Advocacy & Safety - NYC November CM... Black Friday!

Me and friend wanted to come into NYC for this Friday's CM.
But we don't wanna get arrested either.
Will they be enforcing bike regulations (reflectors, lights, helmets...)???
And traffic laws???
~ellis

Its also, Buy Nothing Day!

make sure to buy your lights before buy nothing day. helmets aren't the law- yet.

Its also, Buy Nothing Day!


Yea, good luck with that.

You won't get arrested if you don't break the law. At least, that's the theory.

Ain't happening heh.

OK so that was a let down. I finally convinced my girlfriend to come out to Critical Mass, which was very exciting for me.

We went out to Union Square where there was a pretty thin turn out, but TONS of cops and the pre-requisite demoralizing van announcing that people who ride in the mass will be arrested.

Cops were distributing flyers with this text:

NOTICE TO BICYCLISTS:

THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT REQUIRES YOUR COOPERATION IN COMPLYING WITH THE LAW AND PROTECTING THE PUBLIC FROM HARM.

IT IS DANGEROUS AND ILLEGAL TO RIDE A BICYCLE IN A PROCESSION ON THE PUBLIC STREETS WITHIN NEW YORK CITY, IF A PERMIT FOR THE PROCESSION HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED BY THE NYC POLICE DEPARTMENT.

NO PERMIT HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR A BICYCLE PROCESSION FOR TONIGHT, NOVEMBER 26, 2004.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO RIDE IN A PROCESSION THIS EVENING, YOU WILL BE ARRESTED AND YOUR BICYCLE WILL BE SEIZED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

What is the story with this? Last I heard, the city's injuction against Critical Mass riders was denied and a preliminary injuction barring the City from seizing bicycles without charges was granted.

More info on that
here (http://info.interactivist.net/article.pl?sid=04/10/26/0042213&mode=nested&tid=14&tid=1).

There were cops on many corners around Union Square park with long banners of orange mesh fabric that they were clearly using as nets to surround bikers and arrest them.

Although the majority of bikers had already left Union Square park and dispersed, I saw several girls in riot cuffs (the plastic handcuffs) and their bikes stacked up together on the North East corner of 14th street in front of the Diesel store.

Do four girls count as a procession now?

What is the story with the legal issues??? If anyone has any info, please post.

I swear, Kona, I bugged out of there so fast people's head woulda spun. It was a really ugly scene down in the Square tonight...

OK so that was a let down. I finally convinced my girlfriend to come out to Critical Mass, which was very exciting for me.

We went out to Union Square where there was a pretty thin turn out, but TONS of cops and the pre-requisite demoralizing van announcing that people who ride in the mass will be arrested.

Cops were distributing flyers with this text:

NOTICE TO BICYCLISTS:

THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT REQUIRES YOUR COOPERATION IN COMPLYING WITH THE LAW AND PROTECTING THE PUBLIC FROM HARM.

IT IS DANGEROUS AND ILLEGAL TO RIDE A BICYCLE IN A PROCESSION ON THE PUBLIC STREETS WITHIN NEW YORK CITY, IF A PERMIT FOR THE PROCESSION HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED BY THE NYC POLICE DEPARTMENT.

NO PERMIT HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR A BICYCLE PROCESSION FOR TONIGHT, NOVEMBER 26, 2004.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO RIDE IN A PROCESSION THIS EVENING, YOU WILL BE ARRESTED AND YOUR BICYCLE WILL BE SEIZED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

What is the story with this? Last I heard, the city's injuction against Critical Mass riders was denied and a preliminary injuction barring the City from seizing bicycles without charges was granted.

More info on that
here (http://info.interactivist.net/article.pl?sid=04/10/26/0042213&mode=nested&tid=14&tid=1).

There were cops on many corners around Union Square park with long banners of orange mesh fabric that they were clearly using as nets to surround bikers and arrest them.

