CRITICAL MASS, BUDAPEST: News, Posts, Info

Further Info on Critical Mass Budapest

Press Contact

Gábor Bihari
Volunteer Organiser - International Press
gabor@greenmedia.hu
+36 30 811-1621

Press Releases

September 23, 2009--Car Free Day ride assessment: an estimated 20,000 cyclists surrounded the Budapest City Hall and rode around the city's Big Ring Road without any serious incidents. The organizers would like to thank everyone who participated, volunteered, promoted or supported the event in one form or another. For more details and opinion visit: http://cyclingsolution.blogspot.com/2009/09/budapest-critical-mass-back-...
Sept 4, 2009--Car Free Day Ride on September 22, 2009: www.greenmedia.hu/cm/cm_en_2009-09-22.rtf
Sept 7, 2009--Budapest's 'Span Scam' - World's Largest Critical Mass Has Mayor Surrounded: www.greenmedia.hu/cm/Budapest_SpanScam.doc

Budapest Cycling Blog in English

Cycling Solution (Making the World a Better Place for Bicycling, Starting in Budapest) -- frequently updated by Greg Spencer:
www.cyclingsolution.blogspot.com

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EVENTS

HAPPY MASS ON THÖKÖLY ÚT, Wednesday, Oktober 14th, 5.00pm

Critical Mass Budapest is not just a protest, and it certainly isn’t a negativistic, City-Hall-cordoning, car-traffic-punishing movement only. We are more than willing to gather and applaud positive developments! As such, we invite all supporters to inaugurate with us the bike lane on Thököly út, Budapest, which was completed up to the safest and best international standards, and the fewest compromises known to us at this time. The planners of this road reconstruction had also consulted with the representatives of bicycling groups and all agreements were kept.

Assembling starts at 5.00 PM at the "Millenáris Velodrom", Szabó J. u. 3., Dist.14

Car Free Day 2009 announcement:

Critical Mass Bicycle Ride on Car Free Day, September 22, 2009
Budapest, Hungary
On Car Free Day 2009, Critical Mass Budapest will again organize a large scale ride to promote bicycling – one of the most environmentally friendly forms of travel – and to raise awareness about the need to improve cycling conditions in the city. Assembling will start at 5:30 PM by encircling the Budapest City Hall block with thousands of locked bikes. The ride will then begin with a bike lift at 6:35 PM, without any specifically set route, to circle around the Big Ring Road (Nagykörút), and end with another bike lift at 8:00 PM at City Hall Park. This ride will allow participants to travel from the start to the finish in normal traffic, without any streets being closed by the police. Traffic laws will be respected.

DATE: Tuesday, September 22, 2009
TIME:
5:30 PM - Bicycle cordon around City Hall & Kidical Mass
6:35 PM - Ride begins with bike lift, circles around Big Ring Road
8:00 PM - Bike lift at City Hall Park
ROUTE: from City Hall Park around The Big Ring Road (Nagykörút) back to City Hall Park
IMPORTANT: Since no streets will be closed off for the event, people not used to bicycling in the capital city traffic should exercise extra caution: it is advised that they follow the larger groups of bicyclists on a safe route. The organisers also request that participants abide by all traffic laws, including the use of appropriate lights during the evening hours and the avoidance of riding on sidewalks.

Kidical Mass - Children’s Protected Ride

In an effort to also create appropriate cycling conditions for the future generation, a Kidical Mass ride will take place from 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM on the following route:
Gerlóczy utca (City Hall Park) – Károly krt – Andrássy út – Oktogon - Teréz krt – Király utca - Károly krt – Gerlóczy utca (City Hall Park)

The children will be surrounded by adult cyclists and cycle cabs (a.k.a. pedicabs) to ensure their safety.
Helmets and bicycle lights are mandatory, reflective safety vests are recommended. Traffic rules apply.

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The Goals of CM Budapest

Much like in other parts of the world, the goals of Critical Mass Budapest are to raise awareness on the benefits of bicycling and other alternative means of transportation, and to assert cyclists' right to the road.

