How to Start a Critical Mass Ride

[Dirty Hands]

Just some basics to keep in mind while we re-start the Durango ride.
You might want to read it at http://critical-mass.info/howto/ because
there are some links in the text...

1. Understand the structure of Critical Mass.

CM has no leaders. It's an event, not an organization. There is no
national group that licenses local rides. In every city that has a CM,
one or more cyclists just picked a day and time and started handing
out fliers. If your city doesn't have a CM, that's what you'll do. You
don't need anyone to authorize your ride. You just do it.

2. Put it into perspective.

Critical Mass can be fun, but in and of itself, Critical Mass
doesn't change anything. CM is effective only when combined with real
advocacy -- such as lobbying local and state governments for bike
lanes and progressive legislation. If all you and your cohorts do is
ride your bikes around once a month, don't be surprised when nothing
changes.

3. Decide on a recurring time, day, & starting location.

Your CM needs to happen at a consistent time and place each month
so that people always know where and when it is. The last Friday of
the month is traditional, but many groups have chosen other recurring
days. 5:30pm is a good time for CM, because it gives people who work
until 5:00 a chance to get there, while leaving enough daylight in
most months for a decent ride. (Don't try to have two times, one for
months with daylight savings time and one for months without. Here in
Austin we used to have the split two-time format, but even after we
tried to standardize on 5:00 year-round, years later people are still
confused as to whether it's 4:30, 5:00, or 5:30.) A landmark on a
university campus is a typical starting point, but consider using
another public place to indicate that CM isn't just for college kids.

4. Don't get a permit.

When local police learn of your ride, they may insist that you get
a permit, perhaps a parade permit. Don't do it. The point of Critical
Mass is that biking is a right, not a privilege. Cars don't need
permits to ride on the streets, and neither should cyclists. They may
threaten to arrest you if you ride without a permit. At that point
you'll need to consider whether you're willing to get arrested to make
your point. If you're not, and you choose not to ride or choose to get
the permit, then you've allowed them to put cyclists in their place.
It's not an easy choice for some. (Austin CM was told it needed a
permit, refused to get one, and then suffered arrests of riders.
CM'ers went to court and either won their cases, or had them thrown
out of court. Riders in other cities, such as NYC, suffered similar
harassment but ultimate victory.) (more on why you shouldn't get a
permit)

5. What route to take.

Most CM rides don't have a set route -- they go through the
central city randomly, with whoever happens to be in front leading the
way. Of course, you can set a route if you want to, but don't think
that you have to.

6. Learn the traffic laws.

If your ride draws any appreciable number of riders, you can
expect attention from the police. Riders may or may not choose to
follow the law, but you still need to know what the law is so you know
whether or not you're breaking it. Get a copy of your local traffic
laws from your state and city websites. Most states requires cyclists
to obey all the same rules as cars (e.g., Stop signs & red lights).
You'll probably also be required to have a headlight after dark, and
there may be limits to how many bikes abreast (side by side) you can
ride. Some riders ignore laws that have no safety consequences (e.g.,
riding 3-abreast instead of 2-abreast).

7. Will you block traffic?

The most controversial aspect of CM is the extent to which it
blocks traffic. CM'ers are fond of saying "We're not blocking traffic,
we ARE traffic!" While that's a cute phrase, it's obviously pretty
silly. It's like a murderer saying, "I didn't kill that human, I *am*
a human!" Just because bikes are legitimate road users doesn't mean
they don't slow down other road users -- especially when they go out
of their way to do so by taking up multiple lanes.

Remember that CM is supposed to be a celebration of cycling, not
your opportunity to see how much inconvenience you can cause to
others. It's about asserting our right to the road, not denying others
their right to the road.

Leave at least one lane open for cars. (So if you're on a 4-lane
road, take no more than 3 lanes. Except if you're on a one-lane road,
obviously you will take the whole lane.) Taking all the lanes, all the
time, might be fun for you, but it certainly brings the police down on
you quicker. Motorists will ring 911 off the wall with their cell
phones if you block them 100%. It also doesn't win you any friends.
Are you doing CM to show motorists how much fun biking can be, or are
you just trying to piss them off because it makes you feel good? Only
CM riders can answer these questions for themselves. Also remember
that your local laws may have a say about that (though some riders
choose to ignore them).

Even if you decide that you don't want to go overboard with taking
lanes, understand that you can't control the riders -- some riders may
want to take all the lanes all the time. If this is not the flavor you
want for your ride, then make that clear in the fliers you make for
the ride, and get other cyclists to apply gentle peer pressure when a
few cyclists stray. Unfortunately if two people out of 200 decide to
be jerks then your CM's reputation will come from them rather than
from the other 198. But since CM has no leaders, you can't order
anyone to ride the way you want, you can only try to encourage them.

8. Confrontation with motorists.

Harassing motorists doesn't help anyone. You can assert your right
to the road without being a dick about it. Many CM'ers make it a point
to be friendly to motorists, such as smiling and waving -- even
smiling and waving back when motorists are honking and cursing at
them. Some go even farther, handing out flowers, holding signs saying
"Sorry for the delay", or passing out fliers apologizing for the
minimal once-a-month delay, and explaining why we ride. If you want to
avoid confrontation with motorists, put something to that effect in
the fliers you use to promote the rides.

9. Make fliers and promote the ride.

The best advertising is fliers placed directly on bicycles -- you
know a cyclist is going to see it. Make several strips per page to
save paper. Here's an example. (You can attach the fliers to the bike
in many ways -- such as squeezing the brake lever to open it, slipping
in the flier, then releasing the brake lever. Or you can thread the
flier between the brake & gearing cables on the top tube.)
Also put up fliers at local bike shops. If your city has local
bike media (like newsletters), don't forget to inform them as well.
Set up a simple website, and let me know about your ride so I can add
it to the Hub.

10. Be prepared for police intervention.

The police may or may not show up at your ride. (But if you
consistently take every single traffic lane or harass motorists, then
they almost certainly will.) If they show up, they may harass you for
breaking traffic laws, or they may harass you even if you're not
breaking any laws. Your best defense against unreasonable police
action is a video camera. (Though in some cases, police have
improperly confiscated cameras and tapes.) One Austin CM'er mounted a
camera to her helmet. Check out some advice about what to do if you're
stopped or arrested.

11. Get creative.

CM can be festive. Many riders wear costumes or decorate their
bikes extravagantly. Use your imagination. It make the rides more fun.

Happy Riding!