Comments on: Positive Energy Flyer OK!

By: Chomps

Chomps — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:25:06 +0000

I like the concept of Critical Mass…with a bit less anger. Yikes! When I ride my bike, I’m actually more afraid of the other bicyclists than the automobiles (except Muni buses). Folks, can you at least slow down a bit at the intersections? I’m running the other stop sign and frankly I should have the right of way over all the cars as well as the bikers And how about putting on lights when it is dark? Don’t get me started on the people riding and on their cell phones. Or the trifecta, dude, no lights, on cell phone running a stop sign, sweet.

By: Nio

Nio — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:51:01 +0000

A, that’s a good question about mandatory liability insurance. Another question is: why aren’t pedestrians required to carry liability insurance?

The short answer is that everybody is already liable for damages they cause, in Civil Court. Mandatory liability insurance is only required to address a specific problem: liable parties doing damages in excess of what they can pay, going bankrupt, and the court being unable to provide a full remedy.

Bicyclists ARE liable for damages they cause due to recklessness. However, since bicyclists aren’t likely to do enough damage to drive them to bankruptcy there’s just not the same need for mandatory liability insurance.

By: A

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 07:52:38 +0000

So, if the point of Critical Mass is to show that you are part of traffic, I don’t understand why it’s not required for bicyclists to have insurance. They are at risk of being injured and are also capable of causing significant damage–$5000 to my car by a bike running a red light. It’s amazing to me that you all fight so hard to be recognized as members of traffic, but want none of its responsibility.

By: k

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:43:14 +0000

I agree with both of you! I agree with you hughillustration for my personal decisions, but at the same time, I don’t feel comfortable telling anyone else how they Should act! I believe folks can express themselves how they would like…(within some reason)…and for that I agree with @. But if motorists provoke me/us – such as hitting me upside the head with frozen strawberries, or dropping glass bottles at us from highrises in the Tenderloin, or macing us on Van Ness St (all things I have witnessed or felt upside my head) – you better believe that I/we will react.

By: hughillustration

hughillustration — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:15:23 +0000

Wow, I’ve been arguing with this perspective for so long, but I have never had the honor of a reply. Thanks for commenting!

I’m not sure if you are a person that engages in this sort of behavior, or if you are just defending the rights of others to “unleash some tension” by harassing people they have never met, folks that just happen to be in a car on the last Friday of the month. Either way, it seems you consider this behavior justified. Toward what end?

Who will be enlightened by getting the finger from cyclists? No one. Who will change their life choices as a result of being berated? No one. Your approach offers no change, no hope, nothing but juvenile spleen-venting. And you think this “should be fine?”

If that’s what you want to be part of, go ahead and act like that. Me, I’ll continue to use logic and language (the antithesis of “railroading”) to advocate for the Critical Mass I know and love. We’ll see who wins.

By: @

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:35:26 +0000

people can attend critical mass for whatever reasons they want. if people want to come and use critical mass as a way to party thats fine but if they attend so that they can harrass motorists then that should be fine also. like the flyer says, don’t get involved where you aren’t wanted or needed. please stop trying to railroad everybody into being happy loving liberals that want to get along with everybody. everyday bikers are put at risk by the stupidity and lack of awareness and care on the part of motorists. if there are people on bikes who want to unleash some of this tension then so be it.