SFist: Critical Mass Gets Uglier in Seattle

GefilteFish

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:19:52 -0800

I commute every day to work on my bike. I enjoy riding. I get pissed at stupid drivers constantly. Yet I also despise Critical Mass and refuse to join in. There's way too much entitlement and douchbaggery involved, which is ironic, since it's supposed to be a response to car-drivers' entitlement and douchbaggery.

aj

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:34:56 -0800

What a bunch of assholes. All of them.

troymccluresf

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:57:28 -0800

"There are motorists who feel entitled to run into and over bicyclists and pedestrians every day, whether or not Critical Mass is happening." does not jibe with "his own words" at all.

Jym

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:04:50 -0800

=v= Inversion of blame here. There are motorists who feel entitled to run into and over bicyclists and pedestrians every day, whether or not Critical Mass is happening. This particular motorist's attitude really shines through in his own words, but hey, the sfist would rather make yet another unfounded swipe at Critical Mass. Tell me, does sfist exist solely to make Gothamist look better by comparison?

travin

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:56:35 -0800

oops, that last whole bit is part of the quote...got my tags wrong.

travin

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:55:44 -0800

My favorite comment on thestranger website: When's the next Critical Mass rally? I'm thinking of riding along with a big sign that says "NOT ALL CYCLISTS ARE ASSHOLES, JUST THESE ONES". And the prize goes to (minus the threat at the end): “We’re not stopping traffic, WE ARE TRAFFIC!” -Seattle Critical Mass Flyer The problem(s) with your group is that you want car drivers to respect bikes and the traffic laws to keep you all safe while your group does just the opposite. You can’t have it both ways. I ride a bicycle, a motorcycle and drive a car and know that each has its own limitations built on the reality of the world. A bike messenger (for example) that jumps curbs, splits traffic, runs red lights and causes me on my motorcycle to avoid him or her, will not get my respect on the last Friday of each month while you ride in mass. Your group has a hair trigger built on hypocrisy (and I am guessing too much Red Bull) and bullshit and god help you all if I or my family should encounter your madness!

Belgand

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:53:02 -0800

I hate to pull this off of Wikipedia, but it was really the fastest, easiest way to get the quote I wanted: "'Although deliberately framed as if it were a law of nature or of mathematics, its purpose has always been rhetorical and pedagogical: I wanted folks who glibly compared someone else to Hitler or to Nazis to think a bit harder about the Holocaust,' Godwin has written"

withak

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:11:36 -0800

Godwin didn't say anything about a discussion being ending, he just said that every internet discussion will eventually involve one party comparing the other to Nazis or Nazism.

troymccluresf

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:20:50 -0800

bottombracket: If you drive your car into people, you should expect a negative reaction from them. And if you attempt to trap people, you should expect them to try to get away.

SFX

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:13:41 -0800

ironically, mike godwin is a bicycle commuter.

mattymatt

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:06:30 -0800

@what: Remove "douchebag" from your vocabulary and you might as well stop talking. It is as necessary as "and" and "the." http://radaronline.com/features/2008/07/origin_of_the_term_douchebag_analyis_01.php

bottombracket

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:48:24 -0800

If you drive your car into people, you should expect a negative reaction from them.

aj

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:34:50 -0800

SFBC has an event called Critical Manners, or at least did for a while. Tens of people show up for it.

Compur

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:22:38 -0800

Well, I think it IS better to ride a bike than to drive a car, assuming you have both options, but then why give up the good will by misbehaving?

grimmdude

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:16:16 -0800

Critical mass is pointless, just a way for bicyclists to express their undeserved sense of "I'm better because I ride a bike".

what

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:02:25 -0800

No, you need a termination condition for a Godwin's-Law-alike. i.e., the first person to X automatically loses the thread. Might I suggest that the first person to claim everyone's a douchebag loses the thread, thus ending this one in the original post.

Sivart13

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:36:30 -0800

Bike versus Car threads are the "Godwin's Law" of the blogger generation.

Compur

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:35:05 -0800

What exactly IS the point of Critical Mass? I've been a daily bike commuter for the last month or so, and I don't see how actively trying to engender road rage will have any positive effect on my rights as a bicyclist. Cars are scary enough without the drivers looking at me and thinking "there's one of those disruptive hippies."

Akit

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:09:08 -0800

We are known to be a bicycle friendly city (although there are still nutjobs who feel running red lights and stop signs and not wearing helmets (especially kids I see at Golden Gate Park) is absolutely OK), so why have Critical Mass in SF anymore?

what

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:57:47 -0800

I like Advocatory's idea.

RinconHillSF

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:36:28 -0800

This makes me think about what would happen if someone freaked out at Westfield Centre mall and hurt some of the kids who seem to like to stage "Fight Club" moments at the shopping mall. While the group of young men who began punching one of their own on the floor by the escalator near Borders on Friday night at Westfield Centre knew they were just horsing around and were oblivious to how others perceived the mock fight, I could see some high strung person feeling threatened and putting the hurt on somebody. Personally, I just grabbed my wallet to make sure the boys weren't setting up a distraction for another complicit person to pick pocket folks. Oh kids .... thinking everything is a joke and funny.

troymccluresf

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:32:42 -0800

One of these Fridays I'm gonna put on a leather jacket and tough jeans, stand at Church & Market, wait til the light turns green, and step off the curb. I figure I'll get a few bruises but hopefully I can take a few of these shitheaded douchebags down with me.

Angrybat

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:30:23 -0800

ALRIGHT!!! Bike vs. car thread! 50+ comments on the way!

withak

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:27:28 -0800

If Critical Mass really wanted to get their message across in a meaningful manner then they would break into groups of 10 or so cyclists and take different routes, obeying traffic laws as they go.

megang

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:23:34 -0800

Douching is actually not good for you. It totally disrupts the vagina's pH and gets rid of good bacteria. All it does is give you the illusion of cleanliness and screws up your body's homeostasis. Don't do it ladies, Baby Boomers or not!!!

Advocatory

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:15:10 -0800

Ironically, Critical Mass, has outgrown its usefulness -- which is a shame because it is still carries an important message. By publishing the route ahead of time they could solve a lot of the problems. That's what the Parisians do for Pari Roller (the more light-hearted French version of Critical Mass, but for rollerskates/blades). It works. The sheer number of people creates a strong impression.

manys

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:04:14 -0800

I'm a bike rider and I often chastise lame-o bicyclists through the window of my car. This does not make me a douchebag.

OrangeDrink

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:02:49 -0800

I feel the need to douche every time I read comments about critical mass.

KatyG

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:41:55 -0800

The driver's a douchebag for trying to get out of the way? Stupid, yes; but douche-y, no. And apropos of nothing, does anyone even know anyone who douches anymore? That's so my mom's generation...