As gas prices continue to increase, so does the number of cyclists using bicycles as a main form of transportation. Junior Ash Lewin is a cyclist who feels that because of the rising gas prices, it just makes more sense to ride a bike over driving a car.
“Riding a bike is a simple way to combat the oil issue,” Lewin said.
In order to draw attention to cycling as a positive alternative to driving a car, Lewin will lead a group of cyclists from Ball State University and the local area through the streets of Muncie this evening via bicycles.
This event, called Critical Mass, started in San Francisco in 1992 and has then spread throughout the country into cities such as Indianapolis and now Muncie.
“In my experience with riding my bicycle on the road, some motorists just aren’t polite,” Lewin said. “Motorists sometimes try to run cyclists off the road; they throw things, and they honk. With the Critical Mass bike ride, we will have safety in numbers.”
All participating cyclists will have to adhere to the traffic laws regarding cyclists. In Muncie, all regular traffic laws that apply to motorists also apply to cyclists. The only difference is that cyclists are only allowed to ride two abreast, which means they cannot have more than two cyclists side-by-side in a lane.
“This bike ride will not be a parade or a protest. It’s just a gathering of cyclists riding their bikes together,” Lewin said. She feels some motorists need to be better educated about cyclists’ rights to the road. Therefore, during the ride, cyclists will be passing out fliers to confused motorists passing by.
Lewin also plans to start a Web site that raises awareness about the Critical Mass rides in Muncie. She hopes to make the rides a monthly event.
Any cyclist wanting to participate in this month’s Critical Mass ride should meet at 5 p.m. in the commuter parking lot between University Avenue and Christy Woods.
The ride begins at 5:30 p.m. The route will follow along Tillotson Avenue, turn right onto Bethel Avenue, make another right on New York Avenue and then end in the church parking lot on the right at the intersection of New York and Riverside avenues.
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