The officer looks like another rogue cop to me. We're catching more of these guys now-a-days with all the cell phones out there taking video. Also, I'm usually surprised at what some cops do when they know that their own cameras in their squad cars are running.
Obstructing traffic? Resisting arrest? Looks to me like the cyclist was taking evasive action to avoid the police officer's own obstruction of traffic. Thank goodness for mobile phones to record such incidents.
If it ever goes to court, I hope whoever hears the case against the cyclist will give him some significant compensation payable by the Police Department.
D'ya reckon the police officer thought the cyclist's name was Rodney King?
Well, the cops actions speak for themselves I think.
But the "Critical Mass" participants are doing their best to .... off everybody else in the world, if what goes on in Seattle is representative.
This past week there was a near riot amongst the cyclists because a car was trying to drive down the same street THEY were on (The NERVE, eh?). The civic-minded cyclists managed to dent up the rig pretty good as well as busting out the front and back windows.
Somebody remind me again, just how much road use tax are those bicylces paying?
CM has no leaders. It's an event, not an organization. There is no national group that licenses local rides. In every city that has a CM, one or more cyclists just picked a day and time and started handing out fliers. If your city doesn't have a CM, that's what you'll do. You don't need anyone to authorize your ride. You just do it.
2. Put it into perspective.
Critical Mass can be fun, but in and of itself, Critical Mass doesn't change anything. CM is effective only when combined with real advocacy -- such as lobbying local and state governments for bike lanes and progressive legislation. If all you and your cohorts do is ride your bikes around once a month, don't be surprised when nothing changes.
3. Decide on a recurring time, day, & starting location.
Your CM needs to happen at a consistent time and place each month so that people always know where and when it is. The last Friday of the month is traditional, but many groups have chosen other recurring days. 5:30pm is a good time for CM, because it gives people who work until 5:00 a chance to get there, while leaving enough daylight in most months for a decent ride. (Don't try to have two times, one for months with daylight savings time and one for months without. Here in Austin we used to have the split two-time format, but even after we tried to standardize on 5:00 year-round, years later people are still confused as to whether it's 4:30, 5:00, or 5:30.) A landmark on a university campus is a typical starting point, but consider using another public place to indicate that CM isn't just for college kids.
4. Don't get a permit.
When local police learn of your ride, they may insist that you get a permit, perhaps a parade permit. Don't do it. The point of Critical Mass is that biking is a right, not a privilege. Cars don't need permits to ride on the streets, and neither should cyclists. They may threaten to arrest you if you ride without a permit. At that point you'll need to consider whether you're willing to get arrested to make your point. If you're not, and you choose not to ride or choose to get the permit, then you've allowed them to put cyclists in their place. It's not an easy choice for some. (Austin CM was told it needed a permit, refused to get one, and then suffered arrests of riders. CM'ers went to court and either won their cases, or had them thrown out of court. Riders in other cities, such as NYC, suffered similar harassment but ultimate victory.) (more on why you shouldn't get a permit)
5. What route to take.
Most CM rides don't have a set route -- they go through the central city randomly, with whoever happens to be in front leading the way. Of course, you can set a route if you want to, but don't think that you have to.
6. Learn the traffic laws.
If your ride draws any appreciable number of riders, you can expect attention from the police. Riders may or may not choose to follow the law, but you still need to know what the law is so you know whether or not you're breaking it. Get a copy of your local traffic laws from your state and city websites. Most states requires cyclists to obey all the same rules as cars (e.g., Stop signs & red lights). You'll probably also be required to have a headlight after dark, and there may be limits to how many bikes abreast (side by side) you can ride. Some riders ignore laws that have no safety consequences (e.g., riding 3-abreast instead of 2-abreast).
7. Will you block traffic?
The most controversial aspect of CM is the extent to which it blocks traffic. CM'ers are fond of saying "We're not blocking traffic, we ARE traffic!" While that's a cute phrase, it's obviously pretty silly. It's like a murderer saying, "I didn't kill that human, I *am* a human!" Just because bikes are legitimate road users doesn't mean they don't slow down other road users -- especially when they go out of their way to do so by taking up multiple lanes.
Remember that CM is supposed to be a celebration of cycling, not your opportunity to see how much inconvenience you can cause to others. It's about asserting our right to the road, not denying others their right to the road.
Leave at least one lane open for cars. (So if you're on a 4-lane road, take no more than 3 lanes. Except if you're on a one-lane road, obviously you will take the whole lane.) Taking all the lanes, all the time, might be fun for you, but it certainly brings the police down on you quicker. Motorists will ring 911 off the wall with their cell phones if you block them 100%. It also doesn't win you any friends. Are you doing CM to show motorists how much fun biking can be, or are you just trying to .... them off because it makes you feel good? Only CM riders can answer these questions for themselves. Also remember that your local laws may have a say about that (though some riders choose to ignore them).
Even if you decide that you don't want to go overboard with taking lanes, understand that you can't control the riders -- some riders may want to take all the lanes all the time. If this is not the flavor you want for your ride, then make that clear in the fliers you make for the ride, and get other cyclists to apply gentle peer pressure when a few cyclists stray. Unfortunately if two people out of 200 decide to be jerks then your CM's reputation will come from them rather than from the other 198. But since CM has no leaders, you can't order anyone to ride the way you want, you can only try to encourage them.
