Standing up for cyclists

By Erin Wilson

DeKALB | Dave Moy, along with an expected 50 other riders, is participating in the DeKalb Critical Mass bike ride tonight.

Riders will meet in the King Memorial Commons at 5:30 p.m. and ride at 6 p.m. Traditionally, members of Critical Mass across the globe ride on the last Friday of every month.

Critical Mass is a progressive movement against automobiles and public transportation. Moy, a junior studio art-design major, uses his bike as everyday means of travel, unless external factors, like snow or construction, make it impossible to ride.

“I don’t drive because of the cost of insurance, so I prefer to walk or ride my bike,” he said.

Critical Mass riders stand up for cyclists’ rights to the roads in the U.S., often cruising through streets right alongside cars.

“We are traffic,” said Cassie Schmid, campus organizer of DeKalb Critical Mass and a junior art major. “Just because we’re on bikes does not mean we’re different.”

Moy is particularly interested in the origin of Critical Mass because the inspiration for the movement has its roots in China, his family’s home country. Cars in China have the right of way on roads and streets, so bikers wait on street corners until many other riders can unite and cross together.

Critical Mass is different from everyday bike riding, racing and touring, and it’s no different at NIU.

“DeKalb Critical Mass is a group of people having fun and riding their bikes and promotes bike awareness,” Schmid said.

Critical Mass is not recognized as an official student group at NIU. Instead, different cities in each continent participate in Critical Mass. Because DeKalb Critical Mass is not selective to students attending NIU, DeKalb residents may also participate in the ride.

“Critical Mass is about the unity of bike riders around the world,” Moy said. “Although the international chapters are split by an ocean, we still are united by our cause. Tonight, I’m hoping to meet a lot of people who would rather ride their bikes than drive their cars.”

DeKalb Critical Mass is looking to work with the Student Association to become an official organization and push NIU to create bike lanes, Schmid said, because riders are not supposed to ride on the sidewalk.

Any student interested in participating can come to the event Friday or refer to DeKalb Critical Mass groups on Facebook and MySpace for more information.

Erin Wilson is a Campus Reporter for the Northern Star.