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Forums > Events, Performances and Gatherings > Critical Mass
Login/Join to Participateold hand
898 posts
Location: Binstead, Isle of Wight
898 posts
Location: Binstead, Isle of Wight
Posted:
This is the info for the Bristol (UK) one but there's a Critical Mass in most major cities around the world!
A Halloween Ride - In Solidarity & Celebration
Friday 28 October, 5pm, College Green, Bristol City Centre
It’s been a while since Bristol saw a Critical Mass bike ride, now its time for one!
Solidarity: with the monthly CM in London that the police are trying to shut down after 12 years of rides – see www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk for more info
Solidarity: with all those killed and affected by the murderous oil/car culture & its side-effects, ruining our cities and planet.
Celebrating: the sustainable culture & economics of cycling. You are one less car!
Celebrating: the excitement of Halloween weekend. Let the devil in you ride out!
Bring whistles, flags, music, witches hats, ghostly masks, theatrics, smiles, friends, flyers, toolkits, and more. Lets party!
Bikes, skateboards, roller blades, wheelchairs, pogo sticks etc – all self-propelled transport forms are welcome
Thank you for not driving
A critical mass ride is a coming together of like-minded people travelling collectively in any particular direction. We do not block the traffic, we are the traffic, and we are held up & polluted by cars and the oil-petrol-car culture.
Resources & info:
https://www.bristolcyclingcampaign.org.uk/
https://bristol.indymedia.org/
https://www.critical-mass.org/
https://www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk/
https://www.schnews.org.uk/
Flyer text ends!
A safe ride:
A successful critical mass should be safe, fun, and a living example of both collective solidarity and an alternative to car madness. It may help to bear the following in mind to facilitate this:
1. Stick together, don’t become split up, slow down or speed up accordingly.
2. Keep an eye out for each other. If there is an incident with a vehicle all should stop and wait. Those roads can be dangerous remember!
3. Riders at the front should peel off to stop incoming traffic allowing the rest of the CM to pass by safely.
END
This is the info for the Bristol (UK) one but there's a Critical Mass in most major cities around the world!
A Halloween Ride - In Solidarity & Celebration
Friday 28 October, 5pm, College Green, Bristol City Centre
It’s been a while since Bristol saw a Critical Mass bike ride, now its time for one!
Solidarity: with the monthly CM in London that the police are trying to shut down after 12 years of rides – see www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk for more info
Solidarity: with all those killed and affected by the murderous oil/car culture & its side-effects, ruining our cities and planet.
Celebrating: the sustainable culture & economics of cycling. You are one less car!
Celebrating: the excitement of Halloween weekend. Let the devil in you ride out!
Bring whistles, flags, music, witches hats, ghostly masks, theatrics, smiles, friends, flyers, toolkits, and more. Lets party!
Bikes, skateboards, roller blades, wheelchairs, pogo sticks etc – all self-propelled transport forms are welcome
Thank you for not driving
A critical mass ride is a coming together of like-minded people travelling collectively in any particular direction. We do not block the traffic, we are the traffic, and we are held up & polluted by cars and the oil-petrol-car culture.
Resources & info:
https://www.bristolcyclingcampaign.org.uk/
https://bristol.indymedia.org/
https://www.critical-mass.org/
https://www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk/
https://www.schnews.org.uk/
Flyer text ends!
A safe ride:
A successful critical mass should be safe, fun, and a living example of both collective solidarity and an alternative to car madness. It may help to bear the following in mind to facilitate this:
1. Stick together, don’t become split up, slow down or speed up accordingly.
2. Keep an eye out for each other. If there is an incident with a vehicle all should stop and wait. Those roads can be dangerous remember!
3. Riders at the front should peel off to stop incoming traffic allowing the rest of the CM to pass by safely.
END
Ask a question and be a fool for a minute...don't ask and be a fool your whole life.
old hand
898 posts
Location: Binstead, Isle of Wight
898 posts
Location: Binstead, Isle of Wight
Posted:
Bike Ride to celebrate the alternatives to oil
CRITICAL MASS
International Day of Climate Protest
Saturday 3rd December
12pm College Green
The temperature's rising...
