Emeryville Critical Mass: Lake Merritt Oakland, Geese, More

Emeryville Critical Mass rode from the MacArthur BART station on May 26, 2007.

The new ride was unusually small due to the holiday weekend. Participants elected to visit Lake Merritt in Oakland instead.

Jason Meggs of the BCLU and Wheels of Change Productions recorded interviews on a cell phone. Sound and image quality are lacking as a result.

WARNING: THIS FOOTAGE HAS BEEN EDITED!! OMIGOD!

Highlights:

1) The 7-person mass is joined by an 8th rider;

2) Discussion of access for bicyclists and pedestrians around Lake Merritt, including a swoop through the center of the southbound portion of the very scary "shortest freeway on earth";

3) Geese in the road ("Geese Critical Mass" -- without allusion to the similarities between geese and CM);

4) A participant describes being hit by a driver who happens to be a senior citizen within blocks of leaving the May 11, 2007 Critical Mass Berkeley (the ride that ended with the now infamous attack by Mr. Head, who crushed three bicycles and injured at least two riders);

5) The issue of how the undemocratic car-dependent transport system has harmed access for both young and old alike is discussed briefly.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Emeryville
• Critical
• Mass
• global
• warming
• climate
• change
• bike
• bicycle
• protest
• demonstation

[oscillator]

You people could easily take up a single lane, so why do you spread out into multiple lanes to block traffic like that?

[WheelsOfChange]

Nice one. The bulletin specifically pointed out that the small group chose to stay in one lane (which even if it weren't a demonstration, is allowed under CVC 21202A). What's next, going to complain about all the oil dripping from the bike chains?

[fourwheeler1980]

Are we allowing commentary on THIS video? How generous.