Tactics to use during critical mass

[Max]

I agree that I should maintain good relations with motorists, the same as with peds, or with anyone.

On the other hand, for some reason it seems to me that it will take a long long time until such guys as this one will make things better. If that is what we hope.

Here is the story: http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Central/08/18/janklow.accident.ap/index.html

[Bobatin]

the typical American driver does not expect or look out for cyclists and drives with an attitude of "oh, a few fender-benders aren't so bad. i have insurance and my desire(need) to get somewhere fast and comfortable is worht any risks"... maybe they don't think conscioulsy about, but that is about the normal attitude...

Speaking for your self? Is this why you are car free?

but there is a REAL problem and "society" doesn't see it.
Society does not see it or you see one where one does not exist.

[Max]

Originally posted by Bobatin
Society does not see it or you see one where one does not exist.

I wish you could convince me that the problem does not exist. That those environmentalists are the half-wits, who make the elephant from the fly. That the Kyoto agreement participants are lunatics, who try to undermine the world economy.

Still I am internally convinced that the problem does exist. And that the lunatics are not the Kyoto agreement participants.

Have you noticed that Pr.Bush hangs on on his vast ranch? Do you think why? Have you been in Washington D.C. recently?

Unfortunately not everyone can afford to live on his own ranch. Some people are to work in the cities.

This is the new form of inequality. The environmental inequality. The good expensive neighborhoods are there where there is not much traffic. And vice versa.

If a person can not afford the million-dollar-house in the expensive neighborhood, why he can not try to do something to reduce the traffic in his normal district together with his neighbors? The guy on the green ranch can not and will not have much understanding of the problem.

[PaulH]

Originally posted by Max
IHave you noticed that Pr.Bush hangs on on his vast ranch? Do you think why? Have you been in Washington D.C. recently?


I am looking out my office window at it right now. It is a beautiful city that draws visitors from all over the world. It has great restaurants, theater, drama, music, and film. It is also a very pleasant place to commute by bike, as I did a few hours ago.

Paul

[Bobatin]

This is the new form of inequality. The environmental inequality. The good expensive neighborhoods are there where there is not much traffic. And vice versa.

All the poor people live in the cities and all the rich people live every where else. Right, got ya. In a quality of life sense maybe.

[nathank]

Speaking for your self? Is this why you are car free?


well as a cyclist if i had this attitude i would probably be dead or in the hospital. as i think you know EXTREME defensive cycling expecting motorists to do stupid things and not give the right of way is virtually required to safely ride a bike with cars. i have gotten very good at anticipating what illegal/dangerous things drivers will do...

but yes, it is my observation that most people accept a high level of risk while driving --- and the _average_ driver has quite a few collisions (so called "accidents" most of which are preventable and caused by driver error - oh, that means they weren't cautious enough or payin attention or taking too high of risk) -- and here not just those that show up on the insurance claim, but little fender-benders or backing into the side of something should count too - these can also easily kill a cyclist

and when younger i was a little more this way about driving, but now when i drive i am very safe from what i have learned from cycling.


me: but there is a REAL problem and "society" doesn't see it.

Society does not see it or you see one where one does not exist.
um... number one killer of people under (i think 35) is automobiles... yeah, i'm just imagining that. those people aren't really dead.

[scarry]

The thread that would not die...:crash:

This is almost as much fun as...(drum roll)...the last friday of the month.

[scarry]

Originally posted by Max
I agree that I should maintain good relations with motorists, the same as with peds, or with anyone.

On the other hand, for some reason it seems to me that it will take a long long time until such guys as this one will make things better. If that is what we hope.

Here is the story: http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Central/08/18/janklow.accident.ap/index.html


More on this guy.
Last month, doctors considered double bypass surgery after they found a narrowing of a main artery leading into his heart. But doctors ultimately decided the narrowing was just part of Janklow's natural physical makeup. Instead of surgery, Janklow said he would take some additional medications and try to lose weight. In 1998 and 1999, he suffered life-threatening health problems and was hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic. He was diagnosed with and treated for diverticulitis, inflammation of the pancreas and diabetes.

Sounds like this guy needs to be riding a bike.

[Bobatin]

number one killer of people under (i think 35) is automobiles
You advocate an interesting way of fixing that problem.

[SD Fixed]

Originally posted by nathank
Is it "legal" for a funeral procession to hold up others? do they have a permit? do they run red lights? (often) does society now have built up animosity for dead people riding in herses? (ok, joke, couldn't resist)

Yes, and there is a special fee for them to have the provision to hold traffic, and you pay a special cost for the police escort. At least in CA. I've burried a few people.

[Max]

Originally posted by PaulH
I am looking out my office window at it right now. It is a beautiful city that draws visitors from all over the world. It has great restaurants, theater, drama, music, and film. It is also a very pleasant place to commute by bike, as I did a few hours ago.

Paul
All this is true. It is the nice city. One of the most cycling cities in the world. With splendid trails. Like Curtis Trail, Washington & Old Dominion Trail, C&O Trail. I cycled on all of them. I cycled the C&O Trail all the way to Cumberland (185 miles), and then on the Great Allegheny Passage to Pittsburgh. And back to D.C. I have very nice memories of this ride.

At the same time the auto traffic is very intense on some roads. On some roads it looked like the endless flow of cars. This is what I meant. This is the universal problem (or not a problem, as some think).

