Critical Mass bike ride should be "responsive to circumstance": Reimer
Vision Vancouver councillor Andrea Reimer has said she isn’t calling for organizers of Critical Mass to regularly declare the route of the monthly bike ride.
But, in a phone interview today (August 5), the former Green school trustee said that Critical Mass should be “responsive to circumstance”.
The Straight asked Reimer whether she favours keeping the bike ride spontaneous or making it follow a route cleared with the authorities ahead of time.
“Is it really that simple?” Reimer responded. “I don’t think it’s that simple. I think a lot of factors came together for the July ride that included heat waves and Burrard bike trials—things that aren’t normally happening.”
Critical Mass takes place on the last Friday of every month, starting at 6 p.m. at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
The day before the July 31 ride, Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson and police chief Jim Chu, called for a pre-determined route in a press release.
“We believe that due to the sheer size of Critical Mass, that a spontaneous route is no longer workable and that there is an urgent need for a predictable route,” Robertson said in the release. “Without an agreement on a negotiated, predetermined route, future Critical Mass rides will require stricter rules and guidelines.”
Robertson and Chu claimed they were making the call to “reduce tension and improve safety for all citizens”.
Robertson, who has participated in a number of Critical Mass rides, went so far as to say the ride is “no longer acceptable in its current form”.
The first rides began in the late 1990s, and have grown from a handful of participants each time out to close to 3,000 a month taking part.
Due to reports of altercations between cyclists and motorists during the ride in the busiest month of June, which is Bike Month, pressure has come to bear on the event.
A separate ride, Critical Manners, has sprung up with the aim of using a pre-determined route that will be cleared by both the police and the city and announced ahead of time.
Founder Jennifer Watkiss did not return a Straight call, but her Web site noted the first Critical Manners is set for August 14. That day is mid-month, so it will not clash with Critical Mass at month’s end.
Reimer conceded that a pre-determined route “would obviously change the character of the ride”. But she added, “You know, the character of the ride changes each and every month—or at least seasonally.”
Reimer noted that she used to ride in Critical Mass more often.
“There are lots of people that don’t go on the ride any more, and I would count myself as one of them, because it isn’t that safe,” she said. “It hasn’t been well marshaled, it has been loose. As a result it has made it less easier to cycle and less clear why we are doing it. So seeing them kicking it up a notch in July was good. It was good to see more marshals out and for them to be very clear about why they are riding, right?”
Comments
13 Comments
joeqpube
Aug 6, 2009 at 10:02am
So from what I read of this is that city council would not object to the CM on February 26th, 2010 ? Well at least Ms. Reimer is ok with it ?
Mike Cantelon
Aug 6, 2009 at 10:43am
joeqpube,
They'll only be okay with Critical Mass during the Olympics if they can control it. To move towards this, local politicians want to to see Critical Mass become hierarchal, with leaders they can influence so they have control over the route. They want this ASAP so they can test this control over the half year leading up to the Olympics.
Should they decide the control isn't reliable, they'll likely resort to police action. If police action is done in the next few months, most people won't realize the true motivation and there will be less political resistance to the decision.
rin
Aug 6, 2009 at 2:16pm
The entire point of Critical Mass is to be spontaneous and beyond the control of the existing order that puts cyclists in mortal danger every day. It's a protest, remember? A protest that conforms to the desires of those it's directed at is rendered pointless.
Mike is totally right that giving the authorities an inch of control will ensure that they take a mile, especially next February. Drivers wait for hours in traffic jams all the time, why is it that when the traffic jam is composed of bikes they can't spare ten minutes to take a break and talk to other humans that are waiting with them, and have to start demanding that the authorities come in on their side? It's no coincidence that CM has been happening for ten years and it's only now, six months before the stupid olympics, that all of a sudden it's a problem.
I think it's pretty unmannerly for cyclists to get hit, run over, injured and killed because we have no safe places to go. Critical Manners? Please. What's next, hitting yourself with a nightstick and tasering your friends so the police don't have to do it for you?
Rosalie
Aug 6, 2009 at 3:18pm
I am a cyclist and a driver. I support Critical Mass in its current form as a protest.
I also support the creation of a law that cyclists MUST ride on the roads that are designated to them. I have been stuck behind a cyclist on Cornwall during rush hour many times and I find it infuriating that cyclists are using that road when there is a bike path at Kits Beach AND a few streets up on West 3rd Avenue. This is extremely dangerous for cyclists and causes drivers undue stress.
Drivers should also avoid driving on designated bike routes.
Respect for cyclists and drivers as well. Peace.
Steven Wittens
Aug 6, 2009 at 3:51pm
I participated in Critical Mass for the first time last Friday, and I can't say that the Critical Mass I saw was a protest. Instead, I would call it a celebration of biking. The act of taking over the street changes the 'balance of power' and lets cyclists, for once, ride without feeling like they are besieged.
