Ride ON!

Cyclists worldwide get together to enjoy the ride.

Critical mass is a monthly event founded in an effort to protest the domineering attitudes of motorists, and the reclaim the cyclist’s right to the road. The first ride took place on September 25, 1992 in San Francisco, and is now in cities all across the globe.

The ride has no leaders, with its only structure lying in the date, time and starting point of the ride. Cyclists meet at the designated spot and ride spontaneously, following bikers in the front of the ride wherever they go. Critical Mass has no set leader, mission, or goals beyond the awareness of the cyclist’s presence on the road.

Riders involved in Critical Mass insist that the ride’s sole mission is to celebrate cycling, and is not politically motivated. Critics argue that some participating cyclists obstruct motor vehicles in a riot-like manner, going against the purpose of Critical Mass. Corking, the term describing a cyclist blocking an intersection to allow the ride to proceed without interruption, contribute to the opposition’s claims.

Critical Mass cyclists in a number of cities have been criminalized during the ride. 19 cyclists were arrested during the August 2007 ride in Minneapolis, after participants tried to aide another biker in resisting arrest. Cyclists were pepper sprayed, an act criticized despite the questionable behavior of the one participant. Because of the incident, Minneapolis police officers have monitored recent rides, an effort to protect both cyclists and motorists, but this defeats the mission of Critical Mass.

Crystal Erickson