From the critical mass bike rider site.
If I could avoid jail time for running them over,
my choices would MUCH simpler'
and then that cop wouldn't have to do what he did.
Like I said --- anarchists on two wheels, and they pi$$ me off
Civil disobedience?? No. This is akin to shouting Fire, in a crowded theater.
They do NOT pay for a license to drive, insurance (required for a motor vehicle),
registration fees, or tabs for a license plate. They have NO right to claim *rights*
(such as they do), merely because they are *traffic*.
Oh by the way, in answer to those who say that riding their bikes is a right, (at least in some states) driving a car isn't a right, but a privilege. Same thing (if that) for bicyclists. Also, due to the fact that our road traffic system is, for all practical purposes, made for cars and trucks, said cars and trucks should enjoy the 'right of way' on the roads.
Yes, I can see the need for more bike paths to be made, and even for roads to be widened so that the bicyclists can ride on the right hand side of the flow of traffic. But this nonsense of "if their are 4 lanes, the bicyclists shouldn't take up any more than 3 lanes" is for the birds.
Now as for that cop throwing down the cyclists, that's a different matter entirely, and sorry DMiller, I break with you on this one. There was no reason whatsoever for what that punk pig did. At all. One can be against a lot of what Critical Mass is doing, yet still bust that cop's balls for what he did. Hopefully, he'll get thrown off of the force.
When I was younger, I was always in a hurry. Now, not so much. I am glad these thugs, hippies, attorneys, teachers, bankers, brokers etc. make me consider if the way I do things is really in my best interest. Roses smell better now that I more often take time to see them.
I understand some people's disgust with the rides, although not the threats of physical assault instituted against the riders (or the drivers). I have only a minimum knowledge of them, as one of my boys has participated in them for several years, and in several countries. He also helped organize a group in a small Colorado college town. Some rides are more confrontational than others. Some are more fun than others.
In most cities, CM rides are generally planned and scheduled regularly once a month, in any particular city. The large ones, and the oldest of them, are well known to the regular population, who often plan their drive times or routes around the CM rides. (San Francisco has been doing it for like 20 years or something). The smaller ones usually are just that, smaller, and therefore waiting for the bikes to pass is really not such an ordeal is it?
It seems these days so many are in such a hurry to do hardly anything. Why not just relax, take a breath and wait for the bikes to pass? Ya know it will be another month before you HAVE to relax again.
Regarding the blocking of intersections (known as "corking") in some riders view, it is a way to protect the riders from drivers who often try to squeeze through the line of bikes, risking hitting the riders, rather than wait a few minutes for the group to pass. Some have mentioned a concern with whether emergency vehicles are hindered in their access on emergency runs. I looked and could not find a single such incident.
CM rides have many reasons for their existence, and often riders in any one event have different ideas about why they participate. Some are started to lobby for local funds for bike routes. Some are organized to call attention on an inordinate reliance on motor vehicles. Some are admittedly an "in your face" statement on the environmental issues, or healthy lifestyle issues, or.... well......the list is long.
I don't know, it seems to me that in most cases threatening violence, or wishing you could, against a person making a visual statement is wrong. Perhaps one would do well to just take a breath while they wait, and consider for themselves a moment, if perhaps changing something in the way you get around now and then wouldn't be good for your health and your budget and the environment, and....just plain fun.
good luck and enjoy life. Its short enough as it is.
Well, the cops actions speak for themselves I think.
But the "Critical Mass" participants are doing their best to .... off everybody else in the world, if what goes on in Seattle is representative.
This past week there was a near riot amongst the cyclists because a car was trying to drive down the same street THEY were on (The NERVE, eh?). The civic-minded cyclists managed to dent up the rig pretty good as well as busting out the front and back windows.
Somebody remind me again, just how much road use tax are those bicylces paying?
bicyclists pay taxes like the rest of us do. No they don't pay gas taxes (except when they drive their cars), but then again, they do not wear out the roads the way a car does either. around here the taxes from gasoline sales help cover maintenance costs, but road construction is paid for with state income, sales and matching federal funds usually. Bicyclists pay all of those just like drivers of smelly, toxin producing heavy motor vehicles.
regarding the Seattle incident, there are always two sides to the story. Here is another, with what I think is some rational thought both ways on the subject:
<H1 style="BACKGROUND: black; MARGIN: 0px; COLOR: limegreen"> Statement about the July 2008 Seattle incident</H1>
The bike of Tom Braun. The motorist ran over Braun's bike and Braun himself before being "attacked" by cyclists.
Did you read or see in the news that Seattle Critical Mass riders beat up a motorist without provocation? Then allow us to shed some light on what really happened. And while we're at it, we'd like to encourage you not to believe everything you see in the news.
According to numerous witnesses, the driver revved his engine and intentionally drove into a crowd of cyclists, successfully hitting two of them. That's when the cyclists trashed his vehicle and one cyclist hit him. One can certainly argue that the cyclists' reaction wasn't justified, but before doing so, it's necessary to understand why they acted the way they did -- even if you believe it was wrong. All the people who have been yelling at me by email that cyclists "beat up an innocent motorist" don't seem to realize that there's a big question as to whether the driver was really innocent. There is no question that he plowed through the crowd, hitting cyclists and their bikes. The only unanswered question is whether that action was truly accidental, which is what the driver claims -- though that's kind of hard to believe.
