Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on March 6, 2010 at 2:45pm

After reading this thread, Pete, it sounds like your beef with March's WPCM was that no one had any ideas in mind at all. From what's been written, I gather that there was no destination in mind, much less a route to a destination.

I can see why that would be frustrating.

Did anyone talk about route ideas or final destinations before you all set off? That question is directed at anyone who was there, by the way.

Permalink Reply by Primitive Don on March 6, 2010 at 3:27pm

I saw the aimless mob riding on Kedzie when I got off the el at Logan Square. Looked like fun.

Permalink Reply by rik on March 6, 2010 at 4:22pm

Payton
You can't have it both ways. If you want others to take a turn at leader then step down out of the way.
CM does not need any absentee leaders. Take your name off the event.



payton said:

First off, I'm sorry if I ever gave the impression that I was "the leader" of WPCM. We all have different priorities, and for better or worse, WPCM isn't a huge priority for me at this time. I also didn't post the March ride to the Chainlink.

As for CM being "a mob," no, I think that many of us see CM as an experiment in anarchy -- it's not that there are no leaders, it's that everyone's a leader. I know that CM empowered me to become a leader, and it's a shame that others don't see that same opportunity.

Permalink Reply by Laura on March 6, 2010 at 4:33pm

I too share part of pete's frustration but have different reasoning behind my frustration.
Sure there was no one ‘in charge’ of the mass, but we all ended up on our bikes and riding and having a good time, which was the point of it. My problem lies with the lack of communication and awareness of surroundings.
I too was pissed (although thought it was funny) that we went to a grocery store parking lot for no reason. I was not pissed because of the stop but because of how the stop happened. No one communicated, the mass got split and those who did go into the lot immediately cut from the far right lane across 3 lanes of traffic on a very busy street. I think part of the reason that this happens is that everyone feels safe in numbers. But just because you’re with 20 other people does not mean you won’t be hit by a car. It is never ok to cut off traffic just because the person in front of you did it. Secondly there were multiple points where we were taking up 2 lanes when cars were trying to pass. There were less than 30 of us and there was no reason why we could not be in one lane, at that when we were on smaller streets we could have made room for cars to pass was well. I am sick of yelling ‘car back’ just to have people think that it means take up the whole road and don’t let them pass. To be respected you have to respect others not piss them off. I had this same frustration last week on a ride as well. Forcing cars to pull into the lane for oncoming traffic so they can speed by us is unsafe not only for the cars but also for the cyclists involved. These problems have nothing to do with not having a leader but with people not knowing how to ride in groups, which I guess (hope) happens with time and experience. Communication is key in these rides and I agree that it was surely missing last night.
And this said man who tried to molest Gabe, well I paid him to do it, and want my money back because he obviously failed. Turtle races again next Friday anyone? (and no I am not volunteering to 'lead' this event, and will most likely not show up)

Permalink Reply by Vilda on March 6, 2010 at 4:38pm

Love you Dug!! Love you Caitlin! I was there and it was a lot of fun! No corking was necessary cause we were to small and corking for fun is a BAD IDEA!!! If we were going to fast for the sound trailer HE needed to speak up not you cause I thought we were rolling at a decent pace cause I'm the first to say when we're goin to fast!

Your argument blows and we ended up at a bar with turtle races and havin' MORE fun! For Critical Mass you have to go with the flow or you end up complaining cause it didn't turn out the way you like. Tough luck! Every Mass I've been on has a different feel and has a different story through out.

And turtles can't race for shit! ;-)

Permalink Reply by T.C. O'Rourke on March 6, 2010 at 5:11pm

"I bailed a few blocks later."

If Critical Mass means something that particular to you and you think the "hipsters" need to know about it, it was YOUR responsibility to show them the error of their ways. Pete, you failed. I bet Alex would agree with me.

Q: Who is the leader of Critical Mass?

A: YOU are the leader of Critical Mass.

Permalink Reply by Todd Allen on March 6, 2010 at 6:26pm

Pete's observations have merit. I've had a similar impression of WPCM the last few times I've gone. I've been less heroic than Pete. Trying to single handedly guide such a ride without planning is a tall order. Herding cats isn't easy.

