Friday, May 4th was one of the most successful Oakland Critical Mass rides to date. Critical Mass bicyclists rolled down Telegraph, visiting the Art Murmur, encountering a scene where a bicyclist had apparently been struck by a motorist. Later, in West Oakland, the group was hassled briefly by a police officer. After the ride, some of the cyclists continued through West Oakland to the collapsed portion of the MacArthur Maze where they entered the worksite, interviewed workers, and observed the deconstruction/reconstruction. Play "sentries" played soccer in the street as they awaited the return of their scouting comrades. Jumpin' Jellybike reports, "Onward, they encountered a severe bike hazard, the "Grates of Death," on a bikeway into Emeryville. Such grates will catch a cyclist's tire and cause a terrible crash. Noticing that incompetent CalTrans workers or agents of the oil companies had incorrectly placed the grate, the group struggled to lift it and managed to rotate it and replace it... Finally, to further assert the message of carmageddon in the face of deadly grates and mazes, and consumer culture in general, the Big Boxes of Emeryville were stormed by TallBike... No harm was done and awareness was raised just as the planet is set to be razed by their crimes in 2012, as tallbike Commando X17's sign attests." Photos Video and Report

More known Critical Mass Rides in the East Bay: 1st Friday of the month in Oakland- at 5:30, 14th and Broadway (Frank Ogawa Plaza); 2nd Friday in Berkeley at 5:30, Downtown BART; 3rd Friday at 5:30 at Walnut Creek BART; and the last Saturday in Emeryville (Ever bike through IKEA? It's fun."), starting at 5pm at MacArthur BART.

Berkeley Critical Mass