Westside BikeSIDE!

March’s Santa Monica Critical Mass was the 38th SMCM, and followed a successful 3rd Anniversary ride in February. In pre-ride announcements a SaMoHi student, Alec, shared his story of getting his ticket repealed. Then we had 60 seconds of silence in honor of a cyclist killed in the Valley on last Wednesday, followed by whoops and applause for lifetime of cycling.

We rolled from the top of the pier cognizant that at least four motorcycle cops and two cruisers from the Santa Monica Police Department were lurking about. We headed South on Ocean, relatively uneventfully, until the group started to split up, split by red lights and the hawkish SMPD. The ride shattered when just South of Pico the ride made a unprotected left at a busy signal. Since a motorcycle cop was scrutinizing the intersection it became impossible to get large groups of riders through each light. For the future a good guideline is: if your Mass is being forced to respect traffic lights by police scrutiny, do not turn left at busy intersections, particularly if you do not have a protected left.

John Silva of the Southbay Cruisers posted this video containing footage from the ride:

The ride made it’s way back up into Santa Monica along Main St, but by that time two bad lights and a fast group at the front had shattered the ride into at least 5 large groups. With some work and a lot of luck the ride managed to regroup at Arizona & 5th.

While we were there a police cruiser blocked off traffic causing a snarl, and multiple motorcycle cops lurked about. The cops were downright schizophrenic. Multiple times I witnessed motorcycle cops kareen past cyclists at speeds of 40 mph with only a foot or two of clearance. They were lurking around every corner staring us down, as if they were just waiting for us to “do something”. Still, I didn’t see a single citation. It was confusing, and dangerous, and many riders got the impression that SMPD was confused too.

Once the ride had reassembled someone suggested we walk the promenade, so we briefly turned South and then staged on the 3rd St. Promenade. All together we walked the promenade, whooping it up, greeting pedestrians, until we came across dancing monks. Dancing monks are inspiration to walking bikes, and SMCM riders started getting down then and there, while others did the classic bike lift. Thesis, antithesis –> synthesis: SMCM, we need a bike lift dance!

Energized, SMCM riders were ready for unfettered riding so we headed South on Main St toward the circle. The ride stopped for 10 minutes at a liquor store on Main St to regroup. There, bitter over their persecution by police, SMCM riders discovered that one can cross at crosswalks indefinitely. Riders crossed from th West side of the street to the East, and upon arriving on the Eastern curb, remarked that they had forgotten their bag or their friend on the Western curb, and started back across. It was an apt illustration of the point that while aspects of Santa Monica Critical Mass are not legal, there are legal acts which are far more disruptive.

Heading South we toured Abbott Kinney, and then spun around the Windward Circle. Usually SMCM zooms around the circle and then heads off in a new direction. This time, perhaps inspired by Venice Critical Mass, riders rolled around the circle, and then hung out in the center. Intermittently a group of riders would mount up and ride around the circle for a while, and then leave, or return to the circle party. It was a lazy bike ride vibe, and I loved it. I mostly hung out with long time rider Gallo, who brought his son Luca with him. Luca is an awesome kid, and he even took some photos, such as the one below, with my camera which are certainly better than any photos I took before I was twenty.

Eventually the group headed further South, stopping at a Ralph’s in Marina Del Rey, before returning to finish at the Washington Pier in Venice. I felt like this ride had elements of CRANK Mob to it, in that it stopped often but it kept going further, gradually shedding riders. That’s a lot different than the old skool SMCMs, which were shorter in duration and typically had a distinct finish. I prefer the CRANK Mob style, because it gives every rider a choice about how long they want to ride, and it produces a greater diversity of experience.

Next month, SMCM is gonna be awesome!

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