Critical Mass: That is behind the movement
Critical Mass is a protest action that advocates better conditions for cyclists. People from around the world meet regularly and drive through different cities together. Here you can find out what is behind the campaign.
The Critical Mass phenomenon and what's behind it
According to the Federal Statistical Office, every eighth traffic fatality and every fifth road traffic injury in 2017 was a cyclist. While the total number of fatalities is declining, the number of bicycle accidents is stagnating. Due to the increasing number of cyclists, even more bicycle accidents have been recorded in recent years. They are least protected in traffic.
- There is no concrete organizer of the Critical Mass campaign - in German "critical mass". However, the movement has been around since 1992. It originally came from San Francisco.
- When driving through different cities around the world, all participants adhere strictly to the traffic regulations.
- If there are more than 15 riders, the following peculiarities arise: The participants no longer have to use the bike path and can instead ride side by side on the lane.
- This means that cyclists take up as much space on the road as cars. This is often poorly understood by drivers and is interpreted by some as a blockade of traffic.
- Above all, the Critical Mass wants to contribute to greater visibility, acceptance and respect for cyclists in traffic. Individual cyclists are often simply ignored or overlooked.
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