Philly Critical Mass Bike Ride June 2007 (Tall bikes)

[jbrian80]

Fuck Al Gore and Fuck Convenient Lies.

[brock1samson]

Wow big fucking deal you tools can ride bikes through streets and block a buncha traffic how EXTREME!!!!

[HowardFair]

@brock1samson It's actually a lot more laid back than it sometimes looks, Brock. I don't think people are doing it on the whole because of the excitement aspect, though it can be fun.

[StrelokTymochenko]

The majority of the bike riders ignores lights and signs on the road. Even me, as motorcycle user everyday, that is something I cannot really agree with, for when I'm on my bike I must respect everything.

HOWEVER... this demonstration is a good thing because it points to the important fact that the road is for all users. And it has to be shared. Drivers and other users should be taught even more of the presence of users like motorcycle and bicycle. There'd be less accidents.

[HowardFair]

Whoa @StrelokTymochenko! Excuse me while I pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.  Did you just leave a comment on YouTube that showed some common humanity and the ability to see various sides of an argument? Perhaps our species is not doomed after all!

[Batman8657]

Children ride bikes; adults drive.

Faggot hipsters.

[zzz33333]

@Batman8657 tell that to the dutch.

[Batman8657]

@zzz33333 Fuck the Dutch.

[stopglobalswarming]

Cynical Mass sucks dick. I love bikes, and I love the idea, but a bunch of marxists, anarchists, and common assholes have to soil it for us all.

[HowardFair]

Sorry my asshole is spoiling things for you, @stopglobalswarming. Truth is that even someone who hates people as much as you is welcome at Critical Mass. I'm sorry that everyone isn't like you because it distresses you, but I have to admit that I'm glad that most people aren't like you because most people are much nicer!

Hope you keep on riding!

[stopglobalswarming]

@HowardFair No, I called you a common asshole. Would you prefer to be addressed as a chav cunt? Critical mass is a bunch of libtards with bikes. Its not even about the bikes anymore.

[HowardFair]

@stopglobalswarming you really are a potty mouth Global warming dude! So you don't like the working class or liberals? Unless you're a member of Saudi royal family or something you have benefited greatly from a variety of liberal and probably socialist policies that were enacted throughout the 20th century and in infrastructure built by the "common" people you despise.

[stopglobalswarming]

@HowardFair Yes, I'll keep on riding, but I stay home when you punks are out tooting your horns, because I don't want to get mistaken for supporting you like being punched by a cop or run over by an angry motorist sick of you hippies.

[HowardFair]

@stopglobalswarming People go to CM for all kinds of reasons, Warming, and are not all "hippies" though along with "common" that's not a label that I personally would mind. The only thing that people at CM have in common is a desire to show that bikes have a right to the road. Perhaps there are better ways to do that, but like it or not if you're a rider a right to the road is something you want too.

[420witchdoctor]

Yeah, well nobody likes cops except pigs themselves and snitches, and if you're either one then you have a small penis or a loose vagina, HAHAHAHAHA I win.

[ArturArtorius]

I feel like the participants in Philly's critical masses are way bigger verbal hecklers than those in other cities. It can be pretty funny I think.

[FrederickTheTooth]

I don't know how CM is in other cities, but in Houston, it is great. Riders can be dicks to motorists, but only when they deserve it. Its pretty funny to see one guy in a hummer try to run someone over and therefore get jumped by quite a few cyclists - we watch out for each other, and CM here has helped motorists to think twice about wtf they do to cyclists. Another great thing about it is that, no matter how much I hate fixies or they hate shiftys, we all get along at CM.

[drexelur1]

I understand that critical mass may make people annoyed. That said, it IS kind of nice to see, for once, the motorists have to accomodate the cyclists for once!

[LordWolfhunter321]

Fuck you guys! I'm a bicyclist and you guys are giving us ALL a bad name! You have to obey the rules of the road like everyone else out there! Learn to ride, or get arrested!

[HowardFair]

CM is a civil disobedience with goals that probably vary from person to person, but definitely includes asserting a right to use the streets in a way that is not safe to do alone.

