Summer Streets, ‘kidical mass’ this Friday

Geeky Swedes Ballard

Friday is the annual “Bike to Work Day” and it’s the first-ever “kidical mass” event, which also coincides with the Ballard Summer Streets event. Families with bike riders of all ages and experience levels will meet at Bergen Place Park at 5:30 p.m. and take off down Ballard Ave at 6 p.m. to the Burke-Gilman Trail at Fred Meyer. They’ll follow the trail through Fremont and Wallingford to Gasworks. You can sign up for Kidical Mass here.

Geeky Swedes

The founders of My Ballard

44 thoughts to “Summer Streets, ‘kidical mass’ this Friday”

  3. yeah! Last month's summer street event in Greenwood was pretty fun.
    Don't know if the folks around here can relax enough to enjoy.
    Hope people don't infringe on other people's comfort zone and make them feel guilty for paying taxes and stuff.

  4. Well, if everyone plays nice it'll be a fun event. I have a feeling this will become an angry driver vs angry biker rant fest, though.

  7. Wow – the Geeky Swedes are psychic! I was about to send you an email telling you about our ride. Thanks!!

    The name is a play on words. That is all. We're all about being fun, safe, legal, and courteous. But my 2 year is pretty feisty these days, so I can't guarantee no fisticuffs. But it won't be toddler on driver, I promise you.

    I ride with young kids every day around Ballard. If you've seen the big black Dutch bike with the horsey head, or the blue “bucket bike”, that's us. I've found drivers to be generally more delighted than angry. And since we have no plans to intentionally disrupt their commute, I hope they'll feel that way about the ride!

    Please see our general info about the Kidical Mass (http://www.totcycle.com/kidicalmass), FAQ (http://totcycle.com/kidicalmass-faq/), or specific about this Friday's ride if you'd like to learn more (http://totcycle.com/blog/kidical-mass-seattles-…

    Lots of cool kid-carrying bikes will be present, if you're “bike-curious” about riding with young kids this summer …

  11. Critical Mass is a lot of things in a lot of cities. And sometimes thugs are on bikes, sometimes they drive cars. But it sure would be nice if this comment thread didn't get all Seattle PI Soundoff crankypants-y on the cars vs bikes theme. Call me an optimist.

  13. Oh, wow. THANK YOU, Geeky Swedes, for posting this! I'll be biking to work on Friday, and now I'll make darn sure I'm back home before a giant mass of kids and parents floods Ballard Ave and the Burke-Gilman.

    This sounds like a great event for the kids and their families, but I would love to know why the organizers are choosing to put a large number of children on the trail on the biggest bike commute day of the year. It sounds like a recipe for disaster to me, but I'm no kind of expert — Julian, do you expect a lot of trouble between kids on bikes and a lot of bikers who are maybe commuting for the first time that day?

  15. Realistically we probably won't hit the trail until about 6:30, I believe. Things aren't that bad around 6 either, which is when I ride home. The main congestion is UW/Wallingford, and I don't think we'll hit that, unless it's a gorgeous day.

    And I'd be happy to have the “problem” of a a gorgeous day, great Kidical Mass turnout, and lots of people on bikes in general!

    But hey, I hear you. I got so grumpy about the trail congestion during the first days of nice weather last month that I worried that my bad attitude was single-handedly resp0nsible for bringing back the rain. But I'm over myself. Lots of folks on bikes is a net good. If my daughter can be expected to share, then we winter bike commuters can too.

  16. Well, maybe not, on a Friday. I guess the commute peters out a bit earlier then. I probably would have been.

    Best of luck! I hope there's a singular lack of kid-commuter bike-frame interaction!

  17. Oh, also, I probably wasn't too clear — it's the Bike to Work Day first-time crowd I'm concerned about. I don't know what effect BtW Day has on the timing of the commute — whether it pushes it earlier and later than usual — but it does bump up the numbers, and I definitely think there will be a lot of people on the trail who have less control over their bikes that day than the daily commuter crowd does.

  18. “do you think that lots of people will still be commuting at 6 pm?”

    park player, it's obvious you have no experience with commutes around the Seattle area.