Please note that this very same month,a NYC police officer intentionally pushed a cyclist over onto the ground. The result was that the cyclist was charged with attempted assault and resisting arrest, and held for 26 hours. How could the police do that? Simple: They didn't know there was video of the incident. So they could easily tell an all-too-gullible public that the cyclist was the one who attacked. This has ramifications for the Seattle incident: Without video, the media freely reported that the motorist was attacked, without mentioning that he intentionally mowed down some cyclists first.
A very similar incident happened in Austin, Texas seven years ago. An impatient motorist plowed through a crowd of cyclists, knocking one cyclist down, crushing two bikes, and nearly killing people, before crashing his car into another car. He then got out of his car and threw a cyclist's bike to the ground. At that point the bike's owner punched the driver, once. And how did the media report this? The local daily reported that a driver was beaten up by cyclists for no reason. They didn't even attempt to find out what really happened. The local alternative weekly was a little better, printing a driver's letter defending the motorist, but being reluctant to publish my own letter explaining how the motorist lunged his vehicle into a throng of cyclists ... until I was able to produce a video of the event. Had no video existed, likely the incident would continue to have been viewed the same way the one in Seattle is, with the cyclists as the lone aggressors and the driver being a completely innocent victim.
Anyway, as for the Seattle incident, there is certainly plenty of blame to go all around.
The media, for the sloppy reporting that made it seem like cyclists beat up an innocent motorist without provocation.
The public, for buying that misreporting hook, line, and sinker, believing that because it was in a newspaper or on TV it must be true.
The driver, who according to numerous witnesses intentionally ran over two cyclists. (The Stranger #1, #2)
The angry drivers who have been emailing me personally, blaming me for the cyclists who assualted the driver (which makes as much sense as my blaming the people emailing me for crimes committed by completely different drivers, on some other part of the planet).
The Critical Mass cyclists who thought it was a good idea to assault a motorist and trash his vehicle -- even though the driver may have tried to kill some of them.
Let me address #3 in more detail here, as on open letter to Critical Mass participants:
I realize that when someone threatens your life with a motor vehicle you feel angry. But that doesn't mean it's a good idea to take the law into your own hands. Remember, the whole world is watching what you're doing. If you give a motorist a black eye, no matter how richly you think he deserved it, you also give Critical Mass and bicyclists in general a black eye. You're ambassadors for Critical Mass and for bicyclists. And when an incident like this happens, a few violent cyclists have irreparably damaged us all. It doesn't matter that most Critical Massers around the world or
even on this particular ride
were non-violent. Because of this incident, no matter how few cyclists were actually responsible, the result is that thousands of people now think of Critical Mass as a violent gang of thugs. I know this because of the torrential amount of hate mail that's been pouring in to me personally since the incident (even though I wasn't there and didn't endorse what happened), and from all the comments on message boards all around the Internet that say the exact same thing. Let me repeat part of this:
It doesn't matter who is right.
Even if you're convinced that the response was justified because the motorist started the violence, that's not how the media is going to report it, and now how the public is going to see it. It's not fair, but what are you going to do about it? (Well, you can be aware of that, and keep your actions in check since they're likely to be misreported and widely despised even if they're reported correctly.)
If you're on a Critical Mass ride, and a driver tries to run over some cyclists (or even does so successfully), detain him and call the police, but do nothing else.
I call on Critical Mass riders to be extra-courteous to all other road users in the coming months.
I'll bet you a dollar to a doughnut that he had a reason to do that.
Of course he had a reason. But was the reason related to the actions of THIS rider? I doubt it VERY much.
Now as for that cop throwing down the cyclists, that's a different matter entirely, and sorry DMiller, I break with you on this one. There was no reason whatsoever for what that punk pig did. At all. One can be against a lot of what Critical Mass is doing, yet still bust that cop's balls for what he did. Hopefully, he'll get thrown off of the force.
The roads are subsidized by federal funds as well. Funds the Feds derive from THEIR fuel taxes.
And then there's the license tabs, excise tax on tires, and a few other things I spose.
But with the reduced amount of gasoline being consumed, Washington State is ALREADY crying poverty with regards to road construction and maintenance, because of the sharply reduced tax revenue from the gas that people are now NOT burning.
So who's really paying the bill? Motorists or the arrogant, petulant, privileged little snots who slash tires and block roads as if it's a birthright?
Maybe you don't have the pleasure of seeing firsthand what these clowns are actually doing on our streets. Just Google "Seattle Critical Mass" and look at the very videos these meatheads think are supporting their "cause". I've got little use for the jerkoffs, Sorry.
I haven't ridden a bicycle since I was probably 15 years old, and think the little snobby Lance Armstrong jersey wearing bike riders of today are extremely lame. However, I find some things wrong with what you said.
From the critical mass bike rider site.
If I could avoid jail time for running them over,
my choices would MUCH simpler'
Personally, I find it kind of disturbing that the threat of jail time is the only thing preventing you from going on a murderous rampage. While I don't think you really meant what you said, I have to tell you that it's a sociopathic statement.
and then that cop wouldn't have to do what he did.
