This is my favourite couple from the recent Critical Mass ride in Budapest, where over 20,000 people on bicycles took part.
It was a lovely ride around the city. No aggression, everyone stopping for red lights, a real festival atmosphere. A fantastic experience.
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Compare that to anywhere over here in Canada.
CM is a big reason why cyclists are losing any respect we had.
They'll block people from going through intersections, stop pedestrians and go through red lights.
In Vancouver disgruntled critical mass riders have started something new, called Critical Manners. Same idea as CMass, however they'll ride in bike lanes or far to the right of the road and they stop for red lights. Something that should be done anyways.
This last CM in Lisbon, Portugal we had 174 cyclists...it was huge! I can't imagine 20,000 riders!! That's great.
Critical Mass has kind of run its course. It was originally something that occured in places like China with large numbers of cyclists and limited traffic laws. Say a cyclist was waiting to cross an intersection. The traffic was not going to stop for one cyclist. As more cyclists started to queue up to cross eventually critical mass was reached and the motorized traffic was forced to yeild to the large group of cyclists.
While the current CM movement has helped to create awareness for the needs of cyclists it has not really created much sympathy for cyclists.
Honestly, I don't think any situation that puts cars and bikes on the road together has much real hope of fostering sympathy for cyclists. Driving (in America at least) just seems to breed hostility, period.
I have always thought it was telling that most of the negative reactions I've heard about CM boil down to "but how dare they ride bikes in our roads!", so, well, whatever.
I'm not really sure that the goal of Critical Mass has ever really been to garner "sympathy", anyway. More like a statement: we are traffic; deal with it. And I have to admit that as someone who both drives and cycles, I admire that statement.
they are so cool! cycling at night wearing leopard and no helmets! :o Elodie
Slim Girl Diary
@Elodie: Helmets are not obligatory in Hungary.
wicked photos! i found this blog, and there are some great photos too - check it out
http://ecohustler.co.uk/2010/07/06/a-critical-mass-of-dissent-on-wheels/
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