Critical Mass this Friday March 27 6 pm Le Bauer Park

[david.h...@gmail.com]

Critical Mass this Friday March 27 starting and ending at Le Bauer Park downtown Greensboro.

6 pm gather

6:15 pm corker briefing

6:30 pm general pre-ride briefing

6:45 pm leave

Return: typically between 7:30 and 8 pm

Sundown: 7:36 pm

Pace: 7 mph average speed. We move as a group at all signals and stop signs.

Distance: 4-8 miles loop, usually we stop at a destination to take a group photo.

Route etiquette: We stop as a group at all red signals. We pull off busy narrow arterial roads like Elm, Spring Garden, and McConnell every half-mile to allow car traffic to pass; on major arterial stroads we fully occupy one traffic lane (usually but not always the right-hand lane) and allow drivers to pass on the other lane.

Ride etiquette: People on the ride play music, just like car drivers. Helmets and lights are encouraged but not required. There's no waiver nor sign-in, you ride at your own risk, but so far after 18 months there's still been no crashes yet (but a couple flat tires and a broken chain). We don't do pacelines. Rider behavior is not regulated - be prepared for the unexpected.

Number of participants: The average is 32, but we've ridden with as few as 12 and as many as 60. Typically cancelled when there is heavy rain or very cold.

Police and safety: We have yet to encounter any police so far, my guess is they monitor our rides using the remote intersection cameras GDOT already has all over town. Since we help to slow car traffic to posted speed limits (as opposed to 20 mph over), the police likely view us as allies. We've had more drivers stop us to ask about the ride and how to join than we've had drivers try to be aggressive towards us.