|
This Will Change
|
Jess Austin
|
Jan 28, 2007 02:35 PST
|
Aloha,
Since moving to Honolulu some months ago, I've been trying to get out to
Critical Mass Honolulu. CM was such a blast in the other places I've
been. It helped me see how my politics should be informed by my bicycle
commuting. It introduced me to others who have taken the red pill and
opted out of our society's collective automotive insanity. Most
importantly, it was a lot of fun to ride the way that the idiots in
boxes drive: exactly how we wanted to ride.
So that brings me to last night. That was definitely the lamest,
least-massive Critical Mass I've ever been on. Me and one other guy
(hi, Adam!) who also had never been on CM in Honolulu weren't even sure
we were in front of the right state capital. We rode anyway, and by the
time we stopped at Bar 35 had decided that Critical Mass Honolulu is in
bad shape, but it's coming back. We didn't know what had gone wrong
that a city the size of Honolulu can't support Critical Mass, but we
were going to try to get it going again.
Then at the bar we ran into two other bike people, and they clued us in.
Apparently in the past, Honolulu CM has taken place on sidewalks!
CMers have been polite to drivers! CMers have been uptight! Some
assholes had appointed themselves leaders! Horrors! That shit stopped
last night. It probably explains why Critical Mass died before. It
won't happen again.
The next Critical Mass Honolulu is on February 23. We'll be meeting in
the same place, on the Beretania side of the state capital building.
We're going to ride in the street, as traffic, and we're going to have a
good time. Afterward I'm buying everyone a beer. If that means three
beers, then as Adam said, that's 50% growth. I expect to be buying more
than that.
Before I moved out here, Honolulu would have been the last place I
expected to find Critical Mass taken over by a couple of
drive-to-the-trailhead, Lance-wannabe, scared-of-the-street,
non-commuting assholes. Fortunately, these problems sort themselves
out. If CM stops being CM, CM dies. Then, the people who stopped
coming because they want their Critical Mass to be critical will start
again, and start it right.
Or that's what I hope anyway. If anyone else shares that hope, we might
have something.
Jess Austin
|
|
 |
|
