechainlink.org/profile/SmartBikeParts
<p>Three of my friends from Velo Club Roubaix were seriously injured by a horse trailer / cyclists accident in Barrington Hills several years back. Thankfully, all recovered. I know Rubani is on the board of ATA and think Elliott serves today on committee. Simplest way for all of us to thank them is be members to our supporters of ATA. Regarding legal rights of cycllsts/motorists I would offer this for legal educated guess:</p>
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<p>1. Motorist is not allowed to roll down window (engage…</p>
<p>Three of my friends from Velo Club Roubaix were seriously injured by a horse trailer / cyclists accident in Barrington Hills several years back. Thankfully, all recovered. I know Rubani is on the board of ATA and think Elliott serves today on committee. Simplest way for all of us to thank them is be members to our supporters of ATA. Regarding legal rights of cycllsts/motorists I would offer this for legal educated guess:</p>
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<p>1. Motorist is not allowed to roll down window (engage cyclist)</p>
<p>2. Cyclist is not allowed to touch vehicle.</p>
<p>3. Either or both offense can lead to arrest, not sure what the officer would charge either with.</p>
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<p>Welcome our legal experts to correct and clarify same. Know there are many in this audience. </p>
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<p>Ride on,</p>
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<p>Eric</p>
<p></p> The group may wish to pre-emp…tag:thechainlink.org,2017-07-06:2211490:Comment:10654002017-07-06T16:21:54.777ZHumanPoweredTransportationhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/HumanPoweredTransportation
<p>The group may wish to pre-empt this by contact the police ASAP, letting them know there will be changes to CM going forward, what steps the group will take to avoid unruly, dangerous behavior, such as those that escalated the situation where an angry person driving felt the need to pull a gun.</p>
<p>The group may wish to pre-empt this by contact the police ASAP, letting them know there will be changes to CM going forward, what steps the group will take to avoid unruly, dangerous behavior, such as those that escalated the situation where an angry person driving felt the need to pull a gun.</p> I got to witness TWO crazy ev…tag:thechainlink.org,2017-07-06:2211490:Comment:10649382017-07-06T02:37:12.109ZTimhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/TimAiles
<p>I got to witness TWO crazy events at intersections on this June 2017 CCM ride. The first was when a SUV was blocked by corkers and they started yelling obscenities at the corker from the windows of the SUV. One of the corkers made the mistake of shaking his finger at them and shaking his head also. Next thing you know there are several people dressed for a night out on the town outside the vehicle pushing and swearing at the corkers saying they are late for a funeral. Then some pedestrians…</p>
<p>I got to witness TWO crazy events at intersections on this June 2017 CCM ride. The first was when a SUV was blocked by corkers and they started yelling obscenities at the corker from the windows of the SUV. One of the corkers made the mistake of shaking his finger at them and shaking his head also. Next thing you know there are several people dressed for a night out on the town outside the vehicle pushing and swearing at the corkers saying they are late for a funeral. Then some pedestrians got involved screaming at them as they got back into the suv. Wow. The second one i witnessed was the incident with the guy with the gun. While I dont think it was a very good idea to sit on the drivers hood, I DO have to say that he was slowly inched off of his bike by the driver advancing! Also he should never have looked at the driver and made any kind of gesture at him, given the situation. He was quick to disappear on his bike once the driver got out of the car.</p> it always gets silly come sum…tag:thechainlink.org,2017-07-05:2211490:Comment:10649952017-07-05T20:00:31.411ZJasonhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/JasonJ
<p>it always gets silly come summertime. </p>
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<p>I stopped going to Mass years ago. </p>
<p>Last time I went I saw a little kid get run over by a drunk driver. </p>