The earth is getting warmer, the sea level is rising, floods, droughts and hurricanes are increasing and pollution is causing increasing child asthma.
Yet the government is failing to act - it has sold off our public transport and continues to push airport and road expansion while doing little to promote alternatives.
We need to take action NOW
Join the celebration of the alternatives to cars, pollution and accidents. Resist the loss of public spaces and freedoms as we take our bikes to the roads, break our addiction to oil and reclaim our streets.
Meet 12pm College Green
Bring bikes, banners, musical instruments, sound systems and anything to make the day brighter and louder!
"We're not blocking the traffic...
We ARE the traffic!"
Bike Ride to celebrate the alternatives to oil
CRITICAL MASS
International Day of Climate Protest
Saturday 3rd December
12pm College Green
The temperature's rising...
The earth is getting warmer, the sea level is rising, floods, droughts and hurricanes are increasing and pollution is causing increasing child asthma.
Yet the government is failing to act - it has sold off our public transport and continues to push airport and road expansion while doing little to promote alternatives.
We need to take action NOW
Join the celebration of the alternatives to cars, pollution and accidents. Resist the loss of public spaces and freedoms as we take our bikes to the roads, break our addiction to oil and reclaim our streets.
Meet 12pm College Green
Bring bikes, banners, musical instruments, sound systems and anything to make the day brighter and louder!
"We're not blocking the traffic...
We ARE the traffic!"
Ask a question and be a fool for a minute...don't ask and be a fool your whole life.
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,638 posts
Location: Brum / Dorset / Fairy Land
3,638 posts
Location: Brum / Dorset / Fairy Land
Posted:
Yay! I do Critical Mass rides here in Birmingham.
*argh* missed the one today. Bloody work..........
Yay! I do Critical Mass rides here in Birmingham.
*argh* missed the one today. Bloody work..........
Geologists do it in the dirt................ 
BRONZE Member
Me
607 posts
Location: London/Bristol, United Kingdom
Me
607 posts
Location: London/Bristol, United Kingdom
Posted:
you reckon, feels pretty cold to me.
also am guessing paffin type thing aren't approved of.
may well come down for abit though as I'm guessing it'll be a gold mine for hippy hunting
Written by: Firetramp
Saturday 3rd December
The temperature's rising...
you reckon, feels pretty cold to me.
also am guessing paffin type thing aren't approved of.
may well come down for abit though as I'm guessing it'll be a gold mine for hippy hunting
Maybe I should change this too something abit nicer, humm no I still think your all C
t
NYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
Posted:
It's been Critical Mass vs. NYPD for months on end here.
Actually a bit too radical for my tastes which is sad because I do like to ride my bike.
It's been Critical Mass vs. NYPD for months on end here.
Actually a bit too radical for my tastes which is sad because I do like to ride my bike.
Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,638 posts
Location: Brum / Dorset / Fairy Land
3,638 posts
Location: Brum / Dorset / Fairy Land
Posted:
radical? It's very friendly here - silly hats and long mass bike rides through the city centre. Why is there police n cyclist rivalry/unrest in NYC?
radical? It's very friendly here - silly hats and long mass bike rides through the city centre. Why is there police n cyclist rivalry/unrest in NYC?
Geologists do it in the dirt................
NYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
Posted:
Well... Hrmm... (tries to make it a balanced arguement but fails...)
Since it's pretty much impossible to get a permit to shut down an entire avenue in the middle of Manhattan, Critical Mass has just been doing things renegade style. So hundreds of bicycles have been just taking over streets and reportedly blocking traffic. It's hard to explain if you're not familiar with New York's density but if you have a few hundred bicycles take over an avenue it can very quickly gridlock a good portion of the city. It also becomes one of those situations where if a few bikes out of the hundreds decide to run red lights, block intersections, drive dangerously... it becomes really confrontational and problematic.
https://info.interactivist.net/article.pl?sid=04/10/26/0042213&mode=nested&tid=14&tid=1
It didn't help that they organized one to ride right through the "Republican National Convention" area when Bush was in town right where all the other protests were going on.
