Critical Mass Panic

Will you join the Ghost Rider tonight? Wear white on you bike and body APRIL 30th, 2010 7PM Union Square North

How many more cops will learn to lie? How many more tax dollars will we kiss goodbye? How many more cyclists and pedestrians need to die?

Mr. Conners (Prosecutor) Q: How many times have you viewed this video ? Mr. Pogan (Defendant) A: Too many times. Last Tuesday, April 20th, the NYPD deftly executed a humiliating blow to the good reputation of an anti-authoritarian, veteran, pot-smoking, deadly-driver but merely-reckless cyclist in the guise of a "criminal" trial against the doe-eyed Patrick Pogan. This case has had wide coverage in the media due to sensational aspects of the case and the above-mentioned, apparently not-so-damning video footage. What most reportage is missing is the clear case the defense has made that a larger conspiracy against the NYPD is being played out. The proof of anarchist-infiltrations of Critical Mass has at last been laid bare by the vocal maneuvering of slick, archetypical lawyer for former-officer Patrick Pogan, Mr. Stuart London. A quick aside: As a human being, I occasionally suffer bouts of empathy and compassion. Just as all who view the video of the inertial-halting-vector-...

I've been struggling lately to keep up with a weekly posting to this blog. I am still feeling this blog out, and just as my patience in waiting for the subway or politicians to change my life is short, so too is my attention span. And time keeps moving forward! Damn! The mass is about diversity, spontaneity, and creativity. There are so many individuals and groups making plans for exciting rides every day. We just need to have a central and objective place to connect these rides. The only thing that prevents the normalization of mass bicycle traffic is the that we do not do it enough. Twitter may be a good tool for this, but there are many others. A diversity of tactics to connect and maintain that which is most important: community.

I've been struggling lately to keep up with a weekly posting to this blog. I am still feeling this out, and just as my patience is short when waiting for the subway to move me around or for politicians to change my life, so too is my attention span. And time keeps moving forward! Damn! Almost everyday my irrational obsession with Critical Mass is challenged by my friends, by the authorities, by the haters, and by common sense. One blogger recently put the question "Has Critical Mass run its course?" to his readers. The responses provide many good answers to the question, and I would encourage you to check it out. Of course, pinning down a the purpose of an amorphous, non-hierarchical movement is tough to do. Every participant is in it for her or his own reasons. To me, at its most basic, CM is a celebration of non-polluting transport and community. At its best the Mass creates a space for diversity, spontaneity, creativity and fun that many folks rarely enjoy in this ...

A brief note on how I like to make my own contribution to the human language. In promoting some rides, I have started to refer to Friday as fRideay, which is basically pronounced the same but implies that it is a day to ride (massively if possible), in addition to being a day of the week. Just wanted to let you all know. Now that this has been posted on the internet I presume it is official. Now while last month's Critical Mass Walk seemed to bother some of the NYPD officers assigned to "safely escort" the "ride," this fRideay night, instead of encouraging cyclists to ride, they are actively discouraging it. In yet another attempt to ride smoothly through the new "pedestrian paradise" on Broadway, where the night is lit like day around Times Square, I was strongly encouraged (ordered?) to dismount my bicycle through the red painted pedestrian area. Now, I support pedestrian only areas. But can someone please explain to me how a cyclist may safely remai...

Wet and cloudy skies earlier in the day dried up just enough to allow a gorgeous sunset around 7pm last Friday. Though the damp day had been replaced by a cool evening, dozens of bicycle riders and other free-wheeling types gathered at Union Square North. Approximately 30 people with bikes socialized for approximately 45 minutes in the approximate center of the approximately public space. The "Guardians of Safety," a.k.a. the NYPD, smartly positioned themselves around the un-licensed street-users who were a mere 20 people short of being illegally lacking a parade permit. Their brassy finery sparkling in the urban dusk like so many stars in the pre-industrial twilight-skies, top cops huddled between SUVs and motor-scooters creating a formidable mass of metal and flesh on the northwest corner. To the southwest, a less-dazzlingly attired half-dozen scooter patrol-men lounged around. Though looking bored and perhaps a bit cold, these, the most-mobile of police man/vehicle hybrids...

Bike bells ring, will you slow down, I'll speed up, together we make the streets bloom Riding through the winter months, one can easily forget how densely populated New York City is. With the onset of summer-like conditions last week the streets of Brooklyn were suddenly and utterly filled with happy people on bicycles. Roving masses of 5 or 6 riders occurred intentionally and not. It is going to be a beautiful spring and summer. Ride safe!

