Critical Mass?

[Zombie]

I feel the QC has a big enough bike community that we should have at least a bi-monthly critical mass. Most cities have a monthly ride and people seem to responding to it pretty warmly. Cleveland did one last night night and it looked very successful.

Would any FORCers be interested in something like this? I wouldn't mind organizing it but would love any help or ideas I could get.

How awesome would it be to be rolling 30 or 40 deep down the street driving the drivers crazy while en route to a random pub?

http://http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/n...-mass-cyclists

[sixers2009]

Yes for sure

[SweetSVT99]

I have always been 110% against critical mass. In theory the idea has merit, but in execution is makes cyclists look like a group of douchers in my opinion. It does nothing to "educate motorists" or to enlighten people of the rules of the road, all it serves is to antagonize other people.

[sixers2009]

Maybe not then. I guess I did not realize what it was

[jimithng23]

In theory the idea has merit, but in execution is makes cyclists look like a group of douchers...

this.

It does nothing to "educate motorists" or to enlighten people of the rules of the road

case in point - yesterday while embarking on Part 1 of the Epic Enchanted Winter Stomp, Westy and I were making a left turn in downtown Davenport. We have our arm out, signaling properly for the oncoming traffic and this car stops dead in the middle of the road, as if the driver expects us to cut in front of him, and backs everyone else up behind him. Not only did he look like an idiot but it doesn't make the bikers look any better either. All because a motorist didn't understand the rules of the road.

[Carve]

If I was a young man and saw a calvery of bad a$$ MTBs and decked out riders rolling down the road with FORC attire on I just might think to myself that I would want to be part of that.

[jJohnson]

Just do group rides while following the rules of the road. There's no need to roll through stop signs or take then entire lane like Critical Mass.

[jimithng23]

If I was a young man and saw a calvery of bad a$$ MTBs and decked out riders rolling down the road with FORC attire on I just might think to myself that I would want to be part of that.

Ah, you must mean like when 16 bad a$$ MTBs and decked out riders rolled out of Front Street Brewery at the Freight House to stomp the river bed last night?

[jJohnson]

Ah, you must mean like when 16 bad a$$ MTBs and decked out riders rolled out of Front Street Brewery at the Freight House to stomp the river bed last night?

That wasn't cool at all.

[Carve]

There you go! That was mass my friend and it felt good didn't it?

[jimithng23]

There you go! That was mass my friend and it felt good didn't it?

yup.

FORC does things like this all the time.

I'm sure you're welcome to join in whenever you like.

[Carve]

Thanks amigo, have a Nobbie NewYear.

[dgw2jr]

Off road and maybe even gravel, sure. In town or any paved roads, no frigging way.

[Zombie]

Interesting set of responses. I could argue that a critical mass does and can educate both riders and motorists therefore lowering douchiness levels across the board. Maybe. But if you're a douche to begin with you're going to be a douche at the end of it.

As a person who has not owned a car in 4 1/2 years and does not take the bus, I ride everywhere. 99.9% of the time I ride on the road - which is, don't forget, everyday - I have no issues whatsoever. Sometimes I make a mistake and sometimes the motorists makes a mistake but for the most part, people on the road are pretty well educated and accept that cyclists are becoming more prominent. I'm sure the motorist who backed up traffic in your last night's voyage is just a confused driver and hesitates even when cyclists are not involved. Maybe not, but I bet they have forgotten about it. You (whoever you are) allegedly made a legal signal and there was a bit of confusion on the motorists end. That's it. I bet you passed more vehicles than you could count with no problems. But I could be wrong.

The riders of a critical mass are fat, skinny, short, tall, naked, roadies, mountain bikers, tricycle riders and everything in-between. It is not exclusive and is meant to reinforce that cyclists have every single right to any city or country road that a motorists does. That doesn't mean people have to be jerks, It means everybody should enjoy themselves and meet new people and experience new things. If you learn something along the way, great.

If you choose to not participate, that's your business, I'm simply trying to galvanize the QC cycling community and maybe drink a couple of beers while doing so.

[Carve]

Interesting set of responses. I could argue that a critical mass does and can educate both riders and motorists therefore lowering douchiness levels across the board. Maybe. But if you're a douche to begin with you're going to be a douche at the end of it.

