Cyclists ride their way to awareness

When the Clocktower strikes 5, they begin to ride.

The Friday evening commute was just beginning when a group of teenagers, parents and even a child riding tandem took their 12 bicycles to downtown Spokane’s congested streets.

Traveling as a pack, the group kept to one lane of traffic, sometimes frustrating drivers who wanted to speed home for the weekend as well as confounding onlookers who gawked at the troupe.

It was all part of an effort known globally as Critical Mass, a demonstration that takes place on the last Friday of every month in hundreds of cities around the world to bring awareness to bicyclists’ safety and promote nonmotorized transportation.

“The more bikes you see on the roads, the better a bike town this will become,” said John Speare, who joined his young daughter and wife on the leisurely ride through Spokane.

Critical Mass rides are sometimes accused by drivers and law enforcement of disrupting traffic. In November 2005, Spokane police arrested nine bike riders for interrupting traffic near Main Avenue and Wall Street.

But the riders say they don’t intend to frustrate drivers or break laws. The group of riders gathers on the last Friday of each month near the fountain in Riverfront Park. On Friday they munched on celery sticks dipped in peanut butter and avoided any definite planning about the evening’s route.

Spokane police haven’t had much trouble from the group, said spokesman Cpl. Tom Lee.

As long as the group stays in a single lane of traffic and obeys all traffic laws, Lee said, they’re in the clear.

“If it gets to the point where they’re having a problem blocking traffic, we’d talk. But so far, so good,” he said.

Still, riders are watchful for police interruptions. The number of participants has dropped since the 2005 arrests, and when police begin to trail the pack, the group often disperses, said several people getting ready for Friday’s ride.

For Friday, however, the dozen riders held their ground, laughing amongst the horn honks and gestures and occasionally returning a thumbs up from a driver.