Entropy
Posted By Will (Rider/Writer at Large) on August 26, 2010
June 2010 Critical Mass, San Diego. Photo by flickr/roy_
The question about critical mass comes up more and more often in San Diego: is it effective, and does it accomplish anything? I would say that it has, in some way, accomplished something. It has brought cycling to the forefront. Where things were an anomaly, that is, us crazy bike riders all out in traffic, we are now recognized, of course in concert with other’s efforts. The police, who were often anti-cyclist, or in some cases, rationally ignorant of our status, now pay attention. And, critical mass has actually bridged gaps and built new niches.
The problem now however is its extreme size. With this size comes the potential to fizzle and attract the negative aspects of mob mentality. Privately I lean toward wanting critical mass to fizzle away because any crowd this large is going to attract extremists of many types. Both publicly and privately, critical mass appears to be drawing the ire of many here in San Diego. It seems that the local news, participants of social media such as yelp.com, facebook.com and myspace.com all have groups opposed to the idea of critical mass. It seems that even private groups are beginning to take shape and demand what critical mass is loathe to produce: organization and direction. It could be said, that it’s time to take critical mass to near Absolute Zero and give it a some direction.
Why? The break over of harm versus good has been breached.
I for one do not concern myself with the “delay” of people in cars. For one, it’s a short delay, two it’s Friday night and most are not in a death struggle to get to work, three..the choice to drive in traffic is a choice. Many things cause delays such as a parade, a dui accident, or a group bicycle ride. A delay is a delay is a delay. The delay of a car is probably the same, in context, to the delay I have while riding when someone decides to park in the bike lane, or attempts to squeeze to make a right turn and inevitably gets stuck. I also don’t buy into the idea that those among us who ride critical mass are holding up people and thus make all cyclists look bad. When a group of people is downgraded in rights and treatment due to the actions of others, the problem is NOT the people, but rather it is those who cast judgment and perception.
So what actually is the harm being caused by critical mass in San Diego? I suspect it is a lack of ability to stay cohesive and the violent antics of individuals who use the group as a mask to behave in a way that is…wrong. Coupled with the lack of will power to control/confront those that do this. I’m not talking about a yelling match, nor delays. It’s the spitting, kicking and physical confrontations that have to stop. When someone is at the fountain talking “U lock justice bitches”, they need to be singled out and sent packing. With the advent of nearly everyone having some form of digital documentation at hand; this is no longer “a story”, but it becomes one when irrational individuals take out their anger on cyclists on the streets.
I can tell the difference between someone who didn’t see me, and someone who cut me off on purpose. So can most others. But, put in context of a crowd, you then run into a whole new dynamic. This creates a martyr syndrome. This puts a single person as the spokesperson to the crowd, even if the crowd wasn’t involved in that selection. If you have to ride critical mass with a mask, if you have to ride it with a u-lock for empowerment, if you have to ride in a pack so you can descend like wolves; you need to get the fuck out of critical mass.
People have, over time, attempted to slow the mass, coral it into a peaceful ride and sway it into a productive direction. It was and is highly successful in San Francisco. The problem in San Diego is too many people holding onto an anarchist point of view. We don’t want anarchy on the streets but it’s what we have now. And if you hold fast to the ideal that it’s all about the individual, you’ll stand alone in court, right? If you grip to the idea it’s “not meant to be organized”, you’ll lay under the car and not ask for help, right? Organizing critical mass is not the death of it, it’s part of what you’re looking for. It’s the evolving, the growing, the changing of something. The quest for organized and respected rules and rights for the cyclist. The ability to co-exist on streets with cars. The ability to ask for and get help from law enforcement if we request it. Others are simply fatalistic. “We can’t organize” or “it’s to hard”. If you’re not willing to put in work, then perhaps you don’t belong?
So, let it fizzle or keep it alive? It’s time now to get past the anger of years of being second hand citizens and now to focus the desires of a demonstrated core of 500 cyclist into productive grounds. That, or find a new party to play out. Bike riding is fun. It should remain so. But, it takes work. It takes work to make it more available to others, to defend what it has a right to, and it takes work to make it better. The core five hundred of critical mass seem to have a certain amount of energy and dedication. That core could put the energy into the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, or to sit on the floor at city council meetings, or attend the next trial for a hit and run driver. If one ride bikes to those events and see how effective it is. Either make CM better, or redirect it to better ends.
