Finally watched the video.

Quote :

"PACIFIC BICYCLE MANIFESTATION"

3/2/2011 2:55:55 PM

Quote :

"Any protest causes a problem in your extremely rare "crisis scenario". So I guess the question is: do you have a problem with protest in general?"

It's not a rare scenario. And that's the point, isn't it? To at least inconvenience people, right? If they were blocking the road for a bunch of people who were smoking some weed and jamming out in their cars, then it wouldn't be such a big deal. Also, they supposedly do this monthly all over the world...there's no way the scenarios I described are rare. And I think that's something they should keep in mind. What they're doing may feel really cutesy and fun and like an excellent social opportunity for them, but it's actually really dangerous, and they should at least consider that maybe their monthly "protest" party isn't worth inflicting actual pain on perfect strangers--strangers they've blindly singled out because they *gasp* drive cars.

Quote :

"So you object to protest."

I feel the same way about critical mass as I do about the self-righteous assholes who yell slurs at women outside abortion clinics.

Quote :

"Haha and then you follow it up brilliantly with a "what problem? I don't see a problem!" bullshit that you normally call other people out on. How often do you bike?"

In my personal life experience, I have never known somebody who hates bike commuters and wants them off the road. Before I can champion a group of people who harm hundreds of other people on a regular basis, I would like to see a survey or something that indicates that their rights are being trampled. At this time, I am not convinced that bike riders are a persecuted group who need to take drastic measures to secure their rights.

Plus, let's be real...it's not about securing safer conditions for bike riders or increasing awareness/advocacy for more sustainable infrastructure and city planning or whatever. Critical mass is about asserting moral authority and punishing people who choose not to ride bikes. And, no, I've never gotten behind that kinda protest.

[Edited on March 2, 2011 at 3:33 PM. Reason : (I only bike on vacation.)]

3/2/2011 3:27:22 PM

I miss riding my bike to work. I need to save up money for a bicycle.

3/2/2011 3:42:01 PM

Quote :

"Critical mass is about asserting moral authority and punishing people who choose not to ride bikes."

That isn't what it's supposed to be about. Maybe this one was, I don't know. It varies from city to city.

Quote :

"Critical Mass has a different flavor from city to city -- there's a big variety in size, respect of traffic laws (or lack thereof), interaction with motorists, and intervention by police. So if you want to know more about Critical Mass, you'll really need to find out what your local ride is like. For those who must know more right now, here's a link to Chicago CM, which I suppose is a "typical" CM ride, if there is such a thing. Critical Mass has no leaders, and no central organization licenses rides. In every city that has a CM ride, some locals simply picked a date, time, and location for the ride and publicized it, and thus the ride was born. CM is an idea and an event, not an organization. You can't write to "Critical Mass" -- certainly not by writing to me. CM is intended to be a celebration, not an opportunity to cause trouble. Those who want to try to tie up traffic as much as possible and be confrontational with motorists are missing the point. We can assert our right to the road without being rude about it. Focus on the ride, not on the cars that also happen to be on the road"

http://critical-mass.info/

[Edited on March 2, 2011 at 3:44 PM. Reason : .]

3/2/2011 3:43:43 PM

Quote :

"It's not a rare scenario. And that's the point, isn't it? To at least inconvenience people, right? If they were blocking the road for a bunch of people who were smoking some weed and jamming out in their cars, then it wouldn't be such a big deal. Also, they supposedly do this monthly all over the world...there's no way the scenarios I described are rare. And I think that's something they should keep in mind. What they're doing may feel really cutesy and fun and like an excellent social opportunity for them, but it's actually really dangerous, and they should at least consider that maybe their monthly "protest" party isn't worth inflicting actual pain on perfect strangers--strangers they've blindly singled out because they *gasp* drive cars."

Yeah so the guy that mowed down drivers was in a rush to do what exactly? Have you just figured out how protests work or something?

Quote :

"I feel the same way about critical mass as I do about the self-righteous assholes who yell slurs at women outside abortion clinics."

What is a legitimate protest to you then?

Quote :

"In my personal life experience, I have never known somebody who hates bike commuters and wants them off the road."

Cool well you're limited as fuck apparently.

Quote :

"Before I can champion a group of people who harm hundreds of other people on a regular basis, I would like to see a survey or something that indicates that their rights are being trampled. At this time, I am not convinced that bike riders are a persecuted group who need to take drastic measures to secure their rights. Plus, let's be real...it's not about securing safer conditions for bike riders or increasing awareness/advocacy for more sustainable infrastructure and city planning or whatever. Critical mass is about asserting moral authority and punishing people who choose not to ride bikes. And, no, I've never gotten behind that kinda protest."

Haha "go protest somewhere else guys you're actually affecting things". With milquetoast leftists like this who needs Republicans

3/2/2011 3:47:28 PM

Quote :

"Focus on the ride, not on the cars that also happen to be on the road"

That's smart.

Anywho, I think it'd be great if we could get a bike lane like what I've seen and ridden on in Europe. I'd almost consider riding my bike to work, but its about 5 miles all on highway, the first half of which has no sidewalk or anything.