[scarry]

Now this is cool
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object.cgi?object=/chronicle/pictures/2003/08/19/mn_sequoia.jpg&paper=news&file=state2006EDT0167.DTL&directory=/news/archive/2003/08/18&type=news

[khuon]

Originally posted by scarry
Now this is cool
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object.cgi?object=/chronicle/pictures/2003/08/19/mn_sequoia.jpg&paper=news&file=state2006EDT0167.DTL&directory=/news/archive/2003/08/18&type=news

Glad nobody was in it while it happened. Hmmm... you know... that looks like my old ZJ. Anyways, why is it so cool? Do you always think destruction is cool?

[scarry]

why is it so cool

One less car.

I know insurance will get them a new one but still, just the picture makes me smile.

[khuon]

Originally posted by scarry
One less car.

I know insurance will get them a new one but still, just the picture makes me smile.

Uh-huh... right. One less car on the road for a short time but now you've got random litter in the middle of a preserve. You've got gasoline spilled into the forest. And you've got a bunch of people who now have to make an insurance claim which will effect their insurance rates regardless of whether or not it was their fault. Would you think it was just as cool if people were in the Jeep? I mean why not? One less driver. One less human being on the planet to use our resources. My humour ends where the sociopathic tendencies begin.

[scarry]

My humour ends where the sociopathic tendencies begin.

Dude, lightn up. This is gettin off topic anyway.
I laughed because a car got crushed by a tree, now you think I have sociopathic tendencies. You are the one getting worked up, not me.
You ever think it happened because God needed a laugh at our expense?
LOL.

[Allister]

Originally posted by Max
I agree that I should maintain good relations with motorists, the same as with peds, or with anyone.

On the other hand, for some reason it seems to me that it will take a long long time until such guys as this one will make things better. If that is what we hope.

Here is the story: http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Central/08/18/janklow.accident.ap/index.html

Now there's a face that needs a punch.

If this guy had been in Australia, he'd have lost his license a long time ago.

[The Rob]

American traffic laws are made of straw. And my family and friends frown when I wax rhapsodic about the good ol' days of the pillories and public humiliation!

This sort of thing makes me so angry words fail. :irritated

But is this sort of behavior redressed by Critical Mass? Nope. Critical Mass seeks to punish all motorists regardless of their skills and habits, whereas more worthy organizations such as MADD are focused on specific aberrant behaviors. In this context Critical Mass is difficult for me to take seriously unless they're corking my progress home with their displays of bicycle bigotry.

-Rob

[randya]

I did not mean to imply that cycling was an inherently dangerous activity, but rather that roads are dangerous places due to all the yahoos out there abusing their privledges to operate an auto/truck/SUV on our public streets by behaving unsafely towards other road users. The death toll is real, although most of the auto violence is propogated against other motorists (supreme irony!). However, if you ever tangle with a motor vehicle on your bicycle--and most crashes are the result of a motorist failing to yield ROW, and NOT cyclist error--I've spent a good deal of time recently reviewing the crash and injury statistics for Portland--the cyclist is almost guaranteed to end up on the losing end. I have been cycling safely for many, many years, with only three dooring incidents, only one of which approached a level of seriousness that should have concerned me if I hadn't been so young at the time. But it made me all that much wiser. I typically ride as assertively as I need to to protect myself and my ROW, and I have taken to riding without my helmet more frequently recently, under the premise that cycling with a helmet also projects the image that cycling is a dangerous activity that should be avoided. Helmet use is an inherently American phenomena--the Europeans don't need or use them, presumably because European motorists are more circumspect about endangering cyclists on the road than American motorists are.

[randya]

Originally posted by RobCat
Critical Mass seeks to punish all motorists regardless of their skills and habits, whereas more worthy organizatizations such as MADD are focussed on specific aberrant behaviors. In this context Critical Mass is difficult for me to take seriously unless they're corking my progress home with their displays of bicycle bigotry.

Actually, in my experience, the majority of motorists respond very positively to CM. I think CM lights a bulb in many motorists' heads that things could be different. How many people really like driving that much, anyway? They do it out of necessity and the percieved lack of alternatives and would really love to be shown a better way. In this respect I think CM makes many motorists receptive to the message of more mainstream cyclist advocacy organizations.

If you are infuriated about being 'corked' by CM for at most a brief few minutes once a month, I don't think you should blame CM, I think you should closely examine your own negative emotional response for a deeper understanding. [Budda smile here]

[Max]

I read the materials on this site http://www.theaircar.com/

I like it more and more. The car that cleans the air. Besides the commercially viable.

[khuon]

Originally posted by Max
I read the materials on this site http://www.theaircar.com/

I like it more and more. The car that cleans the air. Besides the commercially viable.

The aircar is pretty neat. Some of the electrics show promise too. I rather like the form-factour of the Tango (http://www.commutercars.com/) since it would immediately economise upon the real-estate of the infrastructure. Performance and creature comforts aren't too bad either. The thing still limiting it however seems to be the batteries. Hopefully advances in battery technology will produce something lighter and more compact. Right now the Tango despite being 1/3rd the footprint of a normal compact car weighs almost 50% more. Still, it turns in some impressive performance numbers. The other problem of course is the pricetag. The Tango lists for $80,000 or somesuch rediculously high number. Perhaps someone can mate the aircar concept to the footprint format of the Tango.