I’ve experienced critical mass for eight years now in this city. I know what it is. I was there it when the “mass” was twenty people. I was there when the mass grew to two hundred people. I was there when the mass was redirected to the sewers to listen to concerts. I was there when the police decided to lay down people like it was a political convention. What is frustrating for me is to see so much wasted potential. It doesn’t have to even exist anymore, except that it seems the only common place we all meet to congregate as cyclists. But I think it’s time to move on from the mass.
Look, whoever you are. I just minutes ago stood at the intersection of Beech and Colimbia and was amazed at what you guys have grown to. It was fantastic. 7 ploice vehicles as escorts. Posted people as blockades to the traffic signals. Astounding stuff. I understand your concerns and you are right. But to let such a movement fizzle just seems plain wrong. I couldn’t count the numbers, but my rough extimate is near 1,000. Please find a way to keep this happening. It is far too cool to do otherwise. Peace to you. Richard
I think it time for those to think to reorganize. I know I have been there to prevent weekend warrior types from bashing in windows or threatening drivers and stopped going to CM because I didn’t want to be mommy to a bunch of children. There are a lot of people who ride responsibly and we enjoy riding together. It is time for something new.
How about a club? With membership registration. Maybe assign numbers or the like. It may be possible to do some sort of cursory screening at that time. Just a thought. The more I think about it, not a real good one. How would you turn people down? Anyway, the scenes of you guys zipping thru the streets, police cars lights flahing, workers like ants posted to block traffic, and you just kept coming and coming. It was all so very cool. Peace to you. Richard
=v= Don’t cave in to the hysterical teabagger-like opposition, or even worse, let them frame the debate. You point to San Francisco as an example of doing things right, but in fact we’ve had to contend with a few road-raging individuals as well.
It’s important to realize that Critical Mass is traffic, and while bike-dominated traffic is vastly superior to car-dominated traffic in nearly every way, it does have some of the same negative dynamics, too.
Consider: Nobody expects to hold the “leaders” of traffic accountable for what some individuals do. Nobody expects everyone in traffic to take responsibility for what some other individuals do. Nobody talks about traffic outliving its usefulness because some individuals use it as a cover to act badly.
The basic idea is that we have the right to our roads. And that includes the right to be considered as indiviidual human beings, just like motorists. Not as some monolithic entity to be treated by the police, media, etc. as if we’re a hive mind.
CMs sure get attention; too bad some of it is so negative. How many of us who want the event/rolling party to continue with a more positive message that bikes belong/are traffic too can agree on some actions to help the gathering?
We’ve tried positioning fast riders at the front and posting riders along a route to help redirect the group. I haven’t seen attempts to get pre-ride interactions/communications to gain consensus of what and where the ride will/won’t do/go.
Questions, can a successful CM avoid such things as –
1. riding on freeways and bridges closed to bicycling unless making a clear and supportable statement that the facility should/could be opened to bicycling?
2. riding through pedestrian-only areas like airport buildings, malls, seaport village, etc.?
3. riding up dead-end/loop-road steep hills; hills that one-speed bikes must walk up?
4. riding so fast that the mass gets strung out and/or drops off members?
5. fights with anyone?
or what could I/we do?
first, a little persnickety fussing about wording. what critical mass becomes at its most violent is not anarchy. sure its chaotic, but we at bikes del pueblo organize on anarchist principles, which would still make us organized and yet not drunken or going the wrong way down c street. just to get that out of the way.
while i get what will is saying and where hes coming from, i still think the mass should stick around. places like san diego, with shitty infrastructure and so much standing in our way need a consistent reminder that the status quo is a disaster and that if people can ignore that then we’ll bring the disaster to them. it also is a great positive experience (at least sometimes) for riders, and for those of us organizing in whatever area we choose to it is one of the best opportunities to build our skills and reach new people. there was one discussion on this sort of thing that i attended, there need to be more and as often as possible.
the fact that no group can yet influence the mass into a more positive and constructive direction isnt because it cant, its because we need to get better at what we do and believe in before we’ll be able to. we just have to be up to the challenge and committed.
