David Delgado//The Daily Cougar
I was making my way outside of Rockefeller Hall when I noticed a couple of beautifully decorated bicycles making their way down Washington Avenue. They were neon colors, all lit up with Christmas lights.
I stared at them as they zoomed past, and quickly tapped my friend’s shoulder, telling him “Look! Aren’t those bicycles so cool?”
A police officer standing a few feet away from me audibly sighed. I looked over at him, and he rolled his eyes, chuckled and let out a string of expletives.
“I hate those guys,” he told me. “They make a huge mess.”
At the time, I thought this police officer might’ve been simply been referring to those specific bicyclists, who perhaps routinely cycled around this part of town. But upon further inspection, I realized he was referring to the much larger group that those bicyclists were a part of: Critical Mass.
The Twitter account for Critical Mass states their purpose simply enough: it’s just a group of bike riders who participate in “a bicycling event held on the last Friday of every month.”
About 1,500 Houstonians are part of Critical Mass, which congregates around Market Square Park once every month. They then ride through a route — which is different each month and is always kept a tight secret — throughout Houston’s inner city.
Though this sounds like a wonderful way to keep Houston an interesting and lively city, Critical Mass hardly attracts positive attention from anyone that witnesses their bike rides.
Jackson Myers from Houstonia Magazine reports that complaints about these riders can range from a variety of things; from their rude attitudes towards motorists to even petty law breaking, Critical Mass is often a pain to everyone who happens to cross their paths.
With hundreds of bicyclists trying to make their way around town through impromptu routes, they inevitably cause every Houstonian’s worst nightmare: traffic.
Critical Mass’s use of a technique called “corking” is often to blame for the traffic jams that can occur throughout any given route that they go through. Myers explains that corking is simply when a technique wherein a few lead cyclists hop off their bikes and halt oncoming cars at traffic lights.”
Corking can often cause traffic jams that last from ten minutes to half an hour — which is probably why many Houstonians have renamed Critical Mass’s group “Massholes.”
As of late, Critical Mass has begun to get the help of HPD to ease their routes and create a safer, more controlled environment.
“Four officers in two police cars help riders through intersections, with officers driving ahead and behind to clear the path,” reports the Houston Chronicle’s Heather Alexander.
However, it should be noted that the officers helping direct the traffic for Critical Mass are often taken away from their regular police duties.
To top it all off, the total bill for escorting these bicyclists can often add up to be several hundred dollars, of which Critical Mass is paying zero.
HPD has begun to question whether Critical Mass should be held liable for these costs.
Critical Mass spokesman Hector Garcia voiced his disapproval of this possibility in the Houston Chronicle.
“We do pay our taxes also,” he said. “Is it too much to ask that the city continue to do this?”
Of course, what Garcia and several other Critical Massers fail to understand is that their event is often more of a hassle than a pleasure to the entire population of Houston. It’s selfish that they believe that their impromptu bike ride doesn’t come at a price, when it most certainly does.
I’m not against Critical Mass, and I’m certainly not against Houstonians having fun. I’ve always loved events that defined a city — from Cars and Coffee to Lights in the Heights, there are a variety of events in Houston that can be fun for many as long as they are closely regulated.
I also love the idea behind Critical Mass. Their desire to bring light to the problems that many bike riders face around Houston, from street harassment to bad road conditions, is very much underrated. More than 23 cyclists have died in Houston in the past five years due to the lack of safe trails available for bicyclists.
But this is not the way to go about asking for change. If you’re going to annoy the heck out of an entire town, do you really think they will ever do something in your favor? Critical Massers need to understand that nothing good ever comes from annoying every single person they cross paths with.
So help us help you, Critical Mass. Stop it with the childish behavior.
Opinion columnist Carolina Treviño is an advertising freshman and may be reached at [email protected]
Mee-owww!
Ride seemed just right tonight and the police did a great job keeping riders out if trouble. Good vibes with the folks lining the neighbourhoods the route took in tonight -not much going on in those places otherwise -including traffic; there was very little and few were bothered by the riders.
The unfortunate truth is that the police officer is right. Critical Mass started as a means to make drivers and the public aware of bicyclist rights. However, it has become a excuse for some to act out in total disregard of the law and rights of others. The other unfortunate truth is that bicyclist, myself included, are now viewed by drivers as being associated with CM. CM now becomes part of the problem because drivers now have a us vs them attitude towards bicyclist and they have the bigger weapon. As bicyclist we have rights. We also have responsibilities which CM seems to conveniently forget.
