Critical Mass
Streetsblog LA
The “New” Critical Mass: Evolving, Not Dying
When I rolled up to Wilshire and Western at 7:00 P.M. last Friday, there were already close to 750 cyclists present, everyone was in a good mood, and there was still a half hour before the ride was even supposed to start. Ridecards were being handed out urging cyclists to follow the rules of the road and work with the police. People were laughing and talking. The LAPD was present throughout the crowd but they were in a much more relaxed mood than when I rode the Mass last June. Seargent David Krumer even cracked a joke that I should read the Internet more often after I mock asked Roadblock "Is this where the bicycle event starts?"
September 27, 2010
Group Rides and the LAPD, Still Working It Out
While the relationship between the Los Angeles Police Department and large group bike rides, such as Critical Mass or CRANK Mob, have improved by leaps and bounds over the summer; reactions to last Saturday's CRANK Mob ride, aka CRANKMAS III, shows there is still some work to do.
September 21, 2010
Tonight’s Coverage of Critical Mass Brought to You By…
Not that I'm going to complain about NBC's coverage of bicycling issues, in addition to three stories about Critical Mass they're also the only station to have covered Sharrows; but couldn't we have given the car advertisements a rest for one story?
June 28, 2010
We Rode As One
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.
June 27, 2010
Kumbaya
There will be full coverage of the ride Monday morning, but I'm happy to report that the first "LAPD sponsored" Critical Mass ride was an overwhelming success. Not only did the LAPD escort the ride safely through the city, but riders and the police had a fun night joking back and forth as the bike cops, motorcycle cops and even the LAPD film crew in a four-wheel all terrain vehicle zipped through Koreatown, Mid-Wilshire, Fairfax, West Hollywood, Hollywood, and East Hollywood. As we zipped up Fairfax Avenue towards the Grove and Pan-Pacific Park, one officer even laughed that he was having so much fun that he might do this every Friday.
June 26, 2010
Critical Mass, Parody, and the Responsibilities of the LAPD
Responding to the poster put out last week by the LAPD inviting themselves to Critical Mass, at least one rider wasn't impressed. Rider Plebis Power, roughly translated to Power of the People, posted a poster at Biking in L.A. that both lampooned the LAPD's flyer and made the point that the bad relationship between the LAPD and the cycling community is hardly just the fault of cyclists. Where the LAPD creates a list of infractions that will earn cyclists a ticket tomorrow; Power writes a list of "incidents" caused by the LAPD at "recent group rides."
June 24, 2010
What to Expect at Friday’s Critical Mass
Critical Mass has gone mainstream. Following last month's "Critical Mass Attack," where an officer was caught on tape kicking at cyclists' bikes before the cameraman was tackled to the ground, it seems you can't go anywhere without reading or discussing Critical Mass. There have been press conference's, lawsuits, and even a promise that the LAPD will ride with Critical Mass in the future.
June 23, 2010
Newest Group of Ridazz: The LAPD
Traditionally, small groups of bike riders from around the city gather together on the fourth Friday of the month and head to the Wilshire/Western Red Line Station to gather for Los Angeles Critical Mass. This month, following what Streetsblog is calling the "Critical Mass Attack," a new group of riders will be joining the mass: the LAPD.
June 16, 2010
Mayor Villaraigosa Calls Critical Mass Attack “Disturbing”
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa responded to an open letter from the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition concerning the incident from May's Critical Mass ride where the LAPD was caught on tape kicking at cyclists and attacking a different rider recording the incident. Instead of his press office, Villaraigosa uses the LACBC's blog to make his official statement on the attack, video and the LAPD's follow-up.
June 8, 2010
Cyclist Who Filmed Critical Mass Attack Files Claim Against LAPD
Friday afternoon at the Petroleum Building in Downtown Los
Angeles, Manuel Gallegos and his attorney Hermez Moreno announced the filing of
a legal claim against the City of Los Angeles and the LAPD for assault,
battery, false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and
intentional affliction of emotional distress. The full press release is available at the end of the article
June 4, 2010