<p>it always gets silly come summertime. </p>
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<p>I stopped going to Mass years ago. </p>
<p>Last time I went I saw a little kid get run over by a drunk driver. </p> Lol - "dozens"tag:thechainlink.org,2017-07-04:2211490:Comment:10646122017-07-04T21:42:50.590ZSarah D.https://thechainlink.org/profile/Sarahld
Lol - "dozens"
Lol - "dozens" Chicagoist article/recap of t…tag:thechainlink.org,2017-07-04:2211490:Comment:10644272017-07-04T19:15:05.212ZYasmeenhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/YasmeenSchuller
<p>Chicagoist article/recap of the Critical Mass events from last Friday (including mention of the conversations on The Chainlink):</p>
<p><em>A motorist on Friday was disarmed by police after pulling a gun on cyclists who were riding in in Greektown for Critical Mass, a popular, monthly group bike ride that brings out dozens of participants.</em></p>
<p><em>The driver, Alexander Doty, 25, slowly approached an intersection in the 800 block of West Jackson Boulevard as cyclists from Critical…</em></p>
<p>Chicagoist article/recap of the Critical Mass events from last Friday (including mention of the conversations on The Chainlink):</p>
<p><em>A motorist on Friday was disarmed by police after pulling a gun on cyclists who were riding in in Greektown for Critical Mass, a popular, monthly group bike ride that brings out dozens of participants.</em></p>
<p><em>The driver, Alexander Doty, 25, slowly approached an intersection in the 800 block of West Jackson Boulevard as cyclists from Critical Mass were riding through, Chicago Police Department spokesperson Michelle Tannehill told Chicagoist. Doty then got out of his vehicle, walked to the trunk, pulled out a handgun and approached the the front of the vehicle. Police were already on the scene, and Doty handed over the firearm, according to Tannehill.</em></p>
<p><em>Doty faces one felony count of aggravated unlawful use of a loaded weapon without firearm owners identification.</em></p>
<p><em>Police happened to be behind Doty's vehicle as it approached the intersection of Halsted and Jackson, <a href="http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/gun-pulled-on-critical-mass-riders-tonight" target="_blank">according to post on The Chainlink</a>—a cycling-community message board—by a person who said he witnessed the scene.</em></p>
<p><strong>Full Article:</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://chicagoist.com/2017/07/03/gun_drawn_on_cyclist_at_critical_ma.php" target="_blank">http://chicagoist.com/2017/07/03/gun_drawn_on_cyclist_at_critical_ma.php</a></p> Why do we need to split the r…tag:thechainlink.org,2017-07-03:2211490:Comment:10645792017-07-03T20:01:46.304ZWaymond Smithhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/WaymondSmith
<p>Why do we need to split the ride? We should be riding slow enough to accommodate the slowest rider!</p>
<p>Maybe we should end critical mass in Chicago because it will "stain" every cyclist in the city! </p>
<p>Why do we need to split the ride? We should be riding slow enough to accommodate the slowest rider!</p>
<p>Maybe we should end critical mass in Chicago because it will "stain" every cyclist in the city! </p> You are spot on with your ana…tag:thechainlink.org,2017-07-03:2211490:Comment:10645772017-07-03T19:58:58.798ZWaymond Smithhttps://thechainlink.org/profile/WaymondSmith
<p>You are spot on with your analysis! We need leadership (new) in order to change the direction that the CCM ride has taken. I had not ridden CCM for almost a year and was taken aback on the changes!</p>
<p>We had no one to get the riders going, there was confusion on where to head after we got everyone off the plaza, the pace was way too fast. From what I understand, there is supposed to be "Hare and Tortoise" which (I feel) defeats the purpose of Critical Mass. </p>
<p>Maybe it's time to let…</p>
<p>You are spot on with your analysis! We need leadership (new) in order to change the direction that the CCM ride has taken. I had not ridden CCM for almost a year and was taken aback on the changes!</p>
<p>We had no one to get the riders going, there was confusion on where to head after we got everyone off the plaza, the pace was way too fast. From what I understand, there is supposed to be "Hare and Tortoise" which (I feel) defeats the purpose of Critical Mass. </p>
<p>Maybe it's time to let it die, because after this last ride I was ashamed to part of it!</p>