LPVR - Critical Mass ride for a Sherbrooke Street REV
After much postering both of Sherbrooke Street and publicity for Le Petit Velo Rouge's ride. The big day had finally arrived.
I had asked the CBC if they would like to join me on the trishaw, opps I mean Sociable, but did not hear back from them. Feeling a little down about that, I read the weather report of a thunderstorm warning with a gnawing feeling that this ride was not to be.
On the earlier ride, in June, there was a blockage along Parc that held up the Critical Mass for a while. On the way to the Monument I checked out if the route was clear. So far so good.
Upon arrival at the monument, I was greeted by some cycling regulars, with fear of rain perhaps, the mood seemed to vary.
The crowd started to grow, despite the weather forecast.
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Soon more posters started to appear....
Jia gave a talk....
I even made a video...
The mass set out South along Parc....
Everyone seemed to be in a good mood....
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Soon the mass was moving along Sherbrooke....
Something new on this ride, installing posters as the mass moves down the street.....
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Time for another video....
More posters.....
More downtown ride photos....
As the mass approached Westmount, it started to rain....
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Some sought out the ideal photo location...
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In NDG the rain got harder...
One of the attractions of a critical mass ride is that the cyclists, rather than the cars, rule the street for that moment. "This so much fun, is it actually legal?" is in the back of everyone's mind. At the corner of Sherbrooke and the Decarie Expressway there is always a jam up of cars and the mass entered into it. A police car drove up the exit ramp from the expressway below and saw the critical mass. "Are we in trouble?" everyone wondered. The police car turned on its loudspeaker and announced "Bonjour" to the crowd, everyone sighed a sigh of relief and waved to the smiling police officer inside.
Because of the heavy rain, some headed home ...
Some continued on...
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Soon we were at Loyola....
A few more talks.....
Some food....
Another video....
Bike lanes along Sherbrooke st can’t come soon enough! Hurray to critical mass riders.
ReplyDeleteThe riders were incredible with terrific energy! We can definitely see how much Montrealers have Sherbrooke at heart: Despite thunderstorm and heavy rain, quite a contingent of people showed up! This first edition of citizen-led movement in the west will definitely not be the last and the mass can only grow bigger and bigger. Thank you Malcolm for all the years of Sherbrooke St activism and can’t wait for more to come 🙏🏼
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on a terrific event. REV Sherbrooke is needed
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