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Last Friday's Critical Mass bike ride resulted in over a thousand bike riders and 33 arrests. Naturally, the riders are saying the police weer "hostile" and overzealous. Things were fine when riders rode together in a huge cycling mass, but police starting to arrest riders that "spontaneously broke up into smaller packs." A Times Up/Critical Mass organizer who was arrested told reporters, "There was an air of intimidation. There was a van projecting a recorded voice saying that riders must follow a certain route and if they deviated, they would be arrested." Gothamist is really intrigued by the evolution of the Critical Mass rides. Before the Republican National Convention, it just seemed like a way for biking enthusiasts and environmentalists to spread the word about bikes as a tranportation alternative. Now, if you take part in a Critical Mass bike ride, not only are you advocating more bikes and less cars, but you're also giving the establishment the finger.
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you know, there wouldn't have been nearly as many people breaking off the police-sanctioned route if THE POLICE WEREN'T BLOCKING THE DAMN ROUTE, BREAKING THE MASS INTO SMALL GROUPS, AND CHASING THEM AROUND. until the police started lending a hand with this whole operation, i never recall the mass breaking into 20-30 different splinter groups, it was just one nice long ride and then it's over...
Of course riders were saying the police were hostile. I saw this one NYPD officer pull a girl off of her bike by HER BROKEN ARM. She had it in a soft cast and it was pretty obvious. She was in a lot of pain and trying to make him let go, which naturally made him hold her stronger. All this for "blocking traffic"? Isn't that basically a ticket if you're in a car?
On a side note, why is it that NYPD has trouble solving murders and rapes in the other 4 borroughs, but arrests people RIDING FREAKING BIKES. HELLO!?!?! PERSPECTIVE!!
we say no to your stupid car lifestyle, your oil wars, and your police harrassment.
you can arrest us, but it won't make us go away.
Lock 'em up. I'm all for more bikes, less cars, but these people are dickheads. They are just as hostile to pedestrians as they are to motorists. I had limited patience for them until one of them told me to smile as I was waiting on the curb, arms folded, late for a dinner reservation with a scowl on my face. Give me handcuffs, and I'll go at them myself.
The NYC Critical Mass bikeride has been going every month for 7 years...with no injuries or accidents to date. Suddenly the RNC comes to town and the police are trying to end this safe and legal ride. Whats really going on here?
A police set route is contrary to the whole point. Were not a parade, were traffic, which is why a permit is not legally required.
Its two hours a month -- the cars block the all the streets all the time. And who is really creating the more dangerous situations anyways, bikes or cars?
We are just and our actions are legal, thus we will not be stopped.
Just curious, what is the minimum number of bicyclists needed to get police approval of a route? Is it three, since you're not supposed to ride more than two abreast?
I'll admit that I don't follow Critical Mass to closely, but it seems to me that they'd rather "give the finger," as Jen put it, to the establishment than work with the establishment. As a bike rider in NYC, I would love to see more collaboration with the city to get more bike lanes and amenities for bike riders. What good will come out of giving the finger? It'll piss off the city, that's for sure. But will bike riders be better off? Will there be more bikes on the road and fewer cars?
Seven years of Critical Mass rides and there still aren't acceptable bike lanes leading up to either side of the Brooklyn or Manhatten bridges.
So what's come of it all, Crital Mass riders? Is is self-serving or are you serving others? Any Critical Mass members ever stop by a city council meeting? Anybody written the Mayor's office? Gather signatures on a petition? Riding seems like such a passive way to attempt to bring change.
I've read the "Who We Are/What We Do" stuff on the Critical Mass website, but I honestly don't know how a bike ride is going to change the commuting behavior of New Yorkers or change the city's interest in getting people to bike--mainly because I see no more bikers on the roads than I did a few years ago.
If I'm wrong, if Critical Mass has indeed brought definite and quantifiable change, I'll be happy to learn about them in your replies.
The only event that has lead to an increase in bike riding was the recent blackout...and in a week or so bike ridership looked to be down to normal levels.
The "two abreast" law is a myth. It does not apply in NYC.
hippies suck
So let me get this straight. Once you start in a Critical Mass ride, you can't leave it early or ride anywhere else in the five boroughs without getting arrested? Hey, NY Gestapo, it's legal for anyone to ride a bicycle on most streets in NYC as long as they obey traffic laws. If they keep this up, maybe they should cancel BikeNY, too. It's pretty obvious they hate cyclists.
I've been to a few of the rides before and there were a handful of officers present if any. The disruption is short and traffic resumes. NYPD decided its a big deal now. Headlines and events like this generates extra $$$$$ for the force.
I ride to work every day and around all weekend, and the CM ride at the end of the month is a verrry nice way for me to recharge and remember where my rights are after a month of being cut off, doored, honked at, yelled at, etc. for nothing more than riding my bike. so yeah, it's self-serving and there's the 'finger' aspect of it, but i've also seen many people ride in a CM for the first time and realize that it's possible that they too can ride in the city, so they dust off their bikes and shelf the metrocard. also, if you've been to any city council meetings lately, you will probably have seen quite a few cm-ers there. i'm sure the mayor has received plenty of letters. and there are plenty of petitions going around.