Although the majority of bikers had already left Union Square park and dispersed, I saw several girls in riot cuffs (the plastic handcuffs) and their bikes stacked up together on the North East corner of 14th street in front of the Diesel store.

Do four girls count as a procession now?

What is the story with the legal issues??? If anyone has any info, please post.


Were the police that arrested people carrying toilet plungers?
I'm not sure about NYC, but if a cop violates a court ruling here in California they become personally libale, and they can be sued, along with the city.

Vince, did you make it to Washington Square or did you just split from Union Square? I was looking for you and Laika but alas.

What made you split so quickly?

I split from Union Square. We had the police literally up our asses. Then I saw the flier, the idiots next to me were taunting the police...

And so on and so on...

I just had a feeling it was going to get ugly...

Check out my post on my site... (http://www.insignificantthoughts.com/index.php?p=733)

That's how my night went. Believe me, I am not happy, and my wife is even more pi$$ed off and she wasn't even there...

In an hour there, I saw people curse at, flip off, gesture at, and mock the police that were there, all with zero provocation. Contary to what their feeble brains can comprehend, that does nothing to endear yourself to the gun toting, handcuff flinging night stick holding law officers of which there were so many.

Pretty well written, V. I got to USN at 7 exactly. I didn't see any of the blatant rudeness you did. There was an occasional feeble "f*ck you!" as the prerecorded loop paused between repetitions, but mostly people were stzadning around talking it over by the time I got there.

I ended up walking my bike to 11th and University and then riding down to Washington Square Park. somebody I know told me that TimesUp was calling for a new rendezvous at 8pm. I rode down MacDougal with Yoshi to get food. He got a falaffel, I went to a curry joint. I don't know if he went back, but I got fat and sassy on vindaloo and dragged my butt home.

V, I hope that I read your site correctly and you were more discouraged by the overwhelming police presence than by the poor manners of the CM riders. I honestly don't know what you encountered before I got there...the group was discouraged but chill when I arrived. You are right, though...this was a discouraging waste of a Friday night. Hopefully CM can stop being so political/confrontational and start being fun again soon. Maybe let's hook up for one of the apolitical moonlight rides or something, OK?

Kona, I'm sorry I didn't see you there. I had my red bandanna on and everything! Maybe next time.

Yoshi, I hope you got home safe. I would have stuck around but I don't want to get arrested again until February, when my ACD expires. Hope everyone who did stick around got home OK.

Man, it was a cold night for a ride!

I ran into Laika twice, once at Union Square and then again at Washington Square when we changed locations. We ended up changing locations and changing the start time and actually managed to confuse the police so that when we started riding (only 20-30 strong, with maybe 50 more joining later) there were no cops and we went through the financial district and chinatown pretty much undisturbed.

Vince, did you make it to Washington Square or did you just split from Union Square? I was looking for you and Laika but alas.

What made you split so quickly?

Kona, I wish I'd seen you. How long did you stick around? I was at USN and WSP both.
It was cold out!

Laika, you did read it correctly. I saw the idiots as annoyances, but I am still fuming over the police. This isn't the last of this. I'm so sorry I didn't get to bump into you guys :(

We do have to get together though. Maybe a NYC Bikeforums.net informal ride down the greenway on a Sunday Afternoon or something...

Hey Laika! Glad you chimed in. I was standing by the stairs of that little stage area with my girlfriend and even asked someone else all dressed in black if they were you, haha. Oh well.

We were there from about 7:10 to 7:45 I think, trying to figure out what was up and chatting with a friend I ran in to.

Yeah what a let down tonight was. I didnt' see any confrontations, just a lot of dejected people bummed out that the city was ruining a community activity.

I'm curious as to what happened at Washington Square.

So what is the deal with the flyers / announcements vs. the court decisions that were letting CM go without permits? I was completely confused, as I 'm sure the cops wanted us to be.

---

I'm all for the bikeforums ride! It'd be great just to put faces with names for starters. :)

Well Kona, the way I understand it, is that the flyers were within the guidelines technically.

