Critical Mass celebrates its 20th anniversary; locking your bike; and bicycling creates healing in Rwanda

LJWorld.com weblogs New Ideas, New Possibilities

Posted by Lawrence Morgan September 28, 2012 at 8:51 p.m.

Wikipedia Photograph by Lawrence Morgan

Critical mass celebrates its 20th anniversary Friday, September 28

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Thousands-at-Critical-Mass-20th-birthday-3904093.php

Thanks to the San Francisco Chronicle and Jason Wolfe, photographer, for these wonderful images and the article.

Critical Mass celebrates its 20th birthday Friday, September 28th. From its beginnings in San Francisco twenty years ago, it has spread throughout the world.

I was not here when Critical Mass started (I was in Europe in the Army), but when I came back, there was both hope and enmity among bicyclists and motorists. Since that time, both sides have become more gentle, but anger springs up every day from both bicyclists and motorists throughout this city.

Background of the movement

These four current articles give background behind the movement: Click on each one:

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Critical-Mass-bike-movement-at-20-years-3897679.php

http://missionlocal.org/2012/09/critical-mass-celebrates-20-years-of-cycling-for-change/

http://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/2012/09/critical-mass-anniversary-time-acknowledge-what-movement-has-accomplished

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2012/sep/28/critical-mass-cycling-movement-birthday

The 20th celebration is happening now

This web site covers the first ten years.

http://www.scorcher.org/cmhistory/

Here, for example, is the Chicago Critical Site web page:

http://chicagocriticalmass.org/about

Locking your bike

I also wanted you to see the following videos, which indicate the correct (and incorrect) way to lock your bike, made by StreetFilms.org. If you loose your bike through not locking it properly, Critical Mass and/or other bicycle rides will have little meaning.

http://www.streetfilms.org/hal-grades-your-bike-locking/

http://www.streetfilms.org/hal-and-kerri-grade-your-bike-locking/

http://www.streetfilms.org/hal-grades-your-bike-locking-3-the-final-warning/

Bicycles, healing, Lawrence and Rwanda

Just like the recent Lawrence article so well presented by Karrey Britt:

Karrey's story: Bicycling brings new adventures after hip surgery by Karrey Britt WellCommons

the situation in Rwanda (Africa) has also had a very difficult time in recovering from its recent past history. And again, bicycling has made the difference. Through bicycling, Rwanda has helped to create peace between the Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa tribes. Enjoy these photographs from the BBC which show what bicycling has done for Rwandans:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-19345732

And here are some logos from around the world