[The Rob]

Originally posted by randya
Actually, in my experience, the majority of motorists respond very positively to CM. I think CM lights a bulb in many motorists' heads that things could be different.

I do sincerely hope that's true. Just as I object to certain of CM's tactics, I find at least as offensive some motorist's response to them.

How many people really like driving that much, anyway? They do it out of necessity and the perceived lack of alternatives and would really love to be shown a better way. In this respect I think CM makes many motorists receptive to the message of more mainstream cyclist advocacy organizations.

I would hope that my cycling habits (courtesy in traffic and strict adherence to the rules of the road) would be perceived as positive examples. I welcome any endeavor that obeys those rules. The bricks in the road for Critical Mass are the 'participants' who refuse to abide by them. Critical Mass will be forever hamstrung by these hangers-on unless and until the true believers in the movement find adequate means to control or exclude them.

If you are infuriated about being 'corked' by CM for at most a brief few minutes once a month, I don't think you should blame CM, I think you should closely examine your own negative emotional response for a deeper understanding. [Budda smile here]

Infuriated? Not so much. Annoyed? Definitely. And yet you have a point. I think most people who are absolutely dependent upon their automobiles probably do have more stress than is good for them. That being said, consider this: not all of those people hemmed in and trapped (albeit for a few minutes in most cases) are simply going to and from work blithely unaware of the world outside their windshields. A few might very well have legitimate emergencies or crucial deadlines. Want respect, give respect. Buddha would understand the wisdom of that counsel, I think. :D

[Max]

Originally posted by khuon
The aircar is pretty neat. Some of the electrics show promise too.

Electrics are not realistic. Only small fraction of fuel chemical energy turns into the electricity at the generator. The losses due to the energy dissipation are very high. The electricity is very very expensive for the transportation from the environental and commercial point of view.

The compressed air can be produced cheaply, directly from any rotation energy - like the wind mill, or even diesel. Maybe it can even be transported in the tankers to the air stations.

[khuon]

Originally posted by Max
Electrics are not realistic. Only small fraction of fuel chemical energy turns into the electricity at the generator.

That is an energy conversion issue. There are many ways to produce, transmit and store electricity. These limitations exist today but may be lessened in the future. The same issues exist for compressed air. And the same solutions that exist for compressing the air can be applied to electrical systems.

[Max]

I hope you are right, and that we do not stand before the "wall of the fundamentals" here.

Still I have the impression that the compressed air tank is more viable and "cleaner" solution then the battery made from the exotic metals and acids.

[khuon]

Originally posted by Max
I hope you are right, and that we do not stand before the "wall of the fundamentals" here.

Still I have the impression that the compressed air tank is more viable and "cleaner" solution then the battery made from the exotic metals and acids.

Let me clarify or perhaps even correct myself. I think we need to start thinking slightly outside the box when it comes to energy storage and transferance. While I advocate electric vehicles, it is simply in terms of electric drive. The use of an electric drive system solves a lot of problems including that of weight and loss of energy due to mechanical systems. Electric drives also are more controllable and can be used to achieve high performance figures rivalling that of ICE/mechanical systems. An electric car has the capability to easily out-accelerate the fastest Indy car for instance.

An electric drive vehicle simply needs to consist of electric motors to convert electrical energy into motion. How that electrical energy is stored and generated is another matter. One can achieve fairly high degrees of efficiency in an electric drive system. I'm not sure how much development has been undertaken along these lines but I imagine the use of things like self-sensing electromagnetic bearings combined with homopolar generators (HPG) and motors (Faraday Unipolar Generators) can lend itself to ultra-efficient electromotive drives. The storage of such energy may even be a canister of compressed air powering a turbine used to spin the HPG for instance.

To be honest, the reciprocating engine from an engineer's standpoint is an abomination. I think if people were to start again from a plain sheet of paper today, the reciprocating engine would/should be the last design concept they'd resort to. The thing is a mechanical nightmare with parts flying everywhere trying to blow itself apart and much of its weight and structure being devoted to preventing just that. It's a horribly inefficient contraption regardless of whether the compression principle is based on burning fossil fuels or expanding compressed air.

Edit: I think we're in danger of hijacking the thread here. Perhaps we should either start a new thread or take this to private message.

[Max]

No hijacking the thread. Maybe you are more on topic now than before. Because the CM and other forms of action are directed partly against the car pollution.

I never thought about the reciprocating engine in this light. I will have to think and read about it. But this sounds convincing to me at the first sight:

"The thing is a mechanical nightmare with parts flying everywhere trying to blow itself apart and much of its weight and structure being devoted to preventing just that. It's a horribly inefficient contraption regardless of whether the compression principle is based on burning fossil fuels or expanding compressed air."

The main drawback of the air-car is the noisy engine, which resembles the steam engine by design.

We may look also for the new surce of clean energy inside of us. For example, that guy, whose photo I posted in the thread recently, may have about half a barrel of oil inside of his body. Good ecologically clean human fat. If used for moving the bicyle, he could probably cycle across the States on it. And it will do him a lot of good. At least he will stop looking so freaky.

[SD Fixed]

Originally posted by Max
If used for moving the bicyle, he could probably cycle across the States on it. And it will do him a lot of good. At least he will stop looking so freaky.

He'd be a bunch of skin, and look equally freaky.

An can you imagine him in spandex?

