[*BCM*] A report from the front lines of last night's CM

[Turil]

On Sat, Aug 6, 2011 at 2:45 PM, Matt Gilbert <mpgchicago at gmail.com> wrote:
> Bikes are always a "part of traffic," but sometimes motorists don't seem to
> get that. Critical Mass is about asserting bicycles' right to the road. That
> is what the cyclists in that video appear to be doing. Yes, sometimes when
> people assert themselves, they can be annoying.

There is a vast, huge, gargantuan difference between asserting one's
rights vs aggressively flaunting one's ability to do whatever one
wants to do.

Bicyclists have a right to drive on the roads just like all other
vehicle operators.  They don't have a right to break the laws.  When
bicyclists run red lights, intentionally block other road users, drive
on the sidewalk (in Boston or in business districts of most other
cities and towns), and generally act aggressively (towards anyone they
don't "approve of"), they are not only NOT asserting their rights,
they are actually making the world more dangerous for everyone and
committing road rage, which is what we want LESS of, right?

-Turil

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