[*BCM*] Why do you ride in CM?

[Robert Arnold]

To clarify:  I never advocated war against automobiles.  I did
advocate the spirit of protest in the same sense of a peace march,
which is about letting the world see you.  The forum had degraded into
quibbles about the definition of a parade, a discussion that is beside
the point regardless of why one rides in Critical Mass.  A question
was posed:  why do you ride in CM?  I answered with my reason.  Many
riders are overtly political.  Many are not.  That's not saying the
political riders are making things bad for the non-political riders,
or that I'm trying to define everybody's experience.  Again, in my
mind, the reason to ride is to show to the motorized vehicles that
bikes are traffic too, and deserve to be treated with care and respect
(two things rarely found here in Boston).  To repeat the mantra, "We
don't block traffic, we *are* traffic."

On Mon, 7 Mar 2005 15:10:13 -0500 (EST), Matthew Arcidy
<marcidy at cs.bu.edu> wrote:
> 
> 
> On Mon, 7 Mar 2005, Robert Arnold wrote:
> > back the streets for a few precious hours.  Because, ultimately,
> > nobody cares whether Critical Mass is a parade or not.  That's just a
> > distraction from the real issue.  We're not trying to convert any
> > drivers to our cause (though plenty of drivers do show their support),
> > and we're not saying that Critical Mass is the most effective tool to
> > change anybody's mind.  But it sure is a sight to see when several
> > hundred bikes roll across the MIT bridge without fear and without, for
> > once, being cowed by the speeding freight trucks and busses.  That's
> > why I ride in Critical Mass, and I think that's why it was conceived
> > in the first place.  Is it effective to our cause to block traffic?
> > Who cares.  It's necessary, and it's safer, and it feels awesome.
> 
> From criticalmass.info
> <begin cut>
> Critical Mass is a monthly bicycle ride to celebrate cycling and to assert
> cyclists' right to the road. The idea started in San Francisco in
> September 1992 and quickly spread to cities all over the world. This site
> attempts to be the most complete guide to local Critical Mass rides around
> the globe.
> 
> 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 Honolulu
> 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.
> 
> <emphasis>
> Some CM riders try to tie up traffic as much as possible and be otherwise
> confrontational with motorists. Such riders are missing the point about
> Critical Mass. CM is a celebration of cycling, not a war against
> motorists. CM is about asserting our right to the road, not denying others
> their right to the road. Those who want to play juvenile games are
> encouraged to stay at home instead.
> </emphasis>
> 
> <end cut>
> 
> -Matt
> 
> >
> 
> > Rob
> >
> > On Mon, 7 Mar 2005 07:28:53 -0800 (PST), Anne Wolfe <goannego at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > I liked riding in CM because I liked the concept of peaceful, fun rides to no where in
> > > particular with a group of new and interesting people.  I still like that concept.  What
> > > I don't like is the execution, which turned into confrontive, aggressive people setting
> > > poor examples of what cyclists are really like and commiting noise pollution with
> > > boomboxes.
> > > --- turtle <turtle at zworg.com> wrote:
> > > > Did I miss the answer here?  Why did you LIKE CM?
> > > >
> > > > goannego at yahoo.com,
> > > >       Boston Critical Mass <list at bostoncriticalmass.org> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > I used to like riding in CM.  A lot.  But.....
> > > > >
> > > > > --- turtle <turtle at zworg.com> wrote:
> > > > > > Ok, another question for those who LIKE riding in Critical Mass:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > When you choose to participate in Critical Mass rides what is your
> > > > > > PRIMARY motivating philosophy?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > • Protesting (using civil disobedience) specific laws that I see as
> > > > > > discriminating against bicyclists.
> > > > > I haven't figured out how CM actually does this.  Because if they laws get
> > > > > enforced
> > > > > against CM, they squeal, and if they don't there doesn't seem to be much civil
> > > > > disobedience.
> > > > >
> > > > > > • Protesting (by mere presence on the streets) policies that encourage
> > > > > > automobile use.
> > > > >
> > > > > I do this every day when i ride my bike around.  Not to mention inviting lots of
> > > > > friends
> > > > > to come biking with me.
> > > > >
> > > > > > • Demonstrating (in a positive way) that biking is a fun, healthy,
> > > > > > social, and more efficient/convenient way to travel.
> > > > >
> > > > > See prior answer.
> > > > > > • Hanging out with my friends and partying!
> > > > >
> > > > > See two answers ago.
> > > > >
> > > > > > • Protection!  Same reason small fish swim in schools.
> > > > >
> > > > > I don't feel protected in a CM.  This is because a) there always was an element
> > > > > that was
> > > > > intent on being jerks, which didn't make me feel safe either in their presence,
> > > > > or that
> > > > > other people would not feel aggravated and insult/consider harming me/us.
> > > > > And b) even if that element behaved, the slowness, noise pollution of the boom
> > > > > boxes, and
> > > > > general inattention of CM riders made me feel less safe than just pedalling away
> > > > > on my
> > > > > own.
> > > > >
> > > > > > • Revenge...  "Two wheels good!  Four wheels bad!"
> > > > >
> > > > > Revenge?  Not my motivation for much, and certainly not for riding my bike.
> > > > >
> > > > > > • I like to be the center of attention!  (See my purple hair and/or my
> > > > > > couch-bike!)
> > > > >
> > > > > Definitely not for me.
> > > > >
> > > > > > • It's the best way to cruise for chicks/guys.
> > > > >
> > > > > My boyfriend would be appalled.  And come to think of it, so would I.
> > > > >
> > > > > > • I never really thought about it.  I guess I'm just a lemming!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Any secondary reasons?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > -Turtle
> > > > > > who wants to assure everyone that some of those answers are intended to
> > > > > > be humorous!
> > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> > > > > > list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> > > > > > http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > -------------------------------------------------
> > > > > I know exactly what I want right now.  I want a hot shower, and I want the
> > > > > Clash. - me.  3/4/05, 7:42 a.m.
> > > > >
> > > > > goannego.com - for the latest in where she's gone this time
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > __________________________________
> > > > > Celebrate Yahoo!'s 10th Birthday!
> > > > > Yahoo! Netrospective: 100 Moments of the Web
> > > > > http://birthday.yahoo.com/netrospective/
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> > > > > list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> > > > > http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > "One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal we
> > > > seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal.  We must
> > > > pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means." - Martin Luther King Jr.
> > > >
> > >
> > > -------------------------------------------------
> > > I know exactly what I want right now.  I want a hot shower, and I want the Clash. - me.  3/4/05, 7:42 a.m.
> > >
> > > NEW E-MAIL!  goannego at gmail.com
> > >
> > >
> > > __________________________________
> > > Celebrate Yahoo!'s 10th Birthday!
> > > Yahoo! Netrospective: 100 Moments of the Web
> > > http://birthday.yahoo.com/netrospective/
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> > > list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> > > http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> > list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> > http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> >
> 
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