Vancouver Critical Mass

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Yes, we ride the last Friday of every month!

3.7.06

Over 3600 Wheels!


Yesterday's Critical Mass was phenomenal!
It was sooo big. I could never tell if I was at the front or the back of the ride.

Here is a heads up on a few sites where Mass pictures are often posted in the past - links to pictures from this month's ride, june 3000 wheels, are in the comments of this article:
Please post a link in the comments of this article to any pictures you find. Also write about your own expereiences on the ride because I'm sure they were varied from mine. It was so huge I never saw Jane for the whole ride. She said she counted of 1700 people. Rhiannon did a very methodical count and got 1835 riders!

~

Here is my perspective on the ride:
Jane and I rushed off to see Bob's Never Ride Alone movie at 3pm. Trying to do to many things. I just painted my assault bike green Thursday night, and it never dried. But I rode it anyways. Got my stereo hooked up to the bike, some cold drinks, and my super huge water gun. I think we were late for the movie. But we met Jack and Ifny riding there late too, plus we were with our American visitors Dr. Wasabi and Sean UrbanAdventure. So we had a lot of energy getting there.

Bob's movie was wonderful. Not quite fully polished, of course, but a very diverse and local set of voices. May need some context or something for a less intensely bike geek audience. But do give feedback because that is what he needs. By the time the movie was done it was almost 5pm so I rushed off to the Bicycle Blessing at Christ Church Cathedral and said hi to my parents. I didn't get my bike individually blessed because the ceremony was at the top of some stairs and my Assault Bike was a little too heavy. I never got enough time to print up the handbill I said I would, the CM-unrules Corking Guide. Luckily, Redsara had printed hers. Also I saw someone distributing what looked like my design of that so either they downloaded and printed off from this blog or used one from last year. Anyways the word got out pretty good I think. Sara's handbill is a lot easier to read than mine was. I got rid of my leftover posters, people said they would hand them to car drivers.

The gathering of bikes was enormous! That said, it looked a little small to me. Every year for the June ride I expect a lot of bikes, and lots come, but at the Art Gallery when we are all standing around it seems to me like not as big a group as it actually is. I guess riders take more space rolling than standing.

Someone blew an air horn and I'm not sure if it started the ride but it is when I noticed people starting to get out onto Howe Street. Man it was a big group, I was chatting at the art Gallery for a long time and people were continuously going onto the road but not from where I was standing... It just took a long time for that many people to get out there. When I got onto the road I thought this thing was enourmous! I could not see the front of the group, it just went to the horizon.

So we rode onto the Granville Bridge. I think people stopped to lift their bikes in the air/ gather mass, at the crown of the bridge. However, I was in the mass still just getting onto the bridge at that point. I got to talk to Fred Bass on the bridge, good to see him out riding again. So we rode off the bridge on the circle that goes under to 6th Ave. That was a nice view all the bikes riding that circle, constantly. I'd like to see a photo of that. Looking down off the bridge so many bikes below. And when I got down there there was still masses up on the bridge above!

We rode along 6th Ave. It was very fun and a cement truck was honking its horn in support very load. There was some kind of altercation ahead of me at one point, around the spot of the pedestrian overpass. Someone said a fistfight with a driver? I hope not, that cyclists were level headed. When I got there it was all cleared up so obviously people resolved it and move on. I think it might have been an exagerration.

Rode up onto Cambie Bridge. Then through downtown. We went over the Georgia Viaduct. At the entrance to that there were masses of pedestrians trying to cross the road. I thought I was at the front of the mass. Turns out in fact it was just that the traffic cop there had stopped the bikes for a minute to let pedestrians cross. I heard that later, he did that and then almost let cars into the middle of the mass, but the massers didn't let him. Silly police, you need to learn corking! Yeild to pedestrians is good but don't let cars into the group! That is dangerous and slows things. I guess it was a pretty slow ride overall.

