Who are you?
We're a bunch of cyclists riding home together for our own safety. It's called Critical Mass. It's not a club or an organisation, just a collection of people who turn up on the day.

What's the protest about?
It's not a protest, we just want to ride our bikes in safety. It's a celebration of cycling.

Why are you taking up all this room?
We're hardly taking up any room at all. Road space for one bus will hold 3 cars or 50 cyclists. Imagine if we were all in cars!

Why are you blocking traffic?
We're not blocking traffic. WE ARE TRAFFIC!

So, how do I join?
There's no formal membership - you just turn up.

FREE PARKING
when you choose appropriate transport

Thank you for waiting for this traffic to pass. While you're here you might like to consider this great offer from Critical Mass.

Free Parking
Imagine the time you'd save if you never had to search for a car park again. Impossible? No - on a bike you can park for free right outside wherever you want to go, all day, every day. And when you factor in the time it takes to drive somewhere, find a park, then walk to your destination, you'll find it's often faster to ride your bike.

Free Land
Unlike cars, bicycles don't need to swallow vast tracts of urban land just so that they can get stuck in traffic. Urban sprawl is a vicious cycle - more space for cars pushes everything further apart, so you have to drive everywhere and we need more space for cars. In fact, studies show that the more people drive cars, the slower everyone goes.

Free Air
Imagine the city without the noisy, stinky, dangerous cars. Imagine the car parks being turned into people parks. Imagine your street if it only had a footpath down the middle and a wide bike lane. As you sit here, why not turn off your engine and enjoy the quiet... Like it? Maybe we'll see you at the next Critical Mass ride.

Hyde Park North
5:30pm Last Friday of month

Solutions to Congestion

Reducing the number of cars by 10% during peak hour will increase average speed by approximately 10km/ hr, which will reduce travel times by approximately 25%. Derived from: "A Guide to Traffic Engineering Practice", NAASRA.

If current road building practices continue, traffic congestion will increase 600%, air pollution will increase 36% and accident costs will increase 68%. "Road Transport Future Directions", 1991. A study undertaken on behalf of the Roads and Traffic Authority.

190 Critical Mass cyclists rode through a light phase at Taylor Square in the time ordinarily taken by 26 cars. This confirms overseas reports that a traffic light can regulate 6 times more bikes than cars. Critical Mass, February 1997. "Cycling in the City" 1993. C. R. O. W. Netherlands .

Latent demand

NRMA’s 1996 Monitor of Public Attitudes found 56% of people would reduce their car use if cycling and walking facilities were improved.

Passenger trips made by bicycle:

  • Netherlands 28%
  • Japan 20%
  • Denmark 18%
  • Australia 2%
PARKER Alan, November 1996. "Bicycle friendly roads are safer for all users." Velo Australis International Bicycle Conference.

Health

Cycling 6 hours a week has the equivalent health benefit of stopping smoking 20 cigarettes per day. Roberts Ian, 1995. "Pedalling Health - Health Benefits of a Modal Transport Shift".