Alternative Transportation

Critical Mass Budapest is a mass demonstration aimed at bringing the public’s attention to the crisis caused by motor vehicles, e.g. traffic jams and environmental pollution. It promotes the bicycle as a healthy, fast, cheap and environmentally friendly alternative mode of transport. The organisers of this event would like to encourage the local population to use their bicycles for transportation whenever possible, and not just for recreation or sports.

Lobbying and Advocacy

Critical Mass Budapest is also meant to influence decision makers and city planners toward creating more bicycle paths, designing better and safer bicycle lanes, and providing facilities for bicycle storage and transport. These are meant to result in reduced smog and traffic, thereby improving the quality of life in the city.

Independent, Non-affiliated

Critical Mass is completely independent of any political parties, organisations or movements. It is not a registered organisation, but rather an “organised coincidence” (as it is often called in other places).

Peaceful

While offering an opportunity for cyclists to make a statement, socialise, and celebrate cycling, Critical Mass is non-confrontational toward motorists and attempts to minimise the level of inconvenience the rides cause for all those who are not involved: pedestrians, public transportation, and individual drivers.

The Origin of Critical Mass and the Story Behind the Name

Critical Mass originated in 1992 in San Francisco and quickly spread to many other cities. Its name comes from Ted White's 1992 documentary film Return of the Scorcher. The film covers a typical scene in China, where cyclists need to congregate in large and dense groups – a critical mass – to be able to cross certain high-volume streets where there are no traffic lights. For more info please visit: http://critical-mass.info/origin.html

Critical Mass Budapest

Background

The first Critical Mass ride in Budapest was organised on Car Free Day, September 22, 2004, though it was preceded by at least 50 similar bicycle events initiated either by organisations, groups of bicycle couriers, or other pockets of non-affiliated individuals. The September 2004 ride, however, was significant in that it combined almost every previous organiser into one mass of cycle enthusiasts and concerned citizens. That event drew a surprising 4000 participants. By Earth Day 2005, the number of Critical Mass participants reached 10,000, and doubled again for the September 2005 event, reaching 20,000. On Earth Day 2006 an international record of 32,000 participants was reached, to be topped only by next year’s similar event, with a turnout of 50,000, reaching as many 80,000 by April 2008.

Accomplishments

The 2005 Critical Mass rides constituted a real breakthrough for they directed continued media attention toward the events and related issues, and several other Hungarian cities and municipalities began organising their own rides.

Negotiations began with the Budapest City Council, resulting in an increase in the length of bicycle lanes and paths constructed (going from an average of 1-2 km/year to 30 km/year). The planning process now incorporates consultation with experts involved in Critical Mass. Similarly, the Hungarian Ministry of Economy and Transport has appropriated a substantial budget for establishing bicycle routes nationwide and created the post of Ombudsman of Bicycle Affairs. (Unfortunately, this post has recently been discontinued, which is yet another reason why Critical Mass is protesting and plans on continuing to press hard on behalf of cyclists.)

In a March 2006 ride organised in light of upcoming Hungarian Parliamentary elections, Critical Mass participants stopped by each of the four parliamentary party headquarters, lifted their bikes above their heads, and delivered a petition containing recommendations for improving bicycle transportation in Hungary. The event was called “Tour de Voks” (“Tour de Votes”), and each party responded to the petition with its own bicycle program. Critical Mass held the winners to their promises on 2 December 2006, when – despite cold weather – some 2000 bicycle demonstrators protested the government’s budget and development plans, which fell short of earlier promises made for bicycle-friendly transportation projects. Government officials later corrected their plans; the Hungarian Parliament established a “Bicycle” committee and unanimously approved separate line items for bicycle-related projects. For the first time in Hungarian history, Critical Mass was mentioned in Parliament.

The largest ride so far was the April 22, 2008 Critical Mass / Earth Day demonstration, which attracted an estimated 80,000 cyclists, and was officially launched by the Dutch ambassador to Hungary, Ronald A. Mollinger, symbolising the popularity of cycling in the Netherlands now spreading to Hungary. László Sólyom, president of the Republic of Hungary also participated on two occasions (in 2006 and 2007), and rode along with the participants, rendering – at that time – unprecedented esteem to an unprecedented turnout in Hungarian as well as international terms. Other prominent individuals among participants included government ministers, the Mayor of Budapest, and many celebrities.

