By Adam on politics

On Friday, May 30th, two hundred plus cyclists gathered together to ride up the the Jarvis Street ramp to slowly (and illegally) take over the entire westbound lane of the Gardner Express Way. This was part of the Critical Mass movement which takes place on the last Friday of every month in cities like Toronto. The general purpose of the rides is to increase awareness of cycling and cycling safety issues. While not attempting to be overtly political, 200 plus cyclists stopping traffic on a Friday rush-hour will always be viewed as a political statement, regardless of intent. Fellow contributor to the site Padraic, may be divided on the issue, but I take exception to acts like this.

A lively display on roads seems to please more people than it annoys (judging by people waving, shouting things at the Mass, etc). Blocking a highway is likely to annoy or anger everyone not in the Mass.

The first is a way to re-occupy valid space: like the ‘take back the night’ marches women do. The second is more aggressive: it is being an inconvenience on purpose. Drivers may deserve to be inconvenienced (their choice to drives harms others), but overly punitive behaviour has a different effect on how people think about cyclists.

At least 200 cyclists, some with kids in tow, swarmed the busy Gardiner Expressway last night in a reckless 7-km protest that brought traffic to an abrupt halt for 15 minutes.

Hoping to garner support for more bike lanes on Bloor St., the cyclists, many of whom were members of Critical Mass Bicycle Ride, pedalled up the Jarvis St. on-ramp around 7 p.m. and took over three westbound lanes of the busy highway as they rode to Dunn Ave., police and witnesses said.