Sure CM is a celebration… a celebration of thugs! Fixed gear guy personifies what has become a very large faction of CM and everything that has gone wrong with a good idea. It is also the reason why I as a bike commuter would love to send these posers as “champions of environment and the under-dog” over their handlebars with a well placed bike pump to the spokes.

I have seen first hand in an SF CM ride the viscous pleasure “the enforcers” take in terrorizing pedestrians and motorists alike. It is so bad, that if the CM mob was not escorted by the SF police, it would have resulted riots years ago.

They pay for nothing, and complain about everything.

Oh, and I can ride a bike harder and longer than most of you complaining hippies. So don’t tell me that “I dont ride”.

You are a bunch of babies wanting barricaded, hyper-oversized & under used lanes so you can push your eco-hatred on people who have made decisions to pay for the use of cars.

Make them get licences and insurance! Stop taking our lanes!

http://oica.net/wp-content/uploads/co2.bmp

As you can see, road vehicles only account for 15.9% of total man-made CO2 emissions. That means if you take every single car off the road (yeah right!), you would have made A VERY SMALL DIFFERENCE and still have a huge problem on your hands. It’s important to know the facts when you’re protesting against something. Let me ask you guys a few questions:

Do you use electricity and heating? Why? Our early ancestors didn’t need to. Unless you’re from B.C., chances are your power is generated using coal or natural gas, which emit CO2 (the total footprint is three times more than cars, by the way). Maybe we should cut down the transmission line to your house to teach all you CM polluters a lesson. Turn off the computers, wear some extra layers and live by natural light! It’s the good thing to do! I’ll be interested to know how many of you “activists” live in huge energy sucking houses, don’t use CFL lightbulbs, water your huge lawns twice a week and put out multiple bags of garbage every few days.

How much of the stuff you buy is made locally? I’d guess under 5% easily. How do all those lovely things from China, India and Japan get to where you are? Magic? No, it’s called freight, and it’s a huge cause of global warming and pollution. But, you all contribute to it because you want the best things at the lowest prices.

How many of you are vegetarians? I hope all, because livestock contributes 14% (or thereabouts) to total global warming impact (it doesn’t show up on the chart because it’s methane and not CO2). Pretty easy to cut meat out from your diet, probably more healthy as well.

These are just a few examples of the hypocrisy exhibited by the vast majority of you CMers. Why are protesting against cars when there are so many other things to go after, that you happily contribute to? You have nothing to feel good about. I bet there are tons of people who drive cars and emit LESS CO2 THAN YOU DO. Fight for some real change

I have also been stopped by asshole cyclists who do nothing to raise consciousness about their situation. All they do is make sophomoric comments and piss drivers off.

To be sure, there are morons using every form of transportation. But if you want to be taken seriously, try practicing “same rules, same road” instead of expecting motorists to put up with your bullshit.

http://www.CriticalMassSucks.com

Your passive aggressive protest is similar to Olympic protesters creating havoc for average citizens when the reality is that protestors are actually upset with Olympic sponsors and organizations. As Sun Tzu said, know your enemy, and don’t piss off your allies.

Critical Mass riders might also want to take a close look at what you do for a living. If you work at a company that pollutes don’t cause trouble on our streets because you feel guilty. And don’t even think about volunteering for the 2010 Olympics, an event that is still an unmitigated environmental disaster. On your next ride turn to the person beside you and ask what they do for a living. You might be surprised.

Critical Mass riders shoot their community in the foot because it is easier to ride aimlessly than it is to go after the big guys causing the problem.

You’ve done a good job so far of raising awareness, but it’s time for CM to switch gears and up your game. For example, and I’m not advocating you do this, but if Critical Mass really wants to make a global impact flash mob a rotating list of car dealerships and surround them on busy Saturday afternoons to draw attention to your cause. Car dealers are huge newspaper advertisers, and the last thing struggling newspapers need right now is to have anyone negatively impact their best customers. Trust me, you’ll get noticed because car dealerships will jump down the throats of newspaper advertising reps looking for editorial help.

Unfortunately, protests like this rarely work because governments immediately intervene . . . with force

So here’s a more realistic solution; If 3,000 CM bikers got on the internet for one hour a month in a coordinated effort and blasted international media and the websites of the companies and politicians creating and supporting environmental problems you would have more success.

In its current state, Critical Mass is now more about grandstanding than results, which means it’s time to evolve.

It’s a new era. Cross promote your platform online and hit them where it hurts, in the pocketbook.

At the very least combine the street ride with a virtual ride targeting the corporations causing environmental problems. Let them know they are on your radar and that if they don’t start acting responsibly you might one day soon send 3,000 riders or more to have a face to face. Anticipation is a powerful tool because it causes people to speculate, and if you set the right tone people always envision the worst case scenario.

There is no doubt you have been moderately successful, but now you’re negatively impacting the wrong people. Quit making enemies of those you need for support. Music industry executives did it this way and look what happened? Suing and pissing off your customers isn’t a smart strategy.