Aspects of the ride may be illegal. Nonetheless that's not the focus of the ride; CM is not a demonstration in favor of illegal riding, something that I agree is counter productive, as you'd know if you read my notes.

[Duce5842]

me and a friend got arrested right where you ride past paddy wagon

[HowardFair]

Sorry to hear that, Duce.

[cqdx99]

I wish more people rode bikes. This planet (& country) would be a lot better off. Have fun with your next CM ride.

[bindlestiffbooks]

Saturday, May 3, 2:30pm

A Space, 4722 Baltimore Avenue, West Philly

Discussion with SF Critical Mass co-founder Chris Carlsson!

His new book is Nowtopia: How Pirate Programmers, Outlaw Bicyclists, and Vacant-lot Gardeners are Inventing the Future Today

Free

[beatkidz187]

stop at the fuckin lights and stop signs like everyone else you hipster fucks..I like bikes but everyone's gotta obey the rules

[LucidSpark123]

Freakin' asshole bikers! I ride 5 days a week and I give vehicles as much respect as I expect from them. I'd be ashamed to ride with a pack of loosers like these guys!

[HowardFair]

Thanks for commenting, Lucid. I agree with your point re: giving and getting respect, at least in as much as you think you are getting respect from people who are trashing our planet and endangering us all for no discernible reason.

I think you miss the point of CM, though--we take over the streets two hours/month to show everyone we exist. I agree that the Philly ride could be better as I say in my comment. Don't be ashamed of CM-- join it and try and change the vibe.

[obscureluzername]

The point is you guys use mob tactics to act like assholes and make law-abiding cyclists suffer from the negative opinion motorists have of cyclists thanks to your actions. I sincerely hope you all get hurt or killed and see what the law has to say about things. I think you'll find your weak justifications and arguments won't help much when you're lying in a hospital bed or a casket and not seeing any compensation for your injuries.

[thekenner]

You guys are arrogant dickheads. Think of how many people's day you ruin with your blatant disrespect. You're more harm to your own cause than good. I walk and bicycle as much as possible, but I could never stand up for a bunch trendy posers like yourselves. People aren't going to be thinking about the environment when you flagrant little fucks constantly disregard traffic laws, yet believe people should be cautious of you. You're all hypocrites and cowards.

[HowardFair]

Glad to hear you ride and walk, Kenner, and that you enjoy the glory of the English language.

People at CM are not all the same, except for the fact that they all have a certain amount of power to change what CM is. It is an imperfect but still positive advocacy tool, and I try and change it for the better. You can't deny there's a lot of energy there--CM is world-wide.

I don't advocate that people ride as if they are at CM all the time--the opposite, in fact.

[thekenner]

I don't deny that there's a lot of energy involved in cm. It's just a shame that so much of it is negative. While your comments and video descriptions seem to support the better half of your (dis)organization, I still can't help but be disgusted by your methods. I think it's cowardly cm to fail in punishing those members who act out of line. Your comment about the glory of the English language doesn't surprise me. I'm sure you're brilliant in everything you do.

[drexelur1]

Calm down, thekenner, they are riding in THE CITY! You can't get anywhere fast in city traffic. You HAVE to expect delays. They don't bother me. And I drive a lot more than I ride a bicycle. I love to drive.

[thekenner]

Delays are perfectly understandable. It's a part of life. But when there is a group of people who's goal is to purposely cause delays so they can force their own beliefs on others it's called oppression. People don't take kindly to oppression. And all I'm saying is that these negative members of CM need to take an inward look at themselves.

[drexelur1]

Good points. And you are right. Agree or not, it does not exactly make the motoring public love cyclists any more.

[thekenner]

Thank you.

A big part of me roots for CM's cause, but from what I've seen most of the members are cowardly punks. Those bad eggs who go along on rides have the same antagonistic, thuggish, mentality as some weak-minded KKK member. They're so hollow inside that they feel the need to make any cause extreme, and make enemies out anyone. If motorists ever become the underdog, you can bet these members will probably start mowing down cyclists.

