Buffalo, New York

Buffalo's first Critical Mass ride was in the early 2000s --maybe as early as the year 2000. There is video footage of the first ride that was premiered before a live audience after the Critical Mass incident of May 2003.

By 2003 Critical Mass had built to about 40 or 50 riders a month through the spring and summer. ArtVoice columnist Mike Niman wrote an article called Biking in Buffalo for the May 10th 2003 issue of ArtVoice. An unusally large pod of more than 70 cyclists showed up for the May 2003 critical mass ride and enjoyed a very fun ride through Buffalo's East Side for more than an hour. As they arrived on Elmwood, however, they were pulled over by the police. Two riders were detained and the remainder of the cyclists were advised to disburse. The riders informed the police that they, as individuals, were all interested in remaining on scene until the two riders were released. After many more police officers and vehicles arrived on the scene the situation became increasingly tense. The police officers eventually physically assaulted and arrested several more riders (including Mike Niman, the author of the biking article).

The following Critical Mass ride had almost 200 riders (including cyclists who had biked in from various cities around the region) and critical mass rides in Buffalo have continued on and have even begun to include winter rides (in Buffalo there is sometimes deep snow in the winter).

Time and Location

Buffalo Critical Mass rides the last Friday of every month starting some time after 5:30pm and masses on the front steps of City Hall or across the street in Niagara Square.

External Links

http://www.mediastudy.com/articles/ - Mike Niman ArtVoice Articles http://www.corporations-suck.com/CKs/Niman/BikngBuflo.shtml - Biking in Buffalo article http://www.allpowertothepeople.com/events/CriticalMass/ - Article and Photo Gallery of May 2003 Critical Mass Bike Incident