“I’m not against Critical Mass”
Clearly, you are.
Who can blame the person. Critical Mass goes about things in a horrid way.
Yes, cycling around Houston in friendly group of cyclists – for a few hours each month – cyclists that are trying to raise awareness about all the cycling deaths recently and the conditions that everyday cyclists have endured every single day in Houston for YEARS is just horrid – it’s got you talking about cycling – so it must be doing something
Literally the end of civilization as we know it.
Your story came out a day too soon…..
http://www.myfoxhouston.com/video?clipId=9792510&autostart=true
It is irresponsible for the writer of this column to bloviate about problems with how CM pursues its goals without providing suggested alternatives. You mention other events that are “closely regulated.” This is hardly a proposition for solution. HPD is at nearly every intersection monitoring and assisting with traffic and they often monitor us with their helicopter. That’s pretty well regulated if you ask me. We’re are exercising our right to peaceably assemble. We aren’t making a ruckus, the angry drivers and writers of captious columns are. If you don’t like how we do things, then go out and organize something yourself. Or get involved with CM and work to replace the ills you perceive with viable alternatives. But don’t go around pointing cowardly fingers without providing suggestions for how we should improve.
To say that “…their event is often more of a hassle than a pleasure to the entire population of Houston” is hyperbole. It’s safe to say that fewer than 1/100 of one percent of Houston drivers will ever encounter a Critical Mass.
Critical Mass has a purpose— to show that cyclists in Houston are here and they aren’t going to go away. Until CM came along there was virtually no public discussion about cyclists unless one was killed or during the MS150. In recent months CM has grown considerably to where the actually have a “critical mass” and Houston has finally taken notice, albeit in a negative light.
Critical Mass responded to complaints first by working with HPD who accompanied several rides for several months, then most recently by breaking up the group so that the tie-ups you describe are eliminated, a plan that received support from the City and HPD.
Critical Mass is by definition a civil protest. No different than most around the country. When it’s ignored it’s ineffective. When it inconveniences people it gets noticed. When it’s noticed the dialog begins. Critical Mass has made changes to address the complaints of drivers. When is driving public going to address the needs of Houston’s cycling community?
Houston’s infrastructure for cycling is woefully inadequate so people who rely on bikes for transportation need to share streets with cars. In the past few years over two dozen cyclists have been killed, including 3 hit-and-run deaths in the last 60 days. Every day, cyclists riding lawfully are subjected to intentional near misses by cars, having objects thrown at them, verbal abuse, etc. When all of this stops, you’ll see Critical Mass go away.
An entire op-ed written without the benefit of a single first person view. Your entire article…with the exception of observing two cyclists riding lawfully on Washington Avenue…consists of hearsay and urban legend. The fact is, Critical Mass has never been as bad as some wish to make it out to be, and recently has made great strides in becoming less of a traffic jam, despite a huge increase in the number of riders. Last night’s ride was a great example, as approximately 1,000 riders rode the streets.
I invite you to actually experience what you so carelessly…and dishonestly…denigrate. Bring your bike and ride amongest the friendly, waving cyclists. I guarantee you will not see what you wrote in your op-ed.
Would like to see it shut down completely, personally.
They apparently direct traffic themselves, pay no road tax, some dislike actually getting disorganized, do not pay for all the police support they receive, illegal traffic violations that should end with them either being fined or in the back of a squad car but don’t, etc.
The way they’re going about things is why I’ll never support them. If I as a driver ever did half of what they did one night every month I’d be in jail or have multiple fines. They want to share the road with people who drive then do so legally, like I do.
Also, to those who always bring up cyclists deaths do you forget that people in cars died in car-car accidents every week? Driving on the road is a risk that every one takes. Remember that since you are on a bicycle you will be inherently less safe when sharing the roads with metal vehicles. Cars have near hit and misses all the time, sadly the same is going to happen with bicycles. Especially when not every person who rides do not have lights that are adequate.
I drive as safely as I can and make sure I do my best to give cyclists or whoever is on the road they’re space to make sure everyone is safe.
Y’all want real change then register your bikes and have the taxes pay for additional road changes to make it safer for everyone. As of now our roads suck for both drivers and bike riders. Personally I wouldn’t mind seeing some bicycles only lanes that cut through the city to make things easier but that ain’t happening in a city that has no idea on how to get a working rail system going, and a just okay bus system.
