On the last Friday of every month, in over 300 cities around the world, a gathering of bicyclists take over the streets and celebrate Critical Mass. On Oct. 30th bicyclists around the Bay Area join the famous parade with mountain bikes, road bikes, tall bikes, and fixie’s to cruise the streets of downtown San Francisco and celebrate Halloween and bike culture community.
The ride was founded in 1992 in San Francisco and has spread like wildfire thought the world.
“We live in a culture that has lost a sense of public life, and certainly has radically reduced public space. Critical Mass was from its inception about reclaiming and repurposing the public streets for more convivial and social uses than the normal car traffic, and expanding our public life,” said Chris Carlsson, a San Francisco writer who has been involved with CM since the very beginning.
CM is a social movement for everyone by everyone. With no appointed persons in charge of the event, CM hosts hundreds of riders each month who take the streets and bring awareness to the cyclist’s community. Inventive costumes cluttered the Justin Herman Plaza and a few birthday suits surprised by-standing spectators.
The San Francisco Bike Coalition credits CM with spotlighting bicycle issues aiding their efforts in advocating cyclers. Although there is no actual affiliation, the massive progression has brought awareness to bike laws and a new found existence with motorist relationship.
The next San Francisco Critical Mass: November 27th 2009 and will meet at Justin Herman Plaza at 5:30 p.m.
For more information please check out: http://www.sfcriticalmass.org/