Cyclists prepare to take over busy Ottawa streets to promote the use of bicycles as a viable alternative to cars.
Controversy is mounting over Critical Mass, Ottawa’s monthly bike rally, with mainstream cycling advocates questioning the effectiveness of the venture.
Critical Mass occurs during rush hour on the last Friday of every month in major cities worldwide.
David Narbaitz, creator of Ottawa’s Critical Mass Facebook event, says the rallies usually attract about 50 cyclists in the summer months.
Ottawa’s Critical Mass cyclists meet at Confederation Park in downtown Ottawa. The bike route is not pre-determined, but usually cuts through Centretown before heading to the Byward Market, says Narbaitz.
The purpose of the mass bike ride is to promote clean transportation, increase motorist consideration for cyclists, and encourage the city to build more bike-
friendly roads, says Narbaitz.
“If we aren’t at least a slight annoyance, we won’t get anybody’s attention,” he says.
He explains that when the bike group gets caught halfway through a red light, they use a technique called “corking,” where cyclists stand on either side of the intersection, blocking oncoming traffic so the group can funnel through.
Some participants think the event should obey traffic laws while others think it should be more confrontational, says Narbaitz.
But, he adds, they all want one thing: the freedom to bike safely and efficiently through Ottawa’s streets.
Although Critical Mass does not have a leader or a set route, the point of the ride is to get people excited about the possibility of change, says Narbaitz.
Citizens for Safe Cycling doesn’t think Critical Mass is very helpful, says Moor
Instead of angering tired commuters on a Friday afternoon, Moor suggests participants should think of more constructive ways to create change, such as working with city councillors.
Critical Mass is an anarchist event,” says critic Charles Akben-Marchand, former president of Citizens for Safe Cycling.
“There are no concrete rules . . . nor is there a singular goal of the ride.”
Participants say they are just individual cyclists riding together and therefore don’t need to apply for a parade or protest permit, says Akben-Marchand. However, he adds that they block intersections as a group.
“Annoying your target audience is not the best way to educate,” adds Moor.
Moor says the event irritates motorists and is a poor reflection on cyclists in general because of the event’s “militant” manner.
“If I’m headed home, haven’t had my afternoon beer yet, and I’m stuck behind a bunch of cyclists, then I’d be pissed,” says Ottawa motorist Marc Daoust. “But it would awaken me to the situation.”
Daoust says he supports bike lanes, but cyclists also need to abide by the rules of the road.
Ottawa police Const. Katherine Larouche says if cyclists break traffic laws, they do so at the risk of being charged.
“If they are wanting positive recognition for their event, they should do it in a legal fashion,” says Larouche.
Police say they have not had problems with the event in the past, but will continue to monitor the situation.
Despite conflicting opinions on the monthly ride, Narbaitz says he is looking forward to dressing up for the Halloween Critical Mass.