Two riders chatting in the heavily-misted Grand Army Plaza failed to attract the attention of the two other bicyclists who happened to pass through around 7pm. Police tripled their vehicle presence from last month, with two unmarked cars and a van. The apparent lack of interest led one rider to depart. The other made a phone call, then proceeded to make his way out to the street. The driver of an undercover vehicle asked the rider if anyone else was going to show up. The rider answered in the negative, and then invited the officers to escort him down Flatbush Avenue. Though the banter between the lone wet cyclist and the three or four officers packed into the sedan was cordial, the NYPD declined the opportunity to fulfill its duty to police Critical Mass to the fullest extent of the law, and beyond. I'd really like to know if there is any standard police protocol for how many cyclists constitute a Critical Mass. As we saw last month, four cyclists constituted a "Critical Mass...

A recent memoir by a police officer in Minnesota who did undercover surveillance of civilians planning protests the 2008 RNC. His book is full of juicy facts, and this lovely excerpt on Critical Mass is a highlight: We met at Loring Park, straddling bikes scrounged from the police bicycle impound garage. Like the ugly, rheumy-eyed dog from the pound that nobody wanted, these were unclaimed bikes that would be auctioned off or given away. They were not in terrible shape, but neither were they modern, well cared for, or tuned up. A bike aficionado from our department lubed up the gears and checked the brakes. He probably saved our lives. After some encouraging words from Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan, we sat off on the streets of downtown Minneapolis with the Minneapolis Bike Cops as escorts. The beautiful late-August day was warm and sunny. Five hundred riders filled both lanes of traffic for about five or six city blocks. The bike cops made sure that cars sharin...

Friday's "!st fR!deay" was immensely successful! Thank you to all who came out and made the streets a little more fun and kind. A few auto-automatons called riders harmless names, while a few used their motor-boxes to threaten fellow road users in a not-so-harmless way. Other than this, the reception on the streets from the car-free street-users was warm and friendly, especially thanks to the radio transmitter that kept the funky tunes flowing from several radios that riders strapped on to their bikes. "Tune your radio to 106.3!" became the ride's rallying cry. !st fR!deay did, however, experience a bit of token police harassment. While traveling with traffic eastward through the Chelsea district, riders were joined by a lone NYPD Interceptor vehicle. At ninth avenue, the group stopped at a red light. The physically-separated bicycle lane running down the avenue creates a marked bike-box beyond the pedestrian crosswalk. Most of the riders stopp...

The review of documentary photographs and video is conclusive. In a city that boasts at least 15,000 bicycle commuters , the freely (dis)organized event known as "Critical Mass" consisted of 3 cyclists this past Friday. Admittedly, the commuter statistic is derived from fair-weather riders between the months of April and October, but one would think that with this kind of population density, you could get at least 5 people to commute together on bicycles even in the dead of winter. They can do it in Anchorage Alaska . I don't know if the kids are turning this particular phrase anymore these days, but c'mon NYC, that is some weak sauce. This is lamer than an Obama presidency. In fact, "Critical Mass" proved last week that it is easier to get people engaged in inane task of throwing snowballs at a monument, than to ride a bike this time year. This photo does not show it, but several passers-by, including a little girl, joined in coating this rock-hard tower i...

Well massive it was not, with 3 riders. 47 short of needing a permit. Weather followed the same pattern as it has the last 8 months, a very menacing forecast followed by a downright pleasant evening, slushy streets excepted. Cool but clear, the snow let up but participants stayed away. Maybe the permit ruling scared them off. NYPD have totally taken over this community party, with a strong prescense including 2 unmarked sedans (1 officer each), 1 unmarked minivan (2 officers), 1 unmarked SUV (2+ officers), 6 patrol cars (1-2 officers each) and 1 interceptor (1, duh). I guess the scooter brigade was also intimidated by the weather. 4-6 uniformed and less-than-uniformed (not naked, but sporting a NYPD beanies or ski-masks) milled about. So that is 11 vehicles and minimun 17 officers mobilized. Riders and an accompanying documenting party took photos and video of the scene (coming soon!), and had some discussion with the cops. As usual a few classic verbal police maneuvers were put into f...

