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

[Anne Wolfe]

It is the eternal circle - very which came first, chicken or the egg? Do the
cyclists who piss off motorists do more harm or good by doing so?

There's two separate issues here, neither of which will ever be resolved by
the Mass due to its very nature of no leadership.  One is the safety issue -
the motorists create the gridlock by being bigger but on the other hand they
may well have been flowing safely on this occasion until the Mass caused the
gridlock.  The other is the "how to change behaviour" issue - the majority
of most Massers (though by no means all) feel that by demonstrating with
their bikes that cycling is a number of things (fun, eco-friendly,
eco-efficient, social) then motorists will see the light and come join
them.  The motorists, who are then gridlocked in the situation they are
already in see the cyclists as the problem as they were moving in their plan
until the cyclists came along.

The reason why it doesn't get resolved is simple - no one, and by that I
mean Massers and motorists alike, wants to take any responsibility.  The
massers say it isn't their fault as if the motorists would just see sense
and take bikes, there wouldn't be a problem as the cars are in the way,
being obnoxious and causing problems far beyond what they're trying to
achieve.  The motorists say it isn't their fault as the cyclists are in the
way, being obnoxious and causing problems far beyond what they're trying to
acheive.  But since neither side is responsible (according to them) not only
does nothing change, but the sides become more entrenched and more
antagonistic towards each other since the other side is perceived as being
unreasonable.   And the longer and more entrenched it happens, then the more
unreasonable the other side has to be by definition.  It is no longer enough
to be right, the other side has to be wrong.  And so the status quo is
maintained.

And that's why the Mass has its place, but I feel that ultimately it won't
acheive what many people involved claim they want it to acheive (and don't
forget, ultimately the Mass has no purpose by definition.)

So figure out what you can do with that.


On 02/09/07, Eric Mearns <ericmearns at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Karen,
> Your issue is with automobiles and motorists.  Without them, gridlock
> is impossible.
> I realize this sounds simplistic, but so is taking non-motorists to
> task because you saw a traffic jam.
> I don't think anybody wants an ambulance or a firetruck to be delayed.
> All the more reason to ride a bike instead of taking up an absurd
> amount of space by driving a car.
> Also, the mission of the Mass is not to piss of as many people as
> possible.  If it were, we be so far away from achieving the mission
> that most of the ridership would have already left to join the
> Westboro Baptist Church.  Riding bicycles doesn't really piss off
> anybody except for the occasional cab driver.
> Anyway, you should ride with us next month, you'd like it.  And I also
> think you should ditch that car of yours, it's holding you back, man.
> Motorist Karen seems kind of like an uptight middle school librarian
> with little regard for youthful exuberance, whereas Bicyclist Karen
> seems more like a laid back older sister who has cool Fleetwood Mac
> posters in her room and buys beer for her underage siblings.  I want
> to party with Bicyclist Karen, not Motorist Karen!
>
>
>
>
>
> On 9/1/07, Karen Martakos <kmartakos at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > 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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-- 
Anne Wolfe, LL.M.
Mobile: ( 07805) 456901
Keep calm and carry on.  - WWII UK Government Slogan
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