What do Y'all think of Critical Mass (live, transportation)

[myhotradio]

Personally, I'm not a big fan. Far from garnering sympathy for cyclists at least in my opinion they just enrage motorists and put the cyclists who participate in them in harms way. I was wondering if anyone could explain to me the full point of Critical Mass or at least show some way in which it has achieved it's goals, whatever they may be. Also, I wanted to hear other people's opinions on the matter because I know I'm not the only driver who respects cyclists but has almost hit, or gotten hit, a by a rider in one of these critical mass rallies.

[Jennibc]

I am not sure how they play out down here but up in Seattle the cyclists were very militant. They used to block traffic at intersections so that despite having a green light you'd have to wait until all of the cyclist went through. This drove me absolutely nuts, no one is above the law, not even traffic laws. This happened every single month. One time a car accidentally bumped a cyclist during one these events and the other cyclists assaulted the motorist and trashed his car.

I have no problem sharing the road, I even watch for cyclists, but I am frustrated at how many cyclists run red lights and don't stop at stop signs. If you want to ride in traffic, you must obey traffic laws.

[TexasHorseLady]

What Jennibc said. They are a group that is doing more harm than good to their purported cause, if that cause is to get motorists to be inclined to share the road nicely with bicyclists (which I have no problem doing, my husband used to commute to work on a bicycle).

Between the bicyclists who have a sense of entitlement and feel that the laws of the road do not apply to them (they do) and Critical Mass (which as near as I can tell based on the evidence is simply an organized group of the former), I think they've done a LOT of harm and precious little good.

[passionatearts]

The ones in San Francisco are the worst. When I lived there, people I knew would call the participants "critical mass holes."

[mimimomx3]

I kind of like the fact that it isn't a centralized, hierarchal movement, but rather pretty spontaneous and grass roots. As long as it doesn't get violent, I think once a month (last friday of the month?) is not a bad thing- more like bike pride. As for shutting down intersections, well, that happens at every intersection on Lamar from about 4-7 by cars, and runners shut down many intersections every weekend for months!

[woodinvilleguy]

I'm a very pro cycling person and I think they cause more problems. I'm all for a peaceful ride the is considerate to make a point but it should allow car traffic to be along side of them.

[paul6835]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

I kind of like the fact that it isn't a centralized, hierarchal movement, but rather pretty spontaneous and grass roots. As long as it doesn't get violent, I think once a month (last friday of the month?) is not a bad thing- more like bike pride. As for shutting down intersections, well, that happens at every intersection on Lamar from about 4-7 by cars, and runners shut down many intersections every weekend for months!

Not intentionally - drivers and runners don't intentionally cause traffic problems. These people on the other hand, cause annoyance on purpose because they think riding a 13 lb aluminum recreational toy in spandex 60 MPH down a busy highway hill is someone else's responsibility when they get hurt.

[ATX Wahine]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

The ones in San Francisco are the worst. When I lived there, people I knew would call the participants "critical mass holes."

Indeed. I had a co-worker when I lived in SF who missed her flight to Disney World with her family because she had intended to go straight from our office downtown to meet them at SFO one Friday ... just as belligerent CM'ers gathering outside decided to shut down all traffic and disallow anyone to drive out. Her poor family boarded the flight while she sat on her cell phone while trapped in her car, talking to her husband and bawling. No recourse, no apology ... just held hostage by a bunch of short-sighted jerks. That very same night a bike rider threw a shoe through a woman's minivan window, shattering it into the lap of her young child in the backseat. Her crime? Trying to drive through a intersection.

I am certain that there are oodles of stories just like that out there ... a dad who missed his kid's game, an applicant for a job who missed his interview, etc ... and while sh*t happens every day, having it happen at the hands of a band of misguided renegade bike riders really, really sets the cause back. I know many Critical Mass gtg's are nothing like the above example, but all it takes is one or two bad apples in the group to incite a small riot in the name of something that is otherwise a GOOD thing.

[thesonofgray]

I've never heard of Critical Mass before, but from reading this thread they seem like a bunch of jerks. I live along 360 so I'm used to bicyclists every day, and I have no problem keeping an extra eye out for any struggling hopefuls clamoring up those hills (crazy bastards).

But no mercy to any of these Critical Massers that want to pick a fight with me. I'd like to see who wins in a match between an aluminum bike and my 5,000 pound Jeep.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by paul6835

Not intentionally - drivers and runners don't intentionally cause traffic problems. These people on the other hand, cause annoyance on purpose because they think riding a 13 lb aluminum recreational toy in spandex 60 MPH down a busy highway hill is someone else's responsibility when they get hurt.

I hate anyone being militant, and I won't defend someone being a jerk- but, the drivers on Lamar who sit in the middle of the intersection really, really, really **** me off.

Oh, and bikes aren't necessarily a 'recreational object'. For many, it's their method of transportation.