What is Critical Mass?
Critical Mass is a worldwide movement to promote the use of bicycles as a viable means of transportation. It has arisen in response to what many call the “car-culture:” an overdependence on the private automobile. It is, more than anything else, a reclamation of space, a demonstration to show that the city belongs to people and not machines. Here is an excellent description of CM from former Minnesota masser Adam Kessel in response to Boston CM critics.
Critical mass is a concept one comes across when discussing nuclear material. In brief, the critical mass of a material is the amount needed for it to continue a nuclear reaction once it has begun. There are different types of nuclear materials, and one type is known as a fissile material. Fissile materials are able to sustain a reaction once it has begun. Since the reaction can be sustained, the material can be used for certain purposes. These purposes include making nuclear weapons, and creating reactors to generate energy. The most widely-used fissile materials are Uranium-233, Uranium-235, and Plutonium-239. These three materials meet the criteria of a fissionable material, stay around for a reasonably long time, and can be found in sufficiently large amounts to make using them for fuel practical. The process of a nuclear reaction is somewhat complex, but it can be looked at simply as a reaction that grows exponentially. In a reaction, an atom of the fissile material — let us say U
Critical Mass is a bike ride plain and simple. The ride takes place on the Last Friday Of Every Month (in Chicago anyway). A Critical Mass is created when the group of riders comes together for those few hours to take back the streets of our city. The right of the people to assemble is guaranteed in the Constitution, and Critical Mass helps people remember that right. The Mass itself has no political agenda, though, no more than the people of any other community do. Critical Mass is open to all, and it welcomes all riders to join in a celebration of riding bicycles. Why? Because bikes are fun! Sure, as with any community, you’ll see people of all types. Some people see Critical Mass as a forum for grassroots political change. Some people see it as a protest against cars. Some people just like to ride. The Mass, however, is just that…a bunch of bike riders. You can drive a car the whole month and ride in the Mass. You can be an anarchist and ride in the Mass. The point of the Mass is
