Critical Manners (much like Topeka’s rides)

Reprinted from SFGate

A bunch of bike riders pedaled through San Francisco on Friday night, and nobody got mad at anybody.

The cyclists were polite. The motorists were respectful. The pedestrians were happy. The cops were incredulous.

And it all comes, said ride organizer Reama Dagasan, from stopping at red lights, which is not at all a bad thing to do.

“We’re making a statement tonight,” she said. “We believe in sharing and being nice.”

Dagasan is the founder of Critical Manners, which is her response to the controversial Critical Mass ride that features hundreds of cyclists riding as a pack through San Francisco on the last Friday night of the month. At the last Critical Mass, there were several confrontations with motorists, including one that ended with someone smashing the back window of a minivan.

There was none of that for the Critical Manners ride. That’s because Dagasan put her foot down. She put her foot down at Grove, McAllister, Turk, Sutter, Bush and California streets, and that was just during the first half mile. A law-abiding bike rider puts her foot down a lot.

The ride departed at 6 p.m. from Civic Center, after a brief refresher course.

“Let’s review our signals!” Dagasan hollered to the group. “Right turn, arm up! Left turn, arm straight out! Now put your helmets on! And be polite!”

Sgt. Ed Callejas, one of four cops assigned to escort the chivalrous cyclists, double-checked with Dagasan about the good-manners angle. Like any good cop, he was just a bit skeptical of human nature.

“You’re really going to follow all the rules?” he asked.

“Yes sir,” she replied. “You’ve never seen a bigger bunch of nerds in your life.”

There were exactly 16 cyclists on the ride, which is a lot less than the 500 or so that Critical Mass usually gets. On the other hand, Dagasan said cheerily, it’s a lot more than the four riders she got last time.

The pack rode single file in the Polk Street bike lane, stopping at every light and stop sign. It made for a slow trip, and it took about 20 minutes to get to Fisherman’s Wharf. On the other hand, it was faster than a Muni bus, which trailed the procession and never did catch up.

“Nothing wrong with stopping for red lights,” Laura Mendoza said. “Not if you like staying alive.”

Greg Rodgers said he was riding to “reduce the level of antagonism between bicycles and cars.” Geoff Schneider said he was riding because he was “sick of all the yelling” during Critical Mass. And Toni Truong said she was “trying to let motorists know that not all cyclists are belligerent.”

At Beach Street, everyone stuck his or her left hand skyward before turning right, to the amazement of one Yellow cabdriver who yelled “Way to go!” out his window.

After cruising through the Wharf and along the Embarcadero, the pack crossed Justin Herman Plaza — after dismounting and walking among the pedestrians. Callejas was there, too, and he made a command decision.

“I don’t think you need us,” he said, and he radioed to his lieutenant that he was calling off the escort. Even after the cops went away, the cyclists kept stopping at the red lights. Market Street being Market Street, there was no shortage of red lights to stop at.

“I like red lights,” said Gred Anlandtbom. “Gives you a chance to stop and talk and look around. You know, there’s nothing really wrong with red lights.”

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/04/14/MNGB6P8R1U1.DTL#ixzz0NzoEjjPF

First Friday Art Walk / Bike Tour

Join CRITICAL MASS for a fun monthly ride that tours some of the local art openings in Topeka. It’s way more fun on a bike!

Meet at the Boobie Trap Bar parking lot at 6th and Washburn at 6pm, and we’ll decide a route from there.

Check it out on Facebook

Ride Tonight!

And every Friday from here on out – if there’s not an event on Facebook, that doesn’t mean there’s not a ride.  Let’s make it a habit.  See you tonight!

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=220630500236

Overturn the Bicycle Study Veto

On Tuesday, July 7th, the Topeka City Council voted 5-3 to approve $15,000 to provide the city’s part of a $75,000 expenditure to hire a consultant to create a citywide biking master plan. The mayor then vetoed the expenditure calling the expenditure “unnecessary.” To override the veto requires 6 votes and seems unlikely as the only council member absent, John Alcala, indicated he was against the measure, saying the expenditure was not budgeted and that it would be irresponsible to approve the expense.

