[*BCM*] tonight's ride

[T B]

>No leaders tends to mean no one is taking responsibility. 

The main problem with "no leaders" is their unfamiliarity to most people, leading to incessant arguments being aired on listservs at others who have no more power to change things than those making the arguments (with those on all sides continually declaring x, y, or z about "the goals" or "the objectives" of Critical Mass, as if there were any).

Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2008 13:37:50 +0000
From: goannego at gmail.com
To: list at bostoncriticalmass.org
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] tonight's ride

I wasn't there, but I'm just wondering how much a difference it would have made if one of the drivers on Storrow had come round a bend at 55 miles an hour and ploughed into the back of the group, which would not be travelling at the same speed of the other traffic and would be totally unexpected by any driver.  The resulting injuries, probably fatal, would not have resulted in a rush of sympathy for cyclists in the eternal struggle against drivers.  It would have been nothing other than "what the hell were those people thinking in taking a group of bikes on Storrow?"  All the cries of "we've got every right to be there" would be lost against the overwhelming tidal wave of how stupid this stunt would have been, and set the cause of cycle rights back ages.  It certainly would have resulted in legislation forbidding bikes in more places instead of opening it up.  Even just with being stopped by the cops for doing it, I'd be willing to be there's going to be more police surveillance on CM for a few months to prevent such a thing.  


And when CM starts to complain about police surveillance, you've really only got things like this to blame.  Confrontation invites confrontation, and this is going to be seen as confrontation.  

And of course the group scattered.  No leaders tends to mean no one is taking responsibility.  Expect nothing more than that kind of behaviour, but also expect that no responsibility means that nothing is actually going to change as a result of any CM action, regardless of how the public perceives it - good or ill.  


2008/11/1 turtle <thewiseturtle at gmail.com>

One of the most important goals of Cm is to raise awareness of

dangerous conditions for cyclists, thus, driving on Storrow (where

most drivers are exceeding the speed limit and treating what was

designed as a leisurely and enjoyable parkway like some kind of

superhighway) is exactly the sort of thing CM should be doing.  At

least if you want CM to make a difference...



The point of biking as a large group is to make it more obvious that

bicyclists are road users who have a right to be there.  It's one

thing for cyclists to give up their rights as individuals (you have

the right to give up your rights :-) but if CM itself started caving

in to the unlawful and inconsiderate and dangerous drivers, then we'd

really be in trouble!  Thankfully, there are enough people out there

who don't let the cops or ignorant/screwed up drivers win when it

comes to using the public roads that we are legally entitled to use.



Peace, Love, and Biycles,

Turil

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