By now you've probably heard the news about last Friday's Los Angeles Critical Mass, now with cops!, and have read touching accounts of cyclist' new B.F.F.'s. If you haven't, you can get a feel for how the ride went by watching the video above, and reading Kumbaya, posted here on Saturday and Undiscovered Country posted at Bikeside.
While the stories of police and cyclists hanging out and bonding are great news, there's another story that so far hasn't been written. For one night, the fractured bicycling advocacy community put aside it's own internal divisions and rode as one. Uncertainty about how the LAPD would react to Critical Mass and wanting to show support not just for Critical Mass, but for any cyclists, be they in a group or riding on their own, to ride the street. I've never witnessed a ride featuring, amongst the literally hundreds or even thousands of riders, were board members for Bikeside, staff for the Bike Coalition, the most recognizable of the Midnight Ridazz and the writer of the LADOT Bike Blog.
Lost admit the bright lights, loud bikes and good times of the Critical Mass/LAPD ride was another story. L.A.'s bike community may disagree on tactics and the value of paint on the ground; but when it comes to cyclists' rights there is no disagreement. When it comes to our rights, we ride as one.
