[*BCM*] reconsider routes to prevent public safety threat

[T B]

Karen,

The responses to your post thus far have been excellent, but I’d like to 
address your points in a slightly different manner:

Firstly, you falsely state that Critical Mass “caused a gridlock”.  It would 
be more accurate to say that gridlock occurred as a result of a number of 
factors, such as: the dominance of automobiles as forms of transportation 
(which, itself, is the result of many factors, including but certainly not 
limited to the General Motors Streetcar Scandal); the automobile-centric 
transportation planning perpetrated by local and national planners; the 
automobile-centric zoning perpetrated by local officials; the underfunding 
of public transportation by local and national governing bodies; and 
Critical Mass.  It’s worth noting that, of this short list, you single out 
Critical Mass, which, unlike any of the other factors, impacts a very small 
geographic area (a few blocks) for a very short period of time (each area 
for maybe a half hour once a month).  The rest of the list accounts for 
traffic jams and slow-downs covering large geographic areas (large portions 
of entire metropolitan areas) for long periods of time (hours each day).  
Critical Mass also plays no role in perpetuating the current state of 
affairs where “deaths and injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes are 
the leading cause of death for persons of every age from 2 through 33 years 
old” (source: www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/2002ovrfacts.pdf) – nor much role 
in climate change or suburban alienation.

So why is it that you single out CM?  I suspect that the answers are these: 
it’s easier, and you benefit from car culture.  It’s easier to oppose 
Critical Mass’ strategy than it is to address the dysfunctional 
transportation set-up in this country (and much of the world).  And you 
benefit from car culture because the transportation set-up is designed to 
cater to cars and you have one.

If Boston Critical Mass were to somehow come up with planned routes that 
avoided tying up traffic (a logistical impossibility) it would merely leave 
the whole transportation issue unaddressed.  We are the reminder that 
something is wrong, and that another way is possible.  Our getting out of 
the way of status quo transportation would of course make it easier on the 
status quo.  But this is always the case with any marginalized population, 
and it doesn’t actually help anything – other than the conscience of those 
who identify with the status quo.

I also dispute that your claimed identity as a motorist and a cyclist 
enables you to “see things from both sides”.  You are not a cyclist in the 
way that I am a cyclist.  Because I can’t afford a car, it is either my bike 
or the MBTA that gets me around.  You have the luxury of the choice of 
driving – of dropping yourself down on the transportation hierarchy of 
privilege if you so choose – or not.  I do not have that option.  I am 
always on the lowest rung, having to deal with a transportation system that 
considers me last, if at all.  For this reason, you necessarily have an 
entirely different relationship to your bike and cycling than I do.

I appreciate your interest in dialogue, but I’m somewhat disturbed by your 
seeming implication that you’ve already done your part.  I would beg to 
differ.  Your insistence on our addressing cycling issues your way is no 
more appropriate than if we were to insist that you do it ours.  Certainly, 
a dialogue about strategy is welcome.  So please come ride with us, so that 
you may begin to have an understanding of what it is that we’re doing.  You 
don’t have to come back if you don’t want to, but any fruitful dialogue 
necessitates understanding.


>From: Karen Martakos <kmartakos at yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: Boston Critical Mass <list at bostoncriticalmass.org>
>To: list at bostoncriticalmass.org
>Subject: [*BCM*] reconsider routes to prevent public safety threat
>Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2007 11:07:50 -0700 (PDT)
>
>Hi, guys -
>
>While I'm not a Crititcal Mass participant, I am an
>avid cyclist in the greater Boston area. I do
>understand the need for more bike-friendly roadways
>around here. I am, however, also a motorist. So, I see
>things from both sides. Any mature person with an
>ounce of common sense should understand that
>activities that generate more hard feelings against
>cyclists from the average citzen are not going to help
>our efforts.
>
>During your most recent ride ( August 31), you rode
>down Tremont St. through the South End. I  know
>because I was walking through the neighborhood at the
>time. What you may or may not realize is that by
>blocking this portion of Tremont St, you caused a
>gridlock that spread 6 blocks away, onto other major
>roadways in the area. See, most streets in that
>neighborhood are one-way, all eventually leading to
>Tremont St. If a long section of Tremont is
>obstructed, it causes severe backup onto Shawmut Ave.
>& East Berkeley.
>
>Why should you care about this? Because, while
>Critical Mass claims that they will make way for
>emergency vehicles, how could you possibly know about
>an emergency vehicle that is stuck 4 blocks away in
>the gridlock that you created? Drawing attention to
>cycling issues by riding en mass through the city is
>one thing; completely locking in an entire
>neighborhood is something entirely different.
>
>These activities only serve to generate further
>hostility towards cyclists. This is the primary reason
>why I do not participate in your rides. While I do
>follow any efforts to improve conditions for
>alternative transportation, I don't believe that your
>methods are effective.
>
>Perhaps if you consider your routes more carefully, to
>prevent the type of public safety threat that you
>caused in the South End last Friday, you'd have more
>support.
>
>There is no progress without dilalogue. There is no
>dilague when your mission is solely to piss off as
>many people as possible.
>
>
>
>
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