Comments on: Critical Juncture for Critical Mass?

By: Joe Mizereck

Joe Mizereck — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 11:11:34 +0000

My work at Safe Cycling, LLC is focused on making cycling safer for everyone. One of my initiatives, http://www.3feetplease.com, is founded on a simple, bold and polite request for motorists to give cyclists at least three feet clearance when passing from the rear. In 15 states at least 3 feet clearance is required by law…in other states and elsewhere around the world it’s a request for courtesy. One critical mass adventure can easily turn hundreds of motorists against cyclists by souring them and erasing any hope of them being courteous and respectful…setting efforts like mine and many others back and making cycling less safe, contributing to more injuries and deaths rather than fewer. Why don’t CMers get this? How can they be so blind to the negative consequences of their actions? How can these CMers possibly think they are making any positive difference? How is it that they are so disconnected from reality?

Look, if you are a CMer, you must come to understand that what you are doing does not make cycling safer. I implore you to stop and find more effective ways to celebrate cycling…ways that truly celebrate the joys, the uses and the value of cycling. Ways that help make cycling more enjoyable and safer for everyone. Please. Our lives…your lives are at stake.

Joe Mizereck

joe@3feetplease.com

By: Velo67

Velo67 — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:40:04 +0000

Wow…this just happened at the last CM in February. I understand the necessity of some communication between CM and local law enforcement. But when you put riders safety in danger to enforce that law it pretty much makes you look like a hipocrite. Officer “Trigger Happy” would you mind enforcing the law with a little more courtesy that you don’t put others in danger. Technically you are practicing a little vehicular brutality. Why not send some of those wonderfully trained healthy looking bike cops to enforce the law?

http://www.facebook.com/l/f8f67;www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N0j1tMImgA&feature=related

By: Velo67

Velo67 — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:32:27 +0000

Wow…this just happened at the last CM in February. I understand the necessity of some communication between CM and local law enforcement. But when you put riders safety to enforce a law it pretty much makes you look like a hipocrite. Officer “Trigger Happy” would you mind enforcing the law with a little more courtesy that you don’t put others in danger. Technically you are practicing a little vehicular brutality. Why not send some of those wonderfully trained healthy looking bike cops to enforce the law?

http://www.facebook.com/l/f8f67;www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N0j1tMImgA&feature=related

By: nick

nick — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:09:06 +0000

This is exactly the purpose it serves; to get the community talking. To spread knowledge.

By: Velo67

Velo67 — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:03:22 +0000

I would like to thank Keri for posting this thread after what happened at CM in January. I was the individual that the police officers stopped to question after running a red light. Although I had the oppurtunity to evade the officers through approaching side streets I decided that as a responsible cyclist I’d show respect and came to a complete stop along with others who were close to me. How I felt after being pulled over was nothing short of shame. As a 43yr old cyclist I kinda take pride in the fact that I’ve been in cycling since I was a tadpole. Having experience in all facets or disciplines of biking.

How I feel about CM right now? Kinda confused. I think the message it promotes is positive and enlightening but the delivery is weak. Frankly I place the responsibility of that delivery and it’s consequences on the planners of CM. A responsibility that needs to be re-addressed to them so that future CM’s flow without any discrepancies.

Since the early to mid eighties I’ve commuted to just about everywhere the wind took me. Within those rides I’ve witnessed the careless behavior of motorists against cyclist. I have to admit that because today’s society is concerned about health issues and the advantages of staying fit, we now have more respect from motorist than I witnessed back in those days. Cyclist were far and few out in the streets compared to nowadays.

It is nice to see that many young riders are jumping on the bandwagon of cycling or to put it simply on the wagon of the single/fixie scene that is currently taking Orlando by storm. A scene that has been around other major cities since the 70′s and 80′s. So what if O-Town got the bug decades later. What matters most is that people are out riding. Whether fixed, single, geared, track, roadie, mountain, beach or bmx. People are ridin’.

Now it’s up to us to make things right. If we want the respect of motorist and be accepted as part of the daily transit then we have to follow the rules and law of the road. Period….! It took some of us old fogeys a lifetime to earn that respect. To have that respect tarnished by ignorant individuals and they’re adolescent cause just to follow a fad would be totally hipocritical.

By: Cole NeSmith

Cole NeSmith — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 04:43:30 +0000

I’ve been going to CM for about two years now. It’s been incredible to see it grow from 40 to several hundred, but there are obviously logistical issues associated with that.

Here are the things I love about CM
1. Getting to ride with lots of other riders.
2. Seeing people in the bike community that I really only get to see once a month.
3. The overwhelming positive reaction from motorists and onlookers (there really are very few problems or altercations).
4. It’s a fun ride that welcomes all riders of all types.