Like I said --- anarchists on two wheels, and they pi$$ me off
Murdering people for inconveniencing you is not right.
Civil disobedience?? No. This is akin to shouting Fire, in a crowded theater.
They do NOT pay for a license to drive, insurance (required for a motor vehicle),
registration fees, or tabs for a license plate. They have NO right to claim *rights*
(such as they do), merely because they are *traffic*.
Paying taxes is not a requirements to being a U.S. citizen. While there are taxes required for many things, you don't have to pay taxes to be able to walk down a sidewalk or be able to ride a bike down the street. If you did, children everywhere would be beaten up by the cops on a daily basis.
As others have pointed out, the fees for driving a car are because 1) the wear and tear on the roads, 2) the fact that the automobile is the deadliest weapon in the U.S. that kills more Americans every month than died in 9/11, 3) it produces a lot of pollution and has to be maintained to minimize it. There is good reason for cars to have so many laws and regulations.
Additionally, I have friends who are good, law abiding bike riders. They get harassed all the time, being run into/run over is a way of life, and being cussed and threatened even while riding individually and staying all the way to the right is normal. Cyclists have it really rough, and I think more bike paths should be built. When I was living in California, my wife and I would go walking on the paths all the time and it was great to be away from the streets. Had we stayed longer, I probably would have picked up a bike to ride to work instead of driving. Riding a bike seems like a great way to travel short distances, stay in shape, and save money.
I'm not in favor of blocking streets, especially when it limits the possibility of ambulances and fire trucks getting through. I don't like being inconvenienced as a driver, but I have more problems with people driving cars while using a cellphone, putting on makeup, reading a book, using a laptop, being too old and impaired, and many other things than I do with cyclists.
I haven't ridden a bicycle since I was probably 15 years old, and think the little snobby Lance Armstrong jersey wearing bike riders of today are extremely lame. However, I find some things wrong with what you said.
(dmiller @ Aug 2 2008, 03:21 AM)
From the critical mass bike rider site.
If I could avoid jail time for running them over,
my choices would MUCH simpler'
Personally, I find it kind of disturbing that the threat of jail time is the only thing preventing you from going on a murderous rampage. While I don't think you really meant what you said, I have to tell you that it's a sociopathic statement.
I was being facetious. Glad you picked up on that.
(dmiller @ Aug 2 2008, 03:21 AM)
and then that cop wouldn't have to do what he did.
Like I said --- anarchists on two wheels, and they pi$$ me off
Murdering people for inconveniencing you is not right.
Who said anything about murdering?? I certainly didn't. You're leaping to (mistaken) conclusions here.
(dmiller @ Aug 2 2008, 03:21 AM)
Civil disobedience?? No. This is akin to shouting Fire, in a crowded theater.
They do NOT pay for a license to drive, insurance (required for a motor vehicle),
registration fees, or tabs for a license plate. They have NO right to claim *rights*
(such as they do), merely because they are *traffic*.
Paying taxes is not a requirements to being a U.S. citizen. While there are taxes required for many things, you don't have to pay taxes to be able to walk down a sidewalk or be able to ride a bike down the street. If you did, children everywhere would be beaten up by the cops on a daily basis.
Where did I EVER SAY, you have to pay taxes to be a citizen?? Eh?
As others have pointed out, the fees for driving a car are because 1) the wear and tear on the roads, 2) the fact that the automobile is the deadliest weapon in the U.S. that kills more Americans every month than died in 9/11, 3) it produces a lot of pollution and has to be maintained to minimize it. There is good reason for cars to have so many laws and regulations.
The automobile is a means of transportation.
Additionally, I have friends who are good, law abiding bike riders. They get harassed all the time, being run into/run over is a way of life, and being cussed and threatened even while riding individually and staying all the way to the right is normal. Cyclists have it really rough, and I think more bike paths should be built. When I was living in California, my wife and I would go walking on the paths all the time and it was great to be away from the streets. Had we stayed longer, I probably would have picked up a bike to ride to work instead of driving. Riding a bike seems like a great way to travel short distances, stay in shape, and save money.
I'm not in favor of blocking streets, especially when it limits the possibility of ambulances and fire trucks getting through. I don't like being inconvenienced as a driver, but I have more problems with people driving cars while using a cellphone, putting on makeup, reading a book, using a laptop, being too old and impaired, and many other things than I do with cyclists.
For what it is worth --- I ride a bicycle myself. 18 speed Huffy Mountain Bike. Have ridden since I was a kid, and in college it was my only means of transportation. I'm WELL AWARE of inconsiderate drivers, and those roads in southern Indiana were mighty narrow, and even with the bike paths that were in place --- one had to be on the lookout. I never have (nor has anyone else to my knowledge) been cussed out, harassed, or threatened if they were all the way to the right, and OBEYING THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
The critical mass riders are not *just* out for a bike ride. They are out to make a statement, flaunting their *I've got rights* attitude out in traffic, where they could cause a serious accident by their actions. To ride in the manner they choose to (spread out all over the road), let them get a parade permit and have at it. That at least would be legal, safe, and harmless.
