Critical Mass comes to Daylesford

Critical Mass. It’s a bicycling event, typically held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 cities around the world [1]. CM originated in 1992 in San Francisco aiming to show that SanFran wasn’t bike and cyclist friendly. Cyclists gather at a regular place and time – usually during the afternoon rush hour. They then ride as a bunch, i.e. a mass, to a destination, or back to the starting point. If it happens to delay people in vehicles powered by infernal combustion engines, so be it. CM’s been called a dis-organisation. Also an organised coincidence. It’s a touch anarchic. It’s not a race. It’s a mix of fun and serious activism. Me? I’ve only ever ridden in Melbourne’s CM [2]. And that was back in the middle and late 1990s. But it sure felt good: edgy, cheeky, powerful. For an hour a month, it makes cyclists feel respectable, and respected, road users. CM’s Australian website lists 13 Australian CM locations [3]. Guess what? Tomorrow’s the last Friday in September. And it’s the day when CM comes to Daylesford [4]. The details are on the poster (click to enlarge). The initiator? Darling Meg. Of course. She says it’s to increase bike awareness in Daylesford. And she’s been ‘busting to do it– just waiting for the warmer weather’. Also that she looks forward to riding with me; and may this be the first CM of many. Amen to both. Good on you, darling Meg. And good on you, CM.