Critical Mass bike rides started some 13 years ago in San Francisco, some say, and now have spread to hundreds of cities worldwide. What is a critical mass ride? Well, as one website says:
Critical Mass is not an organization, it's an unorganized coincidence. It's a movement ... of bicycles, in the streets.
The Critical Mass Los Angeles site says:
The last Friday of every month in over 100 cities around the world, cyclists, roller bladers, boarders, etc...come together for a festive rolling celebration. It's an organized coincidence with no leaders and no set agenda. People come together for many reasons, to assert their right to cleaner air, less congestion, safer roads, and to celebrate and ride in solidarity with other cyclists and like minded individuals. Celebrate this month with Critical Mass!
As far as I can tell, the "bladers and boarders, etc" part is an embellishment. I think it is primarily supposed to be about bikes, although others are welcome. The nice illustration (by Beth Verdekal) at the top right of this post says it simply:
Ride Daily. Celebrate Monthly.
Now, I'm a great supporter of these sentiments. I think that people should cycle more (not just in this city, but in several others) and use public transport more. The dependence on cars, and the remarkable laziness -at the expense of our environment- that people have about choosing to make unnecessary car trips instead of using other means of transport really gets to me some time. I make some of those unnecessary trips myself, so I do know what I'm talking about. Anyway, I will probably talk more (ok, rant!) about public transport at some later point, but I'll hold off for now. Anyway, I found myself curious about what these rides might be like, and also what the people going on such rides might be like. Also, whether or not one goes along to such an event, there is simply nothing that can further acquaint you with a city that you love than cycling around it. One of the points of the critical mass rides (I have been led to understand by various websites, and several months of occasionally reading discussion about them on various web-based groups) is to make it clear to drivers that cyclists have every right to use the road, and that they should be treated with respect, just like any other vehicle on the road. So people who are normally afraid to go on the road for fear of motorists can come to such events and "take possession of the streets". Or at least one lane. Unfortunately, the "take possession of the streets" aspect gets taken to heart by too many of the ride, and things happen. So what usually happens is that a ride takes place, and then there is argument on the discussion group about what happened. Some people -myself included- think that we should ride in strength of numbers, and meticulously obey all traffic laws, thereby asserting our right to use the road, while at the same time helping to explode the myth that many motorists like to believe concerning cyclists disrupting traffic and being a danger to themselves and those around them. Others think that if you've 50 to 100 other cyclists with you, this is a license to completely take over and control the traffic. If the lights change -no problem!- just post some drivers against the opposing (rush hour) traffic and make sure everyone gets through anyway..... ignore stop signs and other pesky things like that, and take up as many lanes as you like. The motto there is "no cyclist left behind" and so the mass stays together and supports one another no matter what the consequences are. And so arguments rage about this. They get particularly interesting when the police get involved because there is an issue about whether everyone should support each other and let the whole mass get arrested, or whether everybody just scarpers and leaves some poor sod with a puncture to take the rap. Well, of course one wants to see this, right? All in a good cause, no? Good fun and a bit of exercise on the last Friday of the month, at the end of yet another spectacularly nice day in the Southwest.... Ok. How to put this...?
A very close friend of mine went on the LA Critical Mass ride today. It meets at 6:00pm at the subway stop at Wilshire and Western and is set to depart at 6:30pm. My friend, who works at USC just like I do, was calculating until 5:45pm and then had to pack up fast and get to the bus stop to get up there fast. It all turned out ok because they did not leave until 6:50pm anyway. Apparently this always happens. There was a lot of hanging around comparing bikes and such, and then there was lots of hooting and whooping which got the crowd of about 50 cyclists (relatively small ride this month) energized enough to head out. Along Wilshire the ride went and then south for a bit, going along at a pleasant pace, although a bit stretched out too much at first. Bear in mind that there is no destination, and so there are random turns (yelling of "make a right", or "hang a left" can be heard), but lots of joy and general good natured banter. Several motorists (often in their air conditioned SUVs) hoot their support as the cyclists go by, and some wind down down their windows and ask what it is all about, and some even enthusiastically promise (perhaps out of fear of that many vegetarians in one place) to be there with their bike the next month.