When local police learn of your ride, they may insist that you get a permit, perhaps a parade permit. Don't do it. The point of Critical Mass is that biking is a right, not a privilege. Cars don't need permits to ride on the streets, and neither should cyclists.
Cars do need permits, it's called registration tags and inspection.
Paying taxes is not a requirements to being a U.S. citizen. While there are taxes required for many things, you don't have to pay taxes to be able to walk down a sidewalk or be able to ride a bike down the street. If you did, children everywhere would be beaten up by the cops on a daily basis.
False comparison and dilemna, guy. Nothing was said about being a citizen. The taxes that car drivers pay (as per tags, licenses, and the like) do contribute for maintenance of the roads and highways, taxes that bicycle only folks do not pay for.
Ergo, the roads should mainly (please notice I didn't say exclusively) be for the benefit and usage of car/truck drivers. Too 'discriminatory' against bicycle riders? Tough! Deal with it. The very difference technically/structurally between bicycles and cars makes this so. Bicycles only go 10-20 mph, tops. Cars go 30-70 mph. Bicycles are structurally far weaker than cars; bikes weighing no more then ~100 lbs, cars weighing over 2,000 lbs. ... Again, deal with it. This is one area that I pretty much solidly agree with the conservatives on.
We had local cops participate in a critical mass event a few years ago.
Our city has designated bike lanes in the downtown area and seem to be working very well.
On one hand I'd like to see bicyclists safe from drivers who cut them off, bump them and run them down. On the other hand, if they're going to use the roads and share the lanes that cars do, they should be obeying the same traffic laws. Many times I'll see a bicyclist riding right down the center of a traffic lane, yet blow right through a red light.
We had local cops participate in a critical mass event a few years ago.
Our city has designated bike lanes in the downtown area and seem to be working very well.
On one hand I'd like to see bicyclists safe from drivers who cut them off, bump them and run them down. On the other hand, if they're going to use the roads and share the lanes that cars do, they should be obeying the same traffic laws. Many times I'll see a bicyclist riding right down the center of a traffic lane, yet blow right through a red light.
That's annoying
I don't disagree there, Oak. They can be ticketed just like motorized vehicles, and sometimes are. In general, college towns are more bike friendly (of course there are execptions I am sure to every "rule" such as this. As I recall, you are in Lincoln? home of U of N, is that correct? Anyway, congrats on what sounds like a more bike friendly city than some.
College towns also seem to have more easily accessed recycling programs. Another plus, IMO.
I live in a small town with lots of small roads with beautful views. For years every easter weekend they had a hugh bike rally here. All the hotels full. Couldn't get a table at a restaurant. The community loved it. Then something changed. The bikers.
When they would ride down main street 4 abreast blocking traffic and challanging people we got upset. Once I was going down the highway at 65mph. I rounded a corner to find my lane filled with bikers. My choice was to hit the ditch or run them down. I took the ditch. What did I get for it and losing the load off the back of my trailer. I got laughted at.
When the locals started chaallenging back the bikers went away. Were happy now. WE let the motorcycle, sportscar, and other groups have that time. The're nice and we welcome them.
As for police officers. I eat breakfast every saturday with a police Lt. They will acknowledge that there are three kionds of cops here. The first is what you want, a public servant. The second kind we have is a burned out guy who came to a small department(means small pay) to finish his years and then retire. The third is the guy on a power trip. They try to weed them out through the hiring process. Some make it through. It takes reporting them and documenting them to finally get rid of them.
Just so you know. I have one of my sons old bikes that I ran over. I strap it to the grill guard for when we still have bike groups that come. My mood is to tell them to eat sh@t and die.
I'm not in favor of cops bonking people for no good reason. I saw enough of that in the late 60s in Los Angeles to last me a lifetime. And the expressed cause of this group--to get cities to put in bike lanes--is a good one. I'm all in favor of making bike riding safer and less of a hindrance to those of us who have to drive cars to get around. I also applaud those who can save money, reduce pollution, and get some exercise by riding a bike instead of driving a car.
However, <clears throat> bicyclists can be a royal pain in the bike shorts.
In Cleveland, we have an extensive park system (Metroparks) nicknamed "the Emerald Necklace" that extends from the far suburbs on one side of the city to the far suburbs on the other side. Don't think park, think many, many square miles of almost undistrubed forest with a 2-lane road running through it, with picnic areas and wildlife preserves and ponds and creeks along the way. It's huge (and fabulous)!
At great expense, the Metroparks, at the taxpayers' expense, put in bike trails, more than 60 miles worth, throughout the park system. They are also meant for hikers and in-line skaters, but the trails have two generous lanes. Your average bike riders use them, in perfect harmony with the hikers, runners, and skaters with no problem. But these lovely, expensive bike trails are not good enough for the competitive, hard-core bikers.
These guys (sorry, but I've never seen a woman doing this in all the years I've been here) pooh-pooh the bike trails and opt to ride on the narrow 2-lane road, which has some sharp curves. The speed limit is 30 mph, and there's no passing. The bikes go about 15 mph. On many occasions, I have rounded a curve only to come upon a biker (or two) in the middle of my lane, while the bike trail just a few feet off the road is empty. It's a hazard. Of course, by now I know to keep a sharp eye out for bikes, especially as I approach the curves, but an inexperienced driver or someone not expecting bikes on the road could easily run over a biker or swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid hitting one. Very scary.
