Partying on Bikes in the Bay Area
March 15, 2015 9:17 PM Subscribe
You live in the Bay Area, it's a Friday evening and you have nothing to do...why not try Bike Party? It's like a less angry, more laid-back Critical Mass. There's one in San Francisco every First Friday of the month, another in the East Bay every Second Friday, an even bigger one in San Jose every Third Friday (which had a special guest rider last March), and a Peninsula ride every Fourth Friday. These rides change their route (and their theme) every month to keep it fresh. Not everyone is a fan, however, as evidenced by the comments on this local news article about the Sep. 2014 East Bay Bike Party.
When I used to live in San Luis Obispo there was the monthly Bike Happening that sounds kind of like this.
posted by JauntyFedora at 9:51 PM on March 15, 2015
posted by JauntyFedora at 9:51 PM on March 15, 2015
I'm not a cyclist whatsoever, but the East Bay Bike Party comes by my building from time to time, and it's always delightful! The lights on bikes and music are fun, everyone seems laid back and cheerful.
posted by mostlymartha at 11:05 PM on March 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by mostlymartha at 11:05 PM on March 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
I went a few times. Fun. Protip: bring some premade weakish alky drinks so you don't have to stand in long lines at the liquor stores the ride passes. ("weakish" so you don't fall off your bike). Also, light up that bike with LED's or EL wire for cool looking processions.
posted by telstar at 12:08 AM on March 16, 2015
posted by telstar at 12:08 AM on March 16, 2015
I never made it to the bike party on my visits to SF, but a Critical Mass that fell on Halloween in SF was incredible.
I'm in Beijing right now, biking around thanks to their bike share. Hard to imagine the city from decades ago that inspired the term 'critical mass'. Cars are indisputably king here and drive like they own the road. Cyclists (actually, there are more electric scooters now than bikes) definitely use herd tactics at major intersections, but the numbers have shifted too far against them. Sad to see.
Hard to imagine Critical Mass in Beijing, ironically. I'm sure the authorities would take a very dim view of it.
posted by ssg at 12:09 AM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm in Beijing right now, biking around thanks to their bike share. Hard to imagine the city from decades ago that inspired the term 'critical mass'. Cars are indisputably king here and drive like they own the road. Cyclists (actually, there are more electric scooters now than bikes) definitely use herd tactics at major intersections, but the numbers have shifted too far against them. Sad to see.
Hard to imagine Critical Mass in Beijing, ironically. I'm sure the authorities would take a very dim view of it.
posted by ssg at 12:09 AM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
ssg: In some ways, Critical Mass was inspired greatly by Return of the Scorcher, which showed how cycles in China were predominant (at the time) and faced up to auto traffic through sheer numbers.
As we've learned from the Netherlands, the solution isn't to make a cyclist class that is more macho and daring and willing to scratch lane space away from motorists. It's to actually build safe and sane cycling infrastructure that segregates modes by mass/velocity and reduces conflict by ensuring sightlines and desirelines encourage contact between road users at junctions.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 3:11 AM on March 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
As we've learned from the Netherlands, the solution isn't to make a cyclist class that is more macho and daring and willing to scratch lane space away from motorists. It's to actually build safe and sane cycling infrastructure that segregates modes by mass/velocity and reduces conflict by ensuring sightlines and desirelines encourage contact between road users at junctions.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 3:11 AM on March 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
I just re-read ssg's comment and spotted the link to Critical Mass and Beijing. Sorry about that!
The LCC in London has regional groups that organise pleasure rides and other events to encourage everyday cycling. These events still have their share of "bike dudes" but I hope we can water those down with everyday folks. I just ordered a Gazelle omafiets for tooling around my local area, and I hope that the more I ride the less of a "cyclist" I need to be.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 3:17 AM on March 16, 2015
The LCC in London has regional groups that organise pleasure rides and other events to encourage everyday cycling. These events still have their share of "bike dudes" but I hope we can water those down with everyday folks. I just ordered a Gazelle omafiets for tooling around my local area, and I hope that the more I ride the less of a "cyclist" I need to be.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 3:17 AM on March 16, 2015
On our few visits to the Bay area in the 90s, I always thought how cool it would be to bike around the area. On the bucket-list: biking across the Golden Gate bridge and around Marin.
