Comments on: Critical Mass Collision

By: Dog tags for dogs

Dog tags for dogs — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:28:37 +0000

Ouch. I once gave first aid to a cyclist that didnt get run over, but got a car door opened to her face. She was in pretty bad shape, but nothing to a real car accident.

By: vijaysbhagat

vijaysbhagat — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 07:44:21 +0000

How frustrating is this? The Seattle Police Department has a completely biased story that gets major events completely wrong (such as hiting a cyclist while backing up, which is NOT what happened).

By: Vijay

Vijay — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:40:00 +0000

Thanks a bunch for your comprehensive account… Whenever something like this goes down, there’s a whole lotta hype and info flying around when all I really wanna hear is a realistic first person account that I can believe that is honest about the weaknesses on both sides. THANK YOU.

By: Chester

Chester — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:26:12 +0000

I can’t say what it’s like in other cities, but Critical Mass in San Diego is nothing more than an excuse for the jobless douchebags of this town to cause problems.

I openly admit I’m no humanitarian, so put your soapboxes away on this, but we should meet the Critical Mass riders with no less than baseball bats and chains. There’s nothing that pisses me off more than people out looking for trouble, and as others have already pointed out, cry the victim when they inevitably find it. I would happily end your lives if the consequences weren’t so high; believe me when I say that.

Thankfully, one of the pieces of shit did actually get hit by a car and die last year. But good job guys… you’ve clearly helped your cause in my case. Since I learned of the Friday rides, I consider assholes on bicycles worth double points now. Now if only I can hit one of you and pull it off as just an “accident.”

By: Thoughts That Make You Think

Thoughts That Make You Think — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 03:44:09 +0000

Critical Mass is just crazy in San Francisco. In fact, they now close down the road with motorcycle cops. They lead the pack and clear the way. There has been some injuries and collisions as well and they now also ride in the crowd and to bring up the rear. I was in the middle of this at the end of May standing on the sidewalk.

It’s a good cause and as long as it stays safe and in control it’s fine, but it has gotten violent and crazy in some months!

By: Bobby Valentino

Bobby Valentino — Wed, 13 May 2009 23:53:32 +0000

I would just like to say that I got stuck behind a critical mass or whatever you call it last summer. Only 25-30 bikes were blocking three lanes of traffic when they could have just used one. I drive a dodge durango with huge off road tires so i just ended up driving onto the sidewalk and flying by at about 30mph before coming back onto the road and knocking 3 or 4 bikes off. i dont feel bad at all cuz they were blocking me on purpose just because they cant afford cars to drive. they could have just used one lane or even 2 but they scattered into all 3 lanes on purpose for a full 10 minutes going 3mph down the road so i hope i hurt them really badly. oh btw, now whenever i see a biker i always make sure to drive as closely and quickly as possible and cut in front of them. that incident made me hate all bikers, so like others said, you’re only making it more dangerous for yourselves. you guys suck!

By: sparring gear

sparring gear — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:20:44 +0000

Wow what an unbelievable story. Not that I don’t believe you, but it is hard to believe someone would do that. When you’re in a car, pedestrians and bike riders have the right of way, you can’t just run them over. To all the people that sympathize with the guy in the car, all he had to do was be a little patient. He caused the whole accident and should be punished justly.

By: motorcycle windshield

motorcycle windshield — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:01:31 +0000

That is the problem with these Critical Mass rides is that this huge group of people ride in congested urban city areas where traffic is high. Another trend that I have noticed is that many of these Critical Mass riders make the ride inebriated from the use of drugs or alcohol. It is a dangerous endeavor and I’m afraid we won’t see collisions and mishaps end anytime soon.

By: DG

DG — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:37:25 +0000

To Lad #26–Lad–You’ll have to wait for your break to get your Latte– after you Supersize my BIG MAC COMBO–hope you get a raise soon–I’m sure you’ll get that deputy assistant manager position soon–keep on suckin’–DG

By: Recycle: Critters, Critters, and Critters :: Local Cyclist

Recycle: Critters, Critters, and Critters :: Local Cyclist — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:20:59 +0000

[...] (and I’m sure its probably somewhere in the middle), its never when activism behavior turning animalistic. Critical Mass will always stir controversey as traffic laws are rewritten for the course of the [...]