It feels that both sides are being a bit confrontational.
But I'm not an expert by any means. And I only speak from my own personal viewpoints. I'm sure there are lots of Critial Massers here that would scream curses at me for some of what I've said above, and some cops that would like to beat me over the head with a baton. Like I said, it's a hot topic.
*Runs away*
Well... Hrmm... (tries to make it a balanced arguement but fails...)
Since it's pretty much impossible to get a permit to shut down an entire avenue in the middle of Manhattan, Critical Mass has just been doing things renegade style. So hundreds of bicycles have been just taking over streets and reportedly blocking traffic. It's hard to explain if you're not familiar with New York's density but if you have a few hundred bicycles take over an avenue it can very quickly gridlock a good portion of the city. It also becomes one of those situations where if a few bikes out of the hundreds decide to run red lights, block intersections, drive dangerously... it becomes really confrontational and problematic.
https://info.interactivist.net/article.pl?sid=04/10/26/0042213&mode=nested&tid=14&tid=1
It didn't help that they organized one to ride right through the "Republican National Convention" area when Bush was in town right where all the other protests were going on.
It feels that both sides are being a bit confrontational.
But I'm not an expert by any means. And I only speak from my own personal viewpoints. I'm sure there are lots of Critial Massers here that would scream curses at me for some of what I've said above, and some cops that would like to beat me over the head with a baton. Like I said, it's a hot topic.
*Runs away*
Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]
BRONZE Member
member
167 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
member
167 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
As far as I understood the principles of the Critical Mass it is supposed to be unorganised with no structure or leadership and in such applying for a permit to close a road would be difficult even if it was possible to obtain the licence.
Yep I agree it is a bit confrontational but hopefully in a peaceful manner, more to cause a bit of chaos (yep gridlocking the City is their aim) and hopefully make someone think beyond the next pound/dollar rather than run ramaging throught the streets.
I've been on one ride and it was extremely well behaved caused a bit of chaos and got out of the way for all the emergency services faster than any car would.
Did we make a difference..... I don't know.... did we try to do something... Yes and hopefully more people will join in trying to make a difference...
!!Viva la revolution!!
As far as I understood the principles of the Critical Mass it is supposed to be unorganised with no structure or leadership and in such applying for a permit to close a road would be difficult even if it was possible to obtain the licence.
Yep I agree it is a bit confrontational but hopefully in a peaceful manner, more to cause a bit of chaos (yep gridlocking the City is their aim) and hopefully make someone think beyond the next pound/dollar rather than run ramaging throught the streets.
I've been on one ride and it was extremely well behaved caused a bit of chaos and got out of the way for all the emergency services faster than any car would.
Did we make a difference..... I don't know.... did we try to do something... Yes and hopefully more people will join in trying to make a difference...
!!Viva la revolution!!
Just because I'm an adult doesn't make me responsible.
NYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
Posted:
See, I LOVE bicycling but I can't support stranding busses and other forms of mass transit to make a point. Midtown New York City is far too dense a city to encourage biking. A single subway train can move over 1000 people whereas 1000 bikes (obviously) criples the city as made apparent by Critical Mass. I remember seeing a statistic that over 1 million people entered the world trade center every day. Can you imagine 1 million bikes showing up? And yet the subways dealt with it with no problem.
I absolutely support the limiting of cars in the city (and I'm a driver) but I think Mass Transit is the way to go, not bikes. If I were mayor of New York, I'd make certain crossstreets "Bus Only" since there's really no effective way to cross town (Subways only really go north south in most areas).
