Critical Mass ride tonight (Miami, Coral Gables: live, cost, legally)

[hurricaneMan1992]

Check out the Miami Bike Scene for the route through Little Havana, West Flagler, Grapeland Heights, Allapattah, Brownsville, Liberty City, Wynwood, Midtown, Edgewater, OMNI, Park West, and Downtown, and they plan to start riding at 7:15pm.

"Ride safely and be courteous to everyone in the community, if you can’t do this then quite simply you are not welcomed. There’s no room for hostile, drunk, moronic individuals. There are a lot of great people on these rides, enjoying their city by bicycle for 1-2 hours on the last Friday of every month, and it’s rather unfortunate that a few bad apples can ruin this special occurrence for everyone else."

Please remember that green does not mean "go now," green means "you are allowed to go if the intersection is clear." Here's hoping for a clean ride tonight. Personally, I would rather see CMers take the entire right lane and stop at red lights, even if it turns the 1-2 hour ride into 2-3 hours. But that's just not the reality of what's going to happen.

Riders: remember this is not a race or a bike tour, and many people are riding in a pack for the first time--keep it safe.

Drivers: remember, as a driver you're the one who has control of and ultimate responsibility for the 3000 pound machine that can easily injure or kill someone--someone's mother or father or spouse. In a sane, civil society trying to save 10 minutes is not worth someone's life, no matter what the level of frustration may be.

Bus riders (like myself this evening): hope you brought some reading material... And write to FDOT to expand Metrorail and implement bus lanes, instead of spending around $1Bn on the 395 bridge over downtown, when we already have a perfectly functional 395 bridge there.

Besides, it'll all be over and for the next 700+ hours it will be back to the usual trickle of cyclists on the road--believe me the regular Miami traffic jams and long lights will delay you much, much more during those 700+ hours than having to slow down for 5 seconds to safely pass someone on a bike. And chances are that person on the bike has also driven/will soon be driving in the same traffic as you and will likely also have to slow down for his fellow cyclists as well. There's something very American about "We're all in this together."

[ace587]

I did Critical Mass for like 2 years and stopped in 2012. So many cyclists drinking and getting in trouble with drivers. That's why i left. I hope it really changes since its gotten really big over the years. You got the anarchists that spoil the fun for people.

[FlyMIA]

Hope the police ticket each bicycle that goes through a red light, takes up too much of their designated space they are allowed to take, stop signs running etc..

I am all for these types of things but they need to be coordinated with the correct authorities. These are not.

[straight shooter]

The Police Chief wants to crack down on the lawlessness but his approach is incorrect. He should not have targeted the blogger, that posts information about the event, and held him responsible. Legally they can't prove that he is the organizer, there is no organizer, and they know it. They are just trying to point the finger at someone. They are abusing their power and intimidating the guy which can't be held liable for all of the participants actions. The realistic solution is for the cities and their police departments to supervise and enforce the laws at the event. It will cost the cities involved additional money but I think they can very well cover it. Coral Gables is already doing this, the City of Miami should follow suit.

[ace587]

How was the ride tonight? Anybody went?

[hurricaneMan1992]

According to the Herald it apparently it went more smoothly than previous CM rides have gone. The crowd was much more well behaved. Some of them even stopped at some of the red lights. Some motorists stuck in traffic were actually cheering "good job!" Yes, they were probably cyclists themselves, but you have to realize that probably 99% of the CYCLISTS in this city in fact DO DRIVE most places--they are still South Floridians, after all--they are your neighbors. MOST CYCLISTS ARE FELLOW DRIVERS WHO HAPPEN TO BE ON A BIKE AT THE TIME! So there is really no need for animosity here--cyclists are not some alien species who live on some hidden, secluded island in Biscayne Bay. Some frustration is justified, yes, but if you are frustrated enough to want to KILL someone, IMHO you shouldn't commit yourself to driving in a congested urban environment like Miami--there are many other cities and towns in FL.

Still ZERO deaths or serious injuries on the part of motorists during CM rides. How many deaths or serious injuries of cyclists and pedestrians will there be during the next 30 days until the next CM?

[flyers29]

Originally Posted by hurricaneMan1992

Still ZERO deaths or serious injuries on the part of motorists during CM rides. How many deaths or serious injuries of cyclists and pedestrians will there be during the next 30 days until the next CM?

Unfortunately there are too many motorists who don't respect the laws regarding the protection of cyclists (and/or choose to yell/throw things at them just because). That does not, however, justify the behavior undertaken by that crock of s*** event known as Critical Mass.

[OrlFlaUsa]

Cars should always yield to bikes, end of story.

[straight shooter]

Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa

Cars should always yield to bikes, end of story.

I think that is part of the problem. Bicyclist should also yield and be on the lookout, they should not rely solely on motorist when it comes to their safety. I have seen many bicyclist bicycling recklessly on our roads and with the mentality that they are privileged and own the road. Lets not have the mentality that motorist are always the ones responsible for everything and the ones to blame when an accident occurs, both should be equally responsible.

[OrlFlaUsa]

Right, I agree with everything you did, but if a car and a bike get into a near collison situation, if the car doesn't yeild, then somebody ends up dead.

Plus you're in a car, tap the brake and move on, a bike is much harder to slow down and speed back up.

Nothing more frustrating than slowing down to a near stop for every open intersection the way a car does.