    Yes, 6 pm on a Friday is right smack in the heart of the commute. Ask one of your friends who has a job.

  19. What part of this doesn't sound like a recipe for disaster:

    Large numbers of kids and families on bikes will mass at Bergen Place, then ride “along the Burke-Gilman Trail” to Fred Meyer at 6 pm on a Friday.

    Have the brilliant planners behind this event ever tried riding a bike from Bergen Place to Fred Meyer? Are they aware that “Burke-Gilman Trail” at that point is little more than the city streets, with small or non-existant shoulders, and that those same streets are usually gridlocked with frustrated commuters at 6 pm on a Friday, and riding this route is dicey even for experienced cyclists under the best of conditions?

    Oh…mabe they're looking to get the event on the local news? Seems like a good bet!

  20. Clearly, Julian is an experienced bike commuter who knows exactly what that part of the Burke-Gilman Lack of Trail is like in that area at that time of day. He just has very different expectations about what's going to happen when a large group of kids hits that area during a uniquely busy bike commute day than you or I do. For the sake of the families involved, I hope he's right and we're wrong.

  21. I hope so, too….since even on a “normal” day I fear for my loved ones who ride their bike through that route – it's a pretty dangerous stretch of road.

  22. If Critical Mass are thugs what does that make motorists? Last I checked it was car drivers, not cyclists, who killed over 40,000 people last year. That's more than the Taliban and Al Qaeda combined!! Way to go motorists! Keep driving with your heads up your rectums!

  23. Oh come on Ballard sucker. Breathe deep and be prepared to have fun in a park for a change.
    I know it is a heavy task to be the neighborhood curmudgeon.
    By 6 pm Friday even 1-5 is calmed down.
    Don't know how long you have been round here – and how much experience you have in the work a day world. In general commutes in the Seattle region, though hectic at times, are pretty calm.
    Sorry to make you feel guilty because my friends have jobs.

  24. Is Kidical Mass ANY relation to the thug-infiltrated Critical Mass, some of whom INTENTIONALLY tried to terrify my preschooler by trapping him in the middle of the crosswalk and then acting like they were going to run over him?

  25. “Last I checked it was car drivers, not cyclists, who killed over 40,000 people last year”

    – Um, not for wont of trying, however. If your bikes weighed two tons and were combined with that attitude, you'd be hard to distinguish, perhaps, from Hutus and Tutsis…

  26. NO relation. Like I said, the only “thugs” infiltrating Kidical Mass are those whose thuggish behavior is developmentally appropriate :)

    I am a bit confused about how your preschooler got to be in the middle of a Critical Mass ride. Typical Critical Mass corking involves keeping a ride together by continuing to pass through an intersection after the light has changed to red. But my condolences to you and your son for such a scary time. We won't be doing any such thing on our ride.

  27. Thanks for the concerns, folks! The nice part about bikes is that if things get hairy we can take an alternate route, dismount and walk on the sidewalk (if not too crowded), or otherwise adapt to keep things safe.

    This will be a not so formal gathering of families who ride bikes. We can spread out if need be. I hadn't been expecting a huge turnout, but we'll make it work if we get one; most of my friends (who I expected would be the bulk of our participants on this first ride) have young kids that ride on parents' bikes or in trailers, so I don't think this ride will be quite the gaggle of youngsters on bikes that you might be envisioning.

    As for the route, for me, the only sketchy part of the “Missing Link” is the Shilshole crossing. Ballard Ave is actually a nice street to ride, with relatively low traffic volumes and generous width. Riding down Shilshole would be another story. We're aiming to be appropriately cautious but not fall prey to irrational “bike fear”. Or comment trolling. Whoops.

  28. Wow you make it sound like nothing good has come from the car, like a century of prosperity and the individual freedom a car has given us. Give me a '58 convertible T-bird over your hobby Schwin anyday. Besides, who's ever gotten l**d on the back seat of a bicycle?

  29. I'm with you — Ballard Ave is very pleasant, and that left turn onto Shilshole is a bear. Hopefully anyone driving by at that time will already be softened up by Bike to Workers biking up Shilshole. :)

    FWIW, I was being sincere three comments above — you certainly sound like you know what you're talking about w.r.t. the route. I just hope it works out as easily as you hope!

