Critical Manners

Critical Manners




"To get respect from cars, we need to give it"

Barmak, Sarah. "Kinder, Gentler Bike Activism." The Toronto Star 5 Sept. 2009. Print.

When one thinks of bikers as a force to be reckoned with (so to speak) one would think of a Critical Mass, but this Canadian community has a different idea, Critical Manners. In a critical mass, a mass of bikers ride together as a unit through city/community streets spreading awareness about bikers that commute on city streets and encourage a respect towards them basically saying, that we're here and we're not going anywhere, so get used to us. But Critical Manners on the other hand does this in a slightly different way, a mass of bikers go down a street single file and respect the traffic laws, arguing that in order to get respect, they must show respect. Now, through this research this is the first time i've heard of this, but it makes a lot of sense. Some argue that this isn't as affective as a critical mass, since all the bikers aren't in a huge, well...mass, but it seems to me that this could work. I'm not the judge on this, but this seems like it might get a better reputation than the ladder. It just depends on if other communities will latch on to this new notion of civil disobedience (or is it not civil disobedience?).

Activism

Activism



"Sociologists and psychologists have found remarkable underlying themes and ideas that encapsulate entire generations. The two most recent generations, Generation X (births 1965 to 1982) and Millenials (births 1983 to 2002), have been heavily influenced by a fundamental rift in the nuclear family and being raised in a much more visually immersive media-created world. These generations “live in a world that is increasingly devoid of solid, dependable relationships. They have grown up as children of divorce, starved for closeness and intimacy as the family has deteriorated. Abusive, neglectful, busy, absent, non-emotional and working parents have no time for relationships.” They are the embodiment of “latchkey kids.”

The most important thing to both these generations is relationships; they will do anything to be loved. These generations also embrace change, value individuality, prize pragmatism, and are adrenaline junkies. What more favorable set of characteristics could the bicycle movement look for than these? Community Support Groups serve to provide meaning and utility for their social life and bring them into relationship with those who share an affinity for bicycling and/or bicycling activism. Critical Mass and similar groups provide a space for expression, optimism, and hope: all things this generation long for."


Rhodes, Brandon. "Cycles of Contention: Aspects of Bicycle Activism." (2004). Scribd. Web. .

Now, I know i just took a huge quote from this article, but this information is very important to the ideals of my art and what people i am currently involving myself with and photographing. The idea of a bike as a way of change is very real, it creates a bond between people and commonality in which people can strive for. Like the article talks about, much of this demographic are twenty-somethings and sociology shows that the demographic of people in this group promote change, individuality, and adrenaline flow. (I always knew that) I am aware of the inherent contradiction of conformity of being a biker, although it still does create an individual. But, like what I said before, the group of people (bikers) need to organize to create social change. Some cities have that and some don't. Though, i do feel that people are becoming much more aware of this fact and this biker activism will soon blossom nationwide.

Transit

Transit



"The observation goes something like this: seemingly simple changes to city streets or pathways can change entire ways of living. In the same way that removing a particular insect can spark a chain of events that ultimately transforms the "natural" world, the design of roads, trains, and city spaces can radically alter the social environment — the way people live."

McLaren, Carrie. "The sociology of transit." Web log post. Stay Free! Daliy. 16 Apr. 2007. Web. .

This article is referring to Portland, Oregon's city structure and the way it created a less vehicle centric City. To combat people from driving to work and encouraging mass transit, the mayor of Portland managed to decrease parking in the city/streets and raise the price of parking in lots and parking decks, creating an issue for commuters to either spend lots more money than usual to drive to work, or bike or take the train to work. Many people didn't want to take the train, but it seems to have went over well. The article cites that someone who detested the train for a long time, became a huge supporter of it and couldn't image life without it. The little things can help make a city change, although the people must want that as well. The cities that wish to make a change in their communities must do it full on, though Portland had a big revamp in the 90s, cities must make a change first and try to promote greener ways of living.