[Edited on March 2, 2011 at 4:07 PM. Reason : but that's about as likely as getting a competent train system in the near future]

3/2/2011 4:06:51 PM

i'm gonna take a shit on your bike every day as my form of protest, how do you like that?

3/2/2011 4:08:36 PM

just post about how you did it the other day to some hipster

be sure to write it in a blinding flash of stupid rage

3/2/2011 4:09:31 PM

Bike infrastructure improvements are actually starting to happen a lot in many cities in the country, and will probably continue. It's a lot more likely than rail improvements because the cost is extremely minimal compared to all other forms of transit infrastructure, and the impact in terms of space is minimal as well.

3/2/2011 4:10:13 PM

my guess is that you are more wookie than hipster

3/2/2011 4:10:29 PM

A month or so ago I watched a guy on a bike run the 4 way stop in the middle of Centennial Campus. He was going so fast that he nearly lost control of the bike while turning in front of a car that clearly had the right of way.

Since this is a thread about morality, was it ok that I rooted for him to faceplant?

Not get run over, just fall on his face.

[Edited on March 2, 2011 at 4:30 PM. Reason : .]

3/2/2011 4:29:34 PM

^7

I'm not condoning the VW Golf driver's behavior. Also, I already pointed out that I would be enraged even if I didn't have an emergency. I'm definitely "limited as fuck" in a lot of ways. That's why a survey or some kind of evidence would be helpful here. I mean, I obviously just can't take your word that most people want bike commuters off the road. I mean, how's that gonna work anyway? Oh, well, the guy insulting me on the Internet says it so I better believe him. It's a protest with no permit--and potentially no signs or identifiers of cause--that moves through the city, randomly disrupting traffic...on a regular basis. It's extreme, in my opinion, and based on my personal life experiences, I do not think the extremity is justified. But I am down for saving the environment and paying taxes for sustainable/healthful stuff so, if you could come with some evidence (and relax on the insults), I would be very much open to the idea that these critical mass folks are righteous warriors in a battle against evil bike riding haters.

3/2/2011 8:14:22 PM

I had a cyclist riding down the middle of the lane on hillsborough yesterday....started to give him a of taste of my expedition

3/3/2011 12:04:20 PM

Once again I will state that I ride my bike some (not to work since it just doesn't make sense for me on a regular basis). I rode it all over the place in college though. I ride mountain bikes as well. My dad does lots of road biking and does lots of charity rides, etc. etc. It's safe to say that I enjoy biking and grew up around it. This being said, I have even been on two different critical mass rides back when I lived in Raleigh.

My conclusion? They were pointless. They were doing nothing to further the cause of bicyclists and pretty much only disrupted traffic. Most of the people there (including several of my friends who were the ones tho convinced me to go out) seemed happier to simply be disrupting traffic than actually care about whether it promoted anything positive for the biking community.

It seemed almost opposite of something I would want to be involved in if I was actually promoting biking and biking&car safety. A juvenile response to the whole biker vs cars on the road argument if you will. It's like the argument you get into knowing that it won't actually further your cause and in fact most likely hurt it, but you do it anyway simply because you like arguing.

I would never, ever even CONSIDER plowing into some group of bikers with my car; I'm not that power-driven, impatient, or idiotic. However, I also don't really support the critical mass stuff either.

I will however continue to ride my bike when applicable and mind the laws of the road. When I drive I will also continue to be mindful of bikers as always.

[Edited on March 3, 2011 at 12:49 PM. Reason : .]

3/3/2011 12:20:30 PM

3/3/2011 1:36:30 PM

^I almost shat myself laughing so hard.

3/3/2011 1:58:01 PM

i drove around today looking for a biker but they kept running up onto the curb before i got to them

3/3/2011 8:44:25 PM

So fucked up

3/4/2011 1:16:44 AM

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/03/02/134203136/driver-who-ran-through-crowd-of-bike-riders-arrested

Quote :

"The driver of the car that plowed through a large crowd of people riding bikes during a Critical Mass event in Brazil last week is now under arrest, and may face charges of attempted homicide."

[Edited on March 4, 2011 at 1:50 PM. Reason : .]

3/4/2011 1:49:48 PM

Car plows some critical ass

3/4/2011 1:56:59 PM

Quote :

"Their car then sped up and ran through the crowd — a result, Neis has said, of feeling threatened by the cyclists, who he claims were yelling and striking his car."

Has to be more to it than that.

3/5/2011 10:19:22 AM

Those were some fine Brazilin women that dude ran over. Shame on him.

3/5/2011 11:50:35 PM

i don't know if it was a "critical mass" event or not, but a huge pack of bikers rode by Boylan Bridge on friday night... of course none of them stopped when the light turned red at the intersection. (and a lot of them were biking with dark clothes on at night... all in the name of bike safety i suppose )

3/6/2011 1:52:31 AM

some people see anything as an excuse to be a doucebag. These just get together on fridays and ride bikes. Not a big deal.

3/6/2011 2:02:54 AM