"We ARE traffic!" - Critical Mass and the politicisation of the bicycle.

[ahhpeanutbutter]

"The 'org' domain notwithstanding, Critical Mass is not an organisation, it's an unorganised coincidence. It's a movement ... of bicycles, in the streets." (www.critical-mass.org

Comments

[pollydacron]

i have always liked the idea of critical mass and rode in it a couple times in portland once in vancouver (you were probably there, anyhow) but what bugs me sometimes is the people who ruin the peaceful share-the-road thing by purposefully trying to incite trouble with motor car drivers or police.. even if people are pissed off or whatever, it doesn't get a good message across, and it makes critical mass look bad.. and it makes me scared to go because I don't feel like getting arrested or threatened by the cops when I'm not even doing anything. last time i went gina crashed her bike and got hurt and the policeman was yelling at her to stop blocking traffic so she got on the sidewalk and then he yelled at her to stop blocking the sidewalk. it's just hard for me to involve myself in something that's become so charged on many sides. although i still might try it again sometime.

[ahhpeanutbutter]

Ha! What initially attracted me was the potential for incitement. The feeling of being in control of the road and not vulnerable to drivers was really powerful. The impatience and laziness of car culture really bothered me, and even now I don't really have any qualms about slightly inconveniencing a very convenient lifestyle