The ruling said the police couldn't seize the bikes without charging the riders. In effect, the police warned the riders that the charges would be having a percession without a permit, thus giving them cause to jack your bike.

I'm no lawyer, but I think that's their loophole.

Don't get me wrong; I don't agree with it; I just think that's how they tapdanced it.

But if the courts said that Critical Mass didn't NEED a permit, then saying that riding without a permit is cause to be arresested and have your bike seized is rather nonsensical.

I'm a little frustrated with Time's Up. If they are going to be involved with Critical Mass, I wish they would take a leadership role rather than just fading in to background. Clearly the opposition is organized and we need to be too.

I think those of us in this city who give a damn about the deteriorating conditions of cycling in this city need to take it over and go through the legal hoops if CM isn't going to die...

Get the permits...

Pay the fees...

Do everything by the book...

The way things are, we'll never win.

Yeah what a let down tonight was. I didnt' see any confrontations, just a lot of dejected people bummed out that the city was ruining a community activity.

I'm curious as to what happened at Washington Square.

Looked like more of the same til I went and ate.


So what is the deal with the flyers / announcements vs. the court decisions that were letting CM go without permits? I was completely confused, as I 'm sure the cops wanted us to be.


I think the police are just acting like that didn't happen. This was hateful and discouraging tonight.


I'm all for the bikeforums ride! It'd be great just to put faces with names for starters. :)
Me too!

I think those of us in this city who give a damn about the deteriorating conditions of cycling in this city need to take it over and go through the legal hoops if CM isn't going to die...

Get the permits...

Pay the fees...

Do everything by the book...

The way things are, we'll never win.

I'm interested to see if the lawyers are able to make hay with this at all. The preemptive threat aginst the ride is a new tactic.

The other alternative to making CM street legal is to have the all-new sooper seekrit CM. Like every third thursday, meeting at a randomly chosen intersection, all flash-mob stylie. Or something. This blows, tho.

I ran into Laika twice, once at Union Square and then again at Washington Square when we changed locations. We ended up changing locations and changing the start time and actually managed to confuse the police so that when we started riding (only 20-30 strong, with maybe 50 more joining later) there were no cops and we went through the financial district and chinatown pretty much undisturbed.

Good for ya! I hope it was fun.

This definitely blows. The overresponse by the police was outrageous.

The "netting" was even worse. This could've been a really fun night. Instead only the cops could walk home puffing out their chests at how they busted up us rabble rousers.

I never should've doubted the stuff I heard about the police and critical mass in the past. Man was I frigging wrong. Anyone who thinks it's all the fault of CM'ers really needs to take their heads out of their bums and pay attention.

It's not the fault of CM'ers. It's the fault of all those people who think they're cool by expressing their angst at CM with their own political agendas. There's nothing wrong with a bunch of guys riding around in bikes. There IS something wrong if they're going to use it to disrupt the city for a political agenda. Which is exactly what happened at the RNC. I knew it was gonna happen and it did.

CM is a good idea but too many kids think just cause they have something to be angry about they deserve to use CM as a forum for expressing it.

I bike to work every day along with a whole bunch of people who take the main avenue I take and several of my coworkers, THAT is our CM. Not this once a month crap.

Well it's only crap now that the man has thrown an orange net around it , flown a helicopter over it, and got the press to record the whole thing.

I think the solution shouldn't be making it secretive but rather working with the city to legitimize it.

These situations have happened in other cities. I was watching a documenatry on OLN about the CM in Austin and how the cops were harassing them forever. They wound up videotaping every CM to show how the cops were acting.

Long story short they wound up getting some incriminating footage of the cops and showed it to local government officials and wound up getting a lot of breathing room for the ride.

I think there should be some serious organization of Critcial Mass. Volunteer marshalls would help a lot and I just think that if the group would learn to police itself we wouldn't have to have the government doing it for us.

