This was a Critical Mass event, which is why the bicyclists are taking up all of the street as a way to reclaim the streets and protest the lack of safety for riders under usual conditions. It’s not legal, but protests are never useful if they’re fully legal now, are they.
For all of the unequivocally civic commenters on this thread, ask yourself this: would you be defending someone driving through a protest if the protesters weren’t on bikes?
lots of people in this thread that don’t understand how protests work.
This is how cyclists feel when they are surrounded by cars on busy roads because the cycling infrastructure is shit.
Except, cyclists can’t kill people in cars with their bike.
So, lady, imagine our frustration.
Edit: spelling 🤦♂️
This gives me an idea. How about every bike gets retrofitted with a large titanium hook. The idea is that if you hit my bike, your car is pretty much totaled. Not just that but if you really hit me, the hook passes thru the radiator, thru the firewall and into the drivers asshole.
Put a little LED light on it as a warning beacon.
A tactical pool noodle with a very abrasive end should do the trick.
Maybe they could make the trucks bigger and more armored to compensate?
The all new 2026 Ford fackarator 350! With pedestrian slicer adapter and bicyclist impaler adapter! Slicer and impaler sold separately with $5000 memorial day discount!
They feel like cars are coming from both sides of the road through red lights?
Where do you bike?
Yes.
I’ve witnessed cars driving in the wrong lanes (headed towards me) as they recklessly pass drivers.
I’ve seen drivers turning onto dedicated bike paths.
I’ve seen drivers jumping curbs. In the city, they’ve even managed to hop TALL, concrete barriers protecting bike lanes.
I’ve seen numerous cars flying through stop signs and red lights. At least a few times per week. And even more “stopping” on crosswalks.
I’ve witnessed a teen getting hit by a car while she used a crosswalk in front of her school. I’ve nearly been hit several times crossing at intersections, too. I saw an elderly man who was almost run over by a car turning right without slowing down (the driver then yelled at the old man).
If you think these are rare occurrences, you likely don’t live anywhere near cars. This shit happens all the time, everywhere.
And I won’t even bring up aggressive drivers who are hostile towards cyclists and use their cars as weapons.
I’ve had two close calls with roundabouts. One where someone didn’t look before entering and another where some tried to pass me inside the circle when they wanted to exit and I didn’t.
As much as I love roundabouts, I agree that some drivers simply have no idea how they work. They stop when they don’t need to, and go when they should be yielding. And as you describe, the ones with multiple lanes are even more “confusing”, despite them being quite logical in design and implementation.
Stay safe.
No, these were both in the same, single lane roundabout. And there shouldn’t have been any confusion since the roundabout has been there for a while now. It was just drivers being reckless and careless, putting my life in danger by not obeying traffic laws.
these were both in the same, single lane roundabout.
Oy, vey! LOL I bet they found a reason to blame you. 😫
I’ve witnessed cars driving in the wrong lanes (headed towards me) as they recklessly pass drivers.
Cool, as they pass drivers. Did you see them drive en masse the wrong way through red lights? Come on, you know you haven’t. You know how dangerous it is. Even if it were people walking, it would be dangerous; this isn’t safe. This is so dishonest.
Are there bad drivers, yes. But no where, in any city, are drivers doing what these bikers did. Taking up the entire road to drive the wrong way as dozens of them go through red lights.
If you think these are rare occurrences, you likely don’t live anywhere near cars. This shit happens all the time, everywhere.
No, no it doesn’t. And this is why bikers are often ridiculed by people. I want safer roads, but I don’t claim that cars drive both ways on the road and through red lights by the dozens.
This shit happens all the time everywhere? Really. Everywhere, cars are just all going the same direction, ignoring every traffic law en masse with no cops doing anything? This is so dishonest, again. There are so many good points and ways to fight for more biker safety, creating false narratives isn’t one of them.
I’ve witnessed a teen getting hit by a car while she used a crosswalk in front of her school.