I think I'll go eat cement to clear my mind of that mental image.

[scarry]

Originally posted by khuon
That is an energy conversion issue. There are many ways to produce, transmit and store electricity. These limitations exist today but may be lessened in the future. The same issues exist for compressed air. And the same solutions that exist for compressing the air can be applied to electrical systems.

The big difference btwn the compressed air and electric batteries is the weight vs energy stored.

Batteries are very heavy.

A kevlar fiber compressed air tank is not.

Electic motors are also heavy.
A air motor is not.

[SD Fixed]

Originally posted by scarry
The big difference btwn the compressed air and electric batteries is the weight vs energy stored.

Batteries are very heavy.

A kevlar fiber compressed air tank is not.

Electic motors are also heavy.
A air motor is not.

You could do better and go farther with compressed CO2, right?

[scarry]

Hey I just noticed something, this is the Critical Mass thread.
I thought I was on the Alternative Energy thread, (seriously).
Now I know why khuon was talking about hijacking the thread.

So I suggest we take the alternative energy topic over to.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34955&perpage=15&pagenumber=3

It's a great topic by the way, being a EE with lots of experiance with electric motors and drives.

To reply to William, I don't see how compressed co2 would hold any advantage over compressed air. Air is common.

[randya]

Originally posted by RobCat
A few might very well have legitimate emergencies or crucial deadlines. Want respect, give respect. Buddha would understand the wisdom of that counsel, I think

In my experience, CM has ALWAYS yielded to emergency vehicles, and responded positively to any other legitimate emergency requests made my motorists in a respectful way, and allowed those motorists to pass, yea, even facilitated their passage...

[The Rob]

Originally posted by randya
In my experience, CM has ALWAYS yielded to emergency vehicles, and responded positively to any other legitimate emergency requests made my motorists in a respectful way, and allowed those motorists to pass, yea, even facilitated their passage...

I have no doubt that you have heart-felt commitment to this cause and that you yourself bear no true ill-will to the motoring public as a whole. I would ask you however to re-read the quoted statement. "Legitimate emergency requests"? "Allowed those motorists to pass"? These smack of an arrogance that is bound to set teeth on edge, though to be fair I know of no lofty ideal that doesn't feature arrogance as a symptom. Still, there are gentler and more respectful ways to, if not eradicate a paradigm, at least bend it into a more suitable shape.

I would like to see the participants within Critical Mass who truly want to make a difference (as opposed to the attention-seeking, anarchistic bottom-dwellers responsible for nearly all of the bad rap) explore media and good-will opportunities. Let the public see smiling, healthy, law-abiding and courteous cyclists with signs on their backs or bikes, people who love to ride and want to share it. Give the public reasons to like you! It's that whole honey vs. vinegar thingy, y'know?

-Rob

[randya]

Originally posted by RobCat
I would like to see the participants within Critical Mass who truly want to make a difference (as opposed to the attention-seeking, anarchistic bottom-dwellers responsible for nearly all of the bad rap) explore media and good-will opportunities. Let the public see smiling, healthy, law-abiding and courteous cyclists with signs on their backs or bikes, people who love to ride and want to share it. Give the public reasons to like you! It's that whole honey vs. vinegar thingy, y'know?

This is the intent of everyone I know that participates in CM. Unfortunately, it's sometimes hard to get that message across when a fully suited motorcycle or riot cop is kicking you off your bike, kneeling on your head and pepper spraying you in the face for no good reason other than to discredit your message of bicyclists' rights; and the automobile-sponsored media has little interest in hearing or broadcasting that message, either--not from CM, and generally not from anyone else, either.

[Ebbtide]

Originally posted by randya
This is the intent of everyone I know that participates in CM. Unfortunately, it's sometimes hard to get that message across when a fully suited motorcycle or riot cop is kicking you off your bike, kneeling on your head and pepper spraying you in the face for no good reason other than to discredit your message of bicyclists' rights; and the automobile-sponsored media has little interest in hearing or broadcasting that message, either--not from CM, and generally not from anyone else, either.

...and the moral of the story, despite the obstacles thrown at CM and how "hard" it is, all participants should Let the public see smiling, healthy, law-abiding and courteous cyclists with signs on their backs or bikes, people who love to ride and want to share it..

Otherwise, you lost sight of the mission and missed the point of the "demonstration".

ehenz

[Bobatin]

This is the intent of everyone I know that participates in CM. Unfortunately, it's sometimes hard to get that message across when a fully suited motorcycle or riot cop is kicking you off your bike, kneeling on your head and pepper spraying you in the face for no good reason other than to discredit your message of bicyclists' rights; and the automobile-sponsored media has little interest in hearing or broadcasting that message, either--not from CM, and generally not from anyone else, either
:roflmao:

[scarry]

Originally posted by randya
In my experience, CM has ALWAYS yielded to emergency vehicles, and responded positively to any other legitimate emergency requests made my motorists in a respectful way, and allowed those motorists to pass, yea, even facilitated their passage...

On the July SF CM, there was a fire engine coming from the rear, blasting it's siren, everyone cried, to the side, and all the riders (several blocks long at this point) moved to the side as the engine blew down the road at 40 mph. Very exciting. The fire engine was actually able to go faster because the mass had control of all the intersections and there were no cars clogging the road.:D

[scarry]

Originally posted by Bobatin
:roflmao:

You may laugh, but ask yourself this; how many motorists are dragged from their cars and handcuffed and arrested for a minor traffic violation.
This does not occur even to motorists who run over and kill people, unless of course they flee.

