Dear Friends:

We received an email today from Gary Wheeler extolling the virtues of
Critical Mass Rides.  Gary is wrong on all counts.  Dead wrong.
Dangerously wrong.

Critical mass rides are not expressions of the rights of cyclists:
Critical mass rides violate the law, insult the public, and harm all
cyclists by angering people against us.  The spoiled children who take
part in them should be arrested and heavily fined, in my opinion.  They
are people who have nothing important to do in their lives except
project their hostility onto the public roads.

These immature scoff-laws are not advocating for cyclists rights, as
they claim.  They never have been, and never will.  They are, instead,
acting to negate the hard work done by many real cycling advocates over
many years to ensure that we all do have the right to "Share the Road".
Mike Wohl is quite correct that critical mass riders and all other
cyclists who deliberately and unnecessarily block motorists anger the
other road users, needlessly risk their own safety, and place other
cyclists in harms way.

Let me make this clear:  Critical mass rides are against the law.
Period.  Advocating them in this forum is seriously irresponsible.
Gary's email has harmed the Gainesville Cycling Club.

Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities on the road as
motor vehicles.  Yes, responsibilities, which include obeying the
Florida Statutes as they apply to all vehicles.  Critical mass rides are
against the law.  To publish such a message on our webmail might be
interpreted by law enforcement officials and others to suggest the
Gainesville Cycling Club condones breaking the law.  Such a position
would be in contradiction to our Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws,
and would expose our Board of Directors and Officers to actions for
negligence.

No, critical mass rides can in no way be compared to the civil rights
movement.  They are, instead, more like the tantrums thrown by
ill-behaved children who insist on having their own way.

Gary should retract his statements and apologize to the GCC.

Sincerely,

George Edwards
President (Retired)

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