Let’s look at some of the facts: Topeka’s Heartland Visioning plan calls for the development of bike paths and trails in Topeka — so, support of Topekans is well-established. The major says he supports the Visioning process, but argues that the city personnel can do the study. Ok, Mr. Mayor, please tell us who on the staff is going to do it! Who has the extra time to take on one more task? Name the person who has the expertise, and can do a comprehensive study in 3 to 4 months (that’s how much staff time you can buy for $15,000)? We will stand by to hear the name and when they plan to complete the study. I believe this is a political cop-out. You’re saying, “I support the idea, but not enough to really make sure it gets done.”

2) Topeka need a comprehensive plan. Too often this community takes a piecemeal approach. A little here and a little there. Suddenly we look around and we wonder how we got where we are.

3) The actual creation of bike lanes and comprehensive commuter biking network can be funded in many instances quite inexpensively, sometimes by restriping streets. The 1/2 cent sales tax cannot be used to build bike trails. Ordinance 19257 states the sales tax is ” for the purpose of paying the costs of certain improvements within the city exclusively for costs of maintenance and improvements of existing city streets, gutters, curbs, sidewalks, alleys and street lighting…” So do not worry about spending the sales tax money on this cause. We still need to find the funds, but not from this source.

4) The matching funds will not be there next time. The mayor is giving up $60,000 of federal funds. And don’t think that we are doing the taxpayers a favor! This money is going to be spent. Maybe Wichita, Manhattan, Lawrence, or some city in Colorado will benefit from our short-sightedness. Next time we will have to come up with the whole $75,000. We can probably float some bonds.

What to do? There are 30 days to override this veto. We need to let our council members know that we disagree with the veto and that we want the study to be funded. Those that are currently not in favor, Jack Woelfel, Bob Archer, Richard Harmon, and Art Alcala need to hear from you. If you know them, or are in there district please talk to them and let them know how you feel.

 

Ralph Krumins

Car-free, for a month, in Topeka? Brave Soul!

Joe at the Southwest YMCA has decided to go car-free for a month, to get a better idea of traveling by bike in Topeka.  It’s an awesome effort – and he’s blogging the whole thing!

He includes great updates as he learns the ways of commuting:

Yesterday I came home from work and had to turn around and go to our church’s music practice and my wife said, “Hey aren’t you going to change into some shorts?” I said, “No, actually it worked great riding in these jeans today!” Famous last words. At about 37th and Gage I discovered why the Mormon missionary I saw on his bike the other day had the right leg of his long pants tucked into his sock. So anyway, jeans and bikes without the chain guard can make for an interesting fashion statement. (That’s how I played it off at church last night; they weren’t buying it.)

He’s also looking up the actual rules and regulations on cycling in this city – which is turning out to be a fascinating resource for me!

My wife had to make a rescue run Thursday night. I rode from my house to Fairlawn Heights Wesleyan Church (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2969038) for worship team practice at 7:00 P.M, and as practice started to go a little long I would check out the window periodically and see it just get darker and darker. At 8:30 I thought I could make it. At 8:45, I still had hope. But at 9:15 I had to call for help. “Laura, can you drive the truck here and pick me up?” This got me to thinking about doing a little night riding. What kinds of gear would I need for my bike? What do the laws say about riding a bike at night? Is riding at night even crazier than riding on a busy street in Topeka during rush hour? Well, I did come across some laws for what you need for riding at night. Here they are:

8-1592

Chapter 8.–AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES Article 15.–UNIFORM ACT REGULATING TRAFFIC; RULES OF THE ROAD 8-1592…..

So, seriously, check out his blog on CJOnline.com.  Definitely worth a read.

Ride Tonight!

6pm, 6th and Washburn – see you there!

Bike ride shows cyclists belong on the street, too

From the Omaha World-Herald. Sounds like their ride is much like ours!

Mention the cycling event “Critical Mass,” and it may bring to mind images of hundreds of bicyclists fouling up automobile traffic in Seattle or San Francisco. But Friday afternoon in Omaha, “Critical Mass” involved five guys — six if you include the reporter assigned to cover it — enjoying a pleasant, half-hour bike ride through north and downtown Omaha.

“Critical Mass” is a mass bicycle ride held on the last Friday of the month in hundreds of cities worldwide. Typically two to four times as many Omaha cyclists take part in the monthly local event, regulars said. But turnout suffered on a weekend dominated by a concert in Memorial Park, the Omaha Summer Arts Festival and high temperatures approaching 90 degrees.

