Saturday, July 29, 2006

Once again

I had to work late and missed another NYC critical mass. I really have no idea how it went down in this politically charged climate of "parade rule" definition. I heard the cops were up to there old tricks and ticketing like wild.

Without being there and having a report I decided to just do a round up on Flickr

Here is critical mass in a whole bunch of other cities...starting with our own.

New York City: (thong for the cops)
Seth Holladay

NYC scooter mass

also in NYC
patient zero pix
If your going to get a ticket...it might as well be in your tighty whiteys


Boston Critical Mass (Big Wheel Bike)
Jen Stewart


Chicago Critical Mass-Four person bike
Pete Sorsa's pictures

Gettin soaked



also from Chicago Tall Bike
Josi Hannon Madera

Happy bikers-not afraid of getting tickets.


And in the UK...
Marcus Boal pictures
Brighton


London
Orhan



Mrisney


Kevin
nice bike-London Critical Mass


and to our neighbors up North

Vancouver

aktnir


Toronto
projection



and Sam Bot in Winnipeg wrote this little update about their ride:

Sam-Bot

"Critical mass in Winnipeg is pretty huge actually. There has been a lot of press due to the size of our city and the amount of police brutality that stemmed from it. Some of the worst of it can be found here:

pix
Since then though, the city and the police have been very coopertive with the whole Critical Mass movement that has been going on. The photo(s) that I have of seen of Portage & Main street are actually of the busiest intersection of the city. It's very liberating walking through the busiest intestion of the city carrying your bike trying to make people aware that bycyles are a part of the traffic as well. I have to put up with people at my work giving me a hard time about biking. I don't understand their views at all. Is it the exercise or the good for the environment part that they don't like? Maybe it's the fact that they have to wait an extra 10 minutes in their cars while we show them how significant bicyclists are on the road. Maybe they have no problem that people are getting killed in Iraq so that they can drive their cars? Maybe they don't think enough about the world that they live in, but I try and make them aware even though they have deaf ears.

Anyways, it's good that the movement is getting stronger across North America, and don't let up...the more that they put you down, the more it will be publicized and more people will join...after the police brutality in Winnipeg happened it was all over the news. The following month we had 300 bikers on the street last month showing everyone that bikers are a part of the population as well. Personally, I believe in self-sustainability, but that's just my view.

Anyways, thanks for letting me know that the movement is going strong in NYC and take care,

Sam-bot

3 Comments:

Blogger David J said...

Thanks for giving a roundup of Critical Mass. I've never been on one and feel ambivalent about participating in this kind of protest.
I have read articles from bike groups who are totaly against this confrontational approach to raising awareness of cyclists rights. They believe that this kind of thing only cements the negative oppinion motorists already have.
However my gut says it's got to happen. The world is mad on the smell of burning oil and it's gotta be worth fighting for a saner solution to transport.
Please keep posting this stuff it is verry encouraging.

5:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Weekly Critical Mass, this Friday, Aug. 4, 7pm, Union Sq.

Some people would like for us to have a weekly Critical Mass, but nobody has been willing to announce it, other than me. Last time we had an extra one, December after the RNC, it was announced here but the cops didn't even show. Last week's CM was so much fun. Let's do it again this Friday! Union Square 7pm.
Venceremos.

12:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My photos are copyrighted. I would've appreciated a request to use them. I would've said yes without hesitation.

But -- taking my images without asking (or even just letting me know)... that's not so cool.

8:54 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home