[BCM] Bostoncriticalmass Digest, Vol 43, Issue 3

Tue Jan 8 09:04:13 EST 2008

I have to concur.  I felt the statement that there was "plenty of room
for pedestrians to get out of the way of a cyclist" is the same argument
that "there's plenty of room for bikes to get out of the way of cars"
argument that gets CM hot under the collar.

Equally the implication that because CM IS traffic (and indeed it is),
it somehow cannot be blocking traffic.  Traffic can block traffic, and
indeed does quite frequently.  If bike traffic blocked other bike
traffic your moral high ground would be lost.  And yet somehow, you feel
that because bike traffic blocks motor traffic this furthers the
argument for people to give us better recognition as traffic.  

I love cycling.  I love cycling through the streets of Boston and
Cambridge when I can.  But these same arguments go around every time
something gets written, and people seem to feel that unless it is
entirely uncritical of CM it is somehow against them.  I don't think it
was a particularly great article, but I'm not surprised the Globe let it
fly.  "Controversial group, knowing journalist is in middle and writing
about it, opts to trek through corridors on private property."  That
kind of headline sells, I'm afraid.  And almost entirely at CM's
expense.  It certainly isn't going to let the MIT or Cambridge police
ease up on us at all. 

________________________________

From: bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org
[mailto:bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org] On Behalf Of
Jon Ramos
Sent: 08 January 2008 13:57
To: Boston Critical Mass
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Bostoncriticalmass Digest, Vol 43, Issue 3

Regardless of how wide the corridor, how slow you were going, or how
f-ing magical YOU may have thought it was; I'm sure there were irritated
people who felt too intimidated to stand up to 20-30 rouge cyclists
pedaling down their college corridor.  I know I would be.  It is very
disrespectful to bike through an institution's private interior and CM
has no business being there.  Stick to the PUBLIC roads.  

----- Original Message ----
From: Philip Stango <prstango at gmail.com>
To: list at bostoncriticalmass.org
Sent: Tuesday, January 8, 2008 1:34:57 AM
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Bostoncriticalmass Digest, Vol 43, Issue 3

Rather than make  judgments about the ride through the MIT corridor
based on speculation, how about taking an account from someone who was
there. We went through in single file, and the corridor was quite wide,
likely more than 8-10 feet. There was plenty of room for "pedestrians to
get out of the way from a bicycle."  Passers-by strolled calmly in the
opposite direction as we pedaled by, single file, at a leisurely pace,
while others hardly looked up from their laptops as they sat at benches.
It was much more magical/whimsical than anything else. Given our small
numbers and the small number of passers-by, it was very much dissimilar
to a car going down a sidewalk. Not something to be repeated with a
larger group or during the semester, but certainly a treat for all
involved, I reckon. 

On Jan 7, 2008 7:14 PM,
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Bostoncriticalmass digest..."

Today's Topics: 

  1. Re: Thoughts, or what was the thinking at MIT and....
     (Dan Barrett)
  2. Re: Thoughts, or what was the thinking at MIT and.... (Ari Pollak)
  3. Re: Thoughts, or what was the thinking at MIT and.... (Jon Ramos) 
  4. Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ... (Jym Dyer)
  5. Re: Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ...
     (Adam Rosi-Kessel)
  6. Re: Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ... (Ari Pollak) 
  7. Re: Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ... (Adam Shoop)
  8. Re: Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ... (Jym Dyer)
  9. Re: Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ...
     ( thom3 at aol.com)
 10. Re: Thoughts, or what was the thinking at MIT and....
     (Hiroyuki G Yamada)

---------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 12:15:19 -0500 (EST)
From: "Dan Barrett" <dbx at pobox.com>
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at MIT and.... 
To: bostoncriticalmass at bostoncriticalmass.org
Message-ID:
       < 48126.208.27.111.121.1199726119.squirrel at webmail.offthehill.org
<mailto:48126.208.27.111.121.1199726119.squirrel at webmail.offthehill.org>
>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1

The article reminded me of my long-held desire to ride through the Star
Market in Porter Square. 

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:26:10 -0500
From: Ari Pollak <ajp at aripollak.com>
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at MIT and.... 
To: thom3 at aol.com
Cc: list at bostoncriticalmass.org
Message-ID: < 1199726770.17290.64.camel at apollak.lab.compete.com
<mailto:1199726770.17290.64.camel at apollak.lab.compete.com> >
Content-Type: text/plain

I don't think there was ever a followup on the list, and I think I was
too far ahead on that ride to notice the arrest.

