Narrative Perspective: Critcial Mass

Critical Mass takes place on the last Friday of every month, and is active in most major cities. During a ride last month in Miami, a few riders were injured when a car briefly broke through into the crowd. Luckily nobody was killed, but the incident has awakened some new controversies about the concept of Critical Mass. Mass exists as a way to promote the use of other forms of transportation. More importantly, it is an effort to gain more respect and consideration for people who ride bicycles, whether it be for recreation or commutes for professional reasons. At the least, there are usually a couple hundred riders on the street during one mass event. They usually meet at the government center downtown, and ride on a preplanned route for around 15-20 miles. It goes without saying that critical mass holds up traffic, and drivers in cars often become aggressive, sometimes beeping furiously, and in the case of last month, attempting to cut through the bicycle traffic. Many argue that mass is especially dangerous in the case of medical emergencies. Imagine if you were rushing a very ill child to the emergency room, only to be met with a sea of bicycles. You would have no choice but to either wait, or risk hurting or even killing a bicyclist. The injuries sparked new criticism about the actual bicyclists themselves, and much of this criticism even came from other participators. Riders frequently weave in and out of lanes, cutting off other riders at dangerously close proximity. Many question how bicyclists are suppose to earn the respect and equal treatment they desire, when they do not follow traffic laws. They have also been known to become extremely aggressive to cars, becoming loud and threatening should anyone get too close. Critical Mass is still a very active movement. But it'd be interesting to see just how much has changed since it started. Are more people using bicycles in cities that are typically not "bike friendly"? Is the city starting to be more considerate of bicyclists, and/or are they becoming more understanding of the city's faulty public transit system. Are they recognizing a need for more bike lines? Only time will tell. But the mass rides continue every month, and
show no signs of slowing down.