I've talked to a coworker who's an avid biker about this. His response: You're driving in the park, what's your hurry? Well duh, if I were in a hurry I'd be white-knuckle driving on a freeway somewhere, but that that's not the point. Safety is the point.
With gas prices being what they are, I see a lot more people driving into and through the downtown area at rush hour. Most of them are careful and sane. But there's always that one hot-dog who's weaving in and out, cutting in front of cars, and causing general havoc. If I were a member of Critical Mass, I think I'd also be campaigning to get these attitude-laden bikers to be less cavalier.
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Sudo
Hap,
The officer looks like another rogue cop to me. We're catching more of these guys now-a-days with all the cell phones out there taking video. Also, I'm usually surprised at what some cops do when they know that their own cameras in their squad cars are running.
sudo
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Eyesopen
Speaking as a cop...that jackfoot gives good cops a bad name! I see no excuse for that type of abhorrant behavior from a "public" servant.
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Rocky
Speaking as a concerned citizen, I AGREE!!
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coolchef
cops ain't what they used to be in my day.
they were there to serve and protect. and did.
it seems all these young kid kops desire to do is harass.
they used to be the town folks friend, the kops today in my small town don't even say hi
sad!
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Twinky
Obstructing traffic? Resisting arrest? Looks to me like the cyclist was taking evasive action to avoid the police officer's own obstruction of traffic. Thank goodness for mobile phones to record such incidents.
If it ever goes to court, I hope whoever hears the case against the cyclist will give him some significant compensation payable by the Police Department.
D'ya reckon the police officer thought the cyclist's name was Rodney King?
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George Aar
Well, the cops actions speak for themselves I think.
But the "Critical Mass" participants are doing their best to .... off everybody else in the world, if what goes on in Seattle is representative.
This past week there was a near riot amongst the cyclists because a car was trying to drive down the same street THEY were on (The NERVE, eh?). The civic-minded cyclists managed to dent up the rig pretty good as well as busting out the front and back windows.
Somebody remind me again, just how much road use tax are those bicylces paying?
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dmiller
Critical Mass Bike riders are a distinct THREAT to the road, and to the safety of drivers.
I'm NOT saying that cop was in the right, but he probably had (previous) provocation.
I've come across CM bike riders here, honked at them to move, they gave me the finger,
so I pulled around them, got in front, and then hit the brakes. Hard. Ya shoulda heard the cussing!!
Bikers have rights. No doubt about it. But these bozos are *anarchists on two wheels*.
I'm more than willing to be considerate to a bicyclist traveling on the road,
but I'll be dammed if I let a group of them spread out over two lanes make me slow down to
10 MPH, in a 30 MPH speed zone on a busy road.
I'm on the side of that cop in the video.
I'll bet you a dollar to a doughnut that he had a reason to do that.
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dmiller
From the critical mass bike rider site.
If I could avoid jail time for running them over,
my choices would MUCH simpler'
and then that cop wouldn't have to do what he did.
Like I said --- anarchists on two wheels, and they pi$$ me off
Civil disobedience?? No. This is akin to shouting Fire, in a crowded theater.
They do NOT pay for a license to drive, insurance (required for a motor vehicle),
registration fees, or tabs for a license plate. They have NO right to claim *rights*
(such as they do), merely because they are *traffic*.
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GarthP2000
I agree fully, Dmiller.
Oh by the way, in answer to those who say that riding their bikes is a right, (at least in some states) driving a car isn't a right, but a privilege. Same thing (if that) for bicyclists. Also, due to the fact that our road traffic system is, for all practical purposes, made for cars and trucks, said cars and trucks should enjoy the 'right of way' on the roads.
Yes, I can see the need for more bike paths to be made, and even for roads to be widened so that the bicyclists can ride on the right hand side of the flow of traffic. But this nonsense of "if their are 4 lanes, the bicyclists shouldn't take up any more than 3 lanes" is for the birds.
Now as for that cop throwing down the cyclists, that's a different matter entirely, and sorry DMiller, I break with you on this one. There was no reason whatsoever for what that punk pig did. At all. One can be against a lot of what Critical Mass is doing, yet still bust that cop's balls for what he did. Hopefully, he'll get thrown off of the force.
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Kit Sober
"Critical Mass" bicycle riding is new to me. What is it?
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doojable
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HAPe4me
Thanks for the comments.
When I was younger, I was always in a hurry. Now, not so much. I am glad these thugs, hippies, attorneys, teachers, bankers, brokers etc. make me consider if the way I do things is really in my best interest. Roses smell better now that I more often take time to see them.
I understand some people's disgust with the rides, although not the threats of physical assault instituted against the riders (or the drivers). I have only a minimum knowledge of them, as one of my boys has participated in them for several years, and in several countries. He also helped organize a group in a small Colorado college town. Some rides are more confrontational than others. Some are more fun than others.
In most cities, CM rides are generally planned and scheduled regularly once a month, in any particular city. The large ones, and the oldest of them, are well known to the regular population, who often plan their drive times or routes around the CM rides. (San Francisco has been doing it for like 20 years or something). The smaller ones usually are just that, smaller, and therefore waiting for the bikes to pass is really not such an ordeal is it?
