[BCM] Fwd: [massbike] Open letter to the Cycling Community

Wed Jul 30 00:44:47 EDT 2008

i've been on both sides of the fence. the first CM i did i was super excited
about, participated in wearing crazy clothes, had a great time.  a couple
months later i was in a zipcar doing errands for my dorm and came across CM,
and it was one of the more completely aggravating things i had experienced
because traffic was at a standstill, i was paying extra for my car, ice
cream was melting and my dorm had a big freshman-welcoming event in but a
couple hours i needed to prepare for.  i found myself f'ing hating those
bikes, at that moment in time.

so for awhile i stopped participating in CM,  not liking the idea that
"increasing awarness of bikes" seemed to be equated to "being a big dick to
vehicular traffic because we can, damnit".  i want to come back but these
emails are making me think that perhaps i don't.  i would, however, be more
than happy to participate in a Courteous Mass.  if i was driving and i saw
such an event i would honk and cheer and lend my support. as a biker i would
be proud to be participating in something both visible and completely
law-abiding.

i think someone on this thread mentioned something about how non violent
techniques worked in the civil rights movement.  i feel like if we as bikers
banded together to obey all the laws that we are supposed to, together, more
people could find it in their hearts to be on our side.

but what do i know about the world, i'm only 21.

/sari

ps, jb, i feel like you may classify me as a 'kid', but courteous mass
/does/ appeal to me, and i would attend every ride.  vast generalizations
are always bad... well, excepting that last statement (:

On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 12:12 AM, . nevele <symboliceon at hotmail.com> wrote:

>  i get where you're coming from, that's why i've said in the past that if
> CM is going to enlighten the public regarding our right to be on the road
> it'll only be effective if we abide by the same rules as those motorized
> hooligans. thing is, that's never going to happen. not as long as there are
> kids with bikes looking to turn their everyday fears of riding in to
> mischief and 'getting even' with "that guy who almost doored me."
>
> "courteous mass" wouldn't be as appealing to the kids. personally, i'd
> attend every ride. so when do we get that started? 1st friday of every
> month?
>
> jb
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:05:26 +0100
> From: goannego at gmail.com
> To: list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Fwd: [massbike] Open letter to the Cycling Community
>
>
> As fun as that looks, the flip side of it is that it then still contributes
> the same negative issues that we've been talking about and that the Mass
> Bike posting discusses.  A group of people, under the CM banner, on the
> sidewalk, on private property, cycling round and round and having to be
> kicked out by security.  No respect for any rules or laws, that's the
> argument that is going to be put forward.  Couple it in with the "riding
> down the halls of MIT" and other such actions and it is incredibly easy to
> see where the negativity is coming from regarding the public and CM.  Sure,
> it is fun to ride around the fountains.  I've done it myself.  But if I was
> standing there and 20+ bikes started going round and round and round,
> intimidating me and having to be kicked out by security, the "disown CM,
> embrace Courteous Mass" movement just picked up another adherent, and yet
> another "those intimidating jerks of CM" starts making the rounds.
>
> 2008/7/29 Daniel Whitlow <dwhitlow at mit.edu>
>
> For people without facebook or people too lazy to sign on, here's the link:
>
>
> http://photos-h.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v310/205/124/1022199047/n1022199047_115207_3704.jpg
>
> Out of curiousity, does anybody else have any pictures from that ride?
> Was hoping for a few to remember my first CM by.
>
> On Mon, Jul 28, 2008 at 11:43 PM, . nevele <symboliceon at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
> > regarding all of the negative things being said regarding CM (trust me, i
> > have plenty of my own negative feedback) i'd just like everyone to see
> what
> > happened at the end of the last ride, unfortunately i think you need a
> > facebook membership to see it:
> > http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=115207&id=1022199047
> >
> > organized rides don't end like this; they don't randomly end up at the
> > fountain in the christian science church park with some folks riding
> around
> > it, and some riding inside the plooms (plumes? damnit.) of water.
> ofcourse
> > the 30 or so of us who were left were promptly kicked the hell out by
> > "security" but you just can't write that shit.
> >
> > unorganized, chaotic rides like CM aren't necessarily supposed to be
> about
> > political gain, sometimes it's just about personal experiences.
> >
> > i remember my first ride.. it was like magic. i was riding this BMX that
> i
> > was scared as shit to ride around the city (had my first dooring
> experience
> > on that lil guy) and the mass made me feel empowered. then i ditched that
> > bike and got a big ol' trek mtb and rode the mass a bunch of times,
> feeling
> > more and more empowered each time. eventually the rear axle on that beast
> > snapped and cracked the frame so i ended up with my fixie Moto a couple
> > years ago.
> >
> > point being that the origin of the confidence i have while slicing
> through
> > traffic like a ripping hot chefs knife through warm butter is critical
> mass
> > and i teach others what i have learned. without the fun, sorta rebelious
> > nature of CM, i feel as tho a lot of folks just wouldn't ride.
> >
> > jb
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >> From: jym at econet.org
> >> To: list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> >> Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:13:54 -0700
> >> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Fwd: [massbike] Open letter to the Cycling
> Community
> >>
> >> =v= Oh joy, another "Critical Mass Needs To End" opinion, on a
> >> Seattle blog:
> >>
> >> http://seattlest.com/2008/07/28/seattle_critical_mass_needs_to_end.php
> >>
> >> Naturally, it proceeds from false premises.
> >>
> >> =v= Critical Mass is turning 16 in a few months. Old enough
> >> to drive, but smart enough not to.
> >> <_Jym_>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
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>
>
>
> --
> Thank you for your time,
> Daniel Whitlow
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