By: DAVE

DAVE — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:58:04 +0000

FUCK CRITICAL MASS,, ITS JUST A BUNCH OF KIDS THAT THINK THEY HAVE TO HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE ROAD,, WELL KIDS CARS ARE BIGGER AND YOU WILL GET RUN OVER…

By: I would be pissed if cm corked me

I would be pissed if cm corked me — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:23:14 +0000

CM seems like a group that is looking for fights. You have no cause or agenda your trying to push. People need to start carrying air horns and bright flash lights and annoy you people as you force your way through the city….wheres a drunk driver when you need one??

By: Urban Cycling « The Unbridled Joy of Cycling

Urban Cycling « The Unbridled Joy of Cycling — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:35:55 +0000

[...] might, at first, believe cyclists are at war with motorists. Reading about some of the incidents between drivers and bikers is frightening at best. Hence Ride Civil. It’s a beautiful [...]

By: Critical Mass Gone Wrong « Shahaf

Critical Mass Gone Wrong « Shahaf — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:57:54 +0000

[...] response, Ryan wrote a blog post explaining what he witnessed. His post got a lot of hits, was linked to, and eventually he [...]

By: Stop the presses! And blame the bikers! « Bikinginla’s Weblog

Stop the presses! And blame the bikers! « Bikinginla’s Weblog — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:03:31 +0000

[...] press immediately went into the standard blame bikers first mode. Instead of listening to the many bikers who said the driver was angry and aggressive and instigated the incident, they immediately assumed that he was the innocent victim. Or at the [...]

By: Erik Thulin

Erik Thulin — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:33:15 +0000

Hey Ryan.

I just wanted to say I was really impressed by your update to this story. It is so easy to get into the “us” and “them” mentality that it can be hard to even begin to understand the situation from another perspective. It takes an incredible conscious awareness of thought, and I commend you for that.

By: urbanbicyclist - Melbourne, Australia

urbanbicyclist - Melbourne, Australia — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 23:37:11 +0000

I’ve been going to Critical Mass for 10 years and I’ve seen a few incidents that were certainly escalated by the very un zen like reactions of the cyclists to very un zen actions of car drivers. Of course other times, there’s incidents that are _totally_ the result of agression from one side… It’s hard to tell which is which when you read news or police reports. For the record I sometimes also drive a car.
Thanks again.

By: Blameless victims? Or two-wheeled vigilantes? « Bikinginla’s Weblog

Blameless victims? Or two-wheeled vigilantes? « Bikinginla’s Weblog — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:39:24 +0000

[...] provides the riders’ perspective, describing how his first CM went painfully wrong, as the driver tried to escape his corkage by [...]

By: Neal

Neal — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:31:24 +0000

sharetherules – Are you honestly comparing pushing someone with your hands to running them over with your car???

By: nihilist77

nihilist77 — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:15:48 +0000

I’m a year round commuting cyclist, and I wholly support this action by the NYPD because of people like you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkiyBVytRQ

By: DG

DG — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 07:47:58 +0000

Ryan, Thanks for showing both sides of the story. I ride daily and participate in a weekly community night ride which sometimes has up to 300 riders. We try and stress COMMUNITY and are a generally peaceful bunch. When we encounter angry motorists we are usually apologetic and polite. I am emphatic that ours is not a critical mass ride and do not hold back in telling others so. Cyclists need to understand that to advocate and promote the bicycle as a transportation alternative–not just an alternative-as a serious means of transportation–you have to be an ambassador so to speak–courtesy and cordiality go along way. Sure- corking has its place at times for protecting the other riders in a group and sometimes we do it too-safety is paramount,but for the most part we’re good about it. Last week for example we stopped at an intersection and waved a car on–the lady shouted out that she wanted to park her car and watch–it was cool, word traveled down the pack (we’ve got a watcher!)and she was greeted with bells and waves. That’s the way to do it. I’m very aware of mob mentality and can see how this incident could have occured.Sad thing. People panic and people jump to conclusions.Resraint becomes difficult. Wacking someone with a u-lock did’nt help anything. Violence really sucks. I hope this thing works out all around– I’ll be watching—peace—Dean