We then rode down Hastings and through Strathcona, to the Adanac Bike Route. Then we turned around at Clark and came back down Hastings. Almost but not quite to Commercial Drive. I wish we had made it to there as some had planned. Oh well. The ride was a bit slow going down Hastings, not sure why. Just so many people I guess. I couldn't see the front or the back. There were some police by this point on motorcycles corking traffic for us. It was good that cyclists kept corking themselves too. It's important to take responsibility for that even if police help because you don't want to rely on it. There weren't enough police to cork the whole ride anyways, it would have taken a small army. Because the ride was so big and long it did take a long time to pass and motorists had to wait a while rather than the usual 5 minute delay. Sorry drivers, if you were on a bike you wouldn't be stuck. Lots of Thanks Yous and Hi5s to the corkers!

Next the ride went down Georgia towards the Lions Gate Bridge. By this time it was after 8pm and no longer rush hour. Some people chose to split off down Denman to go to the Beach. Others went to the Bridge then the Beach. I thought it was nice the split because nobody had to feel uncomfortable about doing that bridge who didn't want to. I went on the bridge because I missed it last year in June due to the annoying Bear Spray incident. After that long steep climb up the causeway it was wonderful to be out on the bridge span almost at sunset. Just gorgeous light and so quiet for the mass off people hollering, but lacking that car engine drone. Fresh Air! I was in the front for real only once, at that point, turning around the mass. Getting the sluggish group to turn around. Then off down that wonderful hill through Stanley Park. Winding around. There was this women gorgeously riding with no hands down the hill right ahead of me. She was dancing with her arms in the wind like a soaring bird. Really beautiful bicycle ballet. Turns out to be a classmate of mine from Emily Carr, Sophie from down under. We rode along Beach past English Bay. Lots of happy onlookers there [as with most all of the ride]. We had to double up the hill to get on the Burrard St Bridge, after we heard the other half of the Mass was at Kits Beach. So we went there. We joined the other mass at Sunset and it was just wonderful. So many bikes and picnicing until the latest hours. Got to talk to all sorts of Massers, new and old, even some passers by who were impressed with the bikes and said they would ride July Mass.

Thanks Vancouver cyclists! [and skateboarders and rollerbladers and...]
You made my Bike Month!

See you July 28!
~rusl

posted by VanCM Blogger @ 7/03/2006 11:57:00 am  

15 Comments:

  • At 1:44 pm, July 01, 2006, Blogger Scoughman said…

    I've got some pictures and commentary etc. on my blog at http://solkauffman.blogspot.com

    I was the crazy kid with the guitar amp, iPod, and bleached hair, by the way.

    See you next Mass, you crazy critters!

     

  • At 5:55 pm, July 01, 2006, Blogger Queer As Moi said…

    Hi there Vancouver...
    I did Toronto's Critical Mass last night, not as huge of course, but I met a couple guys skateboarding across Canada. They made it from Halifax to Toronto, and their next leg is going to take them all the way to Vancouver. They are trying to raise money for breast cancer - www.pushforthecure.com - and they think they'll make it to Vancouver by the end of September. I will be in Vancouver for school by then.

    Question: Would people here be interested in doing an afterparty, similar to the ones we've done before at the Anza Club, so that these guys can skate with Critical Mass - and then everyone who goes to the party is contributing to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation?

     

  • At 6:07 pm, July 01, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    hey... here are some from last night. tons of fun!

     

  • At 9:58 pm, July 01, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    You people need to seriously learn respect for those around you. I fully understand that you are trying to raise awareness for cycling issues, and that many of those issues are in fact very serious and important. HOWEVER, cyclists are required to follow the rules of the road just like every other form of vehicle. Critical Mass is nothing but a total departure from those laws. Disrupting tens of thousands of people, especially on the Friday of a long weekend, is not going to win you any support or understanding. All it's going to win you is hate, contempt, and reactions like the ones that ended up in fistfights (I honestly hope the motorist kicked ass becuase he was totally in the right). If you want support or change you need to find a better method of acheiving it. As a motorist I will not stop for something like Critical Mass. As soon as the light turns green I will move into the intersection as is my right under the MVA.

