What is Critical Mass?

The Berkeley Critical Mass has been going through some soul searching of late. What I’ve heard from participants is that there have been some conflicts, some differing ideas of what Critical Mass is about, and a drop-off in participation. Some Berkeley Massers met recently to discuss these issues, and these are the notes of that meeting. (Posted with permission.)

Tonight’s dinner, films and discussion about the future of our ride
went very well. About 3 times as many people attended than came to the
last ride, which says something! (20-30+ people throughout the 3+
hours.)

A more complete summary will be posted soon.

Key points from tonight’s meeting:

A) It’s clear that the group wants the ride to grow and be inclusive.
A straw poll showed more people prioritized BIGGER RIDE over POLITICAL
RIDE.

B) General agreement that the ride is implicitly political, but that
explicit political statements alienate and turn away many people and
harm the power, effectiveness and fun of the ride. General agreement
that the ride is NOT A POLITICAL PLATFORM and that such behavior is
HIJACKING THE RIDE.

C) Large numbers of people do not come to the ride anymore because of
toxic burning. Strong agreement that there should be NO BURNING,
especially as burning petroleum products violates our essential
healthy clean air, and violates the ride’s purity by emitting carbon,
particularly when burning fossil fuels.

D) General awe at the report back from Sandy about the San Jose Bike
Party, which in 2+ years quickly grew to thousands of people each
month. Discussion of how a big ride like that, where people even
bring their kids, has much broader effect and public benefit than an
aggressively radical and risky/unsafe/narrowly represented ride.
Large rides allow inexperienced riders to build skills, confidence,
and grow into community, while giving everyone a fun and out time.

E) An attempt was made at a preliminary code of conduct. A long list
of situations/behaviors which result in exclusion of whole segments of
the population was drafted. At the very least, the same code that
goes for ANY PEACE MARCH was generally agreed to hold. The list will
be sent in a future more complete summary.

F) The need for political statements was very much appreciated and
validated. Those statements can and do happen at SEPARATE EVENTS, for
those so interested; agreement that inclusive rides should be kept
separate from those protest events.

G) A need for consistent sound system influence was identified. Sound
system needs to keep a steady pace and be conscious of not splitting
up the ride. Music can and should be collaborative. Also that there
need to be QUIET SPACES as well as music spaces, so people can have a
choice. If sound systems head up the ride, and perhaps bring up the
rear, then the middle can be a comfortable talking zone and the ride
announces its entrance and exit more effectively.

H) Need for THEME RIDES and DESTINATIONS and more SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES
and at least semi-regular MEETINGS so the events are more FUNCTIONAL

I) Ideas for new rides and/or changing existing Berkeley Mass to be
more inclusive, to grow, included taking the ride on more small
streets so more residents get a taste of the mass in their town.

J) It has come to the group’s attention that MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW
THE RIDE EXISTS.

There’s more…and there was a fun process to it all.

Action items for the immediate future:

I) We identified someone to pull the sound system and someone who
wants to make a soundtrack (John and Sandy)

II) A group will gather to collectively communicate that it is not
okay to burn things or be aggressive on our ride

III) A new person wants to give up her car and get involved but needs
a bike. We are referring her to Cycles of Change unless someone writes
me with a better idea. She’s roughly medium height. Email me if you
have a loaner/cheapo/suggestion.

IV) Should you choose to accept..

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: GET PEOPLE OUT TO THE NEW RIDE!!!
YOUR ASSIGNMENT: GET PEOPLE OUT TO THE NEW RIDE!!!
YOUR ASSIGNMENT: GET PEOPLE OUT TO THE NEW RIDE!!!

Ghosts speed past Union Square...

I had a great time at Critical Mass, like I almost always do… afterwards I heard a half dozen stories of mayhem and major stress on the streets. Not too surprising, given how many cyclists were out there, and how incapable we are, as an inchoate mass, of making intelligent stops when we’ve lost mass, helping stranded vehicles get out, and treating pedestrians with respect and encouragement.  It’s a reinvention process, and a lot of us old timers aren’t rising to the occasion to help that reinvention each month. It’s a burnout! As Gerry pointed out, the ride has been “taken over” by yahoos… but not really. There’s always been yahoos, they’ve always been a tiny minority, and they get a lot of attention because we live in a subculture that puts the onus of meaning on the behavioral perfection of the participants… 1% of assholes gets way more attention than 95% cool people acting with courtesy and kindness…

Before beginning, hundreds of riders were already clogging lower Market Street.

The light was gorgeous as we departed...

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Halloween is the ride of the year. If I was going to make just one Critical Mass ride in a year, this would be it. I’d say 70% of the people on the ride were in costume, which just adds an element of fun and unpredictability to the ride. What would happen if we dressed up every month?

Note: There’s an interesting comment from a bus rider who doesn’t like what he saw tonight..

I came late because I was working on my costume (I was a conspiracy theorist — complete with tinfoil hat). I caught up with the ride turning south off of Market at around 4th street. We rode through SoMa, then up Van Ness — at which point you could see a line of bikes all the way up the hill through the creeping fog. Then we did the tunnel, which is not so bad if you approach it from this direction going down hill.

This placed us downtown again, and after a few more turns the ride ended up in the Mission — skipping the Castro for some reason — and I peeled off to hit an after party at Grace’s place in Bernal.

At the party I met a real conspiracy theorist. It was strange to be wearing a tinfoil hat and be arguing with someone who has the opposite view of mine concerning who planned and executed 9/11. Smart guy, really knew his stuff. Made me wonder if I should go back down the rabbit hole.

Back home, I sat down at my computer at about 11:00. I heard music outside and saw a group of about 20 bikes strolling past my window — looked like it was ‘Deep and friends.

Adam took some photos — hope he can post those soon!

H.