Fixed Gear

Crews


"What you see is people, who have spent their lives talking to only each other, now suddenly talking to reporters and people on the outside," said Ammerman. "They develop a group jargon and a particular posture. Their gestures, their language, is all going to look like each other because they are so tied to each other. That's not because someone has forced them to do that — it's simply coming out of living together in a relatively isolated kind of situation where they're not interacting with a lot of people"

Fritz, Yokota. "Bicyclists: brainwashed or believers?" Web log post. Cyclelicio.us. 16 Apr. 2008. Web. .

What I found interesting about this blog post, was its pointing out of sociology and psychology of bikers in a fixed gear crew, that resides in San Fransisco. It points out why people don't understand them and what they're trying to do (or not do). Maybe this is why people think of some bikers as a counter culture, maybe it's just misunderstanding, or maybe not. It seems that many try to blur the lines in what they do or why they do anything. Maybe it's all just because they want a shroud of mystery to surround what they do.

Not your Traditional Sport

Cyclocross

Article

Seemann, Luke. "Cyclocross is One Crazy, Muddy Bike Race." Chicago Tribune [Chicago] 24 Sept. 2009: 1+. Print.

"There's room for everybody," Kuhn says. "The scene's not as intimidating as some other places, like the track or road races. The scene is more comfortable for people to get into and start out and not be so nervous."

This is a good article that is making something that seems very limited in its viewership and its participation much more universal to a community. Although, I have talked about bikers as a "tribe" i know that biking is much more than that, it's a unifying activity that encourages activity, growth, and activism in said communities. Although i am talking about a sport that's very high endurance, and even abstract in many cases, it still breeds a sense of community and pride in participation. Many people actually just come to be a spectator . This is something that everyone can do if, and is encouraged, though it is very intense and strenuous, it makes people enjoy the rigors of the sport. So, with that said, the biking that i explore as a photographer can be very specific and also general, same with the notions of bike culture now. There are people that have tight clicks, and those who just enjoy a calm ride through nature, or those who enjoy an incredibly tough ride through nature. The plurality of biking is endless in everyone's reasons for wanting to bike.

Bikers as a Tribe

Tribe

Two definitions that convey my ideas of bikers as a tribe:


-- A class or set of persons, esp. one with strong common traits or interests.

-- A group of people sharing an occupation, interest, or habit.

-- A unit of sociopolitical organization consisting of a number of families, clans, or other groups who share a common ancestry and culture and among whom leadership is typically neither formalized nor permanent.


(Tall bike crew of Yogya, Indonesia)

Charles Darwin himself observed, "A tribe including many members who... were always ready to aid one another, and to sacrifice themselves for the common good, would be victorious over most other tribes; and this would be natural selection." Darwin showed that the survival of the individual was responsible for evolution but recognized the key role of cooperation in this very survival.

Pelusi, Nando. "Clinging to Your Crew." Psychology Today 1 May 2007.

The commonality of biking makes the idea of Tribe accessible to many of those who feel that they can be apart of something more than just a usual group of friends. People find themselves in this situation by primarily being a young twenty-something or college students that shares common traits among peers. The idea of style and conformity do seem to play a role into the general make-up of these "tribes" or "crews", but to only a certain extent. Rebellion and the ideas of forward thinking also have strong presence in certain groups that unites them as a whole.

A Free-Wheeling City

Reinventing America



"Across the country, the number of bicyclists has exploded. Between 2003 and 2007, the number of American bike commuters increased 38%. Yet many of these riders are forced onto dangerously crowded streets and roads designed for motorists, not bicyclists. In fact, in 2007, 698 cyclists nationwide were killed and more than 44,000 were injured in collisions with motor vehicles."

Article

City/community involvement is an integral part of the bike culture of America. If a city or community actually wants to make a difference on America's dependence on foreign oil they should take a tip from Columbia, Missouri Mayor Darwin Hindman, a 76 cancer survivor. The city use to be just like most other Midwestern cities, then it realized that investing money into infrastructure for the city to become less vehicle centric was a way to combat obesity, foreign oil, and pollution. The project to renovate the city's streets was a success and raised the biking population 71% from 2007 - 2008. If more cities can take from what Columbia, MO did, America might be taking a right step in their greener ways of thinking.

Donahue, Bill. "A Free-Wheeling City." Parade 27 Sept. 2009: 18-19. Print.