     

  • At 12:14 am, July 02, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I rode in CM, not as some form of advocacy...it was just amazing to ride with a thousand other people. Everyone in the ride was upbeat.

    "geoff virgo", when you say that next time you won't stop for something like Critical Mass...there were people from all walks of life in that ride, including children and babies in trailers. Are you really going to run over an 8-year old just because the light is green? Your sense of indignation and "justice" seem to be clouding your basic humanity. Maybe someone you know and love was in the ride too.

    There were probably more people in the ride than in the cars that were stopped. Do the math...how many cars fit in the footprint of a bike, and how many cars are single occupancy?

     

  • At 10:32 am, July 02, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I found lots of photos at http://flickr.com/search/?q=vancouver+critical+mass&s=rec . The ride was a blast and all the drivers were pretty good except for all the angry little men on the crotch rockets trying to drive through the mass.

     

  • At 12:26 am, July 04, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    This was my first time riding in Critical Mass, and I agree with what everybody's said about the joy of acceptance by an enormous group of people united by a cause etc. That was cool! That was great! The hightlight of my ride was the game of Twister on the Cambie St. bridge.

    BUT...

    I was a little uncomfortable, even as I was riding, with the mood of self-righteousness of some in the crowd. There's more of it here in some of the comments I've just read over. I heard people say, "we're not blocking traffic, we ARE traffic!" But when I commute on my bike, I follow the same rules as the cars, and I ride a lot faster than we were doing. And only on one side of the road. I know that if I had been held up by Critical Mass, either as a cyclist needing to cross a bridge, or as a passenger on a bus or (especially) in a taxi, I would have been mighty pissed.

    I work full time at a wonderful job that I find exhausting. I love my work, and I also love my downtime. Just saying, I'm not unhappy or in debt, and I still wouldn't appreciate having to wait for that many cyclists, as spread out as we often were, to go by.

    I guess what I'm getting to is that it IS disrespectful, to stop traffic the way we did. I just kind of wanted to hear somebody say that, but now I'll say it myself. I think it's hypocritical and condescending to talk about being joyful and calm in dealing with motorists, without mentioning the fact that we're the ones provoking them. I wish everybody, everywhere, was as critical of themselves as they are of other people.

    All that said, I totally support the idea of Critical Mass and will be back next year for sure, if not sooner. So I guess I'll see you there.

    P.S.
    Does anybody know what happened with that car, just at the end of the Georgia viaduct (I believe) that was supposedly trying to get to the hospital? Was that ever confirmed? How did it turn out?
    -FTR

     

  • At 12:07 pm, July 04, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Let me put it to you all plain and simple since most of you just don't seem to get it:

    YOU SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO BLOCK AND/OR OTHERWISE DISRUPT TRAFFIC!!!!

    You, as cyclists, are required BY LAW to follow the same rules of the road as all other forms of vehicle, motorized or not. When you tie up interesections, ignore all forms of traffic control, shutdown major routes and throughfares with idiotic stunts like playing Twister on the Cambie Street Bridge, and generally disregard all forms of traffic law you have forfeitted any claim to rights or respect that you might have had.

    Critical Mass if done properly could be a very positive thing, and as I said some of the issues that the ride is meant to address are very important. Doing it properly means that you stop for intersections and make every effort not to disrupt the flow of traffic. It doesn't mean that you have to let vehicles into the midst of the riders as that would obviously be unsafe, but it means that you let vehicles cross your path.

    If you want me as a motorist to respect your rights as a cyclist, and cyclists do have just as much right to be on the road as motorists, then YOU BLOODY WELL BETTER RESPECT MY RIGHTS TO THE SAME. My g/f was stuck at an intersection for 30 minutes because of you idiots. Trust me me when I say that had it been me in her place I would have waded in and started clearing my own path through you. We have already lodged and official complaint with the VPD for their lack of response to the need to enforce traffic laws in respect to CM.

    In future the CM organizers would be well advised to not intentionally and unnecessarily disrupt peoples lives with you rediculous activism. Your rights are the same as the rest of us and you only hold them for as long as the public grants them to you.

