[*BCM*] long New Yorker article on Critical Mass

[Lisa Williams]

I enjoyed the article, despite the occasional audible clinkers.  
Journalists are generally jacks of all trades, masters of none, which 
means that when we read an article about something we know a lot about, 
we always notice bigger or smaller inaccuracies or weird 
interpretations.  I'm assuming the "Holy Rollers" title was written by 
an editor and not by the writer, and was chosen for its cutesy twang. 

I did like how the article focused on the "squeezing" of cyclists in the 
civic landscape, between motorists who want them off the street, and 
pedestrians who want them off the sidewalks, and motorists and 
pedestrians, both of whom occupy bike lanes with impunity despite the 
fact that that will create more cyclists on "their" space. 

Jym Dyer wrote:
> =v= While amusing in parts, it seems to be more an exercise in
> _New_Yorker_ prose style than in journalistic accuracy.  The
> writer does paint a picture, but it's not a picture of the
> NYC bike scene I know.  It comes across to me as if the "holy"
> business was inspired by the performance of Rev. Billy, who is
> indeed a (wonderful) piece of the scene, but not one to build
> that trope around.
>
> =v= Some corrections are in order:
>
>   (1) Barbara is not a blonde.
>   (2) She rides a folding bike, not a child's bike.
>   (3) The beer is no longer "hidden" in the bathroom.
>       Indeed, it's generally not "hidden" at all.
>       We keep it in the fridge, like normal people.
>
> Many inquiries have been made about this last point.
>     <_Jym_>
>
>   

-- 
Lisa Williams
lisa at cadence90.com
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