I haven't felt the urge to complain about WPCM cause I haven't cared enough about the ride to put even that much effort into it. And complaining without the will to significantly contribute is kind of pointless.

I like the NSCM. It has a core group that pours sweat into routes and themes. The ride usually gets going on schedule and for the most part the ride has a safe, comfortable, friendly feel which appeals to me in my doddering old age. It fulfills my urge for a monthly neighborhood mass up.

I don't think the 'net is keeping people off their bikes and away from the WPCM. If there isn't already a forum devoted to WPCM, creating one would be a good first step toward facilitating more planning, organizing and perhaps interest in the ride. I'm not currently up for putting much effort into WPCM as I've got as many commitments as I can handle. However, if Pete or someone else instigated I'd try and give a little support.

Permalink Reply by Pete Fein on March 6, 2010 at 6:52pm

T.C. O'Rourke said:

"I bailed a few blocks later."

If Critical Mass means something that particular to you and you think the "hipsters" need to know about it, it was YOUR responsibility to show them the error of their ways. Pete, you failed. I bet Alex would agree with me.

Yup, I tried & I failed. I rode around with the ride for about 45 minutes and talked to several people about what I felt was going on. How long should I have kept at it? I've already been called a sore butt once on this thread... ;-)

I've been comparing what happened here to the fights that used to occur on the mailing list - "Critical Mass is not this list, it's the ride". What's different here is that last night's ride occurred because of the Net, rather than regardless of it. Again, 3/4 of the folks had never been on a Mass before.

Interestingly, I've seen this exact thing happen before, at Brooklyn's CM (2008). Time's UP! promoted the ride to their lists and then didn't show. Pretty typical I was told. That Mass also had mostly new folks, and the one 'veteran' (2 prior rides) agreed with the cops to keep the ride on a greenway. That's not what I call a Critical Mass. And, FWIW, I told the assembled folks as much and bailed before they even got going. Sometimes the best way to ride Critical Mass is not to ride at all.

Q: Who is the leader of Critical Mass?

A: YOU are the leader of Critical Mass.

Me? Officer, you must be joking, I was just riding along and all these bikes started following me. ;-)

When we say we're leaderless, we mean we have no leaders when viewed from without and as many leaders as riders when viewed from within. Anarchy outside, allarchy inside perhaps? Not last night. Maybe next month. Will I be there? I dunno. But if I flyer for it, or post about it or tell my friends, I damn well better be.

Permalink Reply by Pete Fein on March 6, 2010 at 7:04pm

M.A.R.K. said:

Wait.. Last nights ride occurred cause of the net? Hasn't WPCM been going on for sometime now, if not a couple of years?

When 15 of 20 people haven't been on a Critical Mass before and heard about WPCM through The Chainlink, yes, I'd say it occurred because of the Net.

Permalink Reply by Pete Fein on March 6, 2010 at 7:18pm

M.A.R.K. said:

If it has been an ongoing ride, then I would say Fridays ride was not because of the net, no matter how people found out about it..

While I appreciated your original post, where is this going exactly?

To bed. ;-)

Permalink Reply by payton on March 6, 2010 at 7:42pm

Rik, I never appointed myself leader in the first place, and actively tried for many months to try and identify "a new leader." Someone else posted the event with my name on it -- not I.

Permalink Reply by Michelle Green on March 6, 2010 at 9:33pm

WPCM has been happening for a long time (and from what I understand it's always been very.... casual...), but Chainlink is growing constantly (last month I was the only person out of... all 7 of us? actually even from Wicker Park, and even I didn't know about the ride until I got on this site a couple of months ago) and if that combined with the nicest day in ages brings out a ton of people who've never massed, well... awesome! I certainly understand the various safety issues but everything else? I thought getting people (even hipsters!) on bikes was a big part of the whole point...

And thanks to this site, I ride way more than I would otherwise, in large part because it's helped me immensely to feel like a useful part of an active and welcoming (even to hipsters!) cycling community. So I'm gonna stay plugged in.

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