critical mass

The Star's opinion section blasts cyclists for not coming to full stops at stop signs. No mention is made of how many motorists didn't come to a full stop at the same stop sign. As well no differentiation is made between cyclists that don't come to a full stop and cyclists that do not yield to those with the right-of-way.

Elsewhere, Vancouver police warned motorists to avoid Vancouver's downtown during their critical mass ride expected to draw 3000 people in this article -

Police say the ride has grown so large they have given up trying to rein in participants, even those breaking rules, such as riding without a helmet or blocking traffic.

The actually ride was fairly incident free as documented here, despite a negative public opinion from motorists already unhappy that cyclists have been given a lane on the Burrard street bridge. Meanwhile, at July's Toronto critical mass, it was business as usual from the police, calling out red lights, and handing out tickets.

More Toronto news

The June 2009 Critical Mass was last week. Sadly I missed it (because I was happily biking north of Barrie - try to bike racks on the Go buses, they're great!), but here are some photos from rtlechow.

I found a bunch of old VHS tapes at CBN and got them transfered to DVD. The results are not pretty but they are entertaining.

In this video you'll see a few of the activists characters from the late 1990s, including "subversive" Derek Chadbourne (now of the Bike Joint), Wayne Scott (of food as fuel fame), the bike cop Vince Langdon (who's probably now regretting agreeing to appear next to some crazy activists), and Ben Smith Lea and Leslie Ashton as reps for Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists.

This segment is from around 1998, on the show Big Life with Daniel Richler, son of Mordecai Richler.

Memorable moments: "Hello, my name is Derek. I am a subversive.", "Do you have private, almost erotic dreams of a car-free city?"

Watch, enjoy, and learn your history of the current generation of cycling activists in Toronto. There might be a test.

Halloween Ride

Bloor & Spadina
Meet 6pm | Ride 6:30pm

Image source

Re: Celebrate Critical Mass or crack down? (Sunday July 27, The Province, the original article reprinted below the reply)

Dear Mark,

Your frustration with critical mass is merely ironic because what you describe is precisely what cyclists contend with every single day and on every ride, with the only exception being during critical mass.

Cyclists are outnumbered, out weighed, out-sized and out-sped by cars. When we get hit by a car, unless there are injuries, the police don't even bother to show up. Too often the police blame the cyclists for merely being on the road when they do show up, regardless of the equities already in "the law."

Drivers are too often distracted by the toys in their cars and are not paying attention to the complex reality around them. The soundtrack (ie the radio) is disconnected from the visuals that are presented through a piece of glass, which is like a TV; its no wonder that so many motorists often drive as if they are playing a video game, the experience of both is largely the same.

Motorists often "teach" cyclists by bumping their back tires which often damages the bike (and sometimes the cyclist) irreparably. Motorists often drink and/or smoke dope before, or while, they drive; but their vehicles kill others. Cyclists put themselves at as much risk as other cyclists and/or pedestrian pedestrians they would collide with, and take all of the risk in a collision with a motor-vehicle.

Bicycling Magazine is finally shifting their focus a smidgen towards urban cycling issues with article on the founders and followers of Critical Mass.

From the article (we've got a ways to go to match Budapest!):

In Budapest earlier this year, 50,000 Critical Massers pedaled through the city on the last Friday of the month, paralyzing auto traffic. In Warsaw's Plac Zamkowy, where Masa Krytyczna is approaching its 10th anniversary, the multithousand weekly gathering is described as the living, breathing (and occasionally wheezing) heartbeat of the Central Europe underground. "You've got to go to Budapest," a swarthy London bike messenger named Pedro tells me. "It is wild." He is wearing a T-shirt that couples Einstein's image with his maxim that "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."

Meanwhile, Toronto Critical Mass was a fun experience as bike cops escorted cyclists around the city, blocking intersections until all the mass riders made it through. The cops behaviour was admirable, in my opinion, as they took their cues from the cyclists up front. They may have been trying to be a bit too orderly but that's just what they do and it did help to keep the mass together.

I had the pleasure of meeting a graduate student from York this week who is researching Critical Mass, and he wants to know: Have YOU ever participated in critical mass Toronto?

He is conducting a survey and would like your input. The survey is part of a case study and is completely anonymous and confidential. If you can spare three to five minutes, just go to:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=_2bd637nc23HQRvIBtW...

If you would like more information about the research, please contact Andrew Bieler at bielerandrew@yahoo.com.

See you this Friday! Spadina and Bloor, 6pm.

Photo by Martin Reis

A new banner image: like it? We are likely going to be swapping banners now and then to keep things fresh.

2007 was a mixed year for cycling in Toronto. The Bells on Bloor event featured in our new banner image was one of the better things to happen. The photo was taken by Tanya Quinn during the ride from High Park to Yonge St. back in September. It was great weather, a great turnout and an awesome way to promote the idea of bike lanes on Bloor Street. Politicians showed up, bike cops helped us through the intersections.

It was one of the less cynical things to happen in a year punctuated by lots of promises by politicians, few new actual bike lanes, some dead cyclists, some ill-placed bollards (that just reek of the lack of consultation and lack of thinking from the point of view of cyclists that is going on), and cyclists being vilified in the media for the violent actions of one cyclist.