It seems these days so many are in such a hurry to do hardly anything. Why not just relax, take a breath and wait for the bikes to pass? Ya know it will be another month before you HAVE to relax again.
Regarding the blocking of intersections (known as "corking") in some riders view, it is a way to protect the riders from drivers who often try to squeeze through the line of bikes, risking hitting the riders, rather than wait a few minutes for the group to pass. Some have mentioned a concern with whether emergency vehicles are hindered in their access on emergency runs. I looked and could not find a single such incident.
CM rides have many reasons for their existence, and often riders in any one event have different ideas about why they participate. Some are started to lobby for local funds for bike routes. Some are organized to call attention on an inordinate reliance on motor vehicles. Some are admittedly an "in your face" statement on the environmental issues, or healthy lifestyle issues, or.... well......the list is long.
I don't know, it seems to me that in most cases threatening violence, or wishing you could, against a person making a visual statement is wrong. Perhaps one would do well to just take a breath while they wait, and consider for themselves a moment, if perhaps changing something in the way you get around now and then wouldn't be good for your health and your budget and the environment, and....just plain fun.
good luck and enjoy life. Its short enough as it is.
~HAP
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HAPe4me
bicyclists pay taxes like the rest of us do. No they don't pay gas taxes (except when they drive their cars), but then again, they do not wear out the roads the way a car does either. around here the taxes from gasoline sales help cover maintenance costs, but road construction is paid for with state income, sales and matching federal funds usually. Bicyclists pay all of those just like drivers of smelly, toxin producing heavy motor vehicles.
regarding the Seattle incident, there are always two sides to the story. Here is another, with what I think is some rational thought both ways on the subject:
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Rocky
Of course he had a reason. But was the reason related to the actions of THIS rider? I doubt it VERY much.
I agree... especially about the conclusion.
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George Aar
Yes, Hap,
The roads are subsidized by federal funds as well. Funds the Feds derive from THEIR fuel taxes.
And then there's the license tabs, excise tax on tires, and a few other things I spose.
But with the reduced amount of gasoline being consumed, Washington State is ALREADY crying poverty with regards to road construction and maintenance, because of the sharply reduced tax revenue from the gas that people are now NOT burning.
So who's really paying the bill? Motorists or the arrogant, petulant, privileged little snots who slash tires and block roads as if it's a birthright?
Maybe you don't have the pleasure of seeing firsthand what these clowns are actually doing on our streets. Just Google "Seattle Critical Mass" and look at the very videos these meatheads think are supporting their "cause". I've got little use for the jerkoffs, Sorry.
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HAPe4me
be thankful you were not in Budapest on earthday 2008- estimated 80,000 bikes in a CM event
.
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Mister P-Mosh
I haven't ridden a bicycle since I was probably 15 years old, and think the little snobby Lance Armstrong jersey wearing bike riders of today are extremely lame. However, I find some things wrong with what you said.
Personally, I find it kind of disturbing that the threat of jail time is the only thing preventing you from going on a murderous rampage. While I don't think you really meant what you said, I have to tell you that it's a sociopathic statement.
Murdering people for inconveniencing you is not right.
Paying taxes is not a requirements to being a U.S. citizen. While there are taxes required for many things, you don't have to pay taxes to be able to walk down a sidewalk or be able to ride a bike down the street. If you did, children everywhere would be beaten up by the cops on a daily basis.
As others have pointed out, the fees for driving a car are because 1) the wear and tear on the roads, 2) the fact that the automobile is the deadliest weapon in the U.S. that kills more Americans every month than died in 9/11, 3) it produces a lot of pollution and has to be maintained to minimize it. There is good reason for cars to have so many laws and regulations.
Additionally, I have friends who are good, law abiding bike riders. They get harassed all the time, being run into/run over is a way of life, and being cussed and threatened even while riding individually and staying all the way to the right is normal. Cyclists have it really rough, and I think more bike paths should be built. When I was living in California, my wife and I would go walking on the paths all the time and it was great to be away from the streets. Had we stayed longer, I probably would have picked up a bike to ride to work instead of driving. Riding a bike seems like a great way to travel short distances, stay in shape, and save money.
I'm not in favor of blocking streets, especially when it limits the possibility of ambulances and fire trucks getting through. I don't like being inconvenienced as a driver, but I have more problems with people driving cars while using a cellphone, putting on makeup, reading a book, using a laptop, being too old and impaired, and many other things than I do with cyclists.
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dmiller
For what it is worth --- I ride a bicycle myself. 18 speed Huffy Mountain Bike. Have ridden since I was a kid, and in college it was my only means of transportation. I'm WELL AWARE of inconsiderate drivers, and those roads in southern Indiana were mighty narrow, and even with the bike paths that were in place --- one had to be on the lookout. I never have (nor has anyone else to my knowledge) been cussed out, harassed, or threatened if they were all the way to the right, and OBEYING THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
The critical mass riders are not *just* out for a bike ride. They are out to make a statement, flaunting their *I've got rights* attitude out in traffic, where they could cause a serious accident by their actions. To ride in the manner they choose to (spread out all over the road), let them get a parade permit and have at it. That at least would be legal, safe, and harmless.
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Seth R.
