Some folks say they stopped participating in the 14-year-old ride because of what they see as draconian police patrols. But others questioned whether a protest against automobile dominance is needed any longer in a town widely considered the nation's most bike-friendly.
Personally, I think bike riders in Portland have found other outlets for their valuable creativity and awareness. So, instead of risking confrontation with an increasingly militarized, pepper spray wielding, stun gun firing Portland Police Department (the source of a future Dispatch from the Republic) more than 800 bicycling Cascadians took to the streets recently to participate in something far more productive and a whole lot more revealing: this year's World Naked Bike Ride through the streets of downtown Portland. Now that is Democracy in Action!
**submitted by my Cousin Marc, Portland, OR. (for more on his NW life, check out his blog, the wandering road.)
2 comments:
i remember when critical mass started in sf, when i lived there in the early 90s. it was an amazing community, power to the people feeling. i wonder what CM is like now in the city by the bay?
WooHoo for World Naked Bike Ride - Burlington, VT participates in this every year. It sure stops traffic while increasing awareness, and the number of riders keeps growing!
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