Critical Mass in TorontoPhoto by Jōsé

I had never heard of this phenomenom until quite recently. Turns out, on the last Friday of every month in over 300 cities worldwide, a bicycle-centric protest takes place. This wonder goes by the name of ‘Critical Mass‘, and it’s a point of contentions with cops and drivers alike.

MontrealCritical Mass

BudapestCritical Mass

I was lucky enough to pick up a used velo this past week and set myself up at the Montréal Mass. While you’re riding around town in the swarm of 150+ cyclists, you feel safe and empowered to use the streets however you feel fit. The cycling community is grand, and the environment-friendly message is indisputable. There’s a surprising amount of vehicular mobile drivers who show their support for your movement and as expected, quite a bit of resistance to the idea as well. Not everyone thinks a massive group of cyclists is a welcoming idea, while they’re trying to get from point A to point B as fast as they can. However, if you remind them it’s Friday night then hopefully they come around to the idea of taking a deep breath and laying off their car horns.

Here’s what the MTL Mass site says about it:

The reasons to participate are endless: to make a statement for sustainable transportation, to travel the city without the usual danger of motor vehicles, to re-imagine our use of public space…  …Critical Mass has no official leadership or planning. All you need to know is when (5:30pm, last Friday of every month) and where (Phillips Square, Ste-Catherine @ Union) it happens. Aside from that, the ride is what its participants make of it.

I’m looking forward to May’s Mass. It’s a traffic-clogging good time, for all walks rides of life.

Photo Source: Jōsé’s Flickr Stream