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Another sign spring is coming: This past Friday, the police arrestd 37 Critical Mass bikers. The city has been demanding permits for the more-bikes-less-cars advocacy groups to gather and ride through the city during their last Friday of the month rides. The city's argument is that the mass ride causes traffic issues, and permits would be necessary at Union Square (where the ride starts) and other city streets. Plus, participants would not be able to publicize the ride! This is totally Gooliani-era tactics! So far, the city's attempts to permitize the rides have failed when Times Up, the organization that organizes the rides, has filed lawsuits and judges have ruled with them.
Critical Mass's 12th birthday will be celebrated on the April 29 ride. Gothamist suggests people stands on the sidewalks and hand out cupcakes to riders! Plus Gothamist on Critical Mass.
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Once again the NYPD harass people and create crime out of nothing instead of actually doing something productive.
Why fight real violent crime when you can arrest nonviolent people easily?
To generate revenue of course.
Fill those coffers
Haywood:
you think it's acceptable to block up traffic and create hazzards for motorists and pedestrians? No, they're weren't just 'out for a ride'. just because you have a cause doesn't mean you can break the rules and inconvenience everyone else.
When with the cyclists actually respect the laws that govern them and not only when they feel like it. THey wish cars to respect them, follow the same rules, but when it comes to plowing through a red light or barreling onto the sidewalk they conveniently forget those same rules apply to them too. f()ck 'em.
I am one of those pedestrians that will wait for a bike to pass if they have the light.
Hand out cupcakes with exlax or gatorade with metamucil. everybody could use a little more fiber.
These same peaceful protesters are the ones who partied down the street from my apartment last weekend, then decided to tag (with second grade level graffiti) a whole slew of cars parked in front of the apartment. I support the cause - but do not for one minute let the cause justify the actions of fools just blindly riding along. Everyone is responsible for their actions - Cops as well as protesters.
While there are some cyclists that block traffic, this is hardly the major scourge the Administration makes it out to be. If the city thinks that they can legally muzzle them and Prevent them from advertising the ride, then IMO, they need to get a clue.
I guess they ran out of Major issues to go after...
the current critical mass debate (as far as the police and courts are concerned) is not about whether bikers have the "right" to break traffic rules. the argument is whether bikers have the right to ride under the same rules as cars. there is no legal limit on how many cars can ride down the street at one time. the NYPD is currently claiming that no more than 20 bikers can ride down the street at the same time. the issues are whether that is a law at all and, if it is, whether it is unconstitutional. breaking the rules can be fun, but it is hard to argue for a "right" to do so. this argument is about whether biking on the city streets is a crime. if the ride has become radicalized, it is because the NYPD has scared away those who were out just for fun, leaving behind only those who are willing to get arrested in defense of our right to ride.
steve, bikes ARE traffic, not a clog in it. breaking the rules? nobody is saying that the cops can't arrest anyone they find breaking laws, but riding on the street is actually the only legal (albiet unsafe) place for cycles. hazzards for motorists? you must not have ever ridden a cycle in the city. if bikes slow down cars, all the better for everyone. you're conveniently lumping all cyclists into a law-breaking liability on the street when cars are the much larger danger to pedestrians.
critical mass enjoys a history throughout the world and the fact that bloomberg is trying to create a suspect class is tarnishing that history. if the city and the cops would back off, the riders will ride, the bad seeds will have nothing to complain about, and for 2 1/2 hours a month a truly unique and interesting event can take place in this city. and everyone should line the sidewalks - and cheer the riders on!
Through various encounters with the police over the years (none criminal), my opinion of them is that they're a necessary evil. Unfortunate, but true. I have yet to deal with a cop that wasn't an arrogant jerk hiding behind his badge. Even if you pull out the actual statute they accuse you of violating and show them they're dead wrong, they'll never back down. NYPD must never lose face, you know. Bad for their street cred.
jim. popular as it is to blame bloomberg for everything, this has been a mayor v. critical mass issue long before bloomberg ever took office. get your scapegoats right.
re. whether it's bloomberg's fault:
the critical mass problems started following the RNC ride in late August 2004... whether it was Bloomberg's "fault" or not, the ride was treated much better under Giuliani. Go figure.
hijiki:
I've seen those "rides". nobody stops for sh1t. I'm not talking about your leisurely crazy biker who doesn't feel like stopping for anything, and conveniently forgetting the rules apply to them or only observing them when they feel like it, I'm referring to the non-organized "rides" that move in packs down the street.
I see a lot more rude and inconsiderate bikers than law abiding ones. eat the curb
How about the NYPD enforce existing laws instead of seaking Court injunctions?
If people run a red light, block traffic, then the NYPD have plenty of law's that they could use Right now.
Okay people, here's the deal. The Critical Mass rides should not be harassed in any way. But they are far from being angels and I think cops should be called in when they start acting like jerks.
For example, the person who complained of Critical Mass riders tagging cards (WTF is that about?!?!) should have called the cops. Or perhaps videotaped or photographed that activity and call it in. Is that ratting people out? Yes. But not without cause. Destruction of private property will not advance their cause in any way.
I support Critical Mass and enjoy what they do, but someone in there really needs to deal with the bad eggs among them who cross lines and actually muddy their message. They should be allowed to ride, but they should not be allowed to do crap like that.
There are group rides in the city pretty much every day, but especially on weekends. There's also a Brooklyn Critical Mass ride once a month and a First Saturday ride from Manhattan to the Brooklyn Museum. Is the city saying all these rides are illegal, or just the Manhattan Critical Mass ride? Seems like pretty selective enforcement.
So how is someone with a locked bike breaking the law? I don't understand why the NYPD cut bike locks and arrested their owners, who weren't even riding.
they are saying all the rides are illegal and have made arrests at the Brookyln ride too.
steve, the rides are not as lawless as you describe. most reactions from pedestrians are enthusiastic cheers, not cries of fear. i'm not saying there aren't some lawbreakers to be dealt with but the police and the mayor have recently turned it into a battle instead of arresting the few. i'm not surprised that the problems have escalated in proportion to their strongarm tactics.
it's curious that you have to point out that you let bikes go through when they have the light because in doing so, you're acknowledging that many pedestrians do not. standing in the middle of bike lanes, stepping out between cars, not stopping for lights... pedestrians do not respect the rules any more than bikers.
have you ever noticed how the cars 'move in packs' too? completely unregulated! they pose a greater risk to you every day than this bike ride.
"eat the curb"? "f()ck 'em"? sounds like teen angst.
I don't get see anything wrong riding in large numbers but also don't see the attraction other than a cheap thrill of possible conflict. seems like some new sub-culture - the outlaw bicycler s/k/a drama queens on bikes. seems like a non-issue
the "attraction," bob, is to have the pace set by cars, not bikes, and to create a safe space for riders who aren't comfortable enough to ride the city streets. before the "crackdown" made it (physically and legally) dangerous, a lot of mellow people came out.
Do people have a civil right to bike in a group? Probably, I don't know. Would it be a better use of these people's time if they put all of their organizational efforts into gathering volunteers at soup kitchens or spending time with eldarly shut-ins? Absolutely. Too many people in this city "fight" ridiculous fights when there are so many other pressing problems. Instead of biking in a group, go volunteer at an after school program and help some kid to read. Check out better uses of your time than demonstrating your constitutionally protected (or not) right to bike in big groups at http://www.nyc.gov/html/mvc/html/home/home.shtml
i'm sure you can find better uses of your own time, charlie, than lecturing others on what they should be doing with their own time without any insight into whether they may already be doing those things. perhaps working for safe, environmentally sound transportation is of no interest to you, but that doesn't make it an unworthy cause.