Set a ton of co-operation and positivity rather than recklessness and disruption.

It would be nice to be able to ride and not see dumb asses drinking beers, throwing cans at people, or doing bunny hops off the hoods of cars, etc.

...It would be nice to be able to ride and not see dumb asses drinking beers, throwing cans at people, or doing bunny hops off the hoods of cars, etc.

Doh! My bad! I'll stop that.

I bike to work every day along with a whole bunch of people who take the main avenue I take and several of my coworkers, THAT is our CM. ... Doh! My bad! I'll stop that.

Yeah maybe getting wasted and reliving your haydays as a 12 year old wannabe BMX star as you ride to work in your personal critical mass isn't the best idea! :D

Sorry to hear about the NYC bummer mass. Best wishes for a better ride in the future. Maybe a little evade and ellude is in order. Disperse and regroup.

CM SF was mellow. The cops just followed with a few motorcycles and a van. They were low key. Once a car accelerated dangerously, squeling it's tires. The cops nabbed him. Cheers.

The streets were jamed with cars. I was cruising around the waterfront before the ride and saw a Hummer take an hour to go three miles. I rode the three miles along the Embarcadero twice in an hour and stopped to pee and talk to the guy at the bike shack. Three miles an hour, gotta love it.

Looked like not too many riders, but by ride time a sizable mass was riding down Market St. Couple of tall bikes, and some recumbents. Did a pass by Union Sq. Hooted through the underground garage at Moscone Center. Went up and down a bunch of hills, which kept everyone warm. Out on Geary, Filmore, out and back, up and down, and all around.

This is how CM should be, drink beer before the mass, smoke some medicinal and ride. Two sounds systems were in tow rockin out, blasting 'Material Girl' past Macy's.

It's cool the support and interest shown by people on the sidewalks and even in cars. Lot's of tourists slack jawed and wide eyed.

Yesterday was my very first Critical Mass; looks like I missed out on the years of fun and am joining in for the period of strife and rebellion. ;) The one thing I would like to add to the other participants' comments is that for various reasons I had a lot of errands in the Union Square area from 5pm onwards, and got to see the police forces assembling. First, at around 25th and East River Greenway (under the highway) there was about a hundred scooters, and a few vans; when I saw the officers with bundles of zip-tie handcuffs, I got a little worried ... They were looking me up and down as I rode down the Greenway. Then, I came up on Broadway towards Union Square, only to find five of those big NYPD buses maneuvering in the street. Then there were squad cars, the netting, vans with speakers, bicycle cops, and helicopters (some of them from news organisations?). What an astonishing amount of resources to devote to this fairly trivial matter!

Looking back on this, i think maybe one way to attack this is financial. I'm going to draft a letter which I'll share and I plan on mailing to the mayor, my councilman, commissioner kelly and my newspaper of choice that asks really just one question...how much has the city spent on the effort to end critical mass, and to what end. I would imagine many of the officers massed up last night were on OT, and I don't guess that it's cheap to keep multiple helicopters aloft for hours at a time.

For better of for worse, we have the attention of the local media on this. Maybe if we divert the focus from us and towards how expensive it is to try to stop us the city will at least have to account for the money they're spending on this idiocy.

Anyone who is interested, I'll give the text of the letter once done.

Any other ideas?

Amen. If you'd like some cooperation on that letter, I'd be more than happy to provide it.

I'm sorry it was such a bust for you guys...are any of you planning to try for the next Brooklyn ride?

Brooklyn is a bit out of the way for me, unfortunately...

Wasn't the brooklyn ride the one that had 80 cops and only 3 people attend?

80 cops, 10 riders, 5 arrests. At least from what I remember. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

Wasn't the brooklyn ride the one that had 80 cops and only 3 people attend?
Yeah! That was awesome. I was psyched that even three people were there...it was pouring rain and bitterly cold, and some of the staunch Brooklynites had begged out well in advance. We'll see how it goes this month.

