Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ammo on November 12, 2008 at 9:52am

That may be a bit hard without enough people. Cars eventually get pissed and do the sitting on the horn thing, or try to go around. With a sufficient amount of people around the intersection with enough passage through, it can be accomplished. Experienced corkers should only be the ones who do it.

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Permalink Reply by Vilda on November 12, 2008 at 10:01am

Well our last Wicker Mass was small enough that no corking was done! :-) Otherwise I just try to be nice (despite reports to the contrary) when corking and I'm angry when the situation calls for it. ;-)

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Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on November 12, 2008 at 10:31am

I've led the big mass a couple of times, but only for about a mile or so at a time.

Key points, I learned: Act like you know what you're doing and follow the map. Keeep a slow pace so the mass stays together and try to have people who defer to your judgement up there with you.

As for corking, I generally cork when I see something start to happen like someone inch towards the mass. I find that it helps to be a little different looking when you cork...wear a prom dress or wings or something.

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by evanK on November 12, 2008 at 4:55pm

While I agree with Howard that corking is mostly unnecessary, I think there are situations in which corking prevents a larger calamity (but really, only on the Big-Mass). Those situations mostly arise on their own and it's up to people on the mass to see that a driver is intending to sneak through the mass at a thin point. I think that, by removing the slightest possibility that they might "break through," it allows the driver to sit back, relax and watch and enjoy.

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Permalink Reply by Ashley on November 12, 2008 at 5:42pm

I think what evan means is, if there is a driver attempting to find an opportunity to squeeze through a gap (not intentionally hit someone) he will be forced to sit and wait it out if there is a person sitting right in front of him.

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Permalink Reply by vxla on November 12, 2008 at 7:57pm

Best way to make your statement: follow traffic laws and gain the respect of motorists.

I've seen people cork on smaller rides (Pierogi Fest ride, Perimeter ride, a few others) and it's completely pointless. IMHO, corking only works once there's hundreds of riders (and even then, it's pointless IMHO).

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Permalink Reply by yellow jello on November 13, 2008 at 6:00am

i love corking during last friday masses because all the beautiful people riding by smile and thank me and make feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

that being said, i agree with evan/ashley. i think drivers switch to the 'small road turning on to big busy road' mentality when they see the mass go by in front of them (while they technically have the green light), and they want to move whenever there is an opportunity. corking then becomes kinda like a crossing guard holding a stop sign.

as for getting the courage to cork, i'd say start with a group of three friends so you don't feel lonely and scared out there. and yes, hopefully a small group isn't strung out enough that corking is even necessary, unless its for the chicago hold-up, in which case by all means.......

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Permalink Reply by Steven Lane on November 13, 2008 at 8:21am

Pointless?
Have you ever seen a car speed through a group of cyclists?
Have you ever looked into someone's eyes as they slowly and willingly drive into you?

It's a very scary and deadly situation and should be ACTIVELY prevented.

Corking is one solution, another less popular method is to stop the ride and let the car through, but this has a nasty side affect of creating a bike pile up behind you - no one on a group ride is expecting to stop and pile ups always seem to happen. Letting an angry driver slip past the group can be a great way to remove the threat, but you have to be absolutely certain that you are not releasing them into a situation where they will cause greater harm. Many times a driver released from a bottle neck will "floor it" speeding away from the situation as fast as they can, and this often results in the car speeding into a pack of cyclists or into oncoming car traffic; kinda makes you wonder if corking them might be a better solution.

There is no one solution, but everyone in a group ride needs to realize that some motorists are a real threat to be managed, and you all need to work together. A thinned out ride of 30 to 3,000 is opening itself up to gross bodily harm if they are passing through a red light or obstructing any motorists "right of way", which sometimes amounts only to "I want out of the box store parking lot NOW, and I'm not afraid to run over anyone or anything that gets in my way!"

Vxla, you can obey all the laws on the books, but the minute you get more than six cyclists riding in a pack, some motorists are going to freak out and start honking, screaming, and sometimes drive right into your group; there are still plenty of motorists that believe bikes do not belong in traffic.

The Ride of Silence explicitly stated that the group was to obey all traffic laws; the Chicago ride did not follow the rules of the road (maybe it's a cultural thing with us?) I believe we had over 300 riders this year, and on a couple of occasions when the group split, the front pack stopped and waited for the rear to catch up, but when you have a half mile long line of riders, you can split at any point, and you will not always get the two parts rejoined, and this has a domino effect that creates further splits out of the resulting chaos.

This did not happen with the ROS, and what was beautiful about the variety methods used to keep the ride together, corking included, was that all these cyclists worked so fluidly together without speaking. Sure, there was some extraneous corks that didn't have any impact, but the intricate interactions of all these cyclists taking over the streets and working together in silence to remain a cohesive unit was a glorious testimony to the beauty of the Chicago cycling culture.