Well, of course my friend was thinking at this point that this was all rather good. The ride has evidently sorted itself out after all the argumentation on the web, and is well organized. Thoughts too soon. There is a junction at..... well, never mind where the junction was.... there's a really long tail of cyclists after a few twists through some side streets and then onto a main road, and so a light changed while the head was going through. Some of the cyclists -to ensure safety- held their positions against the opposing traffic and let the other 50 or so cyclists go through..... this took rather long, and was simply a bit too much really. Sure enough, as the last cyclists were going through there was a police siren and then a megaphone aided voice from the police car saying "you there on the bikes, you ran a red light, pull over". So obviously he was talking to all 50 or so cyclists, right? And what did they do? Change direction suddenly and disappear down a bunch of side streets, of course! So much for solidarity...
I should mention at this point that this is the Los Angeles Critical Mass. You just can't organize these free spirited Angelinos very well, no matter how good the cause. Your local Critical Mass -like many- is probably well-organized, while still being spontaneous enough for most people. (I've heard good things about the Santa Monica ride and the Long Beach ride for example) It is either done in the full knowledge of the police, who actually help stop traffic, or they agree to obey the traffic laws. But this is the LA one, and so there's a lot of disagreement, and shouting back and forth, and so on. But I do have to say that (my friend tells me) at no point was there ever any safety issue. The "corkers" (I think this is the term) who hold up the traffic to let all others through do this efficiently and firmly insert themselves before the traffic begins to move, using clear signals and bright clothing and lights, etc. Now actually the ride regrouped in the back streets after a short while (for a time there were the sounds of approaching sirens from several directions, and rumours that some guy got picked up by the cops, but nobody was sure of this...it all cleared up in the end apparently) and it must be said (my friend says) that it got much better organized after that. In fact, a police car did catch up with the ride again and actually helped clear a junction for it at one point - this was progress! The ride then cycled on larger streets where the blocks are longer and there's plenty of time to get through the lights. There was even quite a bit of sensible stopping and regrouping at red lights. There was lots of chatting about the different points of view about how to organize this unorganizable bunch of people, and it all took place on a wonderful Summer's evening with another beautiful sunset, and the ride passed through all sorts of interesting parts of the city. It was great.
But then the ride turned off La Brea, West onto Beverley, and the word was that there was an intention to go to West Hollywood for a bit, which is great, since it's a fun area, and there's lots of great food there, and it is sort of on my friend's way home. Suddenly a left turn is organized and there is a mumble of discontent among those who are, shall we say, less radical. Why? Those at the front have decided to cycle through the Grove. The question on a few lips was: What are they thinking!? For those of you who don't know, the Grove is one of the fancy shopping malls built to a model that developers are excited about and so you will see copies in your city one day. It's trying to be like a village high street, with all your favourite stores, Banana Republic, Barnes and Noble, Pottery Barn, etc, but the novelty is that it is completely pedestrianized. Let me just repeat that last word: pedestrianized. So why were these nutcases going to cycle through this place? There were no cars in there -car owners, sure, and half of them drive the "evil" SUV I'll bet, but they've all been valet-parked (or whatever): they're actually out walking for a change! This was not a good idea, it was missing the point entirely....!
My friend was not the only one to think this. Most went into the mall on their bikes, but a few stopped short and veered off or dismounted and did not go in, like my friend. End of a fun group ride for my friend, but not the end of the evening. Turning for home, my friend had a great time cycling along the streets, through the sights of West Hollywood and Hollywood and beyond. It is really great to cycle in the city at night actually, especially after a long hot day. It's especially great to be able to end an evening of cycling with a stop at a favourite shack-on-the-corner burrito stand on Hollywood Boulevard, for $3.50 of pure magic in the form of a burrito, and another $1.00 for a large drink of delicious refreshing horchata. ....and then home, sweet home, to blog about it. Moral: Please give cyclists a chance when you're out there driving. Do get out there on your bike from time to time. Do find out about the several cycling events that are going on in your city -there's a whole underground that you don't know about which is easy to find these days using the web- and go to some of them. There are parties, gallery tours, neighbourhood tours and plenty of other well organized (and legal) events that are good for all the family to join in. (The LA CM ride this month had a rocky start, but apart from the bad early junction, and except for that silly event at the Grove, it is a good thing to be involved in.) It's all worth it, and yes, our planet deserves at least this small, enjoyable effort. -cvj
