Reno riders reach a Critical Mass
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The ride is called Critical Mass, and it is as much political statement and social commentary as it is a ride through town. Critical Mass literature points out that our society, our culture and our cities are built around cars in a lot of ways.
Reno is no different. As a result, those people who rely on bicycles find life inconvenient at best, dangerous at worst. Critical Mass is about changing that.
Critical Mass is strictly grass roots. There is no organizing body, no officially sanctioned group. Riders like to call it an "organized coincidence" - everyone just happens to be riding their bikes home from work along the same route.
Fliers, posters and word of mouth are fuel for the fire. Because there are no organizers, anyone is free to make up a route or an event, distribute fliers and watch the coincidence happen. Critical Mass literature refers to this process as xerocracy - a hybrid of xerox and democracy.
 Posters and handouts are the lifeblood of Critical Mass. Image courtesy of Beth Verdekal. |
The system works. The CM movement has gone worldwide. With the exception of Antarctica, there is a CM on every continent. Most metropolitan areas in the United States have a regular ride.
For Reno Critical Mass, spring 1997 was the turning point says long-time Masser Pete Menchetti. That summer, some rides exceeded 100 bicyclists, sometimes resembling a party on wheels. Menchetti recalls that in May 1997 somebody pulled a keg of homebrewed beer behind their bike.
"The police tend to be pretty lame about that," Menchetti said, referring to large, raucous rides.
Sgt. Andy Kachurak heads Reno Police Department's bicycle patrol. He said he's gone along with several Critical Mass rides here in Reno as a part of his patrol and doesn't remember any Mass with more than 30 riders.
"In all the times I've ridden with them, we've never had any problems with them," Kachurak said.
Menchetti agrees saying that recent rides have been smaller and quieter and says that Kachurak is welcome on the rides.
But it's the big rides that grab attention. A large group of riders can take up several lanes of traffic, ignore traffic lights and cause headaches for commuters. A mass creates its own traffic, and that's the point - bicyclists are traffic too. Critical Mass presents an opportunity for bicyclists to control the streets once a month like cars do every day of the week.
When a Critical Mass gets big, things can be less orderly. It takes on a life of its own. The mood is festive. People get excited. Menchetti has made a couple of Critical Mass rides in San Francisco, which usually have more than 1,000 riders. He says the noise of a thousand people pedaling is amazing. People yell. The sounds echo off buildings.
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Menchetti says that the problems in San Francisco had repercussion on Reno. It changed the perceptions of the public and law enforcement. The police cracked down.
"In the spring of '97 TONS of cops -- in cars, on motorcycles, and bikes -- corralled us into single-file, totally taking the fun out of the ride," Menchetti said. "They also came and distributed threatening leaflets 'reminding us' of the laws that Critical Mass is known to break. This all happened right after -- and as a result of -- the big SF critical mass riot."
"I think they're responsible for thinning out the rides," Menchetti said of the Reno Police Department. He added that riding single file is not as fun because it breaks up the camaraderie.
Kachurak disagrees, saying that there just has not been the support for a large ride here in Reno. He said Nevada law allows bicyclists to ride two abreast and that the police department's role in the rides has been to ensure everyone's safety.
Whatever the case, spring has sprung and the ride is sure to grow with warmer weather. If you're interested because you want to ride or gawk or just avoid the thing -- every Reno Critical Mass starts at Brick Park on First Street, 5:30 p.m. on the first Friday of the month. The dates for the rest of 1999 are May 7, June 4, July 2, Aug. 6, Sept. 3, Oct. 1, Nov. 5 and Dec. 3.
Posted April 30, 1999
Copyright 1999 Nevada Outpost
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