I biked around Europe for 15 years before coming here, and I would call the majority of Vancouver's "bike lanes" suicide lanes. Sure, the recreational paths like the seawall are nice, but they are massive detours. If you actually stick to the streets, you have to mesh with fast-moving traffic on one side, zip by parked cars on the other, wait behind buses and generally swerve around people who don't expect you to be there. And that's assuming the bike lane isn't blocked by construction or by some idiot unloading their truck in a space they consider to be "off the road".
The goal of a bike lane shouldn't just be to provide a space for bikers, but to separate bikers from faster traffic. This adds a very important sense of safety and calmness and makes the bike ride much more enjoyable.
Critical Mass gave me that sensation in the middle of downtown. Until legitimate bike paths can offer the same, I think the event will keep happening and keep growing.
everything
Aug 6, 2009 at 5:11pm
The critical mass that happens in February is tiny compared to the ones in the summer. Only a couple of hundred people show up sometimes because it's cold, dark, usually wet and only takes a couple of minutes to pass. It just doesn't make sense that the police would try to tackle the massive July ride in anticipation of the tiny February one.The idea that it is likely to disrupt the olympics is just paranoia.
Chris Van Ihinger
Aug 6, 2009 at 7:02pm
Kudos to Ms Reimer for speaking in favour of the Critical Mass ride.
By definition, the ride cannot be managed or controlled, since there is no organising structure behind it. It will be interesting to see how the Vanoc crowd continue to pressure the city into disrupting the ride anticipated for next February 26th.
The alternative mass ride that has been announced on Ms Watkins' site could enhance the Critical movement by providing a venue for those cyclists who prefer a law-and-order approach to improving urban cycling in this car-dominated society. Unfortunately their August ride has been planned to coincide with the ongoing monthly Kilowatt Hour ride, which celebrates electric assist bicycles. Maybe Ms Watkins could change her date to the first or third Friday of the month? If so, many e-bike riders would probably be pleased to join her ranks.
Mike Cantelon
Aug 7, 2009 at 11:12am
everything,
Given that VANOC has purchased the bulk of advertising space in Olympic-involved areas (http://tr.im/vUkf) and has successfully lobbied for special bylaws to increase their control, it hardly seems paranoid to assume they'd be concerned with an event they don't control.
Pea Wormsworth
Aug 7, 2009 at 4:43pm
When did critical mass get political? When was it decided that taking part was a protest?
I'm tired of hearing this BS in the papers and press releases.
I have participated in critical mass many times in the past and it was never more then a fun ride. Yes, there are some nut balls.... but you'll find the same few apples at any medium sized event.
I went downtown last Friday evening to check out critical mass. I was a little late, but with 3000 bikes it would be no problem to find them. Incorrect. I could not find this huge group of cyclists.
What I did find downtown is tied up traffic and closed streets. But not from critical mass. Instead the police and firemen has a parade that was at least 10 blocks long. The gay pride party was taking up all of Davie street (for 3 days!). Another major jam-up was city projects and construction.
By far, the police and firefighter parade was the biggest tie-up downtown leading to congestion.
So now that the weekend is over... why don't we lay blame where it belongs for traffic tie-ups: city work, street parties and the police parade!
So don't give us this BS about it being a horrible inconvenience and some sort of protest.
And on the topic of protest... protest is a fight against the current laws or actions. Critical mass is not illegal and is not fighting against anything. It is merely exercising the right to do what we already can.
And those police/citizens who think a pre-route declaration is required need to go back to north korea. We don't call the police every time we want to leave our homes in a group and go for a walk. Why would we ever submit to that sort of police state as a cyclist?
Also, can someone do a proper head count next time. 3000 is a made up number that is not realistic.
Next time, please do a follow-up story that reports the outcome of the situation. If you did so... we might actually inform the public rather then making ridiculous insinuations without basis in fact.
Stella K.
Aug 7, 2009 at 11:02pm
With the Burrard bike lane and the critical mass ride, the people of Vancouver seems to be divided between drivers and bikers. At the end of the day, no one is in the right. Bikers, please understand that there are drivers that do not have the luxuries of living close enough to bike to work and get home in time for dinner with their families. Please thank them for making sure that they are being responsible parents and making sure their kids don't rob you in ten years. Drivers, please understand that these bikers are making sure your kids that you are racing home to will have a future that does not include them wearing a gas mask 24/7. In other words, stop it with the us against them bull and do your best to be understanding of everyone's situation. And please critical mass riders, it wouldn't be such a huge deal if you would just let people know what your route is so they can avoid you guys. This will make it safe for everyone, especially the bikers and you never know, the drivers might want to join in if it there was a set rout for everyone to know about. It could be like the straight people wanting join in the gay pride parade. Just a thought.