An Open Letter to the City of Santa Monica

Santa Monica Critical Mass is a monthly bike ride in which attracts over 300 riders each month. The ride often upsets motorists because the sheer number of cyclists block traffic and the “corking” of red lights – preventing cross traffic at intersections from proceeding until the ride has passed through.

Escalade and Prius drivers alike should recognize that the ride is a blessing in disguise. If the 300 exuberant cyclists dismounted and opted instead to drive into Santa Monica in 200 cars then traffic congestion would dramatically increase. The presence of so many cyclists indicates the absence of several hundred cars, and hence an overall reduction in congestion and parking demand.

City officials should also be pleased with the ride. The ride has become a spectacle which attracts people to Santa Monica, people who end up spending the late evening at Santa Monica bars and restaurants. Amongst the riders are many of the citizens who Santa Monica tries so hard to attract – artists, musicians, undergraduate and graduate students, web developers, architects, and activists. The city works hard to put on events such as the SM Festival or the Twilight on the Pier concerts – here is an event which costs them nothing to organize and reinforces the reputation of SM as a leader in tolerance and sustainability and as an exciting place to be.

It is shocking then that Santa Monica Police Department took special care to disrupt Critical Mass on July 6th. Many of the city’s most energetic environmental activists participate in the ride so that when the SMPD, without first contacting ride organizers, deliberately targeted Critical Mass participants they alienated many of these activists. Such action undermines the city’s positive relationship with all environmental activists, and hence risks it’s ability to mobilize continued progress toward sustainability. The image of the SMPD driving hundreds of it’s most valued citizens to the city limits stands in stark contrast to the frequent statements by it’s elected officials in support of cyclists.

Alex Thompson
Ride Participant
UCLA Doctoral Candidate, Mathematics