What's up with the Brooklyn CM? I've only heard of it more recently. 3 people? Damn, that's rough.

What's up with the Brooklyn CM? I've only heard of it more recently. 3 people? Damn, that's rough.

Hey! Here's the short version.
Started in July. I was on the rides in august, september and november. August and September, there was absolutely no police presence and between 30 and 100 riders. I was out of town in October and so missed the first appearance of the NYPD. Apparently, they showed up in overwhelming numbers, though. Coincidentally, in late October, we had a meeting (read: four of us had drinks in a bar in Park slope) and one of the things we agreed on was that it would be a good idea if timesup added our Bklyn CM to their events listings.
Anyway the next one was in November, and the night was very cold, very wet and very windy. I only went because it's on my way home, and while I didn't mind being the only one there, I would have felt awful if someone else was the only one there. This is the e-mail I wrote about half an hour after I got home:


So I go to GAP on my way home, since it is, and there's maybe five people there.... and eight police vans, a paddy wagon, a flatbed truck and a light truck and easily 35 policemen, including, as I later found out, the borough commander. The five of us become three as a couple of cyclists decide not to participate because they lack lights, and the three of us left, myself, Jonathan and Nicky, decide we'll ride a Courteous Mass out to Coney Island for hot dogs & fries at Nathan's. So, right about 7:15, we push off the curb.

I didn't even have my second foot up on my pedals when I was grabbed by the shoulder. Fair's fair... my headlight wasn't on when I began to roll away, but then I was handcuffed, which was fairly out of proportion, I thought, and was searched and detained while they decided what to do with me. Everyone except the guy who cuffed me seemed embarrassed even to be there and me talking to them made them more embarrassed, I think. Maybe not. Long story short, eventually, they let me go, no ticket or summons, acting like they were doing me a favor. And they "let us" ride the loop in the park, which is, at that point closed to traffic anyway, which was awfully nice of them.

This is utter and complete bullsh*t. I'm sorry to be snotty about this, but I so want to see the stats on serious crime in Brooklyn during the hour and a half that the massive police show of force was in effect at Grand Army Plaza, which was there to restrict the right of free and peaceable assembly of three- THREE- dangerous CMers. As if, there in the cold and rain, we would have posed a threat to anything but a bowl of soup and a glass of whisky. Did I mention there were three of us?

The captain who took me aside to explain that they were letting me go told me that I was being let go strictly because it was such a small group, and that they were going to continue to show up in force based on the parading w/o a permit thing they tried to enforce against the NYC ride, before the judge's denial of their request for an injunction. Also, our departure at 7:15 instead of 7:30 (which I guess was when the ride started last month) took them by surprise and forced them to "change tactics," a phrase which in this context means "handcuff people who behave unpredictably, even if their behavior is completely legal." Asked point blank if they were going to continue to bust chops in the future, he said they would be restricting "rallies" (at least they're not calling them "protests" anymore) which crossed the line and became "parades," although he was unwilling or unable to define precisely when a "rally" would become a "parade."

During the exceedingly brief Critical Mass ride itself, which was marked by spirits far higher than the cold, rain and disproportionate policing might lead you to believe, Jonathan pointed out that statistically, this was by far the most brutal crackdown on Critical Mass yet, as fully 1/3rd of the riders were in cuffs at one point. His wisdom is, I believe, one of the reasons that the police elected him as the "leader" of CM Brooklyn when they needed someone to negotiate with over the fate of the 1/3rd of the Mass detained. So send your dues checks and membership enquiries to him, I guess.

Much respect to Jonathan and Nicky, who, in the cold and rain, came all the way from Manhattan to help keep the Brooklyn Mass alive this month. Nicky, I'm sorry we dropped you on the hill...I was too distracted by rage to keep the Mass tight. That was wrong, and the other two thirds of the Mass are sorry. Many thanks to all the policemen who "let" us ride the loop... especially those in the van who blew by us in the designated bike lane at 40 mph. And all of you Brooklyn CM riders best show up next month... I've ended up in cuffs in August and in November, and it's time for someone else to take a turn.

