Friday, October 30, 2009

Critical Mass Will Be In Uptown Tonight

A word of warning if you're in a rush to cross Clark Street between Montrose and Irving Park (the Uptown portion of the route) this evening -- Critical Mass will be riding through at some point. Check out the map and plan accordingly. (click to enlarge).

16 comments:

  1. We have a right to ride through any neighborhood we want to.

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  2. May I also ask - does CM in Chicago rely upon the Chicago police to help stop traffic along the route? The "politically correct" jackasses in SF used the SF police....then we wonder why there's no money in city coffers? Cause they're wasting tax dollars and time on jackass organizations like this.

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  3. Too late to redirect the route to Wilson and Broadway?

    "Free beer this way" signs could work.

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  4. I'd like not to paint in broad strokes. Really. But, most of the Critical Mass people I meet are horribly stubborn in their belief that only violent gestures have any chance of getting cyclists accepted on roads. There's seldom any appreciation for slow, grassroots efforts.

    Another (and, admittedly, shallow) complaint: Kids, you *really* go out of your way to be funny lookin' on those rides, don't you? It makes the polarizing effect even greater.

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  5. The problem with Critical Mass is the minority of radical idiots who bang on cars and block intersections for long periods. All the while attempting to provoke fights with angry motorists.

    I even saw a group take over part of North Lake Shore Drive last year or the year before. Cops had to escort them.

    I own 4 bikes. I bike thousands of miles a year. No one is more pro bicycle than me except for bike shop owners or bike manufacturers. I haven't owned a car in years and end up renting one once a year or so.

    It's one thing for one or two bikers to not stop at a red light when the intersection is empty.

    It's completely another thing when thousands of people are tying up traffic and a minority within the group are being overly aggressive butt orifices.

    So J-Chi, you do have the right to ride through any hood. Just try to use some common sense and let people driving cars through at reasonable intervals.

    Can't we just all get along?

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  6. I witnessed these boobs slash the tires of a car. The driver was trying to move to do a u-turn. Then one of the bike dorks got down in front of the car and acted like he had been hit. They lost any credibility from that point on

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  7. Critical Mass has gotten out of hand and turned into more of a social event for the "anti-socialists". As a semi-pro cyclist (yes, I can earn money racing), it drives me bonkers when I see people not behaving like traffic when they know better. I agree that most of the folks at Critical Mass are really cool, but there is a minority that truly haven't grown up.

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  8. They didn't pick up the nick-name "Critical Mass-holes" by accident.

    Per J-Chi: yes, you do have the right; but, you also have the responsibility to obey the law and be respectful while sharing the road.

    Sucks how folks forget that last bit.

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  9. ChickaChickaBikes! Check this out, guys.

    http://www.sfgov.org/site/police_index.asp?id=112954

    This is a police advisory warning that Critical Mass will be held [last night] in downtown San Francisco. So it's a parade. Allowed, not only allowed, but escorted by the police.

    On the ride we obey all emergency vehicles. And the hold up is 5, a max of 10 minutes. Maybe it's a lesson in patience for those who are so busy with in their gas guzzling 9-5's. Maybe take a minute to stop and enjoy the madness? You already sit in an hour of traffic both ways every day, is there no hint of good humor in you people that you can't allow a couple hundred people to get together and enjoy this thing we do?

    if this was 400 5 year olds riding bikes in bike appreciation would you be so angry about it? Naw, you'd say, 'How cute!'

    I agree, there are patronizing cyclists and there are agro drivers. When I'm riding I do my best to diffuse crappy situations and keep the peace. While enjoying the parade.

    See you next month!

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  10. Here's the thing. I assume that their goal was to convince people that there an alternative to cars as a means of transportation, that cars are polluting the earth, that bicycles are actually good for you and the planet, that bicylest's have rights,yada,yada,yada. All these children are doing is alienating the very group that would have normally supported them were it not for their juvenile behavior. They are not cute, they are not changing the opinion of most of society but are in fact exposing themselves for what they really are. A group of egostical, spoiled children who were never taught to respect the property, time or rights of others. And no, I have never beem delayed or caught up in their antics. I just see them for what they are.

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  11. Wow, it would be nice to see yall get this worked up about a shooting. Being inconvinienced for 5 minutes one day a month? Tragedy.

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  12. Ben, five minutes? Really?

    Try 30-45. I work downtown and have had to wait that long to cross Madison as the ride takes off. It usually doesn't bother me, but it sure as hell would if I were trying to catch a plane or had a sick kid in the car.

    BTW, we DO get excited and upset about shootings. Check out the number of comments.

    Believe it or not, most of us can walk and chew gum at the same time.

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  13. I'm more annoyed by CM when I'm a pedestrian and I'd just like to cross the dingdang street but everyone's blowing through the stop sign. Why punish me? I'm not guzzling any gas.

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  14. It's really common sense why Critical Mass runs the red lights. It's a parade structure, even if it doesn't get a permit from the city, it is still functioning much like a parade. Any parade that allows itself to break up isn't much of a parade now is it?

    And to those of you who are conjecturing that the goal, reason and spirit of Critical Mass is one thing or the other are merely injecting their own perspectives. There isn't a central authority behind Critical Mass nor is there any single reason for it's existence.

    I made the Halloween route and map but if I didn't and someone else didn't there still would have been a ride and it would still have functioned almost exactly the same.

    Don't like that the police escort us through much of the busier parts of the city because it costs tax payer dollars? Well you are obviously not really doing that Math. 8 cops on bicycles are cheaper for the city than an accident clean up team, a paddywagon, or the other costs that come from anything other than escorting us. Wrigleyville costs the tax payers more money than Critical Mass ever could.

    And to those who don't like Critical Mass people because they look weird and are anti-social maybe they are that way because of judgmental people like you. My guess is they enjoy life more than you.

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  15. they sure enjoyed themselves slashing the tires on the car that was stuck in traffic right ahead of me....

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  16. Did you call the police and do anything to attempt to identify them? I am sure someone in the Mass did. Only a handful of people have the balls to not tolerate that shit. I certainly would have stopped it or that the very least turned the SOB in.

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