I just heard Critical Mass ride past, and I was thrilled.
The legal adage "possession is nine-tenths of the law" illustrates part of my new-found enthusiasm for Critical Mass. As private cars become increasingly favoured,, even in this so-called transit-first city of San Francisco, I become irritated that the de facto ownership of the public right-of-way goes not to pedestrians nor to cyclists, nor even to public transit or cartage, but to private automobiles. San Francisco makes plodding efforts to build transit corridors, but continues to expand freeways, rebuild roads designed for cars, and shunt cyclists and pedestrians off to less-convenient and half-baked schemes for getting around. Probably the only advantage that a pedestrian or cyclist has in this city are its stairways, beautiful, and inaccessible to cars.
I first rode in a Critical Mass when I moved to Pittsburgh in 1995. The entire experience was forced and without vibrance. I tried again in the Bay Area, and was intimdated by the sheer volume of cyclists (and Venice-Beach-style freaks) who turn out at Justin Herman Plaza every Friday, and especially the last Friday of each month; I also rode a stilted Peninsula Critical Mass ride down El Camino, from San Francisco to San Mateo. That ride seemed more intent on flagrantly and illogically flouting traffic laws. For years afterwards, I shrugged and told myself that I ride in Critical Mass every day, when I am on the streets and using (asserting?) my rights as a cyclist. Lately I have realised that cyclists must forcefully assert the right to be on the streets, to take the lane, to refuse intimidation either by private motorists or by poor civic planning.
Civic planning: SPUR has been calling for system-wide reform for thirty years. At this point, I doubt that their message gets across to the hopelessly foundering Board of Supervisors.
The San Francisco Charter includes such lush and promising language as:
2. Public transit, including taxis and vanpools, is an economically and environmentally sound alternative to transportation by individual automobiles. Within San Francisco, travel by public transit, by bicycle and on foot must be an attractive alternative to travel by private automobile.3. Decisions regarding the use of limited public street and sidewalk space shall encourage the use of public rights of way by pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transit, and shall strive to reduce traffic and improve public health and safety.
4. Transit priority improvements, such as designated transit lanes and streets and improved signalization, shall be made to expedite the movement of public transit vehicles (including taxis and vanpools) and to improve pedestrian safety.
Now I am again excited about Critical Mass: it is joyful and over-the-top, and reminds cyclists and non-cyclists alike that we need to share the roads. For autos, every day is their Critical Mass.