How is this relevant to the point at all? This feels more like ranting that discussing the topic on hand. How these bikers are breaking traffic laws in ways cars do not, and in doing so are putting themselves and others in danger for 0 gain. This feels like an “own the libs” thing for bikers where making drivers get upset is the only point. Which a lot of people seem excited about in this thread, further proving that point.
And I won’t even bring up aggressive drivers who are hostile towards cyclists and use their cars as weapons.
Good because it’s not relevant. I’m saying cars don’t drive like these bikers do. They are acting extremely unsafe for no reason. This doesn’t help gain any support or change anyone mind. If anything it makes people hate us bikers more.
I’ve witnessed a teen getting hit by a car while she used a crosswalk in front of her school.
Did you see them drive en masse the wrong way through red lights?
This shit happens all the time everywhere? Really. Everywhere, cars are just all going the same direction, ignoring every traffic law en masse with no cops doing anything?
How is this relevant to the point at all?
They are acting extremely unsafe for no reason.
I think you’re a little too focused on the one very specific way the bicycles were being unsafe in the video. Every example they listed was another way that cars are driven irresponsibly all the time, not just during a critical mass event where the point is to flood the streets with bicycles.
You’re right. I was trying to talk about this specific incident originally and the other commenter kept trying to pivot or change the topic. I was talking about this behavior that is so far outside the norm. The person who replied to me tried to act like cars do this too, but then started talking about all the other things cars do.
But to be clear, I bike very often. And while doing so I do see plenty of bikers break the laws and act unsafe in ways that can cause accidents. Do I see bad bikers as often as I see bad drivers? Hell no. But they do exist, and in this community the stance is often all drivers are evil no matter what and bikers are always right. We can see this with the justification of this protest. It doesn’t help us get where we want to be. That’s my point.
Cool, as they pass drivers. Did you see them drive en masse the wrong way through red lights? Come on, you know you haven’t. You know how dangerous it is. This is so dishonest.
Are there bad drivers, yes. But no where, in any city, are drivers doing what these bikers did. Taking up the entire road to drive the wrong way as dozens of them go through red lights.
You do realize that this was a Critical Mass event, right?
In that context, YES, I’ve seen cars in large groups going through red lights and driving the wrong way during similar events. In fact, just this past weekend, I saw numerous cars going through red lights at a local Pride Parade 😘
… but I don’t claim that cars drive both ways on the road and through red lights by the dozens.
If you take a survey of stop signs, you’ll find that the majority of motorists do NOT stop at those signs. Hundreds of cars per intersection per day.
This shit happens all the time everywhere? Really. Everywhere, cars are just all going the same direction, ignoring every traffic law en masse with no cops doing anything?
This ship happens all the time, everywhere, was referring to the list I wrote of things I encounter on a regular basis.
I didn’t touch on speeding.
Cops will only “do something” if they can catch someone.
And when we have “traffic enforcement blitzes”, what do you know? We catch a LOT of drivers behaving badly. It’s too bad we only do this a few times out of the year.
They are acting extremely unsafe for no reason.
I think you’d be surprised to learn about the history (and purpose) of Critical Mass, because it’s not “for no reason”. It’s quite literally a form of direct action to promote cycling safety and activism.
And the fact that they are riding in a large group makes them safer.
These events happen all around the world, and are widely celebrated as powerful social movements.
I cited Critical Mass and documentation about it in my response a lot. I think you might have a lot to learn about the movement based on your reply.
In that context, YES, I’ve seen cars in large groups going through red lights and driving the wrong way during similar events. In fact, just this past weekend, I saw numerous cars going through red lights at a local Pride Parade 😘
At a parade? One that has permits and works with the city? Yah… lol. Looking into criticall mass is says “These events are spontaneous and unpermitted.” Do you know the difference between a permitted event and one that’s not? Traffic can be re routed, cops can be places to manage traffic. This is not that. On CM it says “The routes of some rides are decided spontaneously by whoever is currently at the front of the ride.” That means anyone can do whatever, causing massive issues with traffic and safety. What a false equivalency.