     

  • At 6:50 pm, July 05, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Geoff,

    When they start enforcing the speed limit for cars speeding along our streets and esp. across the bridges - I'd have more sympathy for your outrage. But let's face a group of cyclists taking up space for their own safety is such a minor infraction (if it is even that) compared to the recklessness that some drivers exhibit (albeit a minority) every day on our streets.

    Instead of trying to preach to us about how we should get about town, have a look at yourself. You talk about respect. This is something that many Critical Mass PASSIONATELY believe in - respect for others and ourselves, our city, our quality of life, our planet... everything that people like you, Geoff, seem willing to ignore or maybe just don't care about.

    On another note, I know at least 4 people who decided to bike more regularly each day as a result of the big June ride. That's what Critical Mass is about!

     

  • At 5:19 pm, July 07, 2006, Blogger VanCM Blogger said…

    Wow Alex,
    4 'converts' that is awesome!

    I've always thought some kind of 'bike buddy' program would be good to help new cyclists. There are so many obstacles to doing it everyday and experience really helps.

    To Geoff. We don't agree on much but thanks for taking the time to find this website and read. I have to argue with your views on the MVA [motor vehicle act]. In general, I think the act is unfair in specific and general ways, for one thing the name... But that is not my issue. If we accept it as is, you have to realise it is very clear: You do NOT have a right to enter an intersection that is occupied. That is NOT your right of way. To quote a senior tester for the MVA licensing "Right of way is given, never taken." If there is a stop sign for me then I give you the right of way by stopping, that is my obligation. You could say under the MVA we may not be fulfilling our obligations and that is unright in your opinion. You may not say you have a right to force your car through. That is clearly illegal. If you do it in as threatening a way as you seem to suggest, it is called ASSAULT with a deadly weapon. [Or should be, if justice was consistent] We would call 911 on you. That is very unsafe. If a parade were going by that you disagreed with would you force your way through? I don't think so. It is your assumption that bicycles are inferior road users and should get of the way for cars. That is why we "protest" in many ways.

    I do wish that people would not be delayed by our riding of bicycles but you have to look at the rality of the situation and see why that is happening. You are trapped in a car, physically. You can't get through. It was your choice to get in the car. But it is not really much of a choice. It is the illusion of free choice. Cars are a system. They don't work without an elaborate and expensive infrastructure. They are not really autonomous at all, that is marketing. You are trapped because you have bought into an awful system. We are trying to break that awful system and we are trying to break it for your benefit. Maybe that sounds too ideological to you but you will learn over time as the system of cars inevitably collapses that we are right. It is a terrible burden this system. We all pay for it. Even those that don't choose to like you do.

    It sounds ideological but it is more of an analysis of physical infrastructure and where money is going. The real mythical ideology is the one that says driving a 3000lb car in a city 2km to move a 150lb person is sane or could ever be sustainable.

     

  • At 6:08 pm, July 09, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Just to let you know I have posted to a couple of the blogs and sites to do with this event, but they are always taken off. This site seems to publish the thoughts of those who oppose so lets try this again.

    I was attacked Friday, June 30th by a group of thugs - in public, on a main street, in front of hundreds of people. And no one did anything about it.

    This group, who apparently rallies and meets on the last Friday of every month, is, say's their web site, "a monthly bicycle ride to celebrate cycling and to assert cyclists' right to the road."

    I heard about a bike rally gathering outside the Art Gallery that Friday night on CBC radio, an amused mention on the afternoon show about how the traffic might be affected. Hmm I thought, I think I will skip that last errand of the day and avoid downtown.

    As I later came off the Cambie Street Bridge on my way home, in front of me, as far as the eye could see, were bicycles. Some riders dressed in shorts and helmets, others in costume. They were riding east down 6th Avenue blocking all traffic behind them. Fine I thought, a peaceful protest of some kind, I wonder what they are protesting? No rallying cries, no signs of protest, and no messages on placards - just hundreds of bike riders. Then I realized that there were unmoving groups with bikes blocking all the intersections and I thought that's strange, where are the police to stop this? Surely they can't block the intersections? It shouldn't be allowed! It's inconvenient. It's upsetting. It's dangerous! How I thought would people get home to sick kids? Dogs that need to get to the Vet? Ferry's that need to be caught? Dinner arrangements that needed to be met? Night shifts that needed to be started? Surely they will part when asked?