From the Buffalo May CM police riot:
By the time the ride actually got underway there were no fewer than 65 cyclists. There was what is apparently a traditional ride around the Niagara Square traffic circle a few times while we're deciding which way to go and then we headed up court street to wander around the East Side. There's a whole lot of smiling during the ride. People are happy to be together with fellow riders and it's a great feeling to have the shoe on the other foot. Instead of an endless stream of impatient motorists endangering your life by forcing you too close to the parking lane or splashing you with all manner of road sludge, you are free to ride in safety.

Buffalo is not the greatest city for biking really. There are a few bike lanes here and there but the roads are in lousy shape and hazardous and many cyclists that I talk to complain about all the narrow roads through the main arteries of the city.

All of those problems were a million miles away though as we leisurely rolled on through the East side. Lots of folks stopped to wave at us like we were a parade and people rang their bike bells and waved back. The weather was warm and nice. The people were exchanging information. A lot of people were discussing bike laws so the we can become more clear on where we legally are and aren't allowed to ride and what we are and aren't allowed to do while biking.

Apparently it's legal to bring a beer with you on your bike as there were a great many people making a political statement of some sort by toting a beer in their bottle rack. Apparently we are supposed to ride with no more than two side by side but that would have made for a REALLY long line of bikes if we would have stretched it thin like that. I've come to understand now that we can ride with up to 4 side by side in certain circumstances and that is generally what we had. A lot of people were talking about Mike Niman's Biking in Buffalo article and we were especially fond of the part that says "we're not holding up traffic... we ARE traffic."

As the bike trip wound around the east side I looked for people I knew to converse with. I spotted the daughter of someone I work with at the co-op and introduced myself and we started talking about her mom. As we crossed over onto the west side of Buffalo I started seeking out the young woman who knew more about the job opportunity that I had learned about earlier in the day.

From time to time the Ride would take an unexpected turn and it was just fun to watch such a mass of cyclists veer off in another direction. We turned up Allen street and I thought that was a perfect opportunity to stop by Rust Belt books. I am trying to get them listed in the Progressive Directory that I'm making and I was hoping they would be willing to display the list of weekly Peace Events in Buffalo since it's just changed. I saw the group turn up Elmwood. They were traveling slowly enough that I figured I could take stuff by Rust Belt and catch up later. Too late again. I got to the book store in time to see a sign that read "gone. Be back in 5".

Storm Clouds on the Horizon

Yet again my lateness had saved the day. If the people at Rust Belt had been there and I had stopped to talk to them I would have missed out on all the action. I raced up Elmwood to catch up with Critical Mass. Just as I was catching up I spotted a police car stopped in the middle of Elmwood up ahead of us. Two police officers were waiting behind the car to speak with us. They told us we were blocking traffic and we told them that we were traffic. They told us we would all have to ride our bikes on the sidewalk, we told them that we were under the impression that it was illegal to ride our bikes on the sidewalk. The police officers were visibly frustrated. They really wanted us to just not be there. But it was a little late for that, we were there. The officers gave us some menacing words and got back in their car.

We proceeded riding much like we were riding before. A couple dozen cyclists tried going up on the sidewalk but the cyclists in the street yelled to them that it was not only illegal but also dangerous to the foot traffic of Elmwood to have them all on the sidewalk. There was a general willingness to comply with the officers' orders among the cyclists but confusion as to how to proceed. Most people just did their best to keep right. However, when the police were speaking to us we were huddled in a mass of 70 people. The people in the back of the ride did not hear anything that the police officers said. They were still riding in a bunched up group as we proceeded down Elmwood. That's when the police flashed their lights and pulled a cyclist over and gave him a summons for blocking traffic to make an example out of him.

During the intervening 10 minutes while the cyclist was being issued a ticket, Ethan, one of the cyclists that is more well known to the group, took up a collection and before the ink had dried on the ticket the young cyclist had his ticket paid for and then some. There were two columns of cyclists watching the ticket being issued. Every single cyclist had stopped and turned back when they found out someone had been stopped and we all gathered around the police to watch. The police singled out another cyclist for jaywalking and put him in the back of the squad car. They started telling us all to leave. I have been an NYCLU observer for several events and, to the best of my knowledge, citizens have the right to watch law officers carrying out their duties so I was not leaving and no one else seemed to be thinking about leaving either. Call it a general distrust on our part but there seemed to be an unspoken consensus that it was not a good idea to leave one of our own in the private care of Buffalo's Police Department.

A great many cyclists had cameras with them. Mike Niman started taking pictures of the apparent overreaction of the officers. Two or three other people began taking photos also as a second police car was arriving on the scene. There was a tall black cyclist with very long dreadlocks taking photos and for no reason we could understand the police grabbed him and handcuffed him and started putting him in a police car. Everyone began to get very angry at this. All of the people who had been passively observing on the sidewalk began to approach the officers and demanding to know why he had been singled out and what was he being charged with. The police took a look around at this point and realized that all 70 of us were still present. They made a very desperate attempt to get the crowd to disperse but people were unwilling to leave without a chance to be heard. They wanted to know why the only visibly black cyclist was being singled out. At that point the police officers began shoving people and issued the order to disperse again.

