[*BCM*] Observation

[Anne Wolfe]

For the record, I'm not particularly embedded in the system,and the Sydney CM is a fun
thing to behold.  If the Boston one was anything like that I'd be there every month!

Disruptive is one thing.  Lots of things are disruptive.  The Boston CM goes far beyond
that.  It is intentionally aggressive, in your face, and obnoxious just for the sake of
being obnoxious.  Granted, this doesn't make CM illegal.  The Klan are just as obnoxious
(and noxious) and they've got the same rights to march or drive or ride bikes as the CM
people.  What makes it illegal are when CM choosed to defy any relevant parade laws or
traffic laws or safety laws.  

People do ride bikes in this city every day, and I'm thrilled to be one of them.  CM
attracting 300 riders?  Not in Boston.  And I think part of the reason it doesn't is the
attitude I talked about in the second paragraph.  
 
--- Moz <list at moz.geek.nz> wrote:
> tony siddall wrote:
> > Turil started to get at this, but I would be interested to hear
> > someone articulate CM's theory of change;
> 
> Can I just ask that people try to remember that Critical Mass is not an
> organisation, does not have a viewpoint, does not have a purpose, and
> cannot speak with one voice? Please, it's not that hard: critical mass
> is a bunch of anarchists on bikes[1]. That's it. Simple, really.
> 
> So when you ask "what does Critical Mass want", the question inherently
> cannot be answered. Perhaps replace "critical mass" with "everyone in
> america" if that helps.
> 
> So ask "what is everyone in americas theory of change?"  Does that make
> it more obvious that there is no one answer?
> 
> 
> Personally, my theory is that Critical Mass as an agent for change works
> in a very simple, very direct way. It is purely an answer to the
> allegation that "no-one rides a bike in this city". Anyone who says that
>   can be told "so what about the 300 riders in Critical Mass every
> month?" at which point suddenly lots of people ride AND THEY MUST BE
> STOPPED.
> 
> Which leads nicely into "how do you stop critical mass" and the answer
> seems to be mass arrests/shoot a few of them; or build bike facilities.
> Christchurch, New Zealand crushed Critical Mass out of existance by
> making the city cycle friendly and responsive to cyclists soncerns. It's
> a lot easier than the other way...
> 
> And FWIW there seems to be no way to make Mass acceptable to people as 
> embedded in the system as Anne is. Even Sydney where Mass is legal and 
> supported by the cops (and riders are friendly and helpful and give out 
> happy fliers to motorists) still gets people like her saying "if you'd 
> just stop being disruptive..." You can't win.
> 
> Moz in Sydney, Australia
> [1] anarchists, meaning people who want not to have an organisation
> rather than as a generic term of mindless abuse. But hey, take it as you
> will.
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> 


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