To be clear, there are no “road taxes” here, and only 12% of road/highway costs are covered by your vehicle registration. The rest are paid for by other taxes including income tax, sales tax, and property tax. On top of that most riders own cars, so have already paid into that tax fund.
And statistically speaking, cities that have adopted much more bike friendly attitudes and infrastructure also see a dramatic decrease in automobile fatalities.
Most but not all, pay to use it. Yeah that’s a crap notion but someone has to pay for it. Y’all want extra upgrades then have everyone pay, and if people pay double for both car and bike so be it. You could also have it set that every portion of a bike sale goes towards public transportation improvement, there’s a little extra money for upgrades right there.
How many of those cities have as much urban sprawl as Houston along with no zoning laws? I do think that Houston needs massive overhaul and rethinking of transportation as things are going to get worse as more people move here.
You’ll get no argument from me if they decide to ever impose a registration fee for bikes. If only to silence this stupid argument.
The fact is that cyclists pay for roads whenever they pay sales tax, income tax or property tax. The measly extra 12% you’re asking for doesn’t make up for the amount of wear and damage the average vehicle does to roads compared to those of bicycles. Automobile drivers have not been paying their fair share of what it costs to maintain roads since the 1990s. If someone decides not to drive, they are still paying for far more than they end up using.
It is not an argument. It is a sign of ignorance of taxing schemes. The gasoline tax goes toward funding highways. Bicycles are prohibited from using highways. Therefore, cyclists are not using something they do not pay for. What DO cyclists use? City streets. How are those streets funded? A combination of property taxes, city sales taxes, and some of the METRO sales tax. Every time a cyclist buys a bicycle or clothing, he or she is paying for the city streets. Every time I pay my property taxes, I pay for city streets. poorleno’s argument is merely a display of his ignorance.
You seem to not comprehend what I’m suggesting. If you want the extra upgrades then pay extra taxes that specifically fund those upgrades. Which would in fact be a road tax of sorts for the bicycling community. Y’all want more safer areas to ride then have the city tax you specifically on purchases that go towards safer bike areas, like bike only paths. If there isn’t enough people to fund the initiatives then that’s a sign that there isn’t enough people out there to make it worth while.
And, you do not comprehend what I am saying. Cyclists ALREADY pay for safer cycling infrastructure. We want the city to build it.
Then build better bikes that can handle those roads. No one is forcing you to ride your bike on the roads.
An author that makes broad statements isn’t one worth following. Saying that there wasn’t any positive attention or that cyclists are rude to motorist is false. There were plenty of on lookers cheering us on from their front yards, balcony of some restaurants and bars, even some motorists rooting for us. Plenty of cyclists waved and thanked cars and policemen for waiting at intersections, even stopping groups of cyclists to wait at some lights so cars could pass. Your blanket statements makes everyone on two wheels seem like dicks, even the 10 year olds and families who rode.
Don’t knock it till you try it. Grab some of your friends to ride next month to see what the ride is all about. I’m sure you’ll really enjoy yourself.
It’s once a month at night, and doesn’t slow anybody down more than (e.g.) a freight train through downtown. Get over it.
Tell my boss to get over it. I have to play concerts at jones hall at 8:00 on Fridays.when I have the light,I should be allowed to go. I have to get to work.
A major hassle? If it was a group of pedestrians you had wait for you wouldn’t be
upset, if it was a train you had to wait for you wouldn’t be upset, and daily car drivers sit in massive piles of traffic they have to wait for… but
so many get instant rage when they see a group of cyclists….WHY? Cyclists ride in groups because its SAFER. It provides more visibility, and statistically those getting mowed down are largely single riders.
There is a safe passage law in Houston requiring a 3
foot clearance when autos pass, but I bet you and the majority of the
city proper dont even know about that law…because not a single ticket
has been issued for the infraction even though cyclists are getting
mowed down at alarming rates.
The point of CM is to bring awareness that cyclist have a right to the road just like cars. This is a ONCE A MONTH peaceful demonstration aimed at raising awareness and about educating the public…12 days out of the ENTIRE YEAR! Clearly its doing its job as you are talking about it. Thank you for helping to raise awareness. Share the road!