That bike party thing sounds like fun... except for the part where it gets confrontational with motorists. That would just ruin it for me.
posted by Artful Codger at 4:58 AM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
That bike party thing sounds like fun... except for the part where it gets confrontational with motorists. That would just ruin it for me.
posted by Artful Codger at 4:58 AM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Just think of them as dead-souled suburbanites and it's easy
posted by thelonius at 5:07 AM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by thelonius at 5:07 AM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Sounds like the Freedom From Pants Ride (second link probably NSFW) in Minneapolis. Except more frequent and with more pants.
posted by stompadour at 7:36 AM on March 16, 2015
posted by stompadour at 7:36 AM on March 16, 2015
Anyone ride with the East Bay crew? How frequent are confrontations, people not following rules? I'd like to do this but damn those comments in the linked article are a bit salty.
posted by extramundane at 8:27 AM on March 16, 2015
posted by extramundane at 8:27 AM on March 16, 2015
When are commenters not salty, especially in stories about bicycles? I've met some people in the EBBC and they're all nice. Go ride.
posted by entropicamericana at 8:46 AM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by entropicamericana at 8:46 AM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
I saw no confrontations during my ride time on Friday, for what it's worth. Someone I rode with who had been at the party more often said that they've been making efforts to be more rule-abiding in the past 6 months or so, after some tension over the summer.
posted by c'mon sea legs at 9:52 AM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by c'mon sea legs at 9:52 AM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
DC has a bike party, too. I've yet to try riding along, but I do occasionally cross paths with the post-ride party, and it always looks like fun.
posted by EvaDestruction at 9:59 AM on March 16, 2015
posted by EvaDestruction at 9:59 AM on March 16, 2015
Bike parties have actually become a phenomenon in major cities nationwide. Here in DC they are popular enough to merit several organizers, so you can often go on multiple rides a month. And they are absolutely wonderful.
What's really interesting is how this rise has impacted Critical Mass, which has certainly suffered ridership as a result. That's a shame in some ways, as they've been so integral to the bike movement over the last few decades -- Aftermass: Bicycling in a Post-Critical Mass Portland is a great documentary that examines this legacy. But it is just great to see these mainstream rides developing, as are related movements like Kidical Mass; I only wish that there was more recognition for the work CM folks have done to make it all possible.
In contrast to CM, bike party participants don't always consciously know they are making a political statement by asserting their right to use public streets (though of course they are). They're doing it because it's tremendous fun and a great social activity, but most critically, I think because it is the only time anyone can really feel safe when riding the streets in the U.S. As a cyclist, you get used to feeling a constant tension of terror and adrenaline anytime you are biking on a public street. But get just a half-dozen people together, and suddenly the group can fill the lane and assert the same rights that a car has. It's hard to describe just how amazing it is to suddenly realize that it is possible to ride through the city relaxed and without fear, and then to realize we could do it all the time if we had the proper infrastructure.
I'm really excited about how many people are becoming cyclists and allies through these rides. It's an ugly fight, as those article comments demonstrate, and the party rides are a fantastic way to assert rights in a friendly yet firm way, while also encouraging more people to try out biking.
posted by susanvance at 10:05 AM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
What's really interesting is how this rise has impacted Critical Mass, which has certainly suffered ridership as a result. That's a shame in some ways, as they've been so integral to the bike movement over the last few decades -- Aftermass: Bicycling in a Post-Critical Mass Portland is a great documentary that examines this legacy. But it is just great to see these mainstream rides developing, as are related movements like Kidical Mass; I only wish that there was more recognition for the work CM folks have done to make it all possible.
In contrast to CM, bike party participants don't always consciously know they are making a political statement by asserting their right to use public streets (though of course they are). They're doing it because it's tremendous fun and a great social activity, but most critically, I think because it is the only time anyone can really feel safe when riding the streets in the U.S. As a cyclist, you get used to feeling a constant tension of terror and adrenaline anytime you are biking on a public street. But get just a half-dozen people together, and suddenly the group can fill the lane and assert the same rights that a car has. It's hard to describe just how amazing it is to suddenly realize that it is possible to ride through the city relaxed and without fear, and then to realize we could do it all the time if we had the proper infrastructure.
I'm really excited about how many people are becoming cyclists and allies through these rides. It's an ugly fight, as those article comments demonstrate, and the party rides are a fantastic way to assert rights in a friendly yet firm way, while also encouraging more people to try out biking.
posted by susanvance at 10:05 AM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm not a cyclist whatsoever, but the East Bay Bike Party comes by my building from time to time, and it's always delightful! The lights on bikes and music are fun, everyone seems laid back and cheerful.