Like it or not, Chicago Critical Mass has been one of the lead factors in establishing Chicago's bike culture. Even though I love CCM, I do have some problems/concerns; it seems to me that biggest problem is that many new people think the purpose of a cork is to punish a driver, instead of honoring the original intention of merely creating a safe environment.

Yes, something should be done about this, but I do not think the *Massholes* amongst us read fliers or would be influenced by a thoughtful PSA. IMHO, everyone needs to stop bitching into cyberspace and get out on the streets and be an agent for change. I yell at cyclists all the time; it's really kind of a kick to see a bully turn into a whimpering puppy dog just because you called him out. I helped prevent a couple of LSD incursions on the Halloween ride, and some kids started a rumor that I was an undercover cop. It pissed me off, but I'm not going to let a minority of idiots spoil a good thing for the rest of us.

For those looking for respect from their oppressors, you should just avoid any large unsanctioned ride in Chicago, or consider moving to Naperville, where the motorists have guaranteed their respect by killing anyone that uses a street for anything other than driving. Little known fact, a kid riding his bike in Naperville is more likely to be killed than a kid selling crack in the city (I'm not sure how they are known as "Kid-Friendly Naperville").

For those that are willing to take a stand against the senseless slaughter of over 42,000 people each year in the U.S. alone due to vehicular violence, driving the foreign policy that fuels terrorism, and poisoning the environment on a daily basis - MassUp!!!

Tips for route planners and organizers:
1. Wait till you have gained some experience before jumping into route planning
2. Learn from previous maps
3. Don't go it alone, if Critical Mass works at all, it's by consensus and cooperation
4. Avoid narrow and complicated streets
5. Test your ride before sending a thousand plus people into a construction
6. Don't expect everything to go as planned and consider "Plan B" route changes
7. Share your map with the police (I might be alone on this one)

Looking for more advice? Contact me offlist or watch some of my CCM videos:
http://www.youtube.com/thestevenlane

Happy Thursday!
~steven

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Permalink Reply by vxla on November 13, 2008 at 8:51am

Vxla, you can obey all the laws on the books, but the minute you get more than six cyclists riding in a pack, some motorists are going to freak out and start honking, screaming, and sometimes drive right into your group; there are still plenty of motorists that believe bikes do not belong in traffic.

Perhaps in your experience, but not in mine...and I've ridden in plenty of packs of more than six cyclists.

The Ride of Silence explicitly stated that the group was to obey all traffic laws; the Chicago ride did not follow the rules of the road (maybe it's a cultural thing with us?) I believe we had over 300 riders this year, and on a couple of occasions when the group split, the front pack stopped and waited for the rear to catch up, but when you have a half mile long line of riders, you can split at any point, and you will not always get the two parts rejoined, and this has a domino effect that creates further splits out of the resulting chaos.

So blame the organizer for not providing clear instructions on where all the key points along the route would be, and how to get there. If things get broken up, and it's an organized ride, a cue sheet should be available.

IMHO, everyone needs to stop bitching into cyberspace and get out on the streets and be an agent for change.

Ok, please clarify something here for me. If a person is a cyclist and doesn't get involved with actively changing cycling laws/culture/whatever, do you think they're negligent?

Little known fact, a kid riding his bike in Naperville is more likely to be killed than a kid selling crack in the city (I'm not sure how they are known as "Kid-Friendly Naperville").

Good to know; what is the source?

Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on November 13, 2008 at 9:29am

Steven,

Thank you for the helpful advice here. I also yell at cyclist when they do dumb things.

Steven Lane said:

Pointless?
Have you ever seen a car speed through a group of cyclists?
Have you ever looked into someone's eyes as they slowly and willingly drive into you?

It's a very scary and deadly situation and should be ACTIVELY prevented.

Corking is one solution, another less popular method is to stop the ride and let the car through, but this has a nasty side affect of creating a bike pile up behind you - no one on a group ride is expecting to stop and pile ups always seem to happen. Letting an angry driver slip past the group can be a great way to remove the threat, but you have to be absolutely certain that you are not releasing them into a situation where they will cause greater harm. Many times a driver released from a bottle neck will "floor it" speeding away from the situation as fast as they can, and this often results in the car speeding into a pack of cyclists or into oncoming car traffic; kinda makes you wonder if corking them might be a better solution.

There is no one solution, but everyone in a group ride needs to realize that some motorists are a real threat to be managed, and you all need to work together. A thinned out ride of 30 to 3,000 is opening itself up to gross bodily harm if they are passing through a red light or obstructing any motorists "right of way", which sometimes amounts only to "I want out of the box store parking lot NOW, and I'm not afraid to run over anyone or anything that gets in my way!"

Vxla, you can obey all the laws on the books, but the minute you get more than six cyclists riding in a pack, some motorists are going to freak out and start honking, screaming, and sometimes drive right into your group; there are still plenty of motorists that believe bikes do not belong in traffic.