[Stephenlee5]

well, a good part of the arrests are unfair ones, and we are all following the traffic laws, we are in groups to make ourselves noticed so people know we have a right to ride on the streets. We aren't in a large group to cause clogged traffic.

[e4e5d4]

I agree, CM riders are dickheads and make life for cyclist commuters like me much worse. Go to ANY cycling forum and see what real cyclist think about your typical CM poser.

[colin340]

how many pp u seen die on bike ? i lost my very close friend

Cuz some dumb old lady was putting on lipstick. I see CM as a wake up call to drivers that were sick of being run off the road and killed by there mistakes. So by maybe if you are late to dinner or soccer practice they will think more about who is on the roads with them

[thekenner]

Zero, and to be honest there's times when I'm scared shitless to bike in the town where I live. Showing up in numbers is a good idea for cyclists, but it's the antagonism and mob behavior from quite a few CM members that are negating any hope for empathy between commuters on our roads. I'll never join a CM ride, not unless there was an understanding throughout the group that blocking traffic and intimidating people is unacceptable.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend.

[beta242]

@thekenner pussy ass bitch! fuck traffic laws, fuck cars, and fuck pussy cyclists who dont take advantage of their bike's mobility

[thekenner]

@beta242 Hahaha, so tough!

[obscureluzername]

I despise polution as much as the next rider and I find motorists to be short-tempered and dangerous as well as inconsiderate but I'll bet a lot of that has to do with the likes of irresponsible CM riders like these people. Whining about the effects of cars and using that as justification for being worse than drivers is never going to win popular support so maybe try some organization and courtesy. My cycling club doesn't elicit anywhere near the kind of hatred CM does abd we ride en masse FTR

[Atomicpartical]

Stupid video!! Go Kev you're such a hero! Too bad none of them got nailed by a car and sent to the hospital. You honk that horn!Dork!

[HowardFair]

Thanks for watching, Atomic.  A quick question: are you on glue or robitussin? Sure seems like you're having too much fun!

[TheyCallMeKennedy]

Kev! On the tall bike! hahaha.

[HowardFair]

He is the star of at least three of my videos!

[den9]

i think CM looks fun and a good idea, i think i might join on my mountain bike this month, but if you guys want to get a message across and want to prove your legal traffic, how come you ride through red lights?

also who decides where to go, or do u just decide that on the ride?

where does the ride usually end?

[TheyCallMeKennedy]

I agree partially. If bikes are going to insist on being part of the road, they should be more carefully of respecting the laws of the road. All the people who do things like, cut cars off, weaving in between cars, riding up the center line inbetween two lanes they completely undo everything good bicyclists like myself strive for.

[asimokun777]

the riders in front of you turn left, you turn left. if you don't want to go that way, you are free to leave whenever. a lot of rides ive been on end around the art museum area, but there isn't a set end point. as long as people still want to ride, it continues. your free to leave whenever you like.

[ArrowStomper]

I commute by bicycle, but that looked counter productive. I'm assertive about my right to use the road, but I let everyone else use the road also, even if its at 15 mph. Has critical mass helped get bicycle lanes or bike awareness?

[GeoffLafayette]

Hey, Howard, check out my Critical Mass Parody called BUCKYSTEIN (#7) VS. CRITICAL MASS ROAD RAGE because if you can't laugh at yourself......what Kind of person are you?

[wwood14]

Way to go guys!! More, More..

[HowardFair]

Thanks for your comment! I'll try and post something every month that it seems interesting.

[beavis810]

this video is gay the people in it are all gay. whats the point in this retarded video. too bad all those fag bicyclists didn't get spit on one by one because they all deserved it for getting in the way of people who had actual business on the fucking streets.

[HowardFair]

Thanks for your intelligent comment. I'm sure everyone here really appreciates that hate speech. Why don't you think of some original way to say you don't like something?

[cheencheenvideo]

Wow, this looked so different from CM in Chicago! I hope you guys are successful at getting more people biking with you. I agree that aggressive behavior does not help the cause at all. The more fun and friendly you are, the more people will want to join. Good luck and thanks for the video!

[HowardFair]

Thanks for tuning in. All the best with Critical Mass in Chicago!