You’ve heard of Critical Mass, right? Hordes of radical bicyclists reclaiming the road by force of numbers, a rolling protest against car culture, occasionally breaking out into fistacuffs and arrests? Well, what could be a more appropriate addition to this event than children?
Ballard blogger Julian Davies of Totcycle (rhymes with popsicle) clarifies:
I’m launching Kidical Mass in Seattle, and would love to have you along on our first ride, in two weeks!
Kidical Mass started in Eugene, spread to Portland, Toronto, and various other bikey places, and now Seattle. Kidical Mass, you ask?Is that where our wee ones cork traffic, flaunt traffic laws, and pull mean drivers out of cars for pediatric vigilante justice?
Not quite.
But it will be a fun, safe, easy-going, and generally law-abiding bike ride for kids of all ages and their parental units. A mobile celebration of family biking. The first ride will happen on Friday May 15th (Bike to Work/School Day, so your whips will be all tuned up), meeting at 5:30pm in Ballard, leaving at 6pm for an easy 3 mile ride to Gasworks, with treats to follow.
Looks like a great opportunity to exercise our new bike trailer. Details at http://totcycle.com/blog/kidical-mass-seattles-first-ride.html.
Thanks, Wallyhood! And for all your locals, this’d be a great chance to come on over to Ballard early to enjoy the Ballard Summer Streets/Cascade Bike-to-Work/School party at 4pm, and then ride back with us. Michael Snyder of SpokesPeople, Cascade, and other bikey groups will be leading a ride from Gasworks to Ballard at 3pm:
http://www.cascade.org/EandR/Activities_Calendar_RDetail.cfm?eventID=12040
PS I can’t promise no fisticuffs. My two year old girl is feisty these days.
I get the jumping on the bandwagon of something popular, but Critical Mass is a menace. As someone who cycles to work and about while caring for other commuters, I wouldn’t even want my son associated by name with a group so antisocial and unsustainable. Couldn’t someone start the “Karing Kinder Kyclists” group?? Wait that doesn’t work either… I am sure there is someone good with names out there, any ideas for a kid’s compassionate cyclist group?
I’m all for compassion and sustainability, but sheeesh, must we work it into the name of a fun bike ride?
Seattle – I hereby give you permission to take life, and your cycling, a little less seriously. You’re welcome. Doesn’t that feel better? Now come have a fun, safe, courteous ride, and a little ice cream with us. I know the ice cream treat part might be hard (couldn’t they have brought a healthier snack? is it organic? locally sourced?), but it’ll be OK.
I’m with Aaron on this one. You state that you’re not associated with Critical Mass yet you chose a name that suggests that you are. And, taking that a step further, “generally law-abiding”? That isn’t exactly a message I want to be passing on to my kids. I appreciate what you are trying to do here but I believe that by making any connection to Critical Mass, whether real or perceived, you are doing a disservice to your cause. That’s just my opinion. And, you can tell me I’m too serious in your condescending tone — I don’t mind.
Apologies for any whiff of condescension – point well taken, I was aiming for cheeky. I’m bringing a ride that already exists in 5-6 other cities to Seattle – the name was already chosen, and I happen to think it’s cute, and funny. Many others do too. While I don’t have any involvement with Critical Mass, I also don’t find it as much of a blight on society and the “cause” of cycling that some folks do, so a play on words like “Kidical Mass” doesn’t rub me the wrong way.
I think the blog entry above might set up this dynamic a bit, as does the edgier tone in my original post, both in the name of humor. If you visit http://www.totcycle.com, I don’t think you’ll worry at all about antisocial tendencies or unsustainability.
As for “generally law-abiding”, what I meant to imply is that, for example, on an otherwise deserted, quiet residential street, there might be a moment where a parent rides alongside two kids, or passes two folks to catch up to their little one. That’s illegal in the city of Seattle. But I have no problem with it in that scenario, especially if it keeps anyone safer.
On a group ride with kids along, we will absolutely be emphasizing obeying traffic signs and the like. So I might need to delete the “generally” if it’s causing confusion. And to stay off of comment threads when feeling cheeky … see you out there!
And if anyone wants to jump in with an alternate name that doesn’t abbreviate to “KKK” :), let’s hear ’em!
This is a brilliant idea to get people off their butts, out of their cars & on their bikes with their children. As a child welfare social worker, I am all for people engaging in a healthy fun activity with their children. As a mother of two vivacious girls, I am excited to get them out on their bikes to burn some energy. As a sister in law of Julian, I can assure you that there is no one who takes children’s safety more seriously. He, his family, and ours take our kids out for rides often and it is the highlight of their week. Let’s all keep things in perspective. Let me know if you need something to get riled about. I know lots of people who are in need of some advocacy. It is not, however, the adored and joyous children on bikes at Kiddical Mass, I can assure you.
Bring your helmet and a sense of humor! If this little group wanted to affiliate, they’d be Critical Mass Junior, or Son (Son/Daughter to be asininely politically correct) of Critical Mass. Let’s just back away from the screen slowly and go have fun on our bikes with the kids.