On Mon, 2008-01-07 at 12:22 -0500, thom3 at aol.com wrote:
> Oh yeah, an oldie but a goodie.....
>
> do you recall what ever happened to the person?
>
>
> Tom
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ari Pollak <ajp at aripollak.com>
> To: thom3 at aol.com
> Sent: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 12:18 pm 
> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at MIT and....
>
>
http://bostoncriticalmass.org/pipermail/bostoncriticalmass/2006-April/00
1172.html 
>
> I suppose that could've been State Police activity since the post did
> not specify, but still...
>
> On Mon, 2008-01-07 at 11:49 -0500, thom3 at aol.com wrote:
> > can you elaborate as to why it is an understatement?
>
> >
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
> More new features than ever. Check out the new AOL Mail! 
>

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 10:19:06 -0800 (PST)
From: Jon Ramos <jontramos at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at MIT and.... 
To: dbx at pobox.com, list at bostoncriticalmass.org
Message-ID: <987987.84829.qm at web50008.mail.re2.yahoo.com >
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I missed the December ride due to my broken right hand, (bicycle
accident, hit by a car on Tremont St) but I have to say that I am
appalled that the group rode through a building.  Corking traffic, and
giving angry motorists 'the business' is one thing, because we have a
right to be there etc, etc... but inside a building?  that's just not
cool.  There is no place in a corridor for a pedestrian to get out of
the way from a bicycle, in that situation we are analogous to cars
driving down bike lanes & sidewalks.  We dont have a right to be there.
The December ride sounds like it may have been fun, but really it just
made CM riders look like real a-holes. 

- Jon

----- Original Message ----
From: Dan Barrett <dbx at pobox.com>
To: list at bostoncriticalmass.org
Sent: Monday, January 7, 2008 12:15:19 PM 
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at MIT and....

The article reminded me of my long-held desire to ride through the Star
Market in Porter Square.

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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:42:25 -0800
From: Jym Dyer <jym at econet.org>
Subject: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ... 
To: Boston CM <list at bostoncriticalmass.org>
Message-ID: <Jym.07Jan2008.47828083 at econet.org>

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/01/06/achieving_critical_
mass/

=v= As feared, an article hopped up on an unrepresentative 
sampling of controversies and riddled with inaccuracies.

| ... and about 300 other cities ...

=1= Wow, good thing I pointed the guy to the www.critical-mass.org
<http://www.critical-mass.org/> 
website which documents 450 cities.

| ... or just blocking traffic.

=2= Um, BEING traffic.  Editorialize much?

| Critical Mass has caused contention in many communities - from
| New York, where hundreds of massers were arrested at the 2004 
| Republican National Convention, to San Francisco, where Mayor
| Willie Brown declared war on the group.

=3= Editorialize much about who caused what?  I suppose NYC's
August 2004 ride (which a fact-checker should have noticed was 
*before* the RNC) "caused" 1800 people to be arrested over the
next weekend, too, huh?

=4= The police attack on the July 1997 ride in San Francisco was
indeed Willie Brown declaring war on us, but the "cause" was a 
massive traffic jam on the day of the June 1997 ride, which was
underway before the ride even began, then blamed on the ride
after the fact.

| The group's activities have spawned the term "U-lock justice" 

=5= Wrong.  That term goes back at least to the 1980s.
   <_Jym_>

------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:55:59 -0500
From: Adam Rosi-Kessel < adam at rosi-kessel.org>
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ...
To: Boston CM <list at bostoncriticalmass.org >
Message-ID: <478275BF.8060203 at rosi-kessel.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Jym Dyer wrote:
> | The group's activities have spawned the term "U-lock justice" 
> =5= Wrong.  That term goes back at least to the 1980s.

And, just for the record, I never mentioned "civil disobedience." And my
name is spelled with one L.

------------------------------ 

Message: 6
Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:05:44 -0500
From: Ari Pollak <ajp at aripollak.com>
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ...
To: Boston Critical Mass <list at bostoncriticalmass.org>
Message-ID: <1199732744.17290.86.camel at apollak.lab.compete.com >
Content-Type: text/plain

Sounds like a letter to the editor is in order.

On Mon, 2008-01-07 at 13:55 -0500, Adam Rosi-Kessel wrote:
> And, just for the record, I never mentioned "civil disobedience." And
my 
> name is spelled with one L.

------------------------------

Message: 7
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 14:19:40 -0500
From: "Adam Shoop" <info at adamshoop.org >
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ...
To: "'Boston Critical Mass'" <list at bostoncriticalmass.org>
Message-ID: <00c001c85162$41ca9720$6402a8c0 at DG9BNJ41>
Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"

There are some pertinent comments on the Boston Fixed Gear forums as
well.

