Monday, April 23, 2012

April showers, pedal power

Beware the Green Shirts, courtesy of http://indafoto.hu/szentpeter/criticalmass_2012
The traditional Earth Day Critical Mass went off yesterday with a good result, considering the cool, sometimes rainy weather. An estimated 10,000 participants joined the procession, which ran approximately 10 km from Szent Istvan Park to Varosliget.

Last year's shirt says she's a CM veteran, courtesy of http://indafoto.hu/szentpeter/criticalmass_2012
Critical Honcho Gabor Kurti commented on recent evidence that the number of everyday cyclists in the city is growing rapidly. In March, the first year-on-year results were posted from the automatic cyclist counter on the kiskorut in front of the National Museum. It seems the number of passing cyclists this March was 80 percent greater than last March.

"That many everyday cyclists is going to completely change the face of the city," Kurti told Nepszava.hu.

As with the past several iterations of the twice-annual ride, the Dutch Embassy was a sponsor and held an after-party at the Toldi Cinema, where the movie, Rikshaw Rush ('Riksa Laz') was screened. Appropriately combining the key elements of Hungary, Netherlands and bicycling, this movie tells the story of Hungarian Rickshaw Taxi drivers in Amsterdam (believe it or not).

Recumbent magyar patriots, courtesy of http://indafoto.hu/szentpeter/criticalmass_2012
Sorry to say, I can't add any personal observations. I was on a family trip in the Styrian countryside, and did it by car which is practically Earth Day sacrilege. Whatever I do next year, I'll try to do it by bike.