I had a new experience yesterday which has opened my eyes to some of the reality of transportation in NYC. I was traveling in a rental van from the Flatiron district to Bed-Stuy, then Park Slope, to move some furniture and plants. I'll add that I was responsible for making sure that the semi-precious cargo which was only semi-secured did not get completely ruined, a task that involved a bit of physical strain and some mental stress as well. The main feeling was an urgency for the task to be over. Now I am no stranger to stress; I typically embrace a physical challenge and pride myself on my patience. This attitude might be both the cause and effect of urban bicycle commuting. But let me tell you: it is no preparation for the nightmare which is New York Rush Hour on four motor-driven wheels. It sucks so hard! You can't move very fast. You can't avoid the potholes. You have difficulty changing lanes, or turning. The streets are locked down! It took us over two hours of drivin...

If you are reading this blog, you probably have already been made aware of the recent judicial ruling regarding the parade regulation created by the NYPD in their attempts to control Critical Mass in New York City since 2004. The plaintiffs of the case also attempt to call foul on the police's alleged profiling and selective enforcement activities against suspected Critical Mass participants. Here is a round-up of some of the media coverage. Be sure to check out the numerous and contentious comments which accompany these: 5BBC , Streetsblog , Gothamist , NY Times , Bike Snob NYC , Bike Blog NYC Here's a taste of some of the testimony given by police officers at the Federal Courthouse last May, through the eyes of a court-room sketch-artist: "Chief Tuller believes that cyclists must ride about 3 feet from parked cars, but can't recall why he believes that!" "Deputy Inspector DeQuatro believes the NYPD is protecting the free speech of cyclists and keeping ped...

Four cyclists came out to Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn on the second Friday of February. None of the several cyclists passing by could be recruited for the ride. The four riders were a pproached by the lone NYPD SUV on the scene, containing four officers, which had arrived shortly after 7pm. A cordial conversation ensued with Deputy Inspector John A. Argenziano of the 78th precinct who is typically assigned to be at that location at that time. One rider remarked upon the dramatically-reduced police presence. The inspector proceeded to gesture to his oak leaf pin and explain how his rank meant he could easily summon many more police forces if need be. The four riders agreed that to be a fact. He asked where the ride was going, and the consensus was that the ride would go around the main loop of Prospect Park. Apparently eager to safely escort the ride, the inspector asked if the ride would be proceeding at that moment. A negative reply was given, and the riders waited a few more minute...

two wheels cut paths slow submission to quiet cold bright joyful streets

Perhaps it is an addictive personality that drives a bicyclist to ride on days with terrible weather. Meteorological chaos disrupts the overly-oiled machine of that is New York City's motor infrastructure. The snow on the streets at the massive quantities seen recently changes the whole game of riding. A sinking feeling as the swiftly falling flurries become the sediment upon which your wheel rests and spins when you give the pedal the usual push, yet traction is evasive in the front as well you soon discover through the reduced visibility in the street that now leaves both wheels flopping about like so many fish-tales, swimming through the new medium. Everyone who is not in a car has a smile as the small challenges presented to bi-pedal mobility are off-set by the beauty and the playful feelings surrounding all the potential snowballs in a softer world.

Due to the overwhelming demand of my one know follower I feel compelled to post immediately. I am starting to obtain a sliver of understanding of "Web 2.0". Perhaps it is a virtual critical mass: once enough people demand action, it occurs! Clearly my personal threshold for this is quite low. Usually I don't call it massive until I have to count on more than one hand. This image is from a Brooklyn Critical Mass several months ago. A massive gathering of hearty cyclists, to be sure, but really drops in the bucket compared to the raw tonnage of NYPD vehicles, flesh-filled uniforms and greenhouse-gas emissions! Don't forget to pay your taxes in the coming months, lest we lose the ability to keep our courteous public servants available to keep us safe! I'll wax poetic on blizzard biking soon, cuz it is just the best. Hope you had some fun in the snow yesterday too. Ride Safe!

How quickly I abandon any rhyme or reason to the order of posting for the pure and simple purpose of getting the feeling of producing something. This picture shows Lt. Dan Albano of NYPD legal. Rumor has it that he's staked his reputation on stopping Critical Mass. He may or may not be responsible for determining how the police on the streets can exploit the ambiguity of laws to curb cyclists 1st amendment rights on certain Fridays. With him on the scooter is a mustachioed officer who can frequently be seen leading the "scooter brigade" on their VERY SAFE following and ticketing of Critical Mass participants. The motors in the scooters assure that they can attain SAFE speeds. Admittedly, in general this particular officer is pretty mellow and accomodating. I even once saw him attempt to influence a private auto vehicle to make way for vulnerable cyclists when the road conditions made it dangerous for them to proceed! Many more pics from this Mass last summer, but those wi...