I rode with critical mass once. I left the convey towards the end when the lead cyclists provoked an SUV into a confrontation near Harvard Square and I just couldn't stand to watch people get in a fight over something as silly as bicycles. To me, Critical Mass was more about blocking traffic and sticking it to the cagers (LOL) than promoting biking as a means of commuting.
I'm not equating Bike Friday with what Critical Mass used to be, but I really don't believe that the best way to promote cycling as a means of commuting on the road is to disrupt commuting and break the rules of the road.
I believe the money from the police escort, as others noted, should be spent improving cyclist infrastructure such as bike lanes and bike signals, and even on police cracking down on cyclists violating the rules of the road.
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Re: I did one once...
Date: 2009-07-30 06:01 pm (UTC)I rode with critical mass once. I left the convey towards the end when the lead cyclists provoked an SUV into a confrontation near Harvard Square and I just couldn't stand to watch people get in a fight over something as silly as bicycles. To me, Critical Mass was more about blocking traffic and sticking it to the cagers (LOL) than promoting biking as a means of commuting.
I'm not equating Bike Friday with what Critical Mass used to be, but I really don't believe that the best way to promote cycling as a means of commuting on the road is to disrupt commuting and break the rules of the road.
I believe the money from the police escort, as others noted, should be spent improving cyclist infrastructure such as bike lanes and bike signals, and even on police cracking down on cyclists violating the rules of the road.