Looking forward to Warszawska Masa Krytyczna this evening— Warsaw Critical Mass!!
It claims to be the largest Critical Mass Ride in Central/Eastern Europe, but we wouldn’t doubt if it were the largest on the continent. Thousands of people come out on the last Friday of the month (especially when the weather is as nice as it is) to take over the streets of Warsaw.
We haven’t been to a whole lot of critical mass rides in different cities, but the one here in Warsaw is really fantastic and not what we were expecting. All types of people come out- lycra-kitted mountain bikers, fixie messenger hipsters, cycle-chic girls with their big sunglasses and pretty bikes, families with kids, old men on communist-era folding bikes, bike freaks on weirdly concocted bikes, and just about everyone else who enjoys riding on two wheels.
And its organized- well organized, thanks to the bicycle advocacy group, Zielone Mazowsze (Green Mazovia). After some rough tensions between police & cyclists in 2002, the event became more official and now is led by a police escort. Thanks to this, cyclists are really able to take over the streets—safely—and the legion of organizers cycle ahead to block off the cross-street traffic to ensure no cars try to sneak through the parade of cyclists.
You also might think that in a city with aggressive and bad drivers, that the mass gets a lot of dirty looks and annoyed drivers. On the contrary! Everyone is super friendly, with supportive honking and waving from apartment balconies. Watching of mass of cyclists led by a sound-pumping music system, hootin,’ hollerin’ and bell-ringin’ spreads a contagion of happiness and smiles!
We’ll post some new pics of the adventures tonight!!
Two Wheel Travel 