The Budapest City Council gave Critical Mass a Pro Budapest award for their efforts in promoting cycling as an alternative mode of urban transport and improving the transportation culture in the capital city.

Possibly the greatest accomplishment is the fact that the number of people using their bicycles on a daily basis in Budapest has doubled for the third year in a row, a growth rate unmatched anywhere else in the world.

We believe that we are slowly building a cleaner, more liveable, and bicycle-friendly Budapest.

Critical Mass in Other Hungarian Cities

Baja, Berettyóújfalu, Debrecen, Eger, Érd, Gyöngyös, Győr, Kaposvár, Miskolc, Orosháza, Pécs, Sopron, Százhalombatta, Szeged, Székesfehérvár
http://criticalmass.hu/varosok

Related Material

News Articles, Blogs, References, Photos, Videos:

Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMsWObpEzSM
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/critical-mass-budapest-200804/31183851...
http://bikehugger.com/2008/04/critical_mass_budapest_video.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dDOp4iKSI8

Photos:

http://www.budapestdailyphoto.com/index.php/2008/04/21/critical-mass-200...
http://hungarystartshere.blogspot.com/2008/04/critical-mass-2008-budapes...
http://budapest-guide.blogspot.com/2008/04/photoreport-on-critical-mass-...
http://noveltimes.com/2007/10/21/critical-mass-budapest-style/
http://www.panoramio.com/user/70991/tags/Critical%20mass%202007%20Budape...

Blog:

Cycling Solution (Making the World a Better Place for Bicycling, Starting in Budapest), by Greg Spencer
http://cyclingsolution.blogspot.com

News Articles:

September 15, 2008 – Critical Pressure – by Gábor Bihari
http://www.zold.be/criticalpressure

April 21, 2008 – Critical Mass on Earth Day in Budapest – by Antal Dániel
http://central.blogactiv.eu/2008/04/21/critical-mass-on-earth-day-in-bud...

April 19, 2008 – Revolutionary Bike Rides
http://bikehugger.com/2008/04/revolutionary_bike_rides.htm

April 16, 2008 – Two Wheels Good – Radio interview with popular TV host Attila Till on Budacast.hu. Download at:
http://www.budacast.hu/shows/tilla_budapest_critical_mass.mp3

September 22, 2007 - Again Criticalmass in Budapest
http://budapest-guide.blogspot.com/2007/09/critical-mass-2007-september-...

April 30, 2007 - In Budapest, the President rides in Critical Mass
http://spacing.ca/wire/2007/04/30/in-budapest-the-president-rides-in-cri...

April 23, 2007 - Huge bicycle ride in Budapest supports Earth Day
http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2007/4/23/2899955.html

April 23, 2007 - Budapest sees record long bicycle procession
http://www.caboodle.hu/nc/news/news_archive/single_page/article/11/budap...

April 27, 2006 - A critical mass critique - By Greg Spencer
http://www.budapestsun.com/cikk.php?id=15300

April 27, 2006 - It's critical
http://www.budapestsun.com/cikk.php?id=12264

April 21, 2006 - Critical Mass: Two Wheels Good, Four Wheels Bad
http://www.pestiside.hu/archives/critical_mass_two_wheels_good_four_whee...

September 29, 2005 - Critical time for City Hall - By Eszter Balázs
http://www.budapestsun.com/cikk.php?id=12169

September 29, 2005 - Budapest Critical Mass with up to 30,000 people
http://www.indymedia.org/en/2005/09/825163.shtml

September 22, 2005 - It's critical: On your bike, please.
http://www.budapestsun.com/cikk.php?id=15746

April 19, 2005 - Pestiside PSA: Critial Mass Budapest 2005
http://www.pestiside.hu/archives/pestiside_psa_critial_mass_budapest_200...

Encyclopaedia References:

http://www.greenmedia.hu/gspencer/

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