Since this was about to turn violent some cyclists were moving to leave at this point but there was still confusion as to whether they should proceed on the sidewalk or the street so dispersal was very slow, and a couple cyclists tried asking officers how to disperse. The majority of cyclists remained where they were. Many were blocking the sidewalk but in all honesty there was no one trying to use the sidewalk at that point. All pedestrians had stopped and were trying to figure out what was going on. There were soon four police cars parked in the middle of the intersection with their lights flashing. Their initial complaint was that we were tying up traffic, but they seemed unconcerned by the fact that THEY were tying up traffic for 10 blocks in either direction on Elmwood, which hadn't been happening while we were just peacefully exercising our rights to ride bicycles together.

Cyclists with cameras continued snapping pictures. The police continued shoving people and grabbing people to put them into the backs of squad cars. More police were showing up from every direction and suddenly some VERY angry and SINISTER officers showed up. They got out of their cars with their clubs or flashlights drawn and were looking around for someone to hit. They grabbed Mike Niman and he started taking pictures of them beating him. One officer, as best I could tell, hit Dr. Niman on the helmet with his fist while he was clubbing him and injured himself. According to other cyclists this officer continued to demonstrate to the crowd that he had been injured. The cyclists were not fighting back or "insighting a riot" of any kind as was claimed by the police but they were trying to stop their friends from being clubbed over the head and having their faces slammed into the hoods of police cars. There is photographic documentation of pretty much all of this.

Mike Niman shouted to the gathering to get the hell out of there. That's when people started to leave in greater numbers. That's when the officers started claiming that people were resisting arrest, because they were actually leaving. The officers even chased some bicyclists down the street on foot and one officer fell which made the police even more angry.

In my own personal opinion, the police do not want citizens to gather for any purpose. American society does not want people to ride bicycles. Motorists do not want to share the road. I personally believe in the credo "No blood for oil" strongly enough that I avoid using oil & gas as best I can. This too is undesirable. Cyclists are improving their own health, and in so doing they are lowering everyone's health insurance costs. But all the general public sees is a bunch of hippie bike punk kids. No. Actually that's not true. There were a lot of motorists that honked and waved and smiled at us throughout our ride. But the police seem to have a genuine deep-seated hatred for us. They were very quick to anger when we did not cower under their authority and they were further enraged when we knew a little something about our bicycling rights (more than they did certainly). They seemed absolutely incensed by our unity and concern for one another and unwillingness to just let them make an example out of people for arbitrary (and possibly racist) reasons.

As the situation descended into chaos the police seemed to have the attitude that they were going to just start grabbing and arresting whoever was closest. They shoved and beat a number of people VERY violently. A lot of people, myself included, talk about how young people don't get involved in anything or wont stand up and speak up, but the young people here showed considerable courage under fire and very good presence of mind as they began to divide themselves into groups to take care of things as best they could. Some young folks formed groups to ride each other home, some stayed to make sure the bikes that were left laying around got brought to safety and a group of about two dozen of us went down to Central Booking to try to find out what happened to those arrested.

2, 4, 7, Lights, Camera, Whatever

This was not a news story. That was what we were told. The assemblage of cyclists gathered around the Buffalo Police Headquarters and demanded to know what was going on. We saw several riders being hauled into the station and one asked us to contact her lawyer. We realized, at that point, that we should have been calling lawyers all along, but better late than never we started calling lawyers and trying to call the NYCLU, etc. Then there was a lot of sitting around but before too long lawyers began to arrive and then channel 7 news arrived and began to take statements. They spoke to about 4 people and concluded that we did not have a story here and that we might be making it up. We told them that we had pictures of the assault but they were still skeptical and they were about to leave.

Enter, stage left, Channel 4. Channel 4 showed up and they started filming right away so Channel 7 changed their minds and decided we did have a story after all. So naturally it wasn't long before Channel 2 showed up. I think they follow each other around in those little trucks. Channel 4 is the one station that is not located within a couple blocks of the police headquarters, yet they were the first ones to start taking us seriously and start taking our statements.

Gradually the reporters did become interested in what kinds of pictures we had on our digital cameras so I loaned my bike to a guy named Bernie so he could go get his laptop and distribute some pictures through the news media. The police made us go to the other side of the street even though we were on public property and not impeding the sidewalk in any way. Across the street we began talking about specifics and debating whether or not it was likely that this was a conspiracy to harass Dr. Niman. It's an odd coincidence that Buffalo just got more than ten million dollars for the local FBI in Homeland Security dollars. Odd too that Critical Mass bike rides were harassed in Akron Ohio, Portland Oregon and San Francisco. Odd that Critical Mass rides have been going on very peacefully for more than 3 years and suddenly there's a crack down across the nation. Odd too, that Critical Mass in Santa Cruz, California had a similar instance of police violence. Note too, this all comes on the heels of the Bike arrests and skirmish that happened in St. Louis at the Biodevastation Conference. But it's all just conjecture and of course we have no real way of knowing whether John Ashcroft is deploying money to aggressively root out the troublemakers J. Edgar Hoover style or whether we're all just paranoid. I'd suggest that we're not really all that paranoid since they actually are out to "get us".

I did my best to make myself useful. Tried to make sure everyone was alright and I handed out a bunch of AllPowerToThePeople.com flyers and asked people to feel free to write in their accounts so that I could document this event from a number of different perspectives. Hopefully this will be a living document and I will add pictures and comments to it as they come in, so check back again if you're interested.

