Critical Mass is all about taking back the streets from cars for one day per month. Toronto's most recent event upped the stakes a little: 200 cyclists ventured up to the Gardiner Freeway, which is typically off-limits to bikes, and took a leisurely westward spin during rush hour.

The ride is typically amorphous: whoever goes to the front decides the route. As Martin Reis told the Torontoist, this ride started no differently. As the group approached one of the on ramps for the highway, the groupthink mentality was “"Here we are. Let's take the Gardiner."

The group started by merging into the right lane, then gradually fanned out and took over the whole road. Police closed down the road briefly and ushered the group off of the highway about 7 kilometers and 20 minutes after their grand entrance.

Here's an awesome video (external link) of the cyclists climbing up the on-ramp to the freeway and taking charge.

Critical Mass tends to be a polarizing topic among cyclists: some see it as legitimate protest / civil disobedience at its best while others view it as a means towards cyclists' alienation and pissing off cars.

It's interesting how much outrage this act of protest, albeit an illegal stunt, has garnered in Toronto. Killing or maiming a cyclist with a car, however, typically appears to be business as usual.

See also: Critical Mass or Critical Mess?
Photo via flickr by TObike.

Comments (5)

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lloyd alter said:

this was a really tough one. I am in Toronto and write about bike activists all the time, but deciding to just ride onto the onramp of an expressway with no shoulders or alternatives other than falling sixty feet onto another road? I have a family friend who did that in a car and has spent his life, brain damaged, paying for it. This did cyclists no favours.

June 13, 2008

MarkR said:

This doesn't do anything to make cycling appealing to the masses. a critical mass event like this is worthless. I've never done and never will do a critical mass because of this type of B.S. Thanks for nothing, critical massers.

June 13, 2008

Svend said:

Thanks for the pics and video, it was a joyful ride to remember. It was the safest part of the critical mass that evening, the guys up front knew how to stop the traffic and once that happened the entire highway was clear for cyclists. The police dealt with it well, funneling us off at the Dunn exit. The only problem was one guy who tried to pass their barricade - he was quickly hauled down and I understand why he was fined. Yet why aren't cars ticketed for parking in bike lanes as harshly? Why haven't there been charges for the driver who doored a cyclist who ended up killed?

June 13, 2008

B.J. said:

Oh, things like this are hard to judge. From the riders point of view, they're protesting by not following a stupid law. In reality though, most people that aren't riding these are just going to dismiss the event. I think critical massers need to hold public rallies on their message to educate and inform others along with their demonstrations.

June 14, 2008

Gregory Ralich said:

if bicyclists respect the holistic perspective of transportation reform, they should use this enthusiasm to drive the system in a direction of their choosing. connect with advocacy groups, donate money.. they are the ones who are planning and developing with the cities' political and legal systems. support ALL bicycle events and promotions. ride like a smart rider the passion is there but we need a sense of urgency to push above and beyond what we could imagine for transportation reform, we need this

June 16, 2008 | url

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