CRITICAL MASS IN WAUSAU WISCONSIN

According to the Wausau Daily Herald, a 21 year old women who suffered brain injury after being struck on her bicycle at an intersection has organized a critical mass ride.

The ride will stop at city hall to peitition the local government for change in roadways. Over 50 bicyclists are expected to show up.

For those who don't know, critical mass is a worldwide movement that generally advocates for awareness of bicyclists and a celebration of bike riding. Many cities have monthly rides that have huge turnouts. Some critical mass rides have proven controversial due to road rage drivers, attacks by police officers and other general ill tempered behavior.

I have ridden the San Diego critical mass ride several times and can attest to how powerful it is. To ride in a group of several hundred people at night downtown and feel safe because the sidestreets are blocked off is quite fun. However, the rides can create tension between drivers when the drivers are forced to wait for large groups of riders and also when a select few bikers act inappropriately towards drivers.

For more on the San Diego Critical Mass ride click the links below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av7zh1FQ-vM

http://madtownbicyclelawyer.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-post.html

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