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If it's the last Friday of the month, it means that Critical Mass bike riders will be hitting the streets. And this past Friday, 34 bikers were arrested. While past Critical Mass rides, which is meant to encourage bike use but has become, at least in the city, almost a political statement after the Republican National Convention eve ride when bikers flooded the streets, have started at Union Square, this time, the ride started from Union Square, Madison Square Park, and Tompkins Square Park, possibly, as Newsday suggests, to evade the police.
Reader Michael sent a link to some photographs (and commentary) of the bikers and police he took near Union Square, and the police presence looks crazy! Related: Gothamist Interview spoke with Matthew Roth of Time's Up on Friday.
Photograph by Michael Meyers at Now Public.
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Here's an excerpt of my post on the Still We Speak rally and the Critical Mass ride:
"There's one image from last night in particular that I can't get out of my mind. A few hours after the ride started, a group of cyclists passed by Union Square chased by several police cars and at least 3 police vans. As I stood on the corner and watched, a police car moving at high speed swerved in front of a young cyclist who was riding by himself by the side of the road and who was clearly obeying traffic laws. It was an incredibly dangerous and aggressive move by the cop driving the car. Luckily the kid on the bike avoided the car and injury.."
More here: http://blog.underafter.com/archives/2005/04/still_we_speak.html
I'm glad Gothamist is covering this..
Remember that the person who supports these arrests is named Michael R. Bloomberg.
I know those Critical Mass Bicyclists can be pretty annoying, but is all that police manpower necessary?
Its good to know that the NYPD is keeping this a top priority. These protesters are a lot more threatening then terrorists or murderers and they must be contained at all costs.
I wonder: When there is a Motor Bike Run From Mulberry Street during San Genero Festival, blocking traffic, Breaking Noise pollution laws at 1:00am, Will Mayor Mike be so 'vigilant'??
Nuts. Here is an example of a Mayor who has NO apparent idea about what is really important.
Say, Those Cops still have No Contract, Right?
I was down in the Union Square area Friday evening before the ride actually began, but when everyone was gathering en masse. The cops were blasting a message saying that everyone who rode would be arrested, so it looks like 34 is pretty low.
The whole thing is pretty ridiculous, when you think about it. And sucky.
--adam
What a waste of our tax dollars. I went down to Union Square to check out the scene. The police presence was ridiculous. There were dozens of officers, many in riot gear. A police helicopter flew around downtown for several hours. The police had 13th St blocked off between 4th Ave and Broadway, apparently to use the block as a holding pen as they had the orange netting at the ready.
There were about 50 riders in the group that I saw leave (there may have been other groups, I don't know). That group turned down University Place going against traffic. About half an hour later I saw a group of 20-30 riders in the West Village. The police were nowhere in sight.
A couple of hours later there were still a couple of dozen police in Union Square. No bicyclists but lots of police hanging out and chatting.
Here's one rider's report that I found linked on Mark's page above.
I've tried to understand the point of the biking organization, but I still don't get it other than they are drama queens on bikes.
bob denver.. do you mean Time's Up? Hmm, maybe visit their website, or go to an event?
I was among the arrested on Friday -- there was a ridiculous amount of police presence from beginning to end, when each bicyclist got their very own arresting officer. Actually, tough girl that I am, I had two to get those plastic cuffs on me. Also, I believe the number of arrests is being vastly underreported -- there were 34 arrested just at 19th & 10th, where I was "apprehended." The whole thing is ludicrous and sad.
Arrest all of them! Disobeying traffic laws. Terrorizing pedestrians. I'm willing to pay more city tax to get rid of them. If bikers want to congregate then do what all other groups do when they congregate.... get a permit. I wonder what cops would do if a group of 100 autombiles gathered and stopped traffic. I wonder what cops would do if a group of 100 pedestrians gathered and stopped traffic. If bikers ever want to be taken seriously then obey the law. Bloomberg - 4 MORE YEARS!
Margarita Lopez? Where is John Liu!?!?! Those two always jump on whatever bandwagon they can. They were against social promotion yet it's the minorities that were hurt the most from social promotions.
mb, every day millions of automobiles ARE stopped traffic in this City, causing pollution, injuries, death and decay of neighborhoods, not to mention breaking the law. In fact, according to City statistics, car drivers run 1 million red lights each day. And that's just red light infractions.
If you actually bothered to speak to people who were arrested, or read any accounts, you'd learn that people were arrested while following the law. Additionally, the police have confiscated legally-locked-up bikes without charging the owners with any violation or crime. This is what we call THEFT. Add to that the report by the NYTimes the other week of police officers perjuring themselves on the witness stand, and the DA's office altering evidence.
As I bicyclist, I have the legal right to ride wherever and whenever on City streets, just as a car driver does. And, arguably, more of a moral right. Do you want to require permits for car drivers during rush hour too? I'd be all for it.
So, instead of cheer-leading for the illegal and shameful tactics of an out-of-control police force, and for a mediocre mayor whose dream is apparently turning this City into a wasteland of suburban sprawl, you might wish to look into the facts of the situation at hand.
So now if I want to get together with a group and have a bike ride, I have to organize it in secret.
Jim, that's the problem. There are various groups that publicly organize rides all the time without a permit and without any attention from the police. However, groups like the New York Cycle Club, are organizing rides for the sake of riding. They aren't organizing rides to advocate any policy or position. It's only when a ride is put together for a political purpose that the NYPD pays attention.
CM is not really helping the cause for bikers at all, which isn't their point, as they say, it's only a celebration of cycling. Then they "protest" the RNC because they felt like it. I cannot ride my bike on the last friday due to fear of being swept up because they have so pissed off the city.
I just consider it training sessions for police.. probably cheaper then simulating a riot.
Suprised there was no mention of bike tour this morning: http://www.bikenewyork.org/BNY-route.htm
Anyone else go?
i showed up for the 5 boro ride this morning, assuming i'd have the same great time i had when i did the ride for the first time, two years ago. instead i had a miserable time, and bailed out at 125 st. the ride back, down the west side highway, was great, tho.
obviously the weather bit, but i'm not sure i would have had a substantially better time under balmy conditions. there are just too many people at this event, and too many assholes - like everyone who decided to cut ahead of the traffic jam in the upper 50s on sixth avenue, thus creating a bigger traffic jam for folks polite enough to stay in line. or the jackasses who kept riding in the running lanes in central park, pissing off runners for no good reason and nearly clipping a few in the process.
it's too bad - i'd always enthusiatically described the ride as one of the best experiences i'd had in nyc, but now i can't see going back - i think the event organizers are well meaning, but i can't see how they can corral this thing at this point short of cutting the size of the event in half, and i doubt they're interested in that.
This "need a permit for everything" mentality is very big-government, and inherently un-American.
This is a longshot and likely not CM-related, but since it happened on Sunday (5/1) I thought I'd ask. I happened to be on the corner of 3rd Ave & 52nd St at about 1:30 pm or so when a girl on a bike was hit by a taxi. It appeared to be totally her fault, sad to say -- she whipped into a broad left turn, trying to beat traffic as the light changed, but of course the taxis all leaped across the line as soon as they had the green light. Anyway, she got hit pretty hard and went flying. I hope she survived, so if anyone knows anything, I'd appreciate hearing about it.