Critical Manners- Bike Spring!

I bike, don't own a car and do so both because it's an environmentally and economically sound option- and I don't really enjoy the aggression of critical mass.
Although I think people should be encouraged to take public transportation within city limits.

I think CM is no longer a useful tool in raising awareness for cycling at a viable mode of transport. Hasn't been for many years. Moving beyond the monthly anarchy, setting an example (both in terms of manners and of using the bike as a mode of transport) and organizing that energy beyond the rides is key to the future of intelligent transportation planning.

I really want to see the dynamics of that.

If you stand on the sidewalk counting cars, it can seem like there is lots of traffic, but really only a dozen single-passenger cars went by.
The normal mass has bikes packed together, so a fleet of 50 bicycles goes by all together. Would following the 1-2 abreast rule make it stretch out and actually block auto traffic more? Yet at the same time, San Francisco is filled with double parked cars blocking the lane anyway.
I don't see that much aggression from most of the crowd at critical mass except for a few baffoons, but I don't like it when people don't stop for pedestrians, and it's also unacceptable when cyclists don't pay attention and run into another biker. Also, the route really needs to turn left or right every few blocks. The largest conflict I have seen, when someone got out of their car and broke someone's camera, was when they went the same way for 20 blocks. The car went ahead on a side street and the passenger jumped out and attacked a cyclist.

But I definitely have felt feel lots of angry amped-up, lookin' for a fight energy when i go...i've absolutely seen people get into dumb fights...and overreact...that shit isn't synonymous with anarchy, as far as i understand anarchy...so...what's it for?

This is a great creative and fun reaction to the craziness.

I hope it goes well.

I don't bike to fight. I bike to commute, and have a get some fresh air.

People in cars are not my enemy, I feel sorry for them and want them to have as much fun as we all have.

Count me in for Critical Manners and Waving Wednesdays.

Testosterone mass is so 1990s.

This sound really cool.
I was talking with a friend, and we agreed that we have never ever seen a conflict drivers, and especially nothing like the minivan-with-smashed window which was reported in the paper, unless the driver was actually aggressively riding into cyclists. I wish a videotape were available of that. The cyclists pass by thousands of cars without conflict.
Overaggressive cyclists usually express this with going too fast, shouting rude things, or entering a red light when cars are coming - which can make you feel uncomfortable.

I'm the founder of Critical Manners, and I actually started it about five months ago after tossing the idea around in my mind for four months. A friend of mine gave me the final push I needed to get the ball rolling (thanks G-man!). I know I'm gonna have a much bigger group at Critical Manners this month than ever before, and I am thinking hard about how to keep the ride fun & manageable, as well as free from confrontation.

Also, I have provided a link to our new group page. Since the ride was mentioned in the SF Chronicle, we've been kinda thrust into the light (not a full blown spotlight, but there is definitely increased awareness of the ride this month). I'd love to hear some of your ideas there.

I hope to see as many of you as possible this month at the ride. I'm really excited to see that the ride is finally taking off.