“It’s hard riding alone,” said Tyler Magnuson, 20, of Omaha. “Cars can be very violent towards bikers … It’s very empowering to be in a group of people.”

Often such events are attempts to call attention to how unfriendly some cities can be to bicyclists. And while some of the Omaha riders said they were interested in raising awareness of two-wheeled traffic, most of Friday’s participants said their primary interest was getting together for a bike ride.
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“I don’t consider it a political activity,” Magnuson said. “It’s just something you do.”

Riders described “Critical Mass” as typically leaderless and informal. The unorganized nature and lack of a formal political agenda keeps riders from having to notify police of a political gathering, particularly in foreign countries not under the protection of the First Amendment.

The bicyclists assembled in Gifford Park, just south of 33rd and California Streets. Things were supposed to kick off at 5 p.m., but the riders chatted while waiting for stragglers.

There was no pre-planned route. There never is. Someone suggested they ride downtown to the Summer Arts Festival and the Old Market, and no one argued. The group pulled onto 33rd Street and peddled north. The small band of cyclists took up the whole northbound lane.

The group hung a right onto Burt Street and sped past the district headquarters of the Omaha Public Schools, where participants waved and said hello to a young man riding a bicycle in the opposite direction. Riders described a community among cyclists, sharing the common experience of being shouted at or treated rudely by motorists.

They went north on 24th Street to Nicholas Street and then east, still occupying the eastbound lane. Behind them, a line of vehicles stacked up. One by one, the drivers of cars and trucks gunned their engines and sped past them as the opportunities arose, but no vulgarities were shouted, soda cans thrown or middle fingers extended, which, they said, is not always the case.

A couple of months ago on North 72nd Street, a motorist zipped up from behind and bumped one of the “Critical Mass” cyclists, knocking him to the ground. He was uninjured, but the bike was wrecked. The police were called and the matter settled when the motorist paid for a new bike.

On Friday evening, the group rolled south, first on 14th Street then 10th. Near Dodge Street, a line of cars got caught behind them, but again, no gestures or shouts. The ride ended near 11th and Farnam Streets. Some cyclists stayed for the Arts Festival; others continued to ride alone.

This “Critical Mass” was the first for Stephen Horn, 69, of Blair, and probably his last. He enjoyed the ride but would rather not put himself in a position where he has to depend on the good sense of drivers. He prefers bike trails.

“I don’t like putting my life in someone else’s hands,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of crazy people driving cars, frankly.”

Contact the writer:

444-3106, andrew.nelson@owh.com

Ride tonight!

Join us at 6pm at 6th and Washburn!

Critical Mass Memorial Ride

Tomorrow night Critical Mass will be having a special ride, in commemoration of two area cyclists who died in cycling accidents in the past week.

On Friday, June 12, Lawrence resident and former KU athletic director Bob Frederick died as a result of injuries sustained in a cycling accident. Frederick was an experienced cyclist, and was riding in Lawrence when he struck a pothole and was thrown from his bike. He was taken by helicopter to the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, where he later died. Frederick was 69.

The following day, Saturday, June 13, Michael Ebron, 48, of Topeka, was riding on US Highway 24 in North Topeka, near NW Goodyear road when he was struck from behind by a motorist in a Toyota 4-Runner. Emergency responders pronounced Ebron dead at the scene.

As often as we ride, it’s easy to forget that there are very real dangers on the road, and that we must continue to be always mindful of our surroundings. The purpose of Critical Mass is to raise awareness among motorists of the presence of cyclists, and to remind them to share the road with all its users, not just other motorists. Mr. Ebron’s death is an example of why what we do is important, and should strengthen our resolve to educate motorists in Topeka and elsewhere.

During our ride tomorrow night, we will be placing a ghost bike at the corner of US Highway 24 and NW Goodyear Road, in memory of Mr. Ebron. For those who aren’t familiar, a ghost bike is an all white bike, installed at the site of a cycling fatality as a memorial to the cyclist who lost his or her life, and as a visible reminder to motorists to share the road. For more information, refer to ghostbikes.org.

Bob Frederick
1940 -  2009

Michael Anthony Ebron
1961 -  2009

Yes, we’re riding tonight!

Same time, same place. See you there!

(6pm, 6th and Washburn)

Cowboy Indian Bear is playing at the Boobie Trap tonight – it will be worth checking out.