Looking further into it, they give the reason: The disorganized nature of the event allows it to largely escape clampdown by authorities who may view the rides as forms of parades or organized protest.
So they know it’s dangerous and doesn’t have the permits needed to make it safe, which is why parades and such need them, but they see that as a pro. They basically take to the streets to break the law en masse and inconvenience everyone, including emergency services and they think this will make more people want to support bikers?
If you take a survey of stop signs, you’ll find that the majority of motorists do NOT stop at those signs. Hundreds of cars per intersection per day.
This is either being dishonest or not understanding what I said. I’m not talking about an aggregate across the country, I’m talking about dozens doing it at once in such a way that it creates a wall that can cause an accident.
Cops will only “do something” if they can catch someone.
Lol, so cops should just mail tickets to people randomly? You have to catch someone committing a crime to charge them with it. That’s how the law works…
I see plenty of bikers breaking traffic laws too, every week when I ride. None of them get tickets either. Doing the things they do like going across a cross walk when they don’t have the right away, could cause an accident. But you conveniently ignore that and the laws they break.
I think you’d be surprised to learn about the history (and purpose) of Critical Mass, because it’s not “for no reason”. It’s quite literally a form of direct action to promote cycling safety and activism.
Not surprised. You can do something for a long time for no reason. CM started in the 1990s. If it’s not pointless, please show me the changes it has pushed or championed. I would love to know all the good work that came from CM aside from performative protesting.
And the fact that they are riding in a large group makes them safer.
Yah, so they can safely ignore all traffic rules and literally break laws to put on this show. Laws meant to keep people safe. You realize that right?
Also they are literally breaking off to try to control traffic.
From CM: In the Critical Mass practice of “corking”, a rider breaks away from the group to block the side streets of an intersection as the mass crosses. This prevents traffic travelling through the intersection on a green signal and allows the riders to ride through red lights. This both contains cross-traffic while the mass passes and protects the mass from splitting or from drivers who might attempt to pass through the mass.
They are not only unsafely trying to control traffic, they are causing mass congestion, again for no reason but some parade of bikers they decided to do without proper permits. This is such a “look at me, I’m the main character” movement.
These events happen all around the world, and are widely celebrated as powerful social movements.
Powerful? Sure, but powerful isn’t always positive. I mean take a step back and look at this from a normal persons point of view, someone who is not an avid cyclist. This doesn’t make me think they need more safety or protection; this makes me think they are reckless and a nuisance. This does nothing but make drivers hate bikers more, this doesn’t change minds, at all.
Argh… my browser crashed as I had almost finished my reply. 😱
I’ll condense my points:
Looking into criticall mass is says “These events are spontaneous and unpermitted.”
Yes, it’s a protest. Just like with protests involving pedestrians, the streets get filled and people “ignore the rules”.
Lol, so cops should just mail tickets to people randomly? You have to catch someone committing a crime to charge them with it. That’s how the law works…
To this point, let me expand on what I mean.
The absence of a ticket does not mean the behaviour doesn’t exist. There are a LOT of motorists who run reds, ignore stop signs, drive over the speed limit, don’t use signals, make illegal turns, park illegally, drive while intoxicated, etc. More than you’d think.
If you set up automated speed cameras, red light cameras, DUI checkpoints, and school zone blitzes, suddenly you realize that it’s more than just a few drivers behaving badly. And that’s during normal traffic, not during a protest.
If it’s not pointless, please show me the changes it has pushed or championed. I would love to know all the good work that came from CM aside from performative protesting.
It’s hard to quantify, because this form of protest operates on many levels:
- It gets a large number of cyclists together, making riding safer than as individuals. It also gets people who were too afraid to cycle around traffic a safe space to ride.
- The visual of a large group brings attention to the needs of cyclists. “Nobody rides a bike” NIMBYs take note when these events happen.
- It puts pressures on municipal governments to take notice of the demand for safer cycling infrastructure. Some would argue that Critical Mass events are what sped up the development of cycling infrastructure around the world.
