“Critical Mass.” A bicycle rally designed to show the power of two wheels. Bike riders take over the streets. Cars and trucks are basically stranded or boxed in.
Also the motorists are aggravated.
Happens from time-to-time in places like San Francisco and New York City.
Reader Chuck Perkins and I agree. We just don’t get it. Seems to me like something that would inflame the anger of motorists, not breed tolerance or courtesy in the long run.
Case in point: There was a “Critical Mass” bike rally in Porto Allegre, in southern Brazil recently that ended poorly, as shown in this video.
Amazingly, no one was killed. The Associated Press reports. But about 40 people were injured, but none seriously, according to a report in the Washington Post. “The man claimed riders,” according to the Post story, “surrounded his vehicle and began beating on it, causing him to panic and fear for his life, police said.But the lead investigator in the case called that version of events ‘fanciful,’ without giving other details. Inspector Gilberto Montenegro told Globo TV network’s G1 website that the man could face charges of attempted homicide. Under Brazilian law, prosecutors can decide whether to bring charges only after police close their investigation, which may take 30 days. The man is currently free.”
