Critical Mass bikers push the pedal to make Jerusalem greener
They're no Hell's Angels, but a group of bikers - the kind that run on human muscle power - are roaming the streets of Jerusalem with one aim in mind: more power to the pedallers. Oh yeah, and having a good time, too.
The Jerusalem branch of the Critical Mass movement, which aims to demonstrate that enough cyclists are on the road to justify change, is picking up steam. Meeting in front of the Hamashbir Lazarchan building on King George Street the last Friday of every month, scores of riders have been taking to the streets (there is no set route) for a fun ride and to raise awareness for cycling issues.
What issues are those? According to Jerusalemite Zack Novak, who volunteers with the group CycleJerusalem, riders don't only want better and more biking paths, but also public and private infrastructure to make it possible for riders to commute to work - like showers, bike racks and locks at rest areas and workplaces. "A city with less cars is a city that's more pleasant to be in," Novak explains to GoJerusalem.com.
Though commuting by two wheels instead of four is no easy task in hilly Jerusalem - which lags behind places like flat Amsterdam, Copenhagen and even Tel Aviv in terms of a biking public - the group is still convinced there's no reason not to encourage emissions-free commuting, pointing to cities like Boulder and Denver, Colorado, which have many more hills and many more bikers.
To that end, Bikes for Jerusalem has begun making waves with the municipal government. The group is now consulted on any transportation planning initiatives, many of which are already in the works to make the city more friendly to pedestrians and bikers, like the light rail and the closing off of many more pedestrian-only thoroughfares.
The city is already home to one major bike path, running from Sacher Park to the Pat Junction near the Malcha Mall. And while the path is not purposely built for bikes, it's still a positive development in the eyes of Novak, who sees Jerusalem continuing down the path of biker-friendliness.
As for the Critical Mass rides, Novak invites anyone and everyone to come along. He says he expects the next ride on April 30 at 12:00, which most likely won't be sullied by rain, to see the groups biggest yet, helped by Facebook and growing awareness of the issues, as well as the group's own efforts to spread the word.
"People are generally really happy to see us, and they cheer for us," he says about riding by an adoring public. "It's a fun and happy communal event. The more people we can make smile the better we've done our job."
Visitors wanting to engage in a bit of Jerusalem bicycle activism while also visiting the city's historic neighborhoods and holy sites should check out EcoBike's Jerusalem Saturday Bike Tour, available for booking through GoJerusalem.com.
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