Yah, so they can safely ignore all traffic rules and literally break laws to put on this show. Laws meant to keep people safe. You realize that right?
As with other protests, this is normal. And those traffic rules… are only there because cars make public spaces unsafe. People don’t need traffic rules.
They are not only unsafely trying to control traffic, they are causing mass congestion
On the flip side, would you prefer that every single cyclist in that group STOP at every single red light and stop sign? I’m a massive fan of that type of malicious compliance, so I’d be OK with that, too.
I mean take a step back and look at this from a normal persons point of view, someone who is not an avid cyclist. This doesn’t make me think they need more safety or protection; this makes me think they are reckless and a nuisance. This does nothing but make drivers hate bikers more, this doesn’t change minds, at all.
Man, I don’t even know what to say.
When I see protests, even when I don’t know the motivations or goals, I still respect and value the right to protest.
And if someone “hates cyclists” because of a protest like Critical Mass, they probably hate black people, gays, Palestinians, workers, the disabled, unions, First Nations, environmentalists, animal rights, and other groups of people who deserve to be heard and seen through public protests.
Yes, it’s a protest. Just like with protests involving pedestrians, the streets get filled and people “ignore the rules”.
Then why did you bring up the Pride parade? You said: “I’ve seen cars in large groups going through red lights and driving the wrong way during similar events. In fact, just this past weekend, I saw numerous cars going through red lights at a local Pride Parade.” That is a permitted event. Driving the wrong way can be permitted by a, ya know, permit. Bringing this up then saying “of course their breaking the rules” only proves my point. Bikes are doing this, cars do not unless it is done legally with a permit. And you saying “ya I know” means you knew that but presented it anyway. That’s extremely dishonest.
If you set up automated speed cameras, red light cameras, DUI checkpoints, and school zone blitzes, suddenly you realize that it’s more than just a few drivers behaving badly. And that’s during normal traffic, not during a protest.
And I’m sure you’d find the same with biking. Many bikers break laws about where to cross or how to handle intersections and are just ignored all the time.
It gets a large number of cyclists together, making riding safer than as individuals. It also gets people who were too afraid to cycle around traffic a safe space to ride.
Do these people not know about side streets or bike paths or anything else? There are places to bike outside of traffic. If anything this is making it worse because you’re not just driving around traffic, you’re driving into it and trying to control it. This is a weak reason to but people in danger.
The visual of a large group brings attention to the needs of cyclists. “Nobody rides a bike” NIMBYs take note when these events happen.
So the only way to show people that bikers exist is by massively disrupting traffic and causing safety issues? Yah, it brings attention to them, but not the good kind.
It puts pressures on municipal governments to take notice of the demand for safer cycling infrastructure. Some would argue that Critical Mass events are what sped up the development of cycling infrastructure around the world.
Or it shows the government that bikers don’t listen to traffic laws and do whatever they want. This doesn’t make the government do anything except maybe arrest some bikers for breaking the law.
See, this has been going on for 35 years and the only thing you can point at is maybe it might have possible sped up some cycling infrastructure. Maybe. Yah, that’s not a lot of progress for 35 years of this nonsense. There are much more effective ways.
As with other protests, this is normal. And those traffic rules… are only there because cars make public spaces unsafe. People don’t need traffic rules.
This is just wild… People need traffic rules. Have you ever been in a large crowded city? Do you know all the foot TRAFFIC rules? There is literally a section of code on just this. And yes, cars exist, but what do you propose to avoid needing these rules, have no cars at all? That’s absurd. Look at rural areas and tell me how that works.
On the flip side, would you prefer that every single cyclist in that group STOP at every single red light and stop sign? I’m a massive fan of that type of malicious compliance, so I’d be OK with that, too.
No, I would prefer they don’t disrupt an entire city for some performance that has gone on for 35 years with nothing to show for it. It’s just an excuse to protest and “stick it to the drivers.”
When I see protests, even when I don’t know the motivations or goals, I still respect and value the right to protest.
