Comments on: Dear Bike Coalition, from Quintin Mecke

By: Magick

Magick — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 22:10:53 +0000

Thanks, Quintin, for telling it like it is! You put them on notice! I was at the music night at Cell Space and it was awesome! Roll on! Magick

By: Craig Reubens

Craig Reubens — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 02:43:03 +0000

Hi Again, Fellow Bike Lovers! Here’s a “follow-up” to my Sept. 27th, 6:48pm post, above. Well, I DID make it to the CM start, at the foot of Market, and in fact I got there from the East Bay where I live, early — via BART. And with my Sony boombox mounted on my recumbent’s luggage rack blaring out great 1970s rock and roll music, I melded with the assembled multitude. The scene reminded me of Times Square on New Year’s Eve, but ’twas much less crowded in SF. Anyway, I hadn’t been pedaling for more than FIVE MINUTES when disaster struck! The large diameter, but narrow width tire on my rear wheel slipped into a trolley car track groove. The bike came to an ABRUPT stop, and I and the bike fell over sideways, to the pavement. I wasn’t hurt at all, the Sony continued to play “Tommy” (by the Who), and I was ready to remount and continue on. But my bike wasn’t. The rear wheel had been bent into a metal pretzel, making the bike not on unRIDEable, but also unROLLable. In other words, I had to DRAG the darn thing (with all the weight of my AYH saddlebags, my sound system, etc.) all the way back to Embarcadero BART. “Oh well,” right? “Into each life a little rain must fall,” as they say… The next morning I took it the El Sobrante Cyclery (where I had just recently paid them $100 to reBUILD that above-mentioned wheel –nah, I’m not faulting them, jus’ sayin’) and they quickly provided me with a brand new wheel, tire, and tube — for $150 (including parts and labor, and “express service”).
So, the good news is that I was back riding again in just a couple of days, undaunted, and HEY, look for me at future SF Critical Masses!

By: spinny spin spin

spinny spin spin — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 03:49:09 +0000

The actions of CM are at odds with the goals of regular cyclists in the city. SMBC is trying to improve cycling in the city by working with the residents, most of whom aren’t cyclists and are impacted by the removal of parking and traffic lanes. Blocking traffic on a Friday night does nothing to win the hearts and minds of the locals and certainly doesn’t encourage them to vote in our favor.

By: John Santucci

John Santucci — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 03:10:59 +0000

Shocking that critical mass prevented a pregnant woman in a Blue Saab from driving home at 8pm tonight. It was one thing to stand for a cause, but it is another to be inconsiderate to other people.

By: Larry Foster

Larry Foster — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 00:38:51 +0000

Interesting that you state ” If it’s not outright hateful/racist/inflammatory/threatening, we are happy to publish it.” In other words, if I believe that critical mass is a collection of law breaking, rude sociopaths, then my sentiments remain silent. Typical of the mentality that promotes entitlement where none is warranted. How is it that critical mass misses the simple fact that rules of the road are, except for a few obvious exceptions, the same as for cars? Do you really think that by ignoring this simple fact and pissing off just about everyone in a car unlucky enough to be caught up in your antisocial BS behavior will bring understanding and respect for the rest of us riders? What’s the mystery? CMs collective behavior serves only to promote hatred of everyone riding a bike and does nothing to promote respect between drivers and riders. Too bad the press continues to ‘happy talk’ your activities. And too bad the police don’t make a mass arrest of your whole group.

By: R

Sat, 29 Sep 2012 00:17:25 +0000

Riding your bikes in a really annoying way once a month isn’t really my definition of effective activism. You guys are just a little full of yourselves. Biking has taken off not because of critical mass, but because of the work of the SFBC and organizations like them around the world. Biking is growing as a movement in spite of critical mass, not because of it. I like the improvements that have been made, and even if you had 100x the amount of riders, I really doubt that Critical Mass could have ever achieved anything remotely close to what the SFBC has achieved.

You’re just one side of this, they don’t have to help you. You don’t have to help them. But writing petty posts like this doesn’t help anyone.

By: Jym

Jym — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 23:21:39 +0000

• SFBC stopped listing Critical Mass right around the time that Matt Smith at the _SF_Weekly_ criticized them for listing it.

By: Wilderide

Wilderide — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 22:18:06 +0000

Kudos to the SF Bike Coalition for rejecting an outfit that has undermined bike ridership in the city for 20 years now. Maybe this is a sign that honey works better than vinegar? Is it too late for Critical Mass to turn itself from a vent for certain people’s spleens into a force for good? Time will tell. I sure hope so. We need to encourage bike ridership in this city, and portraying riders as anarchistic a-holes who block mass transit every month and think traffic laws don’t pertain to them isn’t the way to do that.

By: Dunfyre

Dunfyre — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 20:05:53 +0000

Hear, hear Steve! Mutual respect, erring on the side of courtesy, and a smidge of forebearance and our streets would be much happier and safer places.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 19:33:19 +0000

I ride a bike , I drive a car , I drive a truck , I skateboard , I walk , I take public transport , I take taxis……..This is just living in San Francisco .Mutual respect is all that is required to get around town……………unfortunately this is harder to find when everyone thinks they’re right.