February 16, 2006
Judge Tells City, Critical Mass Can Go On
A state judge ruled that the city cannot bar Critical Mass ride, which comes after last month's ruling that the rides do not need permits. The NY Times details the ruling:
Calling the city's legal strategy against the ride "highly irregular" and "as unnecessary as it is inappropriate," Justice Michael D. Stallman of State Supreme Court in Manhattan refused to bar an environmental group and four people from taking part in it, from gathering at Union Square Park beforehand, or from announcing the rides on the group's Web site, as the city had requested.In other words, give it up, NYPD! The next Crticial Mass is a week and a half - it'll be interesting to see how the cops treat the bikers; Gothamist bets the cops working the ride undercover will stay there. However, Justice Stallman ultimately would like those two crazy kids (the NYPD and Crtiical Mass riders) to work it out, writing,The city had also asked the judge to issue an unusual civil declaration, without a trial, that the environmental group, Time's Up, and the four individuals had "criminal culpability" for violating laws and regulations that carried penalties of fines and imprisonment. The judge also rejected that request.
"The social compact and the realities of living in a crowded place demand patience, mutual respect and self-restraint. Mutual de-escalation of rhetoric and conduct, and a conciliatory attitude, may help the parties and the Critical Mass riders resolve the litigation and arrive at a workable modus vivendi."Modus vivendi? Good luck! Gothamist liked how Justice Stallman said that the city's claim that traveling en masse was wrong because what about commuters biking during the transit strike?
Last month's Critical Mass ride was a bit chaotic, with two cops injured. And here's a Gothamist Interview from last year with Matthew Roth, a biking enthuasiast who was one of the bikers the city was trying to ban from the ride.
Photograph from everyplace via Flickr
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pedestrians beware
Thank goodness for the independent judiciary!
Ride on!
Let the flame wars begin. It's like we've never heard it before.
When is CM again this month? Got to make sure I wear full protective gears when I walk around on that date. Bad enough I have to watch out for delivery guys and cabbies!
I have to remember to wear my brass knuckles, so I can kick all pedestrian ass I ride past.
Great news!
Though I have a few words for NYPD Dep. Commissioner Browne: I was arrested for following the law. I stopped at red lights and yet was punished.
CM stops for ambulances and let them through (yes, even the fake ones you send through), while every day, millions of cars delay ambulances.
Finally, you will not be able to negotiate with any "leaders" because there are none. Nobody is my "leader" when I ride to work everyday, and thus no one leads Critical Mass because it is at base, the same thing.
What you don't understand is that I have the equal legal right, and arguably, more of a moral right to the roads as do cars. The fact that I am on two wheels instead of four is irrelevant to the matters at hand.
I do not need your permission to ride my bike, and thus will never ask you, because it is not yours to give.
Great news!
Though I have a few words for NYPD Dep. Commissioner Browne: I was arrested for following the law. I stopped at red lights and yet was punished.
CM stops for ambulances and let them through (yes, even the fake ones you send through), while every day, millions of cars delay ambulances.
Finally, you will not be able to negotiate with any "leaders" because there are none. Nobody is my "leader" when I ride to work everyday, and thus no one leads Critical Mass because it is at base, the same thing.
What you don't understand is that I have the equal legal right, and arguably, more of a moral right to the roads as do cars. The fact that I am on two wheels instead of four is irrelevant to the matters at hand.
I do not need your permission to ride my bike, and thus will never ask you, because it is not yours to give.
Hey, HR, tell me where you're going to be so I can run you down with my bike. After all, who am I to make you a liar if you insist that all cyclists are menaces to society?
If CM riders think this changes much of anything, they're deluded. Sure, NYPD can't say the ride is illegal anymore. But I'm sure they can still make life miserable for CM and even everyday riders on the pretense of legitimate enforcement of traffic laws, same way they can trump up charges for everybody they hate. Cops are the same all over, mostly power-mad jerk-offs who serve society only when it happens to coincide with their personal goals.
Pedestrians beware! Critical Mass-holes have no respect for you...they are a bunch of moops riding around like idiotic 5 year olds.
Cyclists beware! Pedestrian assholes have no respect for you...they are a bunch of moops jaywalking around like idiotic 5 year olds.
Cyclists and pedestrians beware! Drivers have no respect for you...they are a bunch of moops driving around like idiotic 5 year olds with cellphones pressed to their ears.
So, ep, why don't you ever write things like this? Selective memory and outrage, eh?
Brightliner: Sorry, I thought it was simply assumed that most Drivers are complete Pricks.
If Bikers/Cyclists have such outrage for Cars, why do they turn around and treat pedestrians the same way that Cars treat them?
They should lead by example. They are already choosing a more positive for of transport, why not also choose a more positive way of being towards fellow Pedestrians/car-UNthusiasts.
drama queens on bikes
Just give me an excuse to crack your dirty hipster skulls, Critical morons. We definitely don't need permission to give you the beat down you deserve!