Ok, now imagine you are late to pick up a family member from the hospital, or you’re going to miss an interview, or a million other things. With a little empathy, you can quickly realize how this would cause issues for people, all for what? I can respect the goals, but I don’t respect the way they have chosen to reach those goals.
And if someone “hates cyclists” because of a protest like Critical Mass, they probably hate black people, gays, Palestinians, workers, the disabled, unions, First Nations, environmentalists, animal rights, and other groups of people who deserve to be heard and seen through public protests.
Jesus, you just went nuclear there huh? If someone hates cyclists for doing something like this they must be a bigot and racist? Tell me more about how you’re willing to empathize with the other side to reach a conclusion, FFS. You’ve decided that drivers are the enemy and so now they suddenly don’t matter at all. You can just assume they’re racist, sexist, anti-worker, hate animals, etc all from not liking bikers from this protest. Wow.
Maybe stop being so emotional and think for a moment. You can be pro-animal rights and think that what an animal rights group does is wrong. Are you really incapable of understanding that basic concept? Or can I just do anything under the banner of “cyclists’ rights” and call you a racist if you disagree with my actions?
Come on, what is this nonsense?
And recording while driving…
As a Bicycle commuter… there’s plenty of “Am I the Asshole?” that needs to go around here.
I understand the cyclists are treating this as a protest, but unless the road is closed, get the hell out of the oncoming lane. You’re not doing anything here other than confirming the drivers bias that you’re the problem.
As for the driver, just fucking STOP until they pass. Is the risk of you hitting someone worth the few minutes that pulling over out of the way costs you? The driver’s pissing and moaning on the video is some self-entitled bull shit.
Car brains are incapable of realizing that they’re the deadly threat.
I said it elsewhere but it’s worth repeating here that fighting drivers is fighting the wrong fight. Fight the government.
Even if you convince the drivers that you’re right, nothing changes.
NGL, you’re fighting the drivers for this, just in a different medium. You think the government is just doing shit for kicks and giggles? Nah, they don’t put in bike lanes because too many residents complain when they lose their parking lanes to bike lanes, or the road gets widened solely to add a bike lane.
Sure there are some cases where the govt is making a bad decision, but don’t think that you don’t need to argue with those same people, just in a Public Information Session instead of on the road.
If you don’t change driver attitudes, fighting the government is pointless. We’re getting bike lanes TORN OUT right now, because it’s popular politics.
just to say where I’m coming form: I communte by bike, thankfully living somewhere drivers are relatively polite and bike friendly.
Riding into oncoming traffic isn’t going to convince any drivers you’re in the right. it’s just being stupid and unsafe. They want to raise awareness, I get it, and this driver is certainly a whiny, entitled brat. but what the cyclists are doing here is just reinforcing the driver’s poorly informed opinion that bikes are the problem.
The drivers are the ones pushing the government to not expand bike infrastructure. There are massive complaints anytime bike Lanes or other protection is installed in major cities and anytime it’s put up to a vote it’s the car drivers out there voting no
Seriously, like has that dude never heard of a NIMBY?
Drivers fight tooth and nail to prevent anything from being implemented if it means they incur even the most mild of inconvenience.
Those cyclists? Many are drivers. This is a community event that builds solidarity and changes driver attitudes by mobilizing them against the vehicular violence we are all currently subject to. A critical mass ride has hundreds or even thousands of participants. It changes the way THEY think about cars, bikes, traffic, and public safety.
You can do both
Idiots in cars, idiots on bikes. Hell yeah I’m pro bikes but setting a wheel on incoming lane? Yeaah… no thanks, I’m fine
In the bike party near me, we take over the traffic lane but not the oncoming lane.
Maybe that’s why bike party split off from critical mass
Where I live, critical mass is legal. Bikes can go on the street and we have a law that allows multiple vehicles that move as one to be treated like one vehicle.
Where is it legal to drive in the oncoming lane?
The organizers will inform the city that a critical mass protest is taking place, the city will inform the police and they will cordon off the route. If there are enough people talking part in the protest, the public order authorities will have no other choice - thus the name critical mass. The right to protest takes precedence over the right to drive this specific route.
that’s a different setup than the one OpenPassageways described.
