On the last Friday of every month, hundreds, sometimes thousands, of cyclists gather at Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St. As the crowd swells, people weave in and out of bicycles, handing out bright flyers about everything from local bicycle-related activism to information about cycling insurance. Sometimes a band plays, or music blares from a bike trailer speaker system.

When it’s time to depart, whistles, horns and bells get everyone’s attention and the crowd spills onto the streets, circling the block until Daley Plaza has emptied. Then the group takes off for a leisurely ride that winds through the city, ringing bells, waving, singing and calling out “happy Friday!” to cars and pedestrians it passes.

I had the misfortune of getting stuck in the cross traffic of this ride a few weeks ago, while I myself was cycling.

The monthly tradition, called “Critical Mass,” was started in San Francisco in 1992 to draw attention to how unfriendly the city was to bikers.  Now rides of varying sizes take place in more than 300 cities worldwide.

Chicago certainly needs more attention highlighting its large cycling population, and bicycles have every right to be the most celebrated mode of transportation. However, Chicago’s “Critical Mass” has gotten so popular it’s become counterproductive.

Granted, the spectacle of so many riders gathered in one place is incredible, and the energy felt before the ride is profound. It is especially encouraging to see a diverse group of people with different styles and reasons for riding joining in a common cause.

But as a fellow cyclist, I was appalled to see bikers weaving in and out of the cars they forced to stop when I ran into the group en route a few weeks ago.  At the tail end of rush hour, cyclists were heading northwest on Milwaukee Avenue, illegally taking up both sides of the street. Traffic was clogged for blocks and buses full of passengers were trapped.

I stood watching as some riders blocked traffic by sitting in the street, pushing bikes up against cars and yelling while raising their bicycles over their heads. The level of aggression I felt from the group, while on my bike, was less than tolerable. I can only imagine how the stalled motorists felt.

“Critical Mass” may promote itself as peaceful and friendly, but no one ends up thrilled when they are forced to wait for 20 minutes while riders ignore traffic laws to stay as a pack. The congestion created by “Critical Mass” is a precise paradox of the reason many cyclists chose to ride.

“No wonder drivers hate bikers,” I thought. I saw riders drinking alcohol and riders flipping off cars. While I know all-to-well many cyclists conduct themselves differently on the road, the actions observed while riding in mass groups clearly sends a stronger message than when riding alone. Participants must carefully consider how their choices reflect Chicago’s entire cyclist community.

In order to retain any positive message cultivated by Chicago’s monthly ride, it needs to be restructured. For example, the ride could easily be broken up into groups that head off in different directions. Having smaller groups of riders in several areas of the city would not only catch the attention of more motorists, in accordance with the cause, but it would shorten congestion time when riders move through intersections. Neighborhoods like Wicker Park and Pilsen hold their own monthly “Critical Mass” rides; participants should consider riding with these community groups as an alternative to the city-wide ride.

“Critical Mass” participants need to be urged to stay positive toward motorists. Drinking alcohol while on the ride should also not be condoned. These messages have been shared before, but clearly they were not effectively received.

I have seen “Critical Mass” in other cities. When drivers only have to wait for a few minutes, they smile, they honk, they wave. The response is different in Chicago, though. It is crucial to the cause to refocus the mass’ message.