Miami Critical Mass

Location: Government Center
Time: 6:30pm (ride departs at 7:15pm)
Distance: 12-18 miles (varies)
Average Speed: 12mph


Prossima Critical Mass a Miami: 30 maggio 2014, ore 18.30


Participants are asked to keep a moderate 12mph pace & ride safely. The group is rather large and can sometimes begin to stretch out, it's very important for the group to remain close together and bridge any gaps in order to make corking easier, thus making the experience more pleasant for cyclists, motorists and pedestrians alike.

Fonte: The Miami bike scene

Cyclists ride at their own risk and assume responsibility for their own safety!

Miami Critical Mass is not an "us vs. them" ride, it is not anti-car, it is not a protest ride, this is a ride that celebrates bicycles, encourages cycling & reminds drivers that they must share the road. There are a lot of new riders who just recently joined the group and we need to remind them of this. This is supposed to be a fun ride, you're encouraged to smile, wave at passersby, ring your bells & have a good time.

Miami Critical Mass is composed of all kinds of individuals, folks with dissimilar reasons for riding a bicycle, contrasting political opinions and different types of bikes, yet for one or two hours on the last Friday of the month they all come together for one common cause.. to celebrate cycling & to take back the streets. The group typically police themselves, leaving 1-lane open to traffic when circumstances permit, but as expected this is not always ideal as it sometimes gives impatient drivers the opportunity to weave around the group at dangerously fast speeds.

Avoid any altercations with drivers or pedestrians, if an irate driver honks or yells at you simply ignore them or just smile and say "thank you" and/or wish them a "Happy Friday". Maybe ask them to join us the following month?

Do not tap, touch or spit on any motorists' vehicles. Those corking should also not get too close to cars, if your safety ever feels threatened by a reckless driver get the license plate number of the vehicle, alert the proper authorities and immediately warn other members on the ride.

For the most part Miami Critical Mass has been very tame, there's been little to no altercations aside from the occasional tap on the horn from an impatient motorist. I can honestly say the majority of people honking are cheering us on, same goes with pedestrians hollering from the sidewalks, I believe the mere sight of an abundance of bicycles on the streets of Miami excites them, it's a beautiful thing. On the contrary, the sight of motorists cooped up in steel boxes, isolating themselves from their surroundings while reducing the quality of air.. not so appealing, eh?

I pose a question to those who don't like the idea of corking and/or just share a common disdain for Critical Mass in general. Have you ever considered how much traffic a really large group of cyclists could back up if they didn't cork intersections? I'm estimating they can possibly back traffic up for close to an hour in some areas, not just a few minutes as they presently do. That is, obeying all traffic laws, riding two abreast, stopping at red lights, no corking etc. Chew on that for a bit.

Below is a tutorial illustrating "How to cork". Only experienced cyclists should volunteer to cork.