Part of the problem

We are now a car family. It's been necessary for the past few weeks as we get settled in and get our house sorted out. But still.

We've become all too familiar with the 8-mile stretch of Mass Ave between the South End and Arlington. Where to stay left, where peds are likelilt to jump out, we know all the ins and outs.

We also know that because the route goes right past the Berklee School of Music, MIT, and Harvard, there's a good chance of running across reckless student bike riders. And, being in my unfortunate driverly state of mind,  I was apt to get really annoyed by any irresponsible behavior coming my way.

So there we were, just across after the Comm Ave intersection, heading towards the South End, when a biker darted out across traffic in front of us. And then another and another. By the time I really started to grumble, it occurred to me that it was the last Friday of the month: Critical Mass Boston.

While not the spectacular happening it is in London, it certainly got its punt across to me, stopped in traffic, watching all these free-wheeling bikers glide past. I offered encouragement to a handful before closing the window to sulk and vow to myself to stay on the right side of things.