  30. I know you're just trolling, but “individual freedom” and “prosperity” are pretty subjective things, and not particularly related to car ownership in my book. Re: getting laid: it's all about balance.

  32. Ride to work day? Great, I'll make it drive to work with a double mocha in one hand, mobile phone in the other, driving the SUV with my elbows day!

  33. This whole “Critical Mass” thing would be more accurately called “Criminal Mass” – and it is clearly intended to be confrontational. Although the organizers of the kid-focused event highlighted here try to distance themselves from the Criminal Mass crowd, it seems pretty clear that this effort is a similar attempt to show motorists that the bicycle community is above the law.

    The web site for the “event” takes on the familiar, arrogant tone of the “we-hate-you-and-your-car” crowd. According to the site, “We don't 'cork' traffic, but then again, we are traffic, and cars behind us can slow down, pass safely, or find an alternate route.” The site also indicates, “we move very slowly” – suggesting that they will be intentionally impeding the general flow of traffic. Bicyclists – if they are going to act as vehicles on city streets – have some obligation to travel in a responsible way, that does not intentionally impede other vehicles. If dozens or hundreds of cars conspired to drive 10 miles per hour through downtown at rush hour, the police would be getting writers cramp handing out tickets.

    I applaud those cyclists who actually obey the laws and show consideration for other vehicles. But my experience in Seattle – at least with a daily commute downtown via 15th/Elliot/Western – is that most cyclists I've encountered do not stop at stop signs or lights, and once downtown (mostly those who appear to be messengers) completely disregard traffic laws. Add in the selective and politically correct approach to law enforcement in Seattle – I would be interested to see how many cyclists are ticketed for traffic violations – and it really is a rude and unjustified exercise.

    I've actually gone out of my way to thank bicyclists who actually stop at lights and signs. Which is sad, since it should be expected, rather than an exception.

    This “Kidical Mass” thing just appears to be more of the same haughty nonsense I've come to expect from the bicycle crowd in Seattle.

    Bikes are great, and I applaud those cyclists who actually obey the laws and show consideration for other vehicles. But my experience in Seattle – at least with a daily commute downtown via 15th/Elliot/Western – is that most cyclists I've encountered do not stop at stop signs or lights, and once downtown (mostly those who appear to be messengers) completely disregard traffic laws. Add in the selective and politically correct approach to law enforcement in Seattle – I would be interested to see how many cyclists are ticketed for traffic violations – and it really is a rude and unjustified exercise.

    I've actually gone out of my way to thank bicyclists who actually stop at lights and signs. Which is sad, since it should be expected, rather than an exception.

    These types of events

  34. We were attempting to cross 1st ave downtown on the light. Because there were cars stopped at a red light a block down, bikes were visible till they were close. They are fast. My child's legs are short and therefore slower than an adult's. But we still were in the “pedestrian cross green” time. We were trapped in the middle. A few people even 'played” at aiming for us, only to veer at the last possible second. My child was confused and terrified.

    And sadly, has given up bike riding since. Guess those Critical Mass guys sure taught HIM a thing or two about bike-riding, huh?

  35. oops: should have read – “bikes WEREN'T visible till…” apologies!

    And hooray that kidical mass is wholly different. I commend you! Alas, we'll still probably have to give it a wide berth…

  36. “If dozens or hundreds of cars conspired to drive 10 miles per hour through downtown at rush hour, the police would be getting writers cramp handing out tickets.”

    What about when there's a Mariners game on a weekday evening? Hundreds, probably thousands of cars conspiring to drive 10 miles an hour through downtown at rush hour to get to the game.

    If hundreds of people decide that they are all going to go on a bike ride together then everyone else can just suck it up and “slow down, pass safely, or find an alternate route”. Remember it's still a free country.

  38. are you at all concerned that out of the mass of children riding along this section of the “burke gilman trail,” or lack of trail, someone might get SERIOUSLY injured when his or her tires get caught in the infamous railroad tracks that run through this area?

  39. Excellent! So I can expect you'll be going out of your way to thank us as we stop at lights and stop signs on our law-abiding ride?

