Critical Manners takes a stand for sharing, harmony, red lights

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 4/14/7 | Steve Rubenstein

[SmithL]

A bunch of bike riders pedaled through San Francisco on Friday night, and nobody got mad at anybody.

The cyclists were polite. The motorists were respectful. The pedestrians were happy. The cops were incredulous.

And it all comes, said ride organizer Reama Dagasan, from stopping at red lights, which is not at all a bad thing to do.

"We're making a statement tonight," she said. "We believe in sharing and being nice."

Dagasan is the founder of Critical Manners, which is her response to the controversial Critical Mass ride that features hundreds of cyclists riding as a pack through San Francisco on the last Friday night of the month. At the last Critical Mass, there were several confrontations with motorists, including one that ended with someone smashing the back window of a minivan.

There was none of that for the Critical Manners ride. That's because Dagasan put her foot down. She put her foot down at Grove, McAllister, Turk, Sutter, Bush and California streets, and that was just during the first half mile. A law-abiding bike rider puts her foot down a lot.

The ride departed at 6 p.m. from Civic Center, after a brief refresher course.

"Let's review our signals!" Dagasan hollered to the group. "Right turn, arm up! Left turn, arm straight out! Now put your helmets on! And be polite!"

Sgt. Ed Callejas, one of four cops assigned to escort the chivalrous cyclists, double-checked with Dagasan about the good-manners angle. Like any good cop, he was just a bit skeptical of human nature.

"You're really going to follow all the rules?" he asked.

"Yes sir," she replied. "You've never seen a bigger bunch of nerds in your life."

[SmithL]

Critical Manners was made up of 16 bicyclists and four police officers. After a while, police, facing a shortage of law breaking and hostility, ended the escort.

[Zeroisanumber]

Good story. These guys are much better than those Critical Mass a-holes.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

This is all well and good, but it does little to address the filth that fill the ranks of the critical(ly stupid) mass(holes).

If they want to do something helpful, the “Police Escort” can wait until the next stampede of scum and start arresting anyone who breaks the laws. You know, do their jobs...

[walkerk]

“There were exactly 16 cyclists on the ride, which is a lot less than the 500 or so that Critical Mass usually gets.”

Well, it’s a start.

[goldstategop]

Good manners come from a moral code. The government can only arrest you for breaking the law but it can't teach you on how to be a decent and courteous person.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Good manners come from a moral code.

Indeed. Something sorely lacking in this day and age.

The government can only arrest you for breaking the law but it can't teach you on how to be a decent and courteous person.

While the government can't teach morality and indeed it shouldn't make the attempt, throwing the book at those who brazenly break the law is a step toward a more mannerly society.

Take the trash off the streets and otherwise decent people won't be tempted to lash out in anger at the pedaling idiots.

[glorgau]

and four police officers.

San Francisco tax dollars at work. No wonder why the city budget is twice the size of San Jose while having a smaller population.

[Ieatfrijoles]

I still think my liberal SF friend’s idea of a bag of carpet tacks is workable.