CM has become nothing but a bully, and that is why people are upset. CM does not obey traffic laws. I have no problem sharing the road with cyclists, I in fact go out of my way for THEIR SAFETY when traveling near cyclists. What CM has been doing is not safe and someone is going to end up getting hurt if not killed.
I’m not really a big fan of Critical Mass – I think some do more harm than good and they fail at policing their own group. Many are not properly equipped to ride the streets at night when they show up for this monthly event – no lights (and JESUS, so dangerous). They bring alcohol along and drink on the streets – also illegal. They litter – once again. This is a small percentage, but a small percentage should be policed within their own group, because they speak the loudest. Raising awareness comes from within, first, and there is no message that will be received if the message isn’t solid from within. CM really needs to acknowledge that. You need to be able to recognize and deal with your own problems, because you won’t be taken seriously if you don’t.
Red lights: deal with it. Seriously. Deal with it. You do not want a group of 1500-2000 cyclists to stop at every light. The BEST thing they can do for everyone is to get through intersections as quickly as possible, and that means pausing the intersection while they go through. It’s once a month, so deal with it. It would be a W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L idea to map out the route every month for the public. Be proactive about it, CM. Work with the community that you want to work with you, because fair is fair. Oh, and other cities do it. You can do it, too. It’s just common courtesy (something you are seeking).
City of Houston – look, you HAVE to start doing something about drivers in this city. It is NOT okay for there to have been so many deaths in the past 5 years (much less in the past few months) without a single citation being written, as well as accidents. Awareness comes with a little help from the guys on patrol, as well. Public service campaigns would probably do a lot, too. The people in this city are not aware of cyclist rights in this town, period. These cyclists (thousands of us) are part of your city, too. Cyclists are part of your voting public. Cyclists are part of the group that you are to serve and protect. If you provide that, by law, a cyclist has to be on the road in the Houston area, then you need to provide the proper safety measures for that. The hike and bike trails have been wonderful, but to get around town on a bike, you have to hit the roads. When the light rail came to town and cars kept crashing into that (attributed to the bad driving in Houston – actual studies), public service campaigns, additional signage and adjustments to signals were made to keep things safe. When a cyclist gets hit, it just now actually makes the news – nothing else. You need to do better, Houston.
As for this article – this is a joke. Sweetie, next time you try to play journalist, get out and do the research. Terrible. Just terrible.
I’m a coog and I’ve participated in many critical masses and I find this article really disappointing. Even when critical mass was a group of abou 300-500 we would still get harrassed at lights. As for your comment about it being a bother to everyone? That’s simply not true. Every single ride i have been on (which is easily over 20 something) I see people cheering and excited to see what appears to be a spontaneous parade of enthusiastic cyclists. Critical mass barely effects a small percentage of houstonians, I’ve been asked multiply times while riding in critical mass by pedestrians and motorist “what is this?” Because it is usually their first time encountering critical mass. Your article wrongfully makes it sound like the city of Houston is basically crippled and shut down by critical mass.
Why can’t everyone obey the laws written? Cyclists must share the road with EVERYONE. I was cursed at and screamed last Friday because I pulled out on Navigation when there were no bikes in the right lane, as soon as I did this I had cyclist surrounding my vehicle. I will tell you right now that it is dangerous for anyone riding a bike to be that close to a vehicle. PLEASE do not share the same lane with me… you need to stay in one lane or stay behind me or in front of me. Had someone hit my car because they were so close trying to go around me in THE SAME LANE as me, it would have been their fault. – FOLLOW THE LAW… and there won’t be a problem.
“Though this sounds like a wonderful way to keep Houston an interesting
and lively city, Critical Mass hardly attracts positive attention from
anyone that witnesses their bike rides.” Actually most people wave and cheer. It is a good time you should come on one of the rides and see it from the other side before you make bold sweeping statements, which is exactly what you would do if this were anything other than a rant. WAWAWA I got stuck in traffic because some folks were having fun. You spend more time stuck in traffic because of car accidents than bicycles.
The problem with this article and the attitudes of most people is that it’s just a way complain to a large audience. The author offers no solutions and will be on to the next Houston “annoyance” without a thought of how this all turns out.
If you don’t want to get hit by a car or deal with them then maybe…. just maybe hear me out on this now, i can explain for the slower people as well, why dont yall get the fuck out of the road? shit thats what it was designed for, cars, buses, and tram. Its not our fault you massholes get out on the street WITH the cars no ones forcing you to ride in traffic so dont blame the drivers when you eventully get hit…