"This week may be the last time bicyclists stage a monthly mass ride through Santa Monica following police crackdowns on their free-wheeling event that residents complain has snarled traffic and posed hazards to motorists and cyclists alike.

For nearly three years, hundreds of cyclists have converged on Santa Monica's busiest streets for their so-called Critical Mass bike ride. On the first Friday of every month, the cyclists arrive near the pier about 6:30 p.m., just as local traffic is becoming heaviest. They decide on their route, briefly review traffic laws and hit the streets.

But their ride, which is part recreation and part rally against car-dominated roads, quickly drew residents' ire despite Santa Monica's efforts to promote itself as a bike-friendly city..."