Ever since I have heard about the Critical Mass I wanted to take part in one of these semi-emergent rallies. The only problem was that I have never lived in a city (or was at least not aware of the event during shorter trips) where Critical Mass bike rides would happen. Until now.

In Göteborg, as they usually do in other cities too, people gather with their bikes on the evening of the last Friday each month to ride through the city streets. It’s both a happening and a movement without an organized structure. The main goal of thousands of people around the world who gather in their cities is the promotion of car free cities. By flooding the streets en masse they make up an emergent movement with both a strong political and a social message.

I don’t own a bike here in Göteborg, but this did not discourage me from at least wanting to participate in the event. So, yesterday I set out to the very heart of Göteborg’s shopping district. It was Friday evening and the city streets were bustling with people. It looked promising. But at 6 o’clock I am standing on the square where critical massers should gather. Looking around I see only one girl with a bicycle looking a bit confused. So was I. Where are all the people who want to ride their bikes instead of cars; environmentalists and citizens who want cleaner air and environment; forward looking people; supporters of sustainable development? Where are they?

After five minutes of standing around bemused I approach the girl with a bike and ask her if she is here to participate in the Critical Mass. She is and it is her first time, just like it is for me. The only difference being that a friend invited her to come, thus she soon finds out where the meeting place is. It’s right across the street and we immediately notice three other cyclists there. I mean, they could just as well be random three friends meeting up for a pint of beer.

Two more participants come with their bikes, now numbering six in total. An absolute minimum I hear. And not exactly critical mass, if you ask me. When I’ve seen Still We Ride (make sure you check the trailer), a documentary about Critical Mass in New York that ended up in a clash with nervous and overly aggressive police, there were thousands of people there. They literally flooded the city with their bikes. It really was critical mass. Likewise in San Francisco, where the movement started back in 1992.

Quite naturally, if you want to make a statement by riding your bicycle in a car centered society, you have to multiply yourself by at least several tens or hundreds to get the message across. What happened on a beautiful sunny day in Göteborg yesterday would never bring up attention of passers-by, not to mention authorities who are usually interested in assemblies of all sizes, as one can find on the Critical Mass site:

When local police learn of your ride, they may insist that you get a permit, perhaps a parade permit. Don’t do it. The point of Critical Mass is that biking is a right, not a privilege. Cars don’t need permits to ride on the streets, and neither should cyclists.

Rebellious and rightfully so. But obviously the residents of Göteborg are very content. But I was dissillusioned. Especially when I got so pumped up for this event amongst other things reading the following:

Remember that CM is supposed to be a celebration of cycling, not your opportunity to see how much inconvenience you can cause to others. It’s about asserting our right to the road, not denying others their right to the road.

Check the Critical Mass Web site for a ride in your town. Join the ride and spread the word. If there are no Critical Mass rides in your town yet, be the innitiator. Here’s a few how-to tips. And don’t forget about the bicycle safety.

Ride on.

Mladen