Here's the main one: 

http://bostonfixed.us/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=434&page=1

And then one on what would make a better article: 

http://bostonfixed.us/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=435&page=1

-AS

------------------------------ 

Message: 8
Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:44:06 -0800
From: Jym Dyer <jym at econet.org>
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ...
To: Boston CM < list at bostoncriticalmass.org>
Message-ID: <Jym.07Jan2008.47828ef8 at econet.org>

> the article is pretty much amature hour IMHO 

=v= Well, the guy was upfront about his amateur status when he
came to this list asking for information.  What bothers me is
that he was given access to resources that would have made his
article more accurate, and apparently ignored them. 

=v= I could tell by his second inquiry that he wanted to focus
on the whiz! bang! pow! controversial! stuff, and warned that
it would lead to dishonestly unrepresentative reporting.  And
lo, it came to pass. 
   <_Jym_>

------------------------------

Message: 9
Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:50:45 -0500
From: thom3 at aol.com
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ... 
To: list at bostoncriticalmass.org, list at bostoncriticalmass.org
Message-ID: < 8CA1F7DBA6649B6-F88-1074 at webmail-da21.sysops.aol.com
<mailto:8CA1F7DBA6649B6-F88-1074 at webmail-da21.sysops.aol.com> >
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

right RE his status and I agree he was immensely lazy in his ability to
do research. I am just amazed that The Boston Globe let this shit fly. 

I also think the POV is weird and sounds like the guy?drove a car along
side the group and occassiobnally stops and asked "What are you feeling,
what are you thinking?"

It's total crap, and why did he not wait til the thaw when a more
"typical"/robust CM ride happens.... 

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: Jym Dyer <jym at econet.org>
To: Boston CM <list at bostoncriticalmass.org >
Sent: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 3:44 pm
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at the MSM ...

> the article is pretty much amature hour IMHO

=v= Well, the guy was upfront about his amateur status when he 
came to this list asking for information.  What bothers me is
that he was given access to resources that would have made his
article more accurate, and apparently ignored them.

=v= I could tell by his second inquiry that he wanted to focus 
on the whiz! bang! pow! controversial! stuff, and warned that
it would lead to dishonestly unrepresentative reporting.  And
lo, it came to pass.
   <_Jym_>

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Message: 10
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 19:14:28 -0500 (EST)
From: Hiroyuki G Yamada < hyamada at MIT.EDU>
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at MIT and....
To: Boston Critical Mass <list at bostoncriticalmass.org >
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.64L.0801071909540.12160 at vinegar-pot.mit.edu>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed 

Keep In mind though, that MIT wasn't in session at this point -- Finals
were over the 21st and most people students gone by the 22nd or 23rd.
The
remaining grad students etc were probably a minuscule proportion of the 
usual traffic in the infinite corridor and this was probably taken into
consideration when the ride through MIT was suggested. Also, with only
30
riders (if the article is to be trusted on that count) it also wouldn't 
have been as bad. Probably not the best of ideas on a friday in the
middle
of term, with 300+ riders, to go traipsing through a corridor, but in
that
particular instance, I can't imagine that it was too much trouble. 

As for the article, it sounds like he wanted to get as "good" of an
article out (his standard for good might have been exciting or "wham
pow,"
vs an actual editorially accurate and well-written piece) with as little

work -- just trolling around on wikipedia could have given him the
information he posted. Given how responsive Boston's CM list was, it
certainly seems that he could have gotten a more in-depth look at our
particular ride.

(Perhaps written up a blurb about the arrest over at Harvard Square in
the
(I think) October ride?)

--Yuki

On Mon, 7 Jan 2008, Jon Ramos wrote:

> I missed the December ride due to my broken right hand, (bicycle
accident, hit by a car on Tremont St) but I have to say that I am
appalled that the group rode through a building.  Corking traffic, and
giving angry motorists 'the business' is one thing, because we have a
right to be there etc, etc... but inside a building?  that's just not
cool.  There is no place in a corridor for a pedestrian to get out of
the way from a bicycle, in that situation we are analogous to cars
driving down bike lanes & sidewalks.  We dont have a right to be there.
The December ride sounds like it may have been fun, but really it just
made CM riders look like real a-holes. 
>
> - Jon
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Dan Barrett <dbx at pobox.com>
> To: list at bostoncriticalmass.org 
> Sent: Monday, January 7, 2008 12:15:19 PM
> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Thoughts, or what was the thinking at MIT and....
>
> The article reminded me of my long-held desire to ride through the
Star 
> Market in Porter Square.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list at bostoncriticalmass.org 
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe at bostoncriticalmass.org 
>
>
>
________________________________________________________________________
____________
> Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page.
> http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

------------------------------

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End of Bostoncriticalmass Digest, Vol 43, Issue 3
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