Cars do need permits, it's called registration tags and inspection.
Seth
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GarthP2000
False comparison and dilemna, guy. Nothing was said about being a citizen. The taxes that car drivers pay (as per tags, licenses, and the like) do contribute for maintenance of the roads and highways, taxes that bicycle only folks do not pay for.
Ergo, the roads should mainly (please notice I didn't say exclusively) be for the benefit and usage of car/truck drivers. Too 'discriminatory' against bicycle riders? Tough! Deal with it. The very difference technically/structurally between bicycles and cars makes this so. Bicycles only go 10-20 mph, tops. Cars go 30-70 mph. Bicycles are structurally far weaker than cars; bikes weighing no more then ~100 lbs, cars weighing over 2,000 lbs. ... Again, deal with it. This is one area that I pretty much solidly agree with the conservatives on.
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Oakspear
We had local cops participate in a critical mass event a few years ago.
Our city has designated bike lanes in the downtown area and seem to be working very well.
On one hand I'd like to see bicyclists safe from drivers who cut them off, bump them and run them down. On the other hand, if they're going to use the roads and share the lanes that cars do, they should be obeying the same traffic laws. Many times I'll see a bicyclist riding right down the center of a traffic lane, yet blow right through a red light.
That's annoying
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HAPe4me
I don't disagree there, Oak. They can be ticketed just like motorized vehicles, and sometimes are. In general, college towns are more bike friendly (of course there are execptions I am sure to every "rule" such as this. As I recall, you are in Lincoln? home of U of N, is that correct? Anyway, congrats on what sounds like a more bike friendly city than some.
College towns also seem to have more easily accessed recycling programs. Another plus, IMO.
~HAP
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ex70sHouston
I live in a small town with lots of small roads with beautful views. For years every easter weekend they had a hugh bike rally here. All the hotels full. Couldn't get a table at a restaurant. The community loved it. Then something changed. The bikers.
When they would ride down main street 4 abreast blocking traffic and challanging people we got upset. Once I was going down the highway at 65mph. I rounded a corner to find my lane filled with bikers. My choice was to hit the ditch or run them down. I took the ditch. What did I get for it and losing the load off the back of my trailer. I got laughted at.
When the locals started chaallenging back the bikers went away. Were happy now. WE let the motorcycle, sportscar, and other groups have that time. The're nice and we welcome them.
As for police officers. I eat breakfast every saturday with a police Lt. They will acknowledge that there are three kionds of cops here. The first is what you want, a public servant. The second kind we have is a burned out guy who came to a small department(means small pay) to finish his years and then retire. The third is the guy on a power trip. They try to weed them out through the hiring process. Some make it through. It takes reporting them and documenting them to finally get rid of them.
Just so you know. I have one of my sons old bikes that I ran over. I strap it to the grill guard for when we still have bike groups that come. My mood is to tell them to eat sh@t and die.
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Linda Z
This topic hits a critical nerve for me.
I'm not in favor of cops bonking people for no good reason. I saw enough of that in the late 60s in Los Angeles to last me a lifetime. And the expressed cause of this group--to get cities to put in bike lanes--is a good one. I'm all in favor of making bike riding safer and less of a hindrance to those of us who have to drive cars to get around. I also applaud those who can save money, reduce pollution, and get some exercise by riding a bike instead of driving a car.
However, <clears throat> bicyclists can be a royal pain in the bike shorts.
In Cleveland, we have an extensive park system (Metroparks) nicknamed "the Emerald Necklace" that extends from the far suburbs on one side of the city to the far suburbs on the other side. Don't think park, think many, many square miles of almost undistrubed forest with a 2-lane road running through it, with picnic areas and wildlife preserves and ponds and creeks along the way. It's huge (and fabulous)!
At great expense, the Metroparks, at the taxpayers' expense, put in bike trails, more than 60 miles worth, throughout the park system. They are also meant for hikers and in-line skaters, but the trails have two generous lanes. Your average bike riders use them, in perfect harmony with the hikers, runners, and skaters with no problem. But these lovely, expensive bike trails are not good enough for the competitive, hard-core bikers.
These guys (sorry, but I've never seen a woman doing this in all the years I've been here) pooh-pooh the bike trails and opt to ride on the narrow 2-lane road, which has some sharp curves. The speed limit is 30 mph, and there's no passing. The bikes go about 15 mph. On many occasions, I have rounded a curve only to come upon a biker (or two) in the middle of my lane, while the bike trail just a few feet off the road is empty. It's a hazard. Of course, by now I know to keep a sharp eye out for bikes, especially as I approach the curves, but an inexperienced driver or someone not expecting bikes on the road could easily run over a biker or swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid hitting one. Very scary.
I've talked to a coworker who's an avid biker about this. His response: You're driving in the park, what's your hurry? Well duh, if I were in a hurry I'd be white-knuckle driving on a freeway somewhere, but that that's not the point. Safety is the point.
With gas prices being what they are, I see a lot more people driving into and through the downtown area at rush hour. Most of them are careful and sane. But there's always that one hot-dog who's weaving in and out, cutting in front of cars, and causing general havoc. If I were a member of Critical Mass, I think I'd also be campaigning to get these attitude-laden bikers to be less cavalier.
End of rant. :D
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