After people began to be released from jail I slowly made my way home. It was, of course, too late to go to Rust Belt books anymore. I had become so completely engrossed in being harassed for being a cyclist that I totally forgot that I could expect general harassment for being a proponent of peace. I was shocked back to reality though as I rode down Elmwood and received angered jeering from a guy that was very mad about the large peace symbol I wear on the back of my jacket. It feels like a very dark time for the rebellion.

I know the police are going to try to really crack down on us next month. We are asking everyone that has a bike to join us in solidarity Friday June 27th. Ethan said we are going to invite some of Toronto's Critical Mass to join us next month. I hope we get hundreds of Cyclists and that they leave us alone next time to ride our bikes in peace.

Peace!

[Big Helmet]

It feels like a very dark time for the rebellion.

Dorktastic!

[scarry]

Originally posted by Big Helmet
It feels like a very dark time for the rebellion.

Dorktastic!

Let me get this straight, you read the whole story about the brutal police conduct and the only thing you can comment on is that one little quote?

And you reply with the profound statment "dorktastic".

Also Known as: Appeal to Mockery, The Horse Laugh.

Description of Appeal to Ridicule
The Appeal to Ridicule is a fallacy in which ridicule or mockery is substituted for evidence in an "argument." This line of "reasoning" has the following form:


X, which is some form of ridicule is presented (typically directed at the claim).
Therefore claim C is false.
This sort of "reasoning" is fallacious because mocking a claim does not show that it is false. This is especially clear in the following example: "1+1=2! That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!"

It should be noted that showing that a claim is ridiculous through the use of legitimate methods (such as a non fallacious argument) can make it reasonable to reject the claim. One form of this line of reasoning is known as a "reductio ad absurdum" ("reducing to absurdity"). In this sort of argument, the idea is to show that a contradiction (a statement that must be false) or an absurd result follows from a claim. For example: "Bill claims that a member of a minority group cannot be a racist. However, this is absurd. Think about this: white males are a minority in the world. Given Bill's claim, it would follow that no white males could be racists. Hence, the Klan, Nazis, and white supremists are not racist organizations."

Since the claim that the Klan, Nazis, and white supremists are not racist organizations is clearly absurd, it can be concluded that the claim that a member of a minority cannot be a racist is false.

Examples of Appeal to Ridicule

"Sure my worthy opponent claims that we should lower tuition, but that is just laughable."

"Support the ERA? Sure, when the women start paying for the drinks! Hah! Hah!"

"Those wacky conservatives! They think a strong military is the key to peace!"

[Big Helmet]

Let me get this straight, you read the whole story about the brutal police conduct and the only thing you can comment on is that one little quote?

No . . . I've learned it's not worth the time to read all the way through your dopey posts. That line about "dark times for the rebellion" just sort of leapt out at me.

While you're yammering on about your rebellion, a lot of the rest of us are riding our bikes to work.

[randya]

Originally posted by Big Helmet
[i]I've learned it's not worth the time to read all the way through your dopey posts. That line about "dark times for the rebellion" just sort of leapt out at me.

While you're yammering on about your rebellion, a lot of the rest of us are riding our bikes to work.

Guess what? 99% of the time WE'RE RIDING OUR BIKES TO WORK, TOO. No one's drafting you for the rebellion, and you're taking a single quote that doesn't specifically relate to the main point of this article entirely out of context.

This article was posted to make a point about unprofessional police behavior, police bias against cyclists, and politically-motivated police violence specifically directed towards Critical Mass participants. For something like the third time, I appeal for solidarity--the bicyclists' rights movement takes many forms, only one of which is Critical Mass. If you don't want to, you don't have to participate. On the other hand, you could at least have some respect for, and solidarity with, those cyclists who believe strongly enough to take the extra risks that riding in CM sometimes entails.

And since you brought it up, I wouldn't mind if you'd please explain to all of us what exactly it is that you personally are doing to further the cause of cyclists' rights, human rights or civil rights in America today; which, if you haven't noticed, are all being very much eroded by the unelected administration currently squatting in the white house? Is the cognitive disonance just too much for you? Or are you hoping to just ignore the rise of fascism, corporatism and the collapse of democracy in America, like it's all just a bad dream?

[The Rob]

Originally posted by randya
[B]On the other hand, you could at least have some respect for, and solidarity with, those cyclists who believe strongly enough to take the extra risks that riding in CM sometimes entails.

Those "extra risks" would be significantly reduced were certain of the participants more willing to follow traffic laws. In fact I'd expect that, en masse, a large group of cyclists abiding by the rules meant for every operator of a vehicle would be safer as a whole than a small group or one cyclist alone. Since you claim "extra risks", one can only assume those risks are fomented by unsafe and/or illegal riding practices demonstrated by a number of participants, OR a police force made uneasy by raucous crowds of cyclists and who react perhaps more forcefully than necessary, OR both. Given the often overzealous nature of human beings at odds with one another and in close quarters, I consider it more than likely that both factions, cyclists AND officers, have sins for which to answer. Police agencies have much work to do, it's true, but so does Critical mass, and since no reaction can exist without a forgoing action, Critical Mass must take steps to polish it's image in the eyes of the public. You claim abuses done to you by law enforcement. The public is your jury. How best to sway them?

