> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Activists contemplate their ultimate mission - URL: https://www.smdp.com/activists-contemplate-their-ultimate-mission/ - Published: 2008-05-24T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T19:42:07.000Z - Author: Guest Author - Tags: local, Downtown, #archive-import, Homeless *Activists contemplate their ultimate mission* *By DANIEL ARCHULETA Managing Editor* DOWNTOWN The members of Crimanimalz have an existential dilemma. The bicycle activists want to be defined by more than just their recent freeway bike rides that have drawn a considerable amount of media attention. Clips of their rides have generated nearly 100,000 views on a number of video sharing Web sites such as YouTube, LiveLeak and Vimeo, but the group wants to do more to raise awareness for their cause. The group has also received a number of messages via the Internet from fellow cyclists who laud their activities. There’s only one problem, they aren’t quite sure what cause they want to champion. Media coverage of the group’s rides have reported that the Crimanimalz were protesting everything from the price of gas to the inclusion of bike-only lanes on freeways, but members believe their mission is more simple than that. “I don’t really care about gas prices,” said Richtotheie, one of the groups seminal members. “If gas prices go down, it’s not like we’d stop riding.” The group’s most recent group ride on May 9 took them from the Bundy Drive on-ramp to the I-10 Freeway heading eastbound to the I-405 Freeway, where they took the overpass and headed northbound to the Santa Monica Boulevard exit. As part of the ride, a few members of the group of roughly 30 cyclists and in-line skaters hung a banner over the side of the 17th Street overpass of the I-10 Freeway stating, “Ride a bike, you’d be home by now.” “That (statement) alone is about speed,” said Alex Cantarero, one of the groups founders.“Bikes are faster than cars in a traffic jam.” All the attention the freeway rides are generating have led the newfound activists to contemplate a number of core issues. Seeing that their efforts have been successful in attracting interest, they can’t help but wonder what else could they tackle. During a recent interview, the group said that where there are homeless people they will be there to feed them, or where there are vehicles that exceed the maximum weight allowed on Santa Monica’s surface streets they would be there to inform law enforcement authorities about the injustice. “There are plenty of SUVs that exceed the weight limit, but you never see anybody do anything about that,” said Richtotheie. “But if a cyclist runs a red light, there will be a bunch of cops there to give him a ticket.” While they were cracking wise about those other issues, there is one fundamental reason they have come together for their controversial rides. “We just want it to be known that cyclists are a marginalized group of commuters,” said Morgan Strauss, the third member of the group’s core. “It’s just not safe out there (for riders).” While riding bicycles on the freeway isn’t exactly the safest activity to engage in, Crimanimalz believe it is worth it if they can get their message of freewheeling transportation across to just one auto commuter. They said that most commuters who witnessed their rides cheered or honked their horns in support. “Riding on the freeway will always be a part of me,” Cantarero said. “Every time I see a freeway on-ramp I’ll get chills and remember what we were able to do.” Recently, the core members of Crimanimalz took to the I- 10 Freeway again, but this time under the cover of night. They entered at the 20th Street on-ramp heading west during the early morning hours of May 15\. Before exiting, the small band of riders weaved in and out of every lane, enjoying the solitude that comes with riding on a desolate roadway. “There was something more surreal (about riding on an empty freeway),”Strauss said.“It had a manifest destiny kind of feel to it as we were heading toward the sea.” While Strauss enjoyed the esoteric aspect of the jaunt, another rider had a more practical reaction. “If we would have been stopped (by the California Highway Patrol), it would have been bad,” said Richtotheie, who was one of two riders who were stopped by CHP officers during the May 9 ride. He was let off with a warning, but was told that if he were caught again he would face a misdemeanor charge. “They were really nice about it, but I think they were serious about citing me next time,” he added. He said that the warning wouldn’t stop him from mounting another ride in the future, but it does give him reason to be concerned. Despite their encounter with the law, Crimanimalz will continue their freeway rides for the foreseeable future. They would like to target freeways outside of Santa Monica and have identified a number of possible rides, but the group is tight-lipped when it comes to divulging its next endeavor. They have considered doing a number of rides simultaneously across the greater Los Angeles area, but wouldn’t give specifics. They do expect more riders to take part in future trips, but said that they would like to continue to use the power of word of mouth to find new members. “We’ve received a bunch of messages from our Web site and other places, but we just want to keep it on the hush for now,” said Strauss. “We have only been serious about adding people that we know.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/052408-02_01.jpg) RIDE OR DIE: Richtotheie rides his tall bike, ‘KabukiSky,’ during the Crimanimalz ride on the I-10 Freeway on May 9\. (Photo: Photo courtesy Alex Thompson) *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 24, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052408.pdf?ref=smdp.com)