The Ride of Silence explicitly stated that the group was to obey all traffic laws; the Chicago ride did not follow the rules of the road (maybe it's a cultural thing with us?) I believe we had over 300 riders this year, and on a couple of occasions when the group split, the front pack stopped and waited for the rear to catch up, but when you have a half mile long line of riders, you can split at any point, and you will not always get the two parts rejoined, and this has a domino effect that creates further splits out of the resulting chaos.

This did not happen with the ROS, and what was beautiful about the variety methods used to keep the ride together, corking included, was that all these cyclists worked so fluidly together without speaking. Sure, there was some extraneous corks that didn't have any impact, but the intricate interactions of all these cyclists taking over the streets and working together in silence to remain a cohesive unit was a glorious testimony to the beauty of the Chicago cycling culture.

Like it or not, Chicago Critical Mass has been one of the lead factors in establishing Chicago's bike culture. Even though I love CCM, I do have some problems/concerns; it seems to me that biggest problem is that many new people think the purpose of a cork is to punish a driver, instead of honoring the original intention of merely creating a safe environment.

Yes, something should be done about this, but I do not think the *Massholes* amongst us read fliers or would be influenced by a thoughtful PSA. IMHO, everyone needs to stop bitching into cyberspace and get out on the streets and be an agent for change. I yell at cyclists all the time; it's really kind of a kick to see a bully turn into a whimpering puppy dog just because you called him out. I helped prevent a couple of LSD incursions on the Halloween ride, and some kids started a rumor that I was an undercover cop. It pissed me off, but I'm not going to let a minority of idiots spoil a good thing for the rest of us.

For those looking for respect from their oppressors, you should just avoid any large unsanctioned ride in Chicago, or consider moving to Naperville, where the motorists have guaranteed their respect by killing anyone that uses a street for anything other than driving. Little known fact, a kid riding his bike in Naperville is more likely to be killed than a kid selling crack in the city (I'm not sure how they are known as "Kid-Friendly Naperville").

For those that are willing to take a stand against the senseless slaughter of over 42,000 people each year in the U.S. alone due to vehicular violence, driving the foreign policy that fuels terrorism, and poisoning the environment on a daily basis - MassUp!!!

Tips for route planners and organizers:
1. Wait till you have gained some experience before jumping into route planning
2. Learn from previous maps
3. Don't go it alone, if Critical Mass works at all, it's by consensus and cooperation
4. Avoid narrow and complicated streets
5. Test your ride before sending a thousand plus people into a construction
6. Don't expect everything to go as planned and consider "Plan B" route changes
7. Share your map with the police (I might be alone on this one)

Looking for more advice? Contact me offlist or watch some of my CCM videos:
http://www.youtube.com/thestevenlane

Happy Thursday!
~steven

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Permalink Reply by Steven Lane on November 13, 2008 at 10:12am

Perhaps in your experience, but not in mine...and I've ridden in plenty of packs of more than six cyclists.

Well, somewhere between your experience and mine is the truth, which means there are some scary drivers out there that are actually willing to take someone out, better to error on the side of caution and develop some defensive measures.

So blame the organizer for not providing clear instructions on where all the key points along the route would be, and how to get there. If things get broken up, and it's an organized ride, a cue sheet should be available.

Sure, in a reasonable world where people read and follow directions. We had a cue sheet and there were very capable people organizing the ride, but it was 6 or so people trying to contain over 300, and many of those people didn't care that there was an agreement to follow the rules of the road. I don't think you can blame a few individuals for the actions of everyone; the police cannot even do this successfully.

Ok, please clarify something here for me. If a person is a cyclist and doesn't get involved with actively changing cycling laws/culture/whatever, do you think they're negligent?

No, I think that commuter cyclists are creating change everyday by simply riding, and a committed few take it to the next level by getting involved in local politics, urban planning, creating a bike coop, opening a bike shop, and even creating online forums where we all get to bitch into cyberspace. Please, I hope you understand I see a great deal of value in this website and understand the importance sharing ideas (trivial/profound/whatever).

However, if you choose to complain about something you are not willing to help change, you're kinda part of the problem.

Little known fact, a kid riding his bike in Naperville is more likely to be killed than a kid selling crack in the city (I'm not sure how they are known as "Kid-Friendly Naperville").

Good to know; what is the source?

It's a bogus comparison, but there is a grain of bitter truth to it. Looking at a map of auto fatalities, you find the higher instances of deadly crashes overlay the wealthier communities. My assumption is the roads are darker and people drive at higher speeds because everything is so far spread out, which creates deadlier "accidents". Google "Maps in the Public Square"

Another fun fact, beds kill more people than bikes; maybe we should wear our helmets to bed?

;^)

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Permalink Reply by Vilda on November 13, 2008 at 7:07pm

Steven, i would make out with you if I was into that sort of thing! ;-)

And on the Wicker Mass, even though there was only six of us we had a honker/speeder ;-) I gave him the one finger salute and a nice yell cause that's my way. ;-) But my poor habits aside, we had six people and still pissed off someone for just being there. Angry Cagers. ;-)

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