November Critical Mass

Don't forget, this Friday is Critical Mass!

In other news...

Pedestrians and cyclists should be made king of the urban jungle, according to an international study showing the big benefits of "mass active travel."

It suggests money should be diverted way from roads to make walking and cycling "the most direct, convenient, and pleasant options for most urban trips." Pedestrians and bikers should also get "priority" over cars and trucks at intersections.

Here's the full story.

Halloween Critical Mass 2009!

Hard to believe another year has passed, but it's true! This Friday, October 30th is Halloween Critical Mass!


Wear a warm costume, and bring your friends!

Location: Confederation Park (Elgin + Laurier)
Time: 5:30pm (ride leaves at 6 pm)

September Critical Mass

September Critical Mass is next Friday, the 25th! Bring your friends and your bike to Confederation Park (Elgin + Laurier) at 5:30pm. Ride leaves at 6!


PS: Did you know Critical Mass is a world-wide event? Here's a picture from Budapest, Hungary! Imagine if we could get that kind of turn out here in Ottawa.

90% of cyclist deaths are caused by careless motorists.

An analysis of police reports on 2,752 bike-car accidents in Toronto found that clumsy or inattentive driving by motorists was the cause of 90 percent of these crashes. Among the leading causes: running a stop sign or traffic light, turning into a cyclist’s path, or opening a door on a biker. This shouldn’t come as too big a surprise: motorists cause roughly 75 percent of motorcycle crashes too. -- NYTimes

Here's the study the NY Times is talking about.

Drivers like to complain that cyclists are dangerous, but the numbers show where the real threat lies. Increase your visibility, get the attention of motorists and you're less likely to be run over. It's that simple.

Synchronized Cycling!

I was thinking we should do this at the next critical mass.

PS: Next ride is Friday, August 28th!

Let's ride bikes!

Critical Mass is this Friday, July 31st!

Same location as usual, Confederation Park (Elgin + Laurier). Ride leaves at 6pm.

Spring Critical Mass 2009!

The first Critical Mass of Spring is this Friday, the 27th of March! Bring your bike and your friends to Confederation Park (Elgin+Laurier) at 5:30 PM!

February Critical Mass

February Critical Mass is tomorrow! It's warming up out there (high of 3c tomorrow!), now's a great time to dust off your bike and get ready for spring!

January Critical Mass: This Friday!

No buses? No problem! Let's make 2009 the year of the bike!

This Friday the 30th is January Critical Mass. Join us for a fun ride, everyone is welcome! We meet at Confederation Park (Elgin+Laurier) at 5:30pm, and the ride leaves at 6. The weather should be relatively warm for January, with an expected high of -4c. :)

November Critical Mass

Today is November Critical Mass! Rumor has it there will be free hot chocolate. Bring your mitts!

PS: If you love riding, don't let winter stop you. Get some snow tires! I got these from the MEC in Ottawa. They're a little expensive, but give you amazing traction on ice!

Halloween Critical Mass

This Friday the 31st is Halloween. But not just any Halloween... It's Critical Mass Halloween! Bring your bike, your crazy costume, and your friends to Confederation Park (Elgin + Laurier) at 5:30pm!

September Critical Mass

It's tomorrow! First Critical Mass of the fall. Looks like it will be warm, but cloudy, according to the weather service. See you there!

Today is Critical Mass

Looks wet out there, but don't let that stop you :)

Same time and place as usual.

Ever wonder how easy it is to steal a bike?

Solution? Keep your bike where you can see it.

PS: Critical Mass is this Friday!

Critical Mass: This Friday!

Critical Mass is this Friday, June 27th. Meeting place is the same as always, Confederation Park (Elgin + Laurier). The park is being used by Jazzfest, but fear not, there's plenty of space out front to meet up.

Here are some pics from last month.

Poland gets mega-highway for bikes

A 2000 kilometer stretch of a biking highway is to be built, running through the eastern regions of Poland.

Marcin Myszkowski, one of the leaders of the 'Masa Krytyczna' action - a Polish equivalent of the Critical Mass Riders initiated in San Francisco back in 1992 - says this is news cyclists in Poland have long been waiting for: 'We do not have good bicycle routes in Poland. I hope this will be the first very good bike route for tourists. The result is the most important. Not just to build it, but to build it very well.'

via Polish Radio

We need more projects like this in Canada. Of course, there's the Trans Canada Trail, but I can tell you from experience, a large percentage of it is not bike friendly.

Critical Mass 1887

May Critical Mass

This Friday is May Critical Mass! Here's some pictures from last May's Critical Mass.


Ride leaves at 6pm from Confederation Park (Elgin + Laurier).

Last Friday of Every Month!

Just a reminder, today is Critical Mass!

Bring your bike and your friends to Confederation Park (Elgin & Laurier) at 5:30pm!

It's Earth Day!

Nice video by some people from Montreal. They even ride bikes ;)

Critical Mass: Spring 2008

The first Critical Mass of spring is Friday the 28th of March! Bring your bike and your friends to Confederation Park (Elgin & Laurier) at 5:30pm!

Winter is over, let's ride!

Critical Mass: It's This Friday!

Did you know? Critical Mass is year round! This Friday will be our first Mass of the winter, so put on your coat and mitts, and bring your bike for an awesome time! Ride leaves at 6pm, from Confederation Park.

Want some tips on winter biking? Check out Icebike!

Berkeley's Bicycle Boulevards

Berkeley has an interesting approach to creating a bicycle friendly city. I think this could be easily adopted in Ottawa.

Do you remember the month of September?

This might help - love the adjectives: "wacko", "anti-car" - all the while meaning CM but not knowing he was seeing a mass in action.

Brought a smile...

Critical Mass: Halloween Edition

Don't forget, this Friday is the annual Halloween Critical Mass, so wear a costume if you have one!

Hintonburg Daily Mass

The word is out - join us on Monday the 29th if you can, and bring a friend!

Critical Mass is This Friday!

Tomorrow is the last Friday of the month, and that means it's time for Critical Mass! We meet in Confederation Park (Elgin+Laurier) at 5:30pm. Be there, or be square!

Critical Mass This Friday!

Critical mass is this Friday, July 27th! Bring your friends :)

Copenhagen: This is what's possible.

The bicycle-centric city is not a pipe dream. Let's make it happen here.

Confederation Park is CLOSED

Confederation Park, our normal meeting spot, is closed until July 1st for Jazz Fest. If you show up without a pass, you can't get in. So, we need to decide on a new location.

Update: Rather than get confusing, it looks like a good idea to just meet up on the sidewalk in front of the park. :)

Car and Commandments (Seriously)

The 10 commandments of driving
You shall not kill. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events. Be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so. Support the families of accident victims. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party. Feel responsible toward others.
Source: The Vatican website and the Associated Press