Bike Ride in San Francisco Is Peaceful

SAN FRANCISCO — Under the watchful eye of police, bicyclists pedaled peacefully through San Francisco’s streets Friday in the monthly traffic-snarling ride known as Critical Mass.

Police said fewer than 1,800 riders took to the streets, far less than the 6,000 cyclists who caused the near-riot last month that jammed intersections and ended in 115 arrests. Before that, Critical Mass rides had been mostly calm affairs, designed to point out the need for more bicycle-friendly streets.

Friday’s downtown ride had a festival atmosphere, with a mime troupe performance and several groups promoting various causes.

“I’m a guy from the ‘60s. It’s hard for police to deal with groups like this,” said John Carter, 55, who brought his bike on a commuter train from Redwood City. “I think we ought to continue to disrupt traffic until we get some rights in San Francisco.”

Because the event ended a week in which two bicyclists died in collisions with trucks, police had readied themselves for problems.

“The last thing we want is for this to evolve into a confrontational, adversarial thing where we are left with no alternative but to take enforcement action against a lot of people on bicycles,” said San Francisco Police Capt. Dennis Martel at a news conference.

At Justin Herman Plaza, where the bicyclists gathered before heading out about 6 p.m., the police announced over a loudspeaker that they would not facilitate the ride, eliciting loud cheers from cyclists.

Officers, at the behest of Mayor Willie Brown, did not escort riders for the first time.

But fears that this month’s ride would disintegrate into a riot never materialized. Police said riders were obeying traffic laws and allowing city busses to pass.

“They’re stopping at all the signs. Most everyone is obeying the rules, and that’s what we’re looking for,” said Sgt. Roy Sullivan, who was posted on a downtown corner. “There’s a lot of people out here tonight who will correct the impression of the last [ride] and put a different spin on bicyclists and what they’re trying to do.”

There were fewer drivers on the streets because many motorists cleared out of San Francisco for the holiday weekend. Also, police said it appeared that motorists might have stayed away from the city because of the publicity generated by the ride.

One motorist said he understood.

“Everybody has a right to do what they want to do. I understand the unity and I like it,” said driver Ramiz Karachy, who was caught in the traffic backup.

Police were hoping to avoid a repeat of last month’s ride, which ended in chaos. Ignoring prearranged routes, thousands of cyclists swarmed through streets, igniting confrontations with police and some motorists.

Authorities also feared that the deaths this week of bike courier Casey Moe and commuter Pauline Caluya, both 25, could add to the tensions.

Police were stationed Friday along the bicyclists’ route. Some riders broke from the larger group, but later appeared to rejoin the others. Officers blocked off one splinter group of cyclists who arrived at the Golden Gate Bridge intending to cross it.

Many of the riders pride themselves on their civil disobedience, saying the mass ride serves to remind motorists and public officials that bicyclists are commuters too.

“These [deaths] are not isolated incidents,” said Ted Strawser of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. “There’s a real problem in this city. It shows the city’s failure to address the problems with the transportation system.”

Moe died Thursday at San Francisco General Hospital after his bike hit a moving van on Market Street.

On Monday, Caluya was killed as she pedaled down the same street. After trying to pass a truck, she hit a metal ventilation grate and her bike slid under the vehicle, police said.

The mass ride went past a Market Street memorial to Caluya, where mourners laid flowers and the victim’s friends were circulating pro-bike petitions.

“So many people in this city ride bikes, and it’s a very small town,” said Janella Slaga, 22, who called Caluya her best friend. “There’s just no room for all the problems there are.”