Twice when the East Bay Bike Party's come rolling through my 'hood, they've been blasting music loud enough to wake sleeping children up and down my block, they've rolled through people's yards and there's been a spate of petty property destruction (my mailbox knocked down, a neighbor's planters broken) that coincides with a mass of people shrieking and whooping while hoisting boomboxes blasting music at teeth-shaking volumes.
The vibe was not "laid back and cheerful" so much as "aggressively reveling in disrupting the squares who might have the nerve to want their kids to sleep at 10:30 p.m."
posted by sobell at 10:40 AM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
Twice when the East Bay Bike Party's come rolling through my 'hood, they've been blasting music loud enough to wake sleeping children up and down my block, they've rolled through people's yards and there's been a spate of petty property destruction (my mailbox knocked down, a neighbor's planters broken) that coincides with a mass of people shrieking and whooping while hoisting boomboxes blasting music at teeth-shaking volumes.
The vibe was not "laid back and cheerful" so much as "aggressively reveling in disrupting the squares who might have the nerve to want their kids to sleep at 10:30 p.m."
posted by sobell at 10:40 AM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
NOLA Social Ride has a similar "Happy Thursday" ride in different parts of the city each week. It's very fun with lots of music, lights, and booze.
posted by domo at 12:15 PM on March 16, 2015
posted by domo at 12:15 PM on March 16, 2015
Yeah, the times critical mass has come through downtown SF its been just TONS of assholes. Having to wade through that on the halloween a couple years back was pretty awful. People riding into people on sidewalks, blocking emergency vehicles, screaming at pedestrians (I've never owned a car), disregarding their own rules.
Some other time later, there was another one downtown through the mission. I actually saw a guy run directly into a parked car, pull down his pants without getting off the bike, piss all over the cars trunk and ride off going "hey! wait for me!" to his friends.
A good friend of mine works for public bike policy up in Seattle trying to get things like protected lanes, increased safety, and other things encourage people of all ages and stripes to be able to ride, and the one thing we agree on is that critical mass is just about the worst way to get that message across. I personally don't know anyone who thinks its cool that isn't a cyclist, and my experiences are not isolated. I'm just glad I don't have to deal with it regularly.
posted by lkc at 2:06 PM on March 16, 2015
Some other time later, there was another one downtown through the mission. I actually saw a guy run directly into a parked car, pull down his pants without getting off the bike, piss all over the cars trunk and ride off going "hey! wait for me!" to his friends.
A good friend of mine works for public bike policy up in Seattle trying to get things like protected lanes, increased safety, and other things encourage people of all ages and stripes to be able to ride, and the one thing we agree on is that critical mass is just about the worst way to get that message across. I personally don't know anyone who thinks its cool that isn't a cyclist, and my experiences are not isolated. I'm just glad I don't have to deal with it regularly.
posted by lkc at 2:06 PM on March 16, 2015
That bike party thing sounds like fun... except for the part where it gets confrontational with motorists. That would just ruin it for me.
In my experience going to stuff like this(IE: non critical mass group rides, although i've done that too) it's like, 95/100 times someone getting way too angry that there's a big group of people passing in front of them and they can't turn/get through yet. Even though that's exactly the same as if there had just been busy traffic.
I can remember very, very few situations i saw in group rides where there was a confrontation with a motorist that wasn't initiated by the motorist being super aggressive and trying to roll through the crowd revving their engine, or leaning on their horn and trying to cut through the group, or screaming at and threatening people, or whatever.
It also wasn't something that happened very often, but i pretty much always associated it with someone who was pretty much a generic road rager anyways getting annoyed that they had to wait an extra couple minutes... and then acting like a toddler.
Also, in endorsement of this sort of thing, i always felt safer in a big group than i did just riding solo despite that weird element. It's just not something that happens very often.
Not going to dispute that people are huge gigantic helicopter-cocking idiots at critical mass though. Ughhhhh.
posted by emptythought at 4:33 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
In my experience going to stuff like this(IE: non critical mass group rides, although i've done that too) it's like, 95/100 times someone getting way too angry that there's a big group of people passing in front of them and they can't turn/get through yet. Even though that's exactly the same as if there had just been busy traffic.
I can remember very, very few situations i saw in group rides where there was a confrontation with a motorist that wasn't initiated by the motorist being super aggressive and trying to roll through the crowd revving their engine, or leaning on their horn and trying to cut through the group, or screaming at and threatening people, or whatever.
