Critical Mass: Social Change on Two Wheels

By Molly O'Donnell, WireTap. Posted December 1, 2004.

The average American drives about 12,000 miles and consumes around 800 gallons of gas each year. The Bureau of Transportation reports that there are 107 million U.S. households with an average of 1.9 cars, trucks or sport utility vehicles and 1.8 drivers. This equals 204 million vehicles and 191 million drivers. Of the 60,000 people surveyed by the Transportation Department, 91 percent commute to work using their own cars or trucks. These statistics translate into an alarming American dependence on foreign oil, an ever-weakening national economy, the impending threat of drilling in wildlife preserves and air pollution.

Enter one of the oldest means of getting from point A to B: the bicycle. Now, imagine not just one, but many of them. In fact, while you’re at it, imagine a whole “critical mass” of bicycles riding down the street at once, taking up as much space as a lane of cars. This is exactly what several bicyclists-turned-activists in San Francisco imagined over twelve years ago. And then they decided to make it happen. As Chris Carlsson, one of those original riders, puts it, the group simply wanted "to ride home together, displace cars from the streets, and alter the use of public space." Little did they know they would also be starting a global movement.

Today, Critical Mass has become a monthly phenomenon that takes place in over 300 cities worldwide. And whether or not it is merely another way to get home, or an active act of protest, depends on whom you speak to.

Participant Beth Wacks told WireTap that she feels that the need for Critical Mass events is "definitely more urgent now because of America's oil dependency and the war in Iraq," which she believes is in part "a manifestation of cars being given priority over people in our society." Speaking about America's dependence on automobiles, Wacks emphasized that, "people need to realize that the way we're living now isn't sustainable." Critical Mass is one positive way for activists to sound this alarm to drivers.

A grassroots effort that has no central leadership, a Critical Mass event consists of cyclists getting together, via word-of-mouth and fliering (and most recently Internet webrings, listservs and bike forums), to ride the city streets "home" together. While this doesn't sound like a typical radical protest, it's very effective at getting attention, although not always positive, and raising awareness. This is because cyclists in Critical Mass events also usually stop rush hour traffic for 5-20 minutes at a time. Riders often employ "corking" techniques (or using individual riders to block off intersections) to allow bikers – sometimes numbering in the thousands – through traffic.

Corkers will often hold up signs that read things like, "Honk if you love bicycles," but drivers are not always appeased. It is not unusual for a Critical Mass event to inspire violence and litigation. In fact, sometimes it sparks international controversy. Participants have been wrongfully arrested in San Francisco (in July of 1997) and Los Angeles (in August of 2000.) Another widely discussed occurrence of violence took place in the spring of 1993 when "a motorist attempted to drive through a pack of cyclists," injuring many riders and resulting in damage to the driver's car.

In August of 2004, the protest aspect of critical mass was brought to a new level when some 5,000 byciclists showed up to a Manhattan version of the event that served to kick off the week of marching and direct action in opposition to the RNC. A 45-block long brigade of cyclists, skaters and pedestrians, the ride lasted about 2 hours and culminated in a rally that caused as many as 250 arrests.

Molly O'Donnell is a Baltimore freelance writer who recently completed her MA in English. She works as an editor for academic journals and enjoys riding the NCR trail in Maryland.

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