    I turned on my indicator. I rolled down the window and asked them to let me through. They answered by screaming profanity at me. Shocked I tooted my horn and asked how dare they? They kicked my car. I lay on my horn. They reached into my car through my open window trying to grab at me. They surrounded the car, starting to kick it, grinding their bikes up against the now chipping paint. I screamed! I said what would happen if I had a sick child at home? One struck his face into mine and said "what would you be doing leaving a sick kid at home you awful Mother?" They jumped on the hood of my car, I screamed in terror. I was told to reverse and leave but they surrounded me. I couldn't reverse, I couldn't turn, I tried. They threw themselves in front of my car every time I tried to move in any direction, a scenario apparently designed for the benefit of a photographer who was now on the scene. I began to think I was going to get dragged out of my car, I was terrified and quite rightly so said the police later.

    Many called the police it seems, not just by me. The police who came to take my statement and note the damage to my car told me a women called who had a sick child in her car and was unable to get through the intersection that lead to the hospital. She begged, her child clearly in distress, the police had to intervene. There were a lot of calls tonight said the police. I was told that last year this group chose Oak Street on a sunny Friday night and blocked the intersections to Children's Hospital.

    Was this a gang of thugs? No, they are a group called Critical Mass. A somewhat organized (http://critical-mass.info/international.html#canada) group of bike supporters. A group that pretends to take pleasant, quiet protest rides through the city that seems to actually support an agenda that includes terror and intimidation.

    Although their web site says, "Remember that CM is supposed to be a celebration of cycling, not your opportunity to see how much inconvenience you can cause to others. It's about asserting our right to the road, not denying others their right to the road", it seemed the Vancouver group was trying the best to cause as much inconvenience as possible.

    I was left with thousands of dollars worth of vandalism to my car. Huge dents in the hood, side panels, doors, rear panel even the roof show the car was surrounded by vandals. I had a bruised hand from wrestling the steering wheel to try and get away, a broken blood vessel in my eye, an unhappy group that I cancelled on due to waiting for the police to arrive to take my report, and a long weekend ruined by a few radical, aggressive goons who attached themselves to this group.

    The Police say they didn't know about the "rally" because the groups, as organized as they are, do not apply for permits to protest, nor do they have police escorts to ensure safety measures are taken and intersections aren't blocked. Their web site encourages them not to get permits. The officers I spoke to suggested I write City Hall...

    Laughably the name "Critical Mass" is taken from Ted White's 1992 documentary film about bicycling, "Return of the Scorcher" In the film, George Bliss describes a typical scene in China, where cyclists often cannot cross intersections because there is automobile cross-traffic and no traffic lights. Slowly, more and more cyclists amass waiting to cross the road, and when there is a sufficient number of them -- a critical mass, as Bliss called it -- they are able to all move together with the force of their numbers to make cross traffic yield while they cross the road. Can you imagine a scenario further from reality here on the Lower Mainland?

    Here in Vancouver we have hundreds of miles of bike paths and trails. Dedicated bike lanes throughout downtown, bikes routes carefully marked throughout the lower mainland and bike lockups in every community area. We have an entire month dedicated to riding your bike to work, City Hall spends thousands on bike programs, and their own City Councilors are known to ride their bikes to work. Gosh, the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island must be one of the best places in the world to ride your bike so just what are they protesting?

    I avoid using my car as often as I can; I am actively involved in anti-pollution, anti-global warming and recycling programs. I have participated in peace marches and volunteered hundreds of hours to help various charities, often helping homeless people. Normally I would have thought this gathering charming and so very Vancouver. I would have been impressed by the size of the group that gathered to ride through the streets. However I was not impressed by the civil disobedience that attracted thugs and goons. I was not impressed at the total lack of responsibilty in your groups failure to control to behavior of these goons and I was not impressed with your group lack of preparedness in dealing with emergencies.