    If you look at the route, you'll see that it starts out with a street closed to car traffic, down Ballard Ave (hardly anyone's car commute that night, unless you live in a bar), crosses (egad!) a busy street after rush hour, and then most of it is on a multi-use trail.

    In fact, it's got the cyclists worried about their rush hour! How you arrived at the conclusion that this was all designed to impede cars is hard for me to grasp.

    I don't hate you, I don't hate your car. We have two of them (and 6 bikes, but I recognize that I have a problem there). I'm not sure where the “haughty” part came from, as the lines you quoted were meant to reassure parents about the pace of the ride, not antagonize folks like yourself. Point taken though, I'll work on the tone of the description, and “we are traffic” clearly needs to go. It is true, but it evokes Critical Mass, and is thus provocative. We do aim to be considerate to other travelers.

    I'll leave you, and this comment thread most likely, with a fun read on “the Myth of the Scofflaw Cyclist”:
    http://washcycle.typepad.com/home/2008/07/the-m…
    Not trying to excuse unlawful behavior, just putting it in perspective … and if you're in that small minority of drivers that stays under posted speed limits at all times and never rolls through a stop, then I will actually go out of my way to give you a tip of the helmet, good sir! Thanks for keeping us all a little safer.

  40. Thanks for the response, Julian. I appreciate your perspective, and wish you well with the event.

    I will, however, stand by my assessment of the “Critical Mass” folks and other like-minded cyclists. And, though I now better understand that your event is not directly affiliated, the title of your event and some of the language used in your event description is unfortunate in that it creates the impression of a similar philosophy.

    Although not a bicycle commuter, I am keenly aware of bicyclists while driving, and attempt to extend every courtesy possible – understanding that my car could easily injure or kill someone with only the slightest bump. But bicyclists need to understand that they can put me and others in danger as well. When I slam on my brakes to avoid hitting the cyclist who runs the stop sign or red light, the risks to me, my passengers and other cars, pedestrians and cyclists are very real. Safety is a shared responsibility. The system counts on everyone following the rules.

    The article you link points out that many motorists also fail to obey traffic laws. This dips into the fallacious debating tactic of rationalizing a bad behavior by pointing out that your opponent also engages in the behavior. Personally, I've never been a fan of “the other guy does it, too!” defense – it seems a cheap attempt to deflect responsibility. The article also suggests that a primary reason drivers don't blow through red lights and commit traffic violations with more frequency is that they “aren't as maneuverable as you would be on a bike or on your feet.” I suspect it has more to do with the fact that traffic laws are actually enforced on motor vehicles – and with insurance premiums, fines, court costs, etc., motorists have more at stake for even minor infractions. I suspect a review of moving violation citations issued to bicyclists would be a very short read. And repeated offenses aren't going to result in the revocation of their “bicycle license” or a significant increase in their collision and comprehensive insurance premiums.

    Again, I wish you and your group a safe and enjoyable event. I think it is unfortunate that you have implicitly linked yourselves to the Critical Mass crowd via the event title, but I appreciate your attempt to clarify your position, and your willingness to be responsive to how some language you've used can be perceived by others.

    Be safe, and have fun!

  41. As opposed to the thug motorists who intentionally try to run my child and I over when we cross the street? Seriously, more than once I've had cars blast their horn at us while crossing the street. We've also had cars actually swerve toward us intentionally. Other times drivers yell at us to use a crosswalk. Hey morons: ALL intersections are crosswalks – that IS the law. It doesn't matter if there are white lines painted on the ground. If you don't know that then you have no business driving. Like I said, if cyclists are thugs what does that make you?? Certainly far worse.

    By the way, if you really cared about your child you wouldn't drive them around in a car. Cars are the number one cause of death among children! That is a fact – take a look at the CDC stats sometime.

  42. What attitude? Stating facts isn't an attitude. You're the one who started with the name calling.

    BTW, since you think all cyclists are thugs do you also think all black people are crack dealers? Do you think all Latinos are illegal immigrants? Do you think all Arabs are terrorists? Just curious to know where your bigotry ends. Oh but let me guess, you're not a bigot right? You're a good open minded person? Hah!

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