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Critical Mass cyclists clash with police over monthly ride
Denver PD argues riders create safety hazards
By Lou Christopher
achris25@mscd.edu

Photo by Jason Small • jsmall4@mscd.edu Denver motorcycle police practice crowd control at Critical Mass. More than 50 bicyclists rode from Civic Center Park to Cheesman Park on city streets to tell drivers, “Hey, it’s our road too.”

Cyclists met for a communal ride Aug. 25 at Civic Center Park to raise awareness for bikers as part of an event called Critical Mass.

The Denver Police Department would not say how many officers were at the event because of department regulations, but more than 25 were counted on site to police the more than 50 bikers on hand.

Cyclists meet for the ride at Civic Center Park the last Friday of every month and have clashed with police during the events in the recent months over the group’s alleged disregard for traffic law. Motorcycle cops now escort the group to ensure that safety regulations and traffic procedures are maintained during the ride.

“I definitely think it’s intimidation,” said Tyler, a Metro student and Critical Mass rider who would not give up his last name.

Police officers were driving their motorcycles on the sidewalk through a crowd of bicyclists at the August Critical Mass.

“I think it’s bullshit, more or less,” Tyler said about so many cops being on hand for the ride.

“It’s a safety issue,” said Deborah Dilley, police commander of Denver’s District 6.

She said that the riders run red lights and ride in circles around the streets with disregard for other traffic. To make sure everyone is being safe, the Police Department has met with Critical Mass riders to discuss riding protocol, Dilly explained.

Only three tickets were issued for running red lights at the August Critical Mass, Dilley said, which is an improvement from earlier rides in which more than a dozen $410 tickets were issued and several arrests were made.

“We hold people up, and they don’t like that,” said Phil Ross, a Critical Mass rider who uses his bike as his main method of transportation.

Ross said riding a bike is the smart thing to do, and that the bike is a great invention that uses minimal resources, has a low impact on the environment and is also truly efficient in its operation.
Ross has a car to drive when it is really necessary but uses his bike the rest of the time.

“I enjoy it,” he said.

Ross said that the goal of Critical Mass is to get riders together to advocate the environmental benefits of bikes and to make people aware of cycling as a viable means of transportation.

“Denver is better than a lot of cities in the country,“ said Ross about public awareness of bikes on the street.

Critical Mass riders say they have no organization, and the Critical Mass website touts that it is a coincidence, a movement, of bicycles in the streets.

Critical Mass started in San Francisco in 1992 when bikers decided that because of poor conditions for themselves on the road, they would gather once a month to make their presence known. The unorganized event has been happening in Denver since 1999.