-Rob

[randya]

Originally posted by RobCat
Those "extra risks" would be significantly reduced were certain of the participants more willing to follow traffic laws. In fact I'd expect that, en masse, a large group of cyclists abiding by the rules meant for every operator of a vehicle would be safer as a whole than a small group or one cyclist alone. Since you claim "extra risks", one can only assume those risks are fomented by unsafe and/or illegal riding practices demonstrated by a number of participants, OR a police force made uneasy by raucous crowds of cyclists and who react perhaps more forcefully than necessary, OR both. Given the often overzealous nature of human beings at odds with one another and in close quarters, I consider it more than likely that both factions, cyclists AND officers, have sins for which to answer. Police agencies have much work to do, it's true, but so does Critical mass, and since no reaction can exist without a forgoing action, Critical Mass must take steps to polish it's image in the eyes of the public. You claim abuses done to you by law enforcement. The public is your jury. How best to sway them?

In my experience, the police are just as apt to fabricate an excute to perpetrate violence against a CM ride that follows all the traffic rules, as not. The extra risks I refer to are exposure to an overzealous, unprofessional, unnecessary and violent police presence, regardless of the character of the ride itself. As others have pointed out, minor traffic violations do not warrant beatings, pepper sprayings or arrests. As has also been pointed out previously, CM is actually very good at policing itself. The appearance of the local police generally only serves to create far more traffic problems than if CM was left alone to run its course. In general, I believe that the police have much better things to do with their time, and their presence at any given CM ride is primarily motivated by local politicians or business interests who have an anti-cyclist bias, and wish to discredit CM in particular, as cycling advocates, and bicycling in general, as a legitimate form of transportation. I think the fact that CM continues to ride month after month in city after city around the world, despite politically motivated police pressure to cease and desist, speaks volumes for the dedication of the participants. Those members of the public who encounter CM and are receptive to the message, get it. The fact that the number of people cycling for transportation in Portland has quadrupled and more in the last 10 years owes at least something to the direct actions of CM, as well as to other forms of advocacy. Unfortunately, many people are either clueless or stubborn and will remain so, either by design or by choice, unless forced to change their habits by extreme circumstances, like a tripling of the price of gasoline, renewed gasoline shortages, or limits imposed on driving due to severe air pollution crises. Lawsuits against the city for violations of the civil rights of CM participants are one possible option. Organizing for political change by running a candidate for local political office on a pro-bicycle platform could be another option. Working with the local police department to reach a non-aggression agreement could also be a possibility, but only if the police department was receptive to such a negotiated approach.

[Stor Mand]

It all comes down to this ... if you want to have your "demonstration" and "parade" through the streets, get a permit so that you can legally disobey traffic signals, then you can stick you nose up and smile as you hold up faster moving traffic legally. Until then, stop griping .. obey the law, be courteous, and you will treated as an equal .. that would do much more for your "cause".

[Ebbtide]

Originally posted by Stor Mand
It all comes down to this ... if you want to have your "demonstration" and "parade" through the streets, get a permit so that you can legally disobey traffic signals, then you can stick you nose up and smile as you hold up faster moving traffic legally. Until then, stop griping .. obey the law, be courteous, and you will treated as an equal .. that would do much more for your "cause".

Sounds great, can we close this thread now?

:D

I appeal for solidarity--the bicyclists' rights movement takes many forms, only one of which is Critical Mass. If you don't want to, you don't have to participate.

But you want us to essentially be quiet when your demonstration hurts cycling rights more than it helps (in some folks opinion). You need to become aware of other's rights and civil liberties and stop being so self absorbed with YOUR actions and political mission. Asking us not to detrimentally speak out on CM (which is what you are doing) is hypocritical and indicates to me you are only concerned about YOUR rights and other's don't matter (ergo, CRITICAL MASS, get the point?).

Not to mention the obvious solution would be to create a cohesive cycling lobby that we could all (most) get on-board with. All other special interests groups seem to have one. Perhaps there is just not enough people interested in making the change for about 1% of the population, but what do I know.

ehenz

[scarry]

One week till Critical Mass.

Yee Ha.
http://

[Stor Mand]

Originally posted by scarry
One week till Critical Mass.

Yee Ha.
http://

I'm sure you will obey the traffic laws, be courteous and stay to the right, just as any vehicle that cannot maintain the posted speed limit has to do. ;)

[scarry]

just as any vehicle that cannot maintain the posted speed limit has to do.

There is no law that requires a vehicle to maintain the posted speed limit, you are quite wrong.

The speed limit is the MAXIMUM ALLOWED SPEED not the required speed. The safe speed may be less than the speed limit depending on traffic and conditions (ie. bikes on the road).

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/roadcode/knowing-your-limits/speed1.html

You can drive at any speed under or equal to the limit, provided:

your speed is safe for the traffic conditions - eg, busy road, pedestrians, joggers, etc
your speed is safe for the road conditions - eg, bumpy, narrow, wet or icy roads
your speed is safe for the weather conditions - eg, rain, wind or fog
you can stop short of a vehicle that you are following - if a vehicle ahead of you stops suddenly and you run into the back of it, you will be in the wrong
on a road with no centre line or lanes (eg, a narrow country road where vehicles may meet head-on) you can stop in half the length of clear road you can see in front of you
on a road with a centre line or lanes, you can stop in the length of clear lane you can see in front of you