    How dare you endanger the lives of sick children? How dare you endanger the lives of animals? How dare you prevent people from getting to their flights, ferry's, needy loved ones. How dare you vandalize cards and terrorize people with threats of physical violence.

    I hope that the Vancouver Police Department prevents you from ever having one of these rides again, and if they do you will have only yourselves to blame!

    Oh and the traffic? All those vehicles sat in the traffic jam for hours longer then they would have spewing out their carbon dioxide. Air conditioning was cranked up, cars grew overheated. Hours later people wondering why they were still sitting in traffic when rush hour was long gone.

     

  • At 3:37 am, July 10, 2006, Blogger VanCM Blogger said…

    I don't believe you Mac. I think you are a biker who has issues with Critical Mass who is writing this. You are too well researched. And dogs going to the hospital? C'mon.

    Also, what other webpages/forums about Vancouver Critical Mass? There aren't any.

    Somebody told me about an altercation like this on 6th Ave between the Cambie Street Bridge and Granville. They said a woman in a car on the opposing side of the road was surrounded by massers and they were rocking the car and yelling. I did not see that but I saw a group on the opposite side of the road and a car leave from that group, obviously not happy. I think I saw that... Not sure if it was the same thing. It was obviously over by the time I got there and it may be something different entirely.

    The person didn't say what led to the confrontation. Your scenario fits the bill however. As dramatised as it is.

    I really wish that hadn't happened. Even if I think you are exagerating and not the person who was in the car. The main thing the person told me was that the driver was obviously scared and that is not cool.

    People get angry at cars and feel their life is threatened by pushy drivers [because it is, cars are the most likely cause of death for ages 2-50] and some people don't understand critical mass and take it as an opportunity to vent aggression. It is a very small number of people and that is not the purpose of the event. It is hard to say what the purpose is because it is an anarchistic event, so almost anything goes. Violence is not on however, we are trying to stop that. And generally things are peaceful.

    We often have to encounter violent road rage and I have seen people be really inspiring and positive in response to that. Fortunately we also often get many many many more possitive supportive drivers and pedestrians. Even some drivers who get angry who change their minds.

    I do think that the Mass of 2000 this month was a bit big myself and I think in a lesser mass of maybe 500 there is a bit better communication and less likelyhood of idiots getting angry and the peacekeepers in the crowd not being able to stop them [as happened in this case]. I think for June Mass splitting into smaller/tighter groups is one good possibility.

    In general rides are between 100-400 so it's not normally an issue. Does Benson&Hedges get blamed for a fistfight and vandalism that happens on the night of the fireworks? Don't they have police everywhere for that and overly paranoid security? That approach doesn't work. Someone was stabbed at the fireworks once. Why all of a sudden are activists held responsible for all individual idiots everywhere? Obviously there is an association and responsible massers have a duty to be more vigilant about being peaceful.

    And all these delays are not caused by bicycles. They are caused by the fact that there is enforced by law a system of automobile only travel that just can't handle a large group of bicycles. Bike Routes in Vancouver? You mean painted signs and push buttons? There are more cars on bike routes than bike, its a fact. The city refuses to prioritise bikes there.

    And yes there were lots of signs. Signs were not on lots of bikes sure, but does dissent REQUIRE a sign?

    And no, there is not a traffic Jamm that follows Critical Mass around. Not hours later. A few minutes, sure. Moreso this June ride. I've followed the ride, trying to catch up, many times before. And it is not easy. Telltale traffic congestion simply won't lead you to it because it is not caused by the bikes.

    Peace.

     

  • At 5:21 pm, July 16, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I have to sign in as anonymous as I can't recall the password I used but it is Mac here.

    You think my comments were too well researched? Of course I would research your group before posting comments, before going to the police and media, before going to ICBC. Do you think I am just venting here? I knew nothing about your group until this happened but now I know what I can and what I read on the web, and yes there are other sites about your group and yes, they chose to edit and remove my comments.