I'd DEFINITELY like to see more bike traffic encouraged OUTSIDE midtown manhattan where there is less density and bikes lanes could easily be used.
My humble clearly-wrong opinion.
Written by: ZeeBoo
(yep gridlocking the City is their aim)
See, I LOVE bicycling but I can't support stranding busses and other forms of mass transit to make a point. Midtown New York City is far too dense a city to encourage biking. A single subway train can move over 1000 people whereas 1000 bikes (obviously) criples the city as made apparent by Critical Mass. I remember seeing a statistic that over 1 million people entered the world trade center every day. Can you imagine 1 million bikes showing up? And yet the subways dealt with it with no problem.
I absolutely support the limiting of cars in the city (and I'm a driver) but I think Mass Transit is the way to go, not bikes. If I were mayor of New York, I'd make certain crossstreets "Bus Only" since there's really no effective way to cross town (Subways only really go north south in most areas).
I'd DEFINITELY like to see more bike traffic encouraged OUTSIDE midtown manhattan where there is less density and bikes lanes could easily be used.
My humble clearly-wrong opinion.
Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]
old hand
898 posts
Location: Binstead, Isle of Wight
898 posts
Location: Binstead, Isle of Wight
Posted:
First of all, CS lets buses and emergency services through.
And 1000 people on bicycles everyday, doesn't that mean a 1000 less cars?
Written by: NYC
See, I LOVE bicycling but I can't support stranding busses and other forms of mass transit to make a point. Midtown New York City is far too dense a city to encourage biking. A single subway train can move over 1000 people whereas 1000 bikes (obviously) criples the city as made apparent by Critical Mass.
First of all, CS lets buses and emergency services through.
And 1000 people on bicycles everyday, doesn't that mean a 1000 less cars?
Ask a question and be a fool for a minute...don't ask and be a fool your whole life.
NYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
Posted:
Not necesarily. A vast majority of New Yorkers don't have cars. That's my point.
NYC mass transit transports 7 million people every day. If those 7 million people all rode their bikes to work, there'd be catostrophic traffic. I think that NYC is one of the VERY few places that this is true. I fully support more bike riding but not in the VERY dense places that make up 1% of the world.
If you've gotten off a subway at 42nd street and Broadway in New York I think you'd realize that if everyone there had a bike it'd be a problem.
I know that there are places more dense as downtown Manhattan (Tokyo for one) but I've never been to any.
I don't think my point makes as much sense if you're thinking of less dense places like London (Yes, really) and CERTAINLY doesn't make sense in the smaller cities and suburbs where traffic is really crippling.
I used to ride my bike in Los Angeles which is a PERFECT city for encouraging bike riding. The weather is great, it's generally flat, there's plenty of space and traffic is HORRIBLE.
I'm very very very pro bike in every city and in every country that I've ever been to EXCEPT midtown manhattan, which is the only place I've seen Critical Mass.
I acknowledge that's the exception.
Not necesarily. A vast majority of New Yorkers don't have cars. That's my point.
NYC mass transit transports 7 million people every day. If those 7 million people all rode their bikes to work, there'd be catostrophic traffic. I think that NYC is one of the VERY few places that this is true. I fully support more bike riding but not in the VERY dense places that make up 1% of the world.
If you've gotten off a subway at 42nd street and Broadway in New York I think you'd realize that if everyone there had a bike it'd be a problem.
I know that there are places more dense as downtown Manhattan (Tokyo for one) but I've never been to any.
I don't think my point makes as much sense if you're thinking of less dense places like London (Yes, really) and CERTAINLY doesn't make sense in the smaller cities and suburbs where traffic is really crippling.
I used to ride my bike in Los Angeles which is a PERFECT city for encouraging bike riding. The weather is great, it's generally flat, there's plenty of space and traffic is HORRIBLE.
I'm very very very pro bike in every city and in every country that I've ever been to EXCEPT midtown manhattan, which is the only place I've seen Critical Mass.
I acknowledge that's the exception.
Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]
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