Every time I see CM, there is some blatantly illegal, potentially deadly, and intentionally rude activity going on from not just one or two people, but from the vast majority of riders. Examples:
1. Traffic stopped (obviously), including an ambulance, lights and siren on, driver announcing to CM that there is a medical emergency and they need to make way, getting completely ignored by literally everyone in CM. Ambulance held up for almost 15 minutes at the intersection.
2. Dark night, rainy. CM on a one-way street running through red lights (obviously) at an intersection lacking direct light from street lights, most riders not wearing helmets, reflective gear, or lights (obviously, but also illegal). Traffic coming from the cross-street come to a screeching halt, nearly killing a swath of CM-ers because drivers saw a green light and expected (rightly) that cross-traffic, including cyclers, would stop.
3. In reference to your comment about drivers who “accidentally” cut you off, I have seen CM-ers do exactly the same to people in cars, going out of their way to “accidentally” run into cars in a melodramatic display, often scratching and denting the cars, or breaking headlights or mirrors. Drivers can tell the difference, too.
Also, the mere existence of a massive group of cyclists seems to have given individual cyclists the idea that they are entitled to ignore the very traffic laws put in place to protect them, like traffic signals, right of way… Many times each day I see cyclists doing blatantly illegal things they would never do in a car. Here’s 2 links to traffic laws governing bicycles: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist9/bicycle/Bike_Laws.html (the exemption refers to peace officers on bikes, see the following) http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21200.htm
The existence of these laws makes any effort by CM to establish equal rights/laws irrelevant, because they already exist. The only thing CM accomplishes now is to raise the awareness that cyclists are a dangerous nuicance looking to get injured so they can sue someone. As a cyclist who actually follows the rules of the road, I say let CM fizzle out. The sooner, the better!
Had a great ride with my friend Peter last night. I cheat with an electric assist bike, I’m old and ride 20 mi a day commuting to and from work. He was a stud with his heavy “kid carrier” baskets and all we rode 26 miles last night. What an awesome way to be out and about and get some exercise. It’s a lot easier to meet people as well.
I used my computers handy-dandy “summarize” feature to sum up what Will is saying above:
“If you have to ride critical mass with a mask, if you have to ride it with a u-lock for empowerment, if you have to ride in a pack so you can descend like wolves; you need to get the fuck out of critical mass.”
Oh yeah, on all the negativity about the “bad” behavior. Most of us have an ability to speak and be heard. If suggestions and comments are kept in a positive enlightening manner, such as, “please keep left!” or “let’s not ruin this!”, we can all benefit. If anything, critical mass might be a door into the future of public beingness.
Peace
I know the article was written a while back but I figured better late then never on commenting.
For those who want something positive and to fizzle out Critical Mass join Courteous Mass/ Critical Manners in August 12, 2011 and there after every second Friday of the month. We are hoping for a good ride and no choas as it is stated there will be a route and to be POLITE. Using of hand signals and no extra delaying of cars. Lets start bringing some posting publicity to bikes so that motorist will share the roads or at least learn how to.
Penelope
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=221662541207482
@Penelope – There is nothing positive about intending to fizzle out Critical Mass while stealing from its name. No courtesy, no manners, no honor in that.
@ Jym I am not stealing from the name or intending to fizzle out Critical Mass, but for those who do wish for it to fizzle this is just an alternative ride. Courteous Mass started in San Fransisco and is also in other cities and it is done the 2nd Friday of the month. If Critical Mass knew how to stay a MASS and not branch off into 3-5 groups then I would encourage them but it is nothing but negative attention for bicycles and has turned in to a race. Critical Mass will happen because it is a monthly anarchy ride and people like that but for others like myself that like being in a Mass but don’t feel safe with fellow riders in Critical Mass this is just another option to go for a large group ride while eliminating the possibility of being left behind or having to run a red light risking ones life to stay in the group.
I get no respect on the road yesterday I had three doors opened on me and a lady failing to yield as she exited a freeway getting close to my back tire. I’m tired of people seeing me as nothing but in the way. When people think Bike and associate it with Critical Mass they see no reason to respect or share the road. I want to give motorist a reason to share the road and show that Critical Mass doesn’t represent all cyclist.