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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>2
observations from last Friday night’s ride and it’s dangerous incidents.
1. It may be a good idea to inform the Boston Police of an upcoming
ride and ask for escorts. At least ask. 2. AT the start of
each ride should there be a person at the end of the ride and at the start of the
pack in communication with each other to inform each other of an incident? This
may help keep the group together. It can be frightening for a victim of an
aggressive driver accident when all of the sudden the whole Critical mass ride is
gone down the road and the rider is left standing there with his mangled bike in
front of a whole street full of honking cars. In other words, as a
cyclist, rider A decides to ride for the cause, he ends up at the back of the pack
get’s hit. He then realizes his cause has gone down the road.
NOT a cozy feeling. I think communication between front and rear
can drastically improve this scenario. If one goes down at least
30% of us should stay with the victim if only moral support. I know CM is
leaderless and all but, it may be a good idea at the start of each ride to have
front and rear volunteers who’se job it is to just keep the group together.
Perhaps there should even be as many as 15 or so riders who just stay at the
back of the pack. This can be informally set up at the start of the
ride. After last weeks ride, I think CM in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Boston</st1:place></st1:City> is going to get much worse. This
incident with the van really shows what extremes drivers are willing to go to
when upset by cyclist. Someone may become seriously hurt or
worse. Just thoughts that’s all from a very worried cyclist.
We have to stick together and perhaps a Police escort is good way to help us from
getting hurt and to give more credibility to the cause. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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