Post by Adrian Stucker on May 5, 2006 14:27:31 GMT -5
This is the original letter sent out by Chris Pohlar that caused some to be unhappy, and question the true values of Critical Mass. Please post your opinion.
"To all,
Okay, it is the last Friday in April, and the day of our monthly
Critical Mass ride. Today celebrates an entire year of Critical Mass here
in Cincinnati and it is my hope that this one will be our best yet. I have
seen many positive things happen within the cycling community over this last year, but unfortunately, I feel the need to express some concern that many
of us have for the ride.
Last month there was a conflict with the Cincinnati Police. It was very minor of course, but I fear that this incident may be the expression of a broader attitude towards us as cyclists here in Cincinnati and it poses a threat to the success of our goal. That goal is to increase rider ship in the city and make it a socially acceptable means of transportation, as well as have a good time doing it. If we are to convince the general public of
this, we must do it by setting a positive example, rather than by
antagonizing and making enemies. The tickets issued were not incident specific but were a result of the actions of the group. This means that anyone participating could be unfairly singled out and ticketed; a situation that will discourage many people from participating. In addition to the threat of police intervention, many willing cyclists avoid the ride because the means utilized do not follow the laws of the road, are thus fundamentally illegal, and ultimately hurt the reputation of the urban cyclist. We are not trying to change the laws, but change the attitudes of people in the city. If we can¹t even convince cyclists to participate, then
how are we to convert the auto driver? It is time for a change in tactics.
Today, I would like to encourage everyone to follow the traffic laws. Do not run red lights, stay to the right and leave a lane open for cars to pass when there are multiple lanes, try to ride no more than two abreast in a lane, and signal when changing lanes. I know that this is a different strategy than many other CM rides, but we have to learn from our mistakes and those made in other cities. There isn¹t a manual for Critical Mass and it can be tailored to suit our situation. Some cities that have a stronger
cycling community can get away with bending the rules because it has become more acceptable, but we have also seen violent backlash from the authorities even in very liberal cities like New York. By following the rules of the road, we do not lose our message, but increase its validity. Let¹s avoid the conflict and show everyone how great it is to see our city on a bike.
Please help me spread this sentiment to the other riders. It is a
gorgeous day for a ride and would be a tragedy if it were marred by another incident that could be easily avoided.
Happy riding,
Pohlar
Follow this link to view the Ohio bicycle laws with brief explanations.
www.ohiobike.org/bicycle-law-digest.html
"
"To all,
Okay, it is the last Friday in April, and the day of our monthly
Critical Mass ride. Today celebrates an entire year of Critical Mass here
in Cincinnati and it is my hope that this one will be our best yet. I have
seen many positive things happen within the cycling community over this last year, but unfortunately, I feel the need to express some concern that many
of us have for the ride.
Last month there was a conflict with the Cincinnati Police. It was very minor of course, but I fear that this incident may be the expression of a broader attitude towards us as cyclists here in Cincinnati and it poses a threat to the success of our goal. That goal is to increase rider ship in the city and make it a socially acceptable means of transportation, as well as have a good time doing it. If we are to convince the general public of
this, we must do it by setting a positive example, rather than by
antagonizing and making enemies. The tickets issued were not incident specific but were a result of the actions of the group. This means that anyone participating could be unfairly singled out and ticketed; a situation that will discourage many people from participating. In addition to the threat of police intervention, many willing cyclists avoid the ride because the means utilized do not follow the laws of the road, are thus fundamentally illegal, and ultimately hurt the reputation of the urban cyclist. We are not trying to change the laws, but change the attitudes of people in the city. If we can¹t even convince cyclists to participate, then
how are we to convert the auto driver? It is time for a change in tactics.
Today, I would like to encourage everyone to follow the traffic laws. Do not run red lights, stay to the right and leave a lane open for cars to pass when there are multiple lanes, try to ride no more than two abreast in a lane, and signal when changing lanes. I know that this is a different strategy than many other CM rides, but we have to learn from our mistakes and those made in other cities. There isn¹t a manual for Critical Mass and it can be tailored to suit our situation. Some cities that have a stronger
cycling community can get away with bending the rules because it has become more acceptable, but we have also seen violent backlash from the authorities even in very liberal cities like New York. By following the rules of the road, we do not lose our message, but increase its validity. Let¹s avoid the conflict and show everyone how great it is to see our city on a bike.
Please help me spread this sentiment to the other riders. It is a
gorgeous day for a ride and would be a tragedy if it were marred by another incident that could be easily avoided.
Happy riding,
Pohlar
Follow this link to view the Ohio bicycle laws with brief explanations.
www.ohiobike.org/bicycle-law-digest.html
"
) the point of getting motorists to either join in, or at least respect us, gets blown away with our credibility if we get ourselves branded as lawless.