NOTE: All timestamps are in the future because WE are in the future. The care takers of Midnight Ridazz.com reserves the right to remove, edit, move or delete anything for any reason. None of the opinions expressed on these boards represent the Midnight Ridazz nor can anyone purport to speak on behalf of Midnight Ridazz.
yesss! as long as we can throw in some celine dion and my chemical romance, i'll be as happy as myself.
oh, i want to mention what franz brought up on the last ride. he feels that critical mass needs to take a more aggressive approach by taking over more than one lane (since la critical mass happens only once a month). while i agree with the importance of increasing the quantity and frequency of cyclists on the streets, i'm also quite fond of sharing and trying to find a common ground with motorists and cyclists.
it's also an opportunity to challenge ourselves and force us to really assert our rights on the roads. perhaps we could also provide some sort of bicycle education materials for motorists who must wait for us when being corked.
we have plenty of fun rides, and i'm all about fun (and giving people a hard time), but maybe it's time to be a bit more proactive?
I agree, we can't "act like dicks" and expect people to respond positively. Passing out educational material is good.
I think the object is to assert our right to use the roads, but at the same time we should show consideration, something few drivers have, and share the road. If CM and all the weekly bike rides are gonna get the respect it truly deserves, we need to give respect in return.
The paint ball drive by was an example of how we are not loved by all the drivers and community. We need to win "the hearts and minds" of the people, if we are to succeed in getting more people on bikes.
The girls at CICLE made a real nice flier with a front and back. It's a pdf file with three panels per 8.5 x11.5 sheet. If someone can host it, I can email it to them. Or I could email it to anyone that requests it.
You also have the Long Beach CM and the Palm Springs Stahlight ridazz.
I live east of Sepulveda, so I wil ride in LACM this Friday. But I will show support for the Westside/Santa Monica/Venice and ride on February 1st in the SMCM, where we must stay one step ahead of the SMPD.
I repeat, there will be no rain tomorrow night. It might sprinkle in the morning but the skies will be clear by 3pm. It will be cold though, so wear layers.
@eddie-----> i feel the conflict, i'd like to do both CMs also. what about both CMs meeting in the middle at the end of the ride........not that I would try to pre-plan CM, but hijacking is the name of the game with CM isn't it... (i can hear everyone sighing)
we did this before for a 310 ride...we took SMB down...I think everyone had fun doing that
Here's a link to CICLEs pdf "Tips for Motorists." Not sure if this is the message we want to impart on corked motorists. Maybe something a bit more, "What is Critical Mass?" I may create some handouts for tomorrow.
I used a "Thanks" sign that I picked up at the .99 cents store, during the last weeks Sins and Sprockets ride, when we corked traffic. It seems that the drivers are more patient when we thank them.
I will ride down to the .99 cents store this evening to see if they have anymore. If so, I will try to pick up some.
I think if we communicate to the corked cars, that we are gratefully for their patience, they seem to be understanding and willing to wait the extra few minutes.
There has been a surge in the past couple months. Last month there were about 150 - 200 riders, so corking was necessary.
Even with smaller rides, 50- 75, the group sometimes gets cut off by the red lights.
The Ride is still going on! I had to break away for some personal business. Harry is towing the music trailer and they should be in downtown LA dancing at some art party.
Great to meet all the new people. Props to Claremont and others who live in LA and decided to ditch the car and take the plunge for the first time. No rain fell on the ride tonight.
Did anyone get pics of the riders blocking traffic Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills? We just kept doing circles in the intersection. Thanks for that Al.
Thanks Eddie for fixing two of the bikes of some of our new people. They are very appreciative.
Thanks Stewart for the spoke card. This was my first ever spoke card for a CM ride! I'll treasure it for EVER! Nice job on it too btw. Yeah lots of new faces on the ride last night, which was cool. It amazes me though what some people show up on these rides with, hint, hint! Can we say chain lube? I think we can..........
No pics of ridazz blocking traffic, as everyone knows, we don't block traffic! The Circle of Death at the Rodeo intersection was way cool!!!! It made me teary eyed and nostalgic. I thought that move was lost due to turnover and lost of tradition and what not. Good to see it's still alive!
The art party was over run by scenesters by the time we got there. Booze was drying up too. So we passed on it and made our own little party downtown.
I had to cut out to make the last train to LB. Everyone else was still partying it up when I left!
Had fun and was a good time. The roll through the Grove and riding in Beverly Hills was my fav highlights. Would have like to have seen the Jello wrestling, but that didn't happen! Maybe in the summer?
It seems everyone had fun on the ride. The Claremont people, I forget their names but they were cool, decided to stay and miss their train because they didn't want to stop riding.
I have done lots of Midnight Ridazz rides but only two previous LACM rides. I did the spoke card because they seem to always have them at the Santa Monica Critical Mass rides. I thought, hey why not LACM?
BTW I have five or six more spoke cards for those who did not get one, hit me up when you see me on the next ride.
Damn, I didn't see or hear a "man down" at the Grove. Those train tracks are killers.
And the Rodeo Drive "Circle of death" is definitely a tradition that needs to be revitalized.
The real circle of death would have been at La Brea and Wilshire, when that BMW nearly took out a some riders.
Kudos to Harry, who was starving but continued to tow the music trailer. Apparently he was being fueled by adrenaline.
They say you can't buy this much fun....you just have to live it.
Just wanted to say thanks. I bumped into the ride on accident on my way home from work, and I ended up having a blast. Thanks for being so nice to a new face. You guys were really welcoming and friendly. I bent the hell out of my forks when I rode into that bench at CalTran. As to what the hell I did that for, I have no idea. Momentary loss of non-periphereal (sp?) vision maybe? Anyway, I hope to get it fixed in time for the next ride. Hopefully I'll have some lights going by then to. If anyone has any spare roadie forks lying around, let me know. Thanks again, the Ridazz are Go!
Ive been really stressed out the last couple days and coming to this ride really helped me to relax. Eventhough it wasnt a big group, it was one of the best rides ive been on. Doing circles in Rodeo Dr was awesome! Ive never felt so alive. Another great LACM.
I caught you folks when I was coasting around the block over here in MacArthur Park. Even though it was the end, it was pretty fun just hanging out at the CalTrans Building.
I don't know how Amy does track stands in boots. That shyt is amazing. Also, sorry about your bent fork, dude that did a somersault-to-bench trick.
Rad to meet all these new riders, hope to see y'all at another ride soon. Hope youz from USC made it home intact. Thanks menadmybluebike for the rockin playlist.......PICTURES PICTURES PICTURES..gotta see em see em see em
stop buying shit, read more books!
read my books, I eat lips!
buy my shit, I need books!
...
great ride. great fucking ride!!! ahhhh!!! wooooo!!!!
the circle of death was too short. i did one loop and attempted to jump off to take a couple photos, but it ended.
if i remember correctly, the couple from claremont is anna and josh.
newb310: ha! i did the track stand in the boots. annie, not amy. were you the one that i had the track stand competition with?
Yes the circle of death was way too short. I advocate that we do a MINIMUM of 5 laps! Don't call a circle of death unless you're ready to commit to doing five continuous laps.
I Think we need to have a work shop on performing it too. Maybe start doing some training rides?