As a person who has not owned a car in 4 1/2 years and does not take the bus, I ride everywhere. 99.9% of the time I ride on the road - which is, don't forget, everyday - I have no issues whatsoever. Sometimes I make a mistake and sometimes the motorists makes a mistake but for the most part, people on the road are pretty well educated and accept that cyclists are becoming more prominent. I'm sure the motorist who backed up traffic in your last night's voyage is just a confused driver and hesitates even when cyclists are not involved. Maybe not, but I bet they have forgotten about it. You (whoever you are) allegedly made a legal signal and there was a bit of confusion on the motorists end. That's it. I bet you passed more vehicles than you could count with no problems. But I could be wrong.

The riders of a critical mass are fat, skinny, short, tall, naked, roadies, mountain bikers, tricycle riders and everything in-between. It is not exclusive and is meant to reinforce that cyclists have every single right to any city or country road that a motorists does. That doesn't mean people have to be jerks, It means everybody should enjoy themselves and meet new people and experience new things. If you learn something along the way, great.

If you choose to not participate, that's your business, I'm simply trying to galvanize the QC cycling community and maybe drink a couple of beers while doing so.

The first negative resonse to your post should have been, I don't agree with this but it should be brought up at the next meeting and talked about so everyone's opinions can be listened to and we will go from there. It is the voices of all that make good decissions not just the voice of one man or woman. Dictatorships work well if your only concern is that ones self does not smell like vinigar.

[badfish41]

I personally want nothing to do with breaking the law deliberately in front of the public in the city I live.

Cheers!

[badfish41]

And as a mountain bike enthusiast, I greatly appreciate all the city's do for FORC and making mountain biking in the Quad Cities.

[jJohnson]

I personally want nothing to do with breaking the law deliberately in front of the public in the city I live.

Cheers!

+1

The area drivers are mostly respectful to bicyclists, there's very little hostility. I ride everywhere, too, and am bound to run into a jerk every once in a while. I'd rather not do anything to ruin the civility here. Just my opinion, though.

[Zombie]

I'm not sure why anybody needs to deliberately break the law(s) while riding their bike. If somebody does deliberately break the laws i.e blow through lights and stop signs while riding I personally won't be riding with that person. Riding within a large group is in no way breaking any laws. Just obey signage and be decent.

Have a couple of beers, get into your car and you're deliberately breaking the law.

I also really appreciate what FORC does for the area. FORC provides some of the best trail riding I've experienced and most of them are better than the Wisconsin trails I've been on. The people are mostly very nice and willing to talk and answer questions. I respect the organization, that is why I came here fist.

My initial post may be a bit aggressive and I'm really not looking to pull the biking/motor communities farther apart. I get the overall message from this thread and am going to let the idea pass by for now.

[Augustice]

I have always been 110% against critical mass. In theory the idea has merit, but in execution is makes cyclists look like a group of douchers in my opinion. It does nothing to "educate motorists" or to enlighten people of the rules of the road, all it serves is to antagonize other people.

I think this could go so many ways and could easily merit further discussion.

[SweetSVT99]

I think this could go so many ways and could easily merit further discussion.

If there's interest in having a discussion in the monthly meeting, I have no problem with putting it on the agenda.

[jJohnson]

If there's interest in having a discussion in the monthly meeting, I have no problem with putting it on the agenda.

I think an organized ride should be discussed. Rules set and whatnot if it's going to be any sort of FORC-endorsed event .

[badfish41]

Ok, I see, so basically we want to organize a ride in which we all get together and ride to a local pub or eatery in a big group on the road.

I don't call that "Critical Mass", I call it a group ride with Friends. The problem I see is that most members of this club are members because of the "OR".

Cycling.

[ew_perry]

Zombie,
I tried to do a little research on what group might best take the lead on such a thing and am not having much luck. My first thought was QC TAG, but I don't think they have a website. Their facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/qctag might be a good place to find some folks interested in leading something. I know they do some events in May that this might fit into. Some folks at the Bi State Regional Commission might be of help. http://www.bistateonline.org/index_ns.shtml They do a lot with local transportation planning including, bridges, rail, bus, trails, and cycling.

I am sure there are some in the club that would participate and support such an event. However I don't think that it relates close enough to our core mission to be something we would try and take the lead on.

If you learn of something please let us know. Though off-road cycling is what brings us to this forum almost all of us enjoy anytime on a bicycle!

Eric