First Atlanta Courteous Mass a slow success (updated)
Atlanta's first experiment with the idea of a more Courteous Mass was a slow, but successful ride. Slow because it takes a long time to get 103 riders through the many red lights downtown, and successful because there were 103 riders stopping at red lights! Check out this follow-up in the AJC or watch the video on 11 Alive news. And then answer this question - should we do it again?
Copyright © 2009 Atlanta Bicycle Coalition.
Comments
thanks for documenting a successful courteous mass!
I am a long time chicago critical mass rider and I think courteous mass is important even if it happens only once a year or never again.
And its another bike ride through a city so YEAH!
In regards to some of the other comments here, yes I would suggest that people not give up on Critical mass in its more regular manifestation. Pretty much everything said I have found to be true, that radicalism gives more wiggle room to other more conventional types of bike advocacy.
But contrary, corking of traffic is not the only thing "uncourteous" about CM. At times there can be other things that happen during driver interactions. Crossing the center line is one, riding on sidewalks, being drunk. But rather than avoid these individuals by avoiding critical mass, take on the challenge of pointing out problem behaviors. At least you can bring your "courteous" message to someone who might benefit from it. Ceasing to ride in the CritMass hardly seems like a reasonable way to influence its participants.
Imagine my jealousy if you had two successful urban rides! Attend the one that looks like it needs help folks, I'm sure that both are a sign of things to come and have something key to offer cyclists in Atlanta and elsewhere.
Since I repeatedly did the SF Critical Mass over a span of five years, I think that even relating a ride like this to Critical Mass is a bit funny or something. It puts the original idea of reclaiming the streets for cyclists on its head, returning cyclists into visibly second-class status on the road.
Critical Mass can be a lot of things to a lot of people, but one of the points is to show how roads are engineered to favor motorized vehicle traffic. This design includes traffic light timing. A set of 300-400 cyclists moving through an intersection using corking is a less disruptive way of using the road, one that just happens to be illegal because the system favors motor vehicles.
There are many stupid and dangerous things that cars may and can do everyday. Having one day a month for cyclists to pretend that the roads were built for us is a great memorial act for everyone. It should not be put aside as "discorteous" just because it brings to the surface the conflict between different road user groups that is always present in the current situation. After all, the AAA is not sponsoring a "be nice to cyclists" day!
I do not necessarily think that having one conflict with the police should put the kabosh on CM in Atlanta. CM in Atlanta has been happening for ten years, and its just now gaining strength. Don't give up on the idea.
Cops will get over Critical Mass in any city if given enough time and activism. But merely backing down puts cyclists in the form of beggars. "Oh please, dear sir, could you spare a little piece of your asphalt?" Don't be beggars. Take what's yours. If the cops want to block traffic (as they can be seen to do in this video, I guess it can't be helped. Cyclists, on the other hand, should keep moving in a block, month after month after month, until everyone gets used to the fact that cyclists have one afternoon a month free of the inconveniences of gas guzzlers.
Once this happens, it gives other bike advocates wiggle room. If CM can be unapologetic in its radicalism, the other advocacy activities can situate themselves as "more respectable" while still taking pretty strong positions.
Atlanta, don't give up on CM. You need it.
Since I repeatedly did the SF Critical Mass over a span of five years, I think that even relating a ride like this to Critical Mass is a bit funny or something. It puts the original idea of reclaiming the streets for cyclists on its head, returning cyclists into visibly second-class status on the road.
Critical Mass can be a lot of things to a lot of people, but one of the points is to show how roads are engineered to favor motorized vehicle traffic. This design includes traffic light timing. A set of 300-400 cyclists moving through an intersection using corking is a less disruptive way of using the road, one that just happens to be illegal because the system favors motor vehicles.
There are many stupid and dangerous things that cars may and can do everyday. Having one day a month for cyclists to pretend that the roads were built for us is a great memorial act for everyone. It should not be put aside as "discorteous" just because it brings to the surface the conflict between different road user groups that is always present in the current situation. After all, the AAA is not sponsoring a "be nice to cyclists" day!
I do not necessarily think that having one conflict with the police should put the kabosh on CM in Atlanta. CM in Atlanta has been happening for ten years, and its just now gaining strength. Don't give up on the idea.
Cops will get over Critical Mass in any city if given enough time and activism. But merely backing down puts cyclists in the form of beggars. "Oh please, dear sir, could you spare a little piece of your asphalt?" Don't be beggars. Take what's yours. If the cops want to block traffic (as they can be seen to do in this video, I guess it can't be helped. Cyclists, on the other hand, should keep moving in a block, month after month after month, until everyone gets used to the fact that cyclists have one afternoon a month free of the inconveniences of gas guzzlers.
Once this happens, it gives other bike advocates wiggle room. If CM can be unapologetic in its radicalism, the other advocacy activities can situate themselves as "more respectable" while still taking pretty strong positions.
Atlanta, don't give up on CM. You need it.
I don't do Critical Mass, but I would go to Courteous Mass again.
YES! I think this was a great (and safe!) advocacy effort that should be repeated. My only suggestion is to break into groups from the start and spread out - it'll have the same effect and reach more drivers if there are 4 groups of 30 instead of one VERY SLOW moving group of 120. Just a suggestion...