    I was indeed that person in the car on 6th and Laurel...and I was scared, actually terrified. I have since been to ICBC and the damage to the car was on EVERY PANEL - boot and shoe marks, hand prints, huge dents and scratches, like pedal scrapes on the hood, side panels, doors, back, even roof! Yes, I was surrounded by goons that were part of your group and I am not exaggerating the aggression and mob mentality. And the worst thing, the rest of you so called peace activists just stood back and watched. It was like being in a third world country.

    You don’t seem to bother to comment on the woman who had to have police help her get through your group to the hospital - with a sick child in her car! You don’t comment on the damage to my car or the physical danger I was in. A single women in a car surrounded by people swearing at her, rocking her car, jumping on the hood, kicking the car, reaching in to try and grab me. None of that is exaggerated. Some of the organizers in your group do bloody well need to take responsibility for the actions of fellow protesters, you should be ashamed!

    Mac

     

  • At 1:04 am, July 24, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Mac.

    Why don't you take responsibility for the actions of the thousands of agressive, repeat motorists killing, maiming and otherwise attacking tens of thousands of cyclists, pedestrians and other motorists even? 3000 people die directly from car "accidents" in canada mac, easily 10 times that have permanent life threatening injuries. We all know somebody killed by automobile. That does not account in any way for the thousands affected by environmental, global warming etc problems. Just direct kills. Kills that are so predictable the term "accident" is a sick joke.

    I'm not saying what happened to you at the hands of a bunch of random jerks is justifiable in any way here, I'm just saying that if you want to assign blame and shame and guilt by association... Well, you're not in good company there.

    Frankly if I were being honked at by yet another crazy car and it was lurching forward towards menacingly - i would be scared for my life. I might even fight back and I'll be damned if I have any sympathy for some driver who is willing to attack me and threaten my life with a leathal weapon when they complain about feeling intimidated and having the car damaged. A car is like a loaded gun. Beating swords into ploughshares is even in the Bible.

    I don't know if that is your story but I've seen that happen a lot and I've never seen someone damage a car in those cases. Ive seen a car get kicked when it was driving into someone but the cyclist got their foot hurt and I didn't see any damage.

    Anyway I think it is terrible that people are fighting about this and blaming each other when it is all all of our fault for supporting this general system that pits people against each other in the streets just for safety. Most critical mass riders I know are upstanding people and I really hope agro losers like those who were fighting with you piss off and stop making the rest of us look bad.

    I'm afraid that in the future this whole car vs bike thing will be inflamed by advertising and government propaganda as the powers that be lose their grip and get desperate in the typical divide and conquer.

    that is why it is so important that we not get caught up fighting with shithead agro drivers and we need to police ourselves and stop people who just increase the anger from people stuck in cars. It is really terrible that no sane heads intervened in theis situation and stopped that from happening the way it normally works. There is no formal mechanism for doing policing ourselves at critical mass except friendly corking. it is so important even if the driver is someone you don't like to be friendly and reasonable to them who have trouble understanding that certain rules need to be changed for a greater good.

    In my experience it is either when the group is really small or when the group is really big that the road ragers come out. In a tine bicycle group, angry drivers try and force their way through because they know they have the weapon and think they can bully people. When the ride is very big and people don't see any potential to get away from it eventually they also get angry sometimes too. Afraid of big crowds or something. Seems like the situation here.

    And Mac don't even talk about emergency vehicles. When was the last time you pulled your car up onto the sidewalk to let an ambulance pass quickly [or a drunk driver!]. Bikes don't get in the way cars do because they only take up the space they need not the space that the libido dictates.

     

  • At 10:40 am, August 25, 2006, Blogger Rob said…

    Serveral people who observed the incident on 6th near Cambie describe it quite differently.

    They say the the driver of the car drove into cyclists after being asked to wait for the ride to pass. One cyclist I spoke to was quite distressed that a driver would show so little concern for the saftey of others.

    I arrive on the scene late but at that point the driver was still trying to force her way through the ride and hitting bikes.

    It is unfortunate that someone would so misrepresent what happened.

     

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