Central Michigan Life

Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Josh Visnaw/Staff Photographer Clare graduate student David Sadler, left, and Blanchard junior Zack Robinson, repair a tire before Critical Mass on Friday afternoon. The ride event was designed to promote awareness for sharing the road and how cities are unfriendly to cyclists. [Click to enlarge]

Drivers in Mount Pleasant usually do not have to worry about sharing the road.

But they had no choice Friday, when a group of more than 30 bicyclists, a skateboarder and an in-line skater rode through rush hour traffic for Critical Mass.

Critical Mass is an event held on the last Friday of every month in cities around the world, said Paw Paw sophomore R. Graham Beyer.

"It raises awareness about how cities are unfriendly towards cyclists," Beyer said.

In Mount Pleasant, which has not hosted the event since last October, drivers are not always willing to make room for bicyclists, Beyer said.

"It would be nice if there was an actual bike lane in the road," said West Bloomfield senior Thu Pham.

Bike lanes are common in other college communities, Pham said.

Critical Mass participants gathered in the courtyard between Pearce and Anspach Halls before beginning their ride shortly after 5 p.m. Friday.

With no designated leader, the group's route was determined by whoever was at the front of the pack, Pham said.

"That's half the fun," Beyer said.

The group rode around Mount Pleasant for nearly two hours, Beyer said, and occupied an entire lane in some of the city's most heavily trafficked roads.

When Critical Mass first turned onto Mission Street, reactions from drivers seemed to be mixed. A semitruck driver honked at the group as he passed, while another driver yelled profanity out his car window.

However, Beyer said he felt this Critical Mass generally was well-received by the community.

"We had some people that asked us what group we represented," he said. "We also had a lot of encouraging honks and waves."

During the last Mount Pleasant event in October, most drivers were honking out of frustration, Beyer said. However, there always will be people who do not understand or appreciate Critical Mass, he said.

Greece senior Marina Flevotomas said she rides during Critical Mass to support the bicycling community and to raise awareness.

"It brings people together for a good cause," she said. "It's always a good experience."

Grand Ledge senior Audrie Thelen recently took up cycling after she bought a bike at a CMU surplus sale.

Thelen said she heard about Critical Mass in a meeting of the Student Environmental Alliance, as well as on Facebook and fliers around campus. She said she joined to support the cause, meet new people and have fun.

"It's a great day to ride," Thelen said.



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