November 5, 1998
November 5, 1998Lara Souza, Staff Writer
| It was a Thursday afternoon around 4:30 when a crowd began to form.
They were at Duck Pond for similar reasons.
Some wanted to protest car pollution, others just wanted to ride their bikes. The anticipation prior to the event remained strong. Many were sharing with others in the excitement of being part of such a positive movement. Reactions began coming from people driving on Rivers Street. Almost everyone who drove by looked at the cluster of students surrounded by their bikes. It soon became 4:45 and the group grew in number. The sign-up list held
40 participants. It was then 5 p.m., and the bell started to ring. Students put their helmets on and got on their bikes. The massive crowd pedaled onto Rivers Street and headed toward 321 South. “Get out of your car, get on your bike,” participants screamed. The bike loop went from Rivers Street to Wal-mart and back to the university. Critical Mass occurs when cyclists happen to be at the same place and time, and decide to cycle the same way together. Today, Critical Masses are gaining popularity. Toronto, London and the majority of U.S. cities hold the event once a month. San Francisco started Critical Mass a year ago and now has 500 participants. The city of Berkeley, Calif., attracts as many as 150 cyclists per meeting. Critical Mass is a positive movement for alternative transportation. Students gather on their bikes and ride along with cars in rush hour traffic. These events present several different goals ranging from combating automobile pollution and decreasing traffic and parking conflicts to promoting an overall enjoyment of the great outdoors. Twenty-nine-year-old Scott Bennett, a former ASU student, is an experienced
mountain biker. He rode in the first critical mass. “We have too much air pollution and traffic and parking problems in Boone. The Critical Mass would not only solve these problems but also create more awareness and respect toward bikers,” Bennett said. The Critical Mass is working for the implementation of bicycle lanes in Boone. Several accidents have taken place involving cars and bikes. Car owners feel that bikers have no rights. Bikers feel like they are part of the traffic; therefore, when these two mind- sets come together, incidents happen. Students interested in joining the Critical Mass should bring a bike or borrow one and a helmet. Students meet at 4:30 p.m. at Duck Pond, next to Trivette Hall, on the first Thursday of every month. Critical Mass is a safe event, and the greater the number of participants, the greater the awareness of pollution, parking and traffic issues will be. For students concerned about any of the problems listed above, this
is the time to participate. Staying at home will not solve anything.
Iit might actually contribute to parking, traffic and pollution problems.
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