Depends on where you are.
In most places you can certainly drive in the oncoming lane to overtake things in your own lane or avoid obstacles. You wouldn’t do it if something was coming the other way though, unless you really like the taste of airbag.
I obey the traffic laws. I’m apparently one of the only people in my town that has read them. I like riding my bike. I like my town. People Hollar at me from their cars. I get called “fag” every second day. For taking a bike ride.
Idk about the usa but here in europe its EXPLICITLY written into the drivers code that even if someone is driving illegaly if its in your power to stop an accident you have to. So if a person steps in front of you randomly and you have half a second to react thats usually not your fault BUT if you for example saw that there was a school bus dropping kids off and then you hit a child running across the road theres a large chance that theyre gonna charge you. Of course in europe you have to put like 30 hours into theory and then a lot of driving lessons to get a license while in the usa you basically get a drivers license instantly and nobody gives a fuck so thats why people dont know the rules…
To add, in the Netherlands, known for it’s stellar bike infrastructure it’s exactly with actions like this that they reclaimed their cities from being purely car oriented.
That’s also because bike usage is encoded in legislation.
If you hit a cyclist with a car you are almost always considered liable. It needs a lot of proof to prove that is the cyclists fault.
Guess what, that makes people very careful around bikes.
one could very well argue that it’s still your fault if you hit someone who unexpectedly jumps out, if you cannot stop in time for such a thing you are driving too fast.
It’s like sprinting right past a corner and then insisting it’s not your fault when you inevitably run into a person who walks out from behind the corner. You fucking slow down when approaching a place like that, then speed back up when you are not longer liable to hit people.
The US license comes with the fruit loops.
Whenever I’ve been on a Critical Mass ride, we’ve always had designated “corkers”, people whose job it was to block traffic with blockading/dancing/whatever while the others continued onward. Without people doing that, you run the risk of this sort of carbrained nonsense.
Something else that happened on mine was that as soon as we hear sirens, we drop the mass protest and prioritize making a path for emergency vehicles to get through.
“Dangerous to drivers”
Because you’re going to give yourself an aneurysm over a minor inconvenience? You’re in a giant suit of armor. You could hit every single one of those cyclists without sustaining even a scratch.
If the cyclists were actually dangerous to drivers, do you think the diver would be accelerating aggressively towards them?
“Everyone except me is crazy.”
The irony
Confused Portlander here. Why are these bikers fully clothed?
After last years was cancelled, I wasn’t sure if was happening this year. Apparently, a split in the org means there will be two this year.
I would expect Umbrella to sponsor zombie walks rather than this.
And ignoring a lot of traffic laws?
It’s a protest. Showing how dangerous the streets are to cyclists (and how many cyclists use the roads) is the message. A protest that challenges law and inconveniences people peacefully is how they garner attention (hopefully as a prelude to change and improvements).
So yeah, ignoring a lot of traffic laws.
Thank you. It was an honest question, downvotes are fuckin hilarious lol
I apologize as someone who fully thought you knew it was a protest and were just being a snarky ass opposed to their cause and sent you a down vote.
Never heard of the movement but as a cyclist the first thing i thought was no helmets, ignoring stop lights and riding outside the lane. Now that i know it’s a protest I guess i understand.
This is critical mass and each city does theirs a bit differently.
They are a form of protest but they’re usually done legally with the cooperation of police. The lead riders will stop at Red lights, but the mass of cyclists is treated as a single, long vehicle, and will continue through red intersections if the light was green when the front of the group went through. In my state at least, helmets are only required for children.
The official ride does not ride on the wrong side of the road, but there are usually some free spirits doing what they want.
They also have volunteer ride leaders, medics, and corkers who stand in front of cars trying to pass perpendicularly through the long bike “vehicle”.
It doesn’t matter if a protest is legal. The word you’re looking for is “non violent”
it’s only non-violent until someone in a car drives into it tho (good)
