Critical Mass – the infamous impromptu street protests known for swarming the streets with leg muscle and blinking lights, enraging motorists, and occasionally clashing with the over reactive police -- has deflated in Portland, the city often dubbed “Bike City U.S.A.” For years, Critical Mass rides would draw 300 to 500 cyclists, from all walks of life. These rides became famous for their combination of celebration and activism, spiced with civil disobedience and a little bit of anarchy for good measure. At its apex, one 2003 ride drew more than 1,500 participants. But this year, things have slowed down, and the monthly rush-hour gatherings have struggled to top a dozen pedalers.
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.)
this just in... join bike hoboken!
