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Critical Mass - Irvine

 
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BCI
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Joined: 27 Nov 2002
Posts: 352
PostPosted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 8:48 am    Post subject: Critical Mass - Irvine Reply with quote
BCI members have been invited to join other riders:
Quote:
From: Critical Masser <irvinecm@gmail.com>
Sent: Aug 17, 2006 6:14 PM
Subject: irvine critical mass

Hi,
I've been unable to find a critical mass happening around here, so I
started one. Here is the info if you'd like to post it on the events calendar. If not, thats ok too. Take it easy.

Critical mass: Irvine
-last working friday of the month, meet up at 6pm, leave by 6:15pm-
-UCI campus, Administration building flagpoles-

*?* directions: building 111, D5, map http://today.uci.edu/pdf/UCI_06_Map.pdf ,
or just bike over the walkway next to the university center
*NEXT MASS: October 27, 2006

http://irvinecm.iannet.net/

We asked
Quote:
tell me more - why do this here?

to which came the reply:
Quote:
From: Critical Masser <irvinecm@gmail.com>
Sent: Oct 1, 2006 4:50 PM
Subject: Re: irvine critical mass

Ahoy,
I can't see a reason not to have one; theres a community of people who
commute by bike and those that generally enjoy biking. A monthly community meetup celebrating bikes sounds like a blast to me. Do tell me if you end up posting it! Thanks.


So we have; Your comments here are encouraged / participation in the rides you are encouraged to consider...

Last edited by BCI on Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:11 am; edited 1 time in total
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Bill Sellin
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Joined: 27 Nov 2002
Posts: 161
Location: Orange
PostPosted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 9:19 am    Post subject: Thanks - but no thanks... Reply with quote
Dear CriticalMasser

Since Irvine is known for being the best of the few bicycle friendly cities in Orange County, why piss off the local motorists & police by disruptive flagrant over crowding of the street?

We have fun social celebrative rides all the time for cyclists - 4 to 6 times every week... if you want to get a parade permit & close out a street legally, that option exists... but overwhelming traffic by bikes, (or motorcycles, hotrods, horses, unicycles or pedestrians) without allowing others to share the road?

For a response to the excessive traffic in urban settngs, perhaps mass around the CalTrans offices in Santa Ana or Orange.
To make a point to Irvine commuters, use legally the bike lanes provided all over town & beat the motorists through every signal up & down Culver...

but if your idea of a fun ride is a Critical Mass as the web site http://www.scorcher.org/cmhistory/howto.html asks and suggests:
Quote:
Should Critical Mass obey the same traffic laws that motorized traffic follows? Yes and no. For the most part, traffic laws were made for cars, as anyone who routinely bicycles through stop signs can attest, and they certainly weren’t written with large groups of bicyclists in mind. So the answer to this question is obvious: Critical Mass should bend or ignore existing traffic laws where the group’s safety and effectiveness will be served, and follow the law where it serves our interests and needs.

Red lights are a perfect example of this principle. When the head of the ride reaches a red light, it only makes sense to stop. This way, a) no one endangers themselves by riding into oncoming traffic, b) we allow motorists the simple courtesy of their right of way, and c) we give ourselves an opportunity to stop, regroup and form a solid Mass. But if, as Critical Mass passes through an intersection, the light changes, it does not make sense to break into two groups, and the ride should just continue through the intersection, shielded from the waiting cars by corks.

The picture alone is worth a few thousand words: http://www.scorcher.org/cmhistory/heygetout.html

This aggressive disruption of traffic, may be "fun" from an anarchistic point of view, but will do more harm to the otherwise positive image of cyclists who follow the rules of the road and strive to share the road. If we get a permit & support to take over the road - that would be great fun. Maybe really get involved in having a serious Bike-to-Work week in May and get some positive attention... make a point to motorists and traffic engineers... but make them jealous of our freedom, not make their commuting hell worse! (And I know some of the Irvine engineers; Irvine does see cycling as part of the solution and it shows in our network of on street routes and off street trails)

If it is with a Pirate's heart 'ye seek y'er fun ... I will commute quietly home after work on a friday night & come out Saturday morning for a legal social BCI club ride...

Bill
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