It also wasn't something that happened very often, but i pretty much always associated it with someone who was pretty much a generic road rager anyways getting annoyed that they had to wait an extra couple minutes... and then acting like a toddler.
Also, in endorsement of this sort of thing, i always felt safer in a big group than i did just riding solo despite that weird element. It's just not something that happens very often.
Not going to dispute that people are huge gigantic helicopter-cocking idiots at critical mass though. Ughhhhh.
posted by emptythought at 4:33 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
I can remember very, very few situations i saw in group rides where there was a confrontation with a motorist that wasn't initiated by the motorist being super aggressive and trying to roll through the crowd revving their engine, or leaning on their horn and trying to cut through the group, or screaming at and threatening people, or whatever.
Amen. There's nothing that angers drivers more than: 1) someone driving too slowly; 2) someone stopping for a pedestrian/cyclist/wheelchair. Drivers are assholes. I become an asshole when I drive.
And the asshole behavior is given a free pass by pretty much all other drivers and police officers.
From the East Bay Bike Party comments:
Do they wonder why people have the urge to run over the arrogant ******es?
I do. I honestly do. Driving an automobile is a strange sensation. I do it a LOT (soccer mom style), and it's really the last area of USian civilization that feels like the wild, wild, west. How else could you as easily kill someone, disappear, and not get caught?
When I've been on my bicycle, I've had people hit me with their cars. On purpose. I've had passengers and drivers throw cigarettes at me ... driving is an evil thing, imo.
Not going to dispute that people are huge gigantic helicopter-cocking idiots at critical mass though.
I've enjoyed the few Critical Mass rides I've participated in. The only hostility I saw was initiated by drivers (the same folks I often see fuming behind garbage trucks, etc), which was then unfortunately often escalated by cyclists. Too much ego all around.
posted by mrgrimm at 10:39 PM on March 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
Amen. There's nothing that angers drivers more than: 1) someone driving too slowly; 2) someone stopping for a pedestrian/cyclist/wheelchair. Drivers are assholes. I become an asshole when I drive.
And the asshole behavior is given a free pass by pretty much all other drivers and police officers.
From the East Bay Bike Party comments:
Do they wonder why people have the urge to run over the arrogant ******es?
I do. I honestly do. Driving an automobile is a strange sensation. I do it a LOT (soccer mom style), and it's really the last area of USian civilization that feels like the wild, wild, west. How else could you as easily kill someone, disappear, and not get caught?
When I've been on my bicycle, I've had people hit me with their cars. On purpose. I've had passengers and drivers throw cigarettes at me ... driving is an evil thing, imo.
Not going to dispute that people are huge gigantic helicopter-cocking idiots at critical mass though.
I've enjoyed the few Critical Mass rides I've participated in. The only hostility I saw was initiated by drivers (the same folks I often see fuming behind garbage trucks, etc), which was then unfortunately often escalated by cyclists. Too much ego all around.
posted by mrgrimm at 10:39 PM on March 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
Drivers are assholes. I become an asshole when I drive.
Amen, I hate who I become when I get behind a wheel. That's why I try to avoid it as much as possible.
posted by entropicamericana at 10:05 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Amen, I hate who I become when I get behind a wheel. That's why I try to avoid it as much as possible.
posted by entropicamericana at 10:05 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
it's like, 95/100 times someone getting way too angry that there's a big group of people passing in front of them and they can't turn/get through yet. Even though that's exactly the same as if there had just been busy traffic.
I can remember very, very few situations i saw in group rides where there was a confrontation with a motorist that wasn't initiated by the motorist being super aggressive and trying to roll through the crowd revving their engine, or leaning on their horn and trying to cut through the group, or screaming at and threatening people, or whatever.
Yeah, maybe, except that in heavy traffic, cars would be more likely to give another car a gap, whereas some cyclists in a group seem to think that it's ok to bring all other traffic to a standstill for 20+ minutes while the group rolls through. That's NOT sharing the road.
I drive, and I bike. Been to Amsterdam, Munich and elsewhere too, so I know what a cycling mecca looks/feels like.
posted by Artful Codger at 12:48 PM on March 18, 2015
except that in heavy traffic, cars would be more likely to give another car a gap
lol where do you live
posted by entropicamericana at 12:57 PM on March 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
lol where do you live
posted by entropicamericana at 12:57 PM on March 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
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