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News :: Miscellaneous |
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CMI Critical Minimum Demonstrates the Need for a Critical Mass |
Current rating: 0 |
by Ellen
(No verified email address) |
28 Jul 2001
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The Critical Mass ride on Friday July 27th was small yet incurred a large amount rath from angry Urbana
drivers.
Critical Mass rides the last Friday of every month at 5:15. Meet at the corner of Wright and Green (near the Alma Mater). |
...or South East Urbana, Land of Angry Drivers
Yesterday's Critical Mass ride was attended by THREE people, but the ride took place nonetheless. The route was Green east to Race, Race north to Main, Main east to Vine, Vine south to Florida, Florida east to Phillo, Phillo north to Washington, Washington west to Vine, Vine north to Main, Main west to IMC (end of route.. because it was more convenient for the three riders to end in downtown Urbana, than the Alma Mater).
Highlights of the Ride
*Many angry honks and shouts to get out of the street.
*A lot of illegal passing and squealing tires as they sped ahead
*Beautiful weather and friendly riding companions
*On Florida one driver who drove up along side of us (straddling the line and nearly causing two accidents) to berate us and tell us we were stupid. We informed her that bike have a legal right to the road and she concurred, but that we need to be in the slow lane. She had no response when we pointed out that there was only one lane on the street so we can not be in an imaginary slow lane... She then returned to yelling just how stupid we were. Next she pulled in front of us and commenced to drive very slowly as if to slow us down, this of course did not make any difference to us, but did succeed in angering other drivers. And to cap off her demonstration of anger, she pulled to the side of the road, got out the car standing with hands on hips, and was sure to let us know that we were idiots in her mind.
*On Phillo another driver drove out of her way into a parking lot so she could be closer to yell at us. I imagine that she ended up "wasting" even more time than if she had been more patient and just stayed behind us and waited until it was safe and legal to pass or until we were making our turn on Washington.
While I haven't been on every ride, I have been on most, and this one definitely wins the prize for number of angry drivers. I would guess that part of the reason we were incurring the rath of so many drivers was at least in part due to our small number. If we had been even just 10 riders, there may have been some annoyance, but people may have figured that there might be something going on that they didn't know about, especially if the riders have signs and/or music and/or chants. OR perhaps even more crassly, 10 riders are more intimidating than 3. Two women and one guy on bikes may just not be threatening enough whereas 10+ people on bikes might kick your ass (in the mind of an angry driver).
At any rate, it is this kind of mentality-- that cars rule the road and far be it from an cyclist to take their rightful place as PART OF TRAFFIC if is makes a driver take a few minutes longer to get to their destination-- that Critical Mass is railing against. And even though we were only three, we definitely made an number of people at least take NOTICE of the fact that bike are on the road!!
Enough of this rant...
Critical Mass rides the last Friday of every month at 5:15. Meet at the corner of Wright and Green (near the Alma Mater). |
See also:
http://critical-mass.groogroo.com/
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I couldn't agree more but...... |
by Jason Pitzl
jpitzl (nospam) wildhunt.org (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
29 Jul 2001
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I couldn't agree more, however, perhaps the goals of your group should not only be to educate motorists, but to educate fellow bike-riders as well.
Day after day when I go through campus, for every one bike rider I see that obeys the traffic laws I see three that flagrantly go against traffic laws because they are bikes.
It is frustrating to try to drive responsibly when bike riders are coming at you against traffic, or cutting off pedestrians or cutting across intersections, ignoring lights and basically acting like they are not vehicles.
It is these actions that set up mental precedents whether fair or not that bikes are not "real" vehicles.
This isn't just a few "bad eggs" this is the majority of bike-riders I see every day.
Awarness of traffic law and responisiblity is indeed a two-way street.
-Jason
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See also:
http://www.wildhunt.org
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Critical Mass Obeys traffic laws |
by Ellen
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
30 Jul 2001
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At least at the C-U Critical Mass rides we obey all trafic laws -- including the use of hand signals. The only exception to this is when part of the mass is through an intersection -- the whole mass will continue through even if the light changes. This is for safety reasons, and also to stay with the philosophy that act as one vehicle -- one mass. Incidently, we also follow the custom of stopping for yellow lights, since the whole mass certainly wouldn't make it through before the light changes if beginning of the mass starts on yellow.
I have heard at least one person comment that since riding with the mass they take care not to violate traffic laws while biking.. SO it seems to me that the Mass DOES educates cyclists as well.
Also, I'll just point out that Critical Mass is not MY group. There aren't designated organizers or leaders -- perhaps part of the problem why there isn't consistant turn out.
And if I may rant a bit more.. While I do agree that "awareness of traffic law and responsibility is indeed a two-way street", I also don't feel any "reward" or even recognition of being a traffic law obiding cyclist. I've been a bike commuter in three cities now and in every one, I've been yelled at, cursed at, had things thrown at me, and in one I was hit by a car.. ALL WHEN I WAS BEING PERFECTLY LEGAL!!! So where is the incentive??
I'm not saying that I need every driver who sees me on my bike to give me a shout out for being a legal cyclists. But I would like to feel safe, and yes part of my safety is dependent on how I act, but in an accident between a bike and car, the bike will always loose.. SO yes I do think that puts a big onus on drivers--to be aware of all activities around them--to realize that driving is not just about them and other cars. And I might mention it is responsibility that I take very seriously when I get behind the wheel of a car. |
