🚀 go-pugleaf

I ride in Critical Mass because it's the one day out of the whole month 
that I can ride in safety.

I ride in Critical Mass because I dislike having to depend on my car to 
get around and would like to be able to ride my bike more.

I ride in Critical Mass because Austin was once a Clean Air City (up 
until this year) and now we are subjected to ozone warnings.

I ride in Critical Mass because, as American citizens, we have a  
right to assembly, and demonstration is an integral part of political 
change.  

I won't apologize if it makes you uncomfortable.  Many people were
uncomfortable during the Civil Rights Movement during the '60's.  But can
you say that African-Americans were wrong to demand equality? 

The bicycle is democratic by its very nature.  Affordable and  easy to 
repair, it is accessible to all.  It requires very little maintenance, 
and you can park it anywhere.  It is health-giving to the user and does 
not emit any ozone-depleting gasses.  

A car, on the other hand, is very expensive to purchase, to operate, and
to maintain.  It is complicated in its structure, so that it requires
specialized and comparitively frequent maintenence.  And it pollutes the
environment. 

The point is, just because something is status-quo, doesn't make it right. 
Even if you don't want to ride a bike, you could at least learn to share
the road with those of us who do. 

AMM