And I’ve been thankful for the kindness of OPD has met us with over the last few months.

I think this is an opportunity for our city to set an example for the other cities of the world that riders and law enforcement can work together to promote alternate forms of transportation.

One problem is that CM is community led. There aren’t named leaders. So, I don’t know if anyone will step up to say, “I’m in charge.” But, I know that if officers on bicycles showed up Friday to help with the ride, they’d be welcomed as a cyclist, and valued in their contribution.

If there’s anything I can do to help, feel free to let me know.

By: Lyndy

Lyndy — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 01:23:59 +0000

I usually work the opposite side of town Friday nights, so have not been to a CM ride. January, I was off and able to go watch so I could make a decision before riding. I was early, so sat in my car on a side street between ride start & Orange Ave waiting and watching. The first two riders I saw ran the red light @ Orange/Princeton and went to 7-11. I then headed east on Princeton from Orange and had 2 riders ride on each side of me in my lane and 3 riders riding east bound in the west bound lane. 4 of the 5 ran the red light at Alden. The one that didn’t did loops in the lane where we waited. He rode around my car three loops waiting for the light to change. Next I watched from just south of Princeton on Mills. Bike, car, bike car in the left turn only lane – vehicular cycling turns. I was impressed! The next light cycle though, five riders came from the right edge of the road crossing the two lanes and into the left turn only lane causing 3 cars to slam on brakes to avoid them. These bikes turned left onto Princeton from the left side of the left turn only lane ON A RED LIGHT. The next ones turned left onto Princeton from the left thru lane of northbound Mills in front of motorists waiting in the left turn only lane. The next two bikes were at the southern crosswalk area on Mills @ Princeton waiting for the light to change. They gave up, went to the north crosswalk area and crossed against the traffic signal and caused southbound traffic to slam on brakes. I couldn’t handle it any more. I went around to the art museum and waited in the lot to watch from the back of the group as they left. They turned right/west onto Princeton at the light and took up ALL THE LANES. At the signal on Alden, about 75 of the riders, 8-9 abreast, ran the red light. By this time I was dumbfounded. At the next light on Princeton/Orange ALL but the first 20 or so of the riders ran the red light and were across all four lanes (three through & one left turn only), at least 16-18 abreast. I sat in the left turn lane but could not get up to the stop bar due to 3 cyclists who did NOT run the light doing circles in the turn lane waiting for the light to change to turn south on Orange Ave. Two behind me were doing circles in the lane too. Motorists were just looking around dumbfounded. I was embarrassed to have a Share the Road tag on my car, especially one that says IBIKE. The light changed, we headed south on Orange Ave and the riders behind me went around me, between me and parked cars, to catch up to the ones that had been in front of me before the turn. As we got to Vanderbilt, a group of about 10 riders ran that stop sign at Orange and turned north. The cars ahead of me stopped abruptly as they crossed. I continuted to shake my head. The riders in front of me SIGNALLED (surprise), turned right and I headed home. I couldn’t believe it; I still don’t….and this isn’t even all that I observed that night.

By: Bikin Bill

Bikin Bill — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:24:13 +0000

Individuals – autos or peds going the same direction and as a group not breaking laws does not equal a parade.

E-mails, web pages, hand-outs, window postings, phone calls or word of mouth to meet up and ride at same / split-up time, same or different direction, does basically somewhat equal a parade/assembly. Then on top of all of that, as we ride, we break all kinds of laws and harass drivers.

Permits are granted all the time for all kinds of gatherings, we just don’t know about all of them.

Remember: We want to work together, not against each other.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:38:33 +0000

Are they going to start requiring groups of 50 or more cars traveling in the same direction to get a parade permit too? What about pedestrians? You can’t just single out one mode of transportation.

As long as the CM’ers don’t cork intersections or otherwise exhibit group behavior then, ultimately, it’s just a bunch of people on bikes heading in the same direction. If that constitutes a “parade” then the cops need to go crack down on all those “protest marches” that happen on the sidewalks every morning and afternoon.

By: Bikin Bill

Bikin Bill — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:42:21 +0000

I agree, novice cyclists getting out on their bikes and enjoying a short ride through the heart of Orlando. But this is also the people we will be scaring off if it doesn’t change.

In the article above, Keri writes working with the Police.

“OPD does not want to shut the ride down. but they need the riders and promoters of this ride to help them out.”
AND
if the group shows that it is making an effort to help OPD out with their dilemma, it will go a long way to fostering good will and cooperation.
This is exactly what I want to happen.

It’s up to us to make the difference!