"...It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again and they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

See you next month, on bikes. December 10. GAP. 7pm.
-Jaime


That's about as much as I know, except that it's a shame this mass is being wrecked, because the rides before the police cracked down were small, chill and fun as hell.

Yeah! That was awesome. I was psyched that even three people were there...it was pouring rain and bitterly cold, and some of the staunch Brooklynites had begged out well in advance. We'll see how it goes this month.

I hate to say it but there's usually a group of rodies that rides around the park. Would police think they're part of the CM too?

I hate to say it but there's usually a group of rodies that rides around the park. Would police think they're part of the CM too?
Kissena trains and races there. and there are some halfassed pacelines training there every morning while I commute through. but I think the police really only cracked down on the Bklyn ride when it got posted on the times up site.

I ride with the Kissena guys sometimes. I'd hate to be riding along on the 2nd friday in the evening on a training ride when out of nowhere the fuzz starts pulling us over.

I ride with the Kissena guys sometimes. I'd hate to be riding along on the 2nd friday in the evening on a training ride when out of nowhere the fuzz starts pulling us over.
well, as long as ou don't have that crazy, anti-everything look in your eye, I'd guess you''ll be all right.

I'm so depressed. The NYPD got bought off, sounds like. Probably by Exxon.

Down with Bloomberg. Give us a real liberal mayor who likes NYC creative and strange, just like in the old days.

Sad.

Looking back on this, i think maybe one way to attack this is financial. I'm going to draft a letter which I'll share and I plan on mailing to the mayor, my councilman, commissioner kelly and my newspaper of choice that asks really just one question...how much has the city spent on the effort to end critical mass, and to what end. I would imagine many of the officers massed up last night were on OT, and I don't guess that it's cheap to keep multiple helicopters aloft for hours at a time.

For better of for worse, we have the attention of the local media on this. Maybe if we divert the focus from us and towards how expensive it is to try to stop us the city will at least have to account for the money they're spending on this idiocy.

Anyone who is interested, I'll give the text of the letter once done.

Any other ideas?

This is a great idea. Is it Channel 7 Eyewitness news that does the stories on the regular people's problems in the city?

Our tax dollars at work, right? :rolleyes:

It would be nice if the Village Voice did a big article about what's happening in the city with Critical Mass. They have the audience and the resources to do research and really expose the ridiculousness of it all.

Maybe we should start a petition and send it to them requesting they do an expose. We're definitely well within their political community interests...

I'm sure it's been pitched, and we'll see something soon, cuz all this seems like it would be a good read to the people. just about everyone's ridden a bike at some point in the past so maybe they can relate to this story easily.

Well it may have been pitched before but not when things are at such a level. Now that it has been escalated steadily for the past four months there's a lot more data available and certainly alot more of a story to report.

Well it may have been pitched before but not when things are at such a level. Now that it has been escalated steadily for the past four months there's a lot more data available and certainly alot more of a story to report.
The Village Voice posted a thing I wrote on their website in the summer, after the RNC arrests. I'll drop the editor I dealt with a line and see if he's intereested. Anyone here willing to talk/email him about this if he is?

No promises...I talked to the guy long enough to get paid for what I did, but it's better than nothing.

Yeah I'd absolutely speak about it! What better way to draw attention to our plight?

I'd absolutely email him.

What is the story with this? Last I heard, the city's injuction against Critical Mass riders was denied and a preliminary injuction barring the City from seizing bicycles without charges was granted.

More info on that
here (http://info.interactivist.net/article.pl?sid=04/10/26/0042213&mode=nested&tid=14&tid=1).

I went to that website, and found the judge's order (http://info.interactivist.net/images/pdfs/critical_mass/bray_decision_10-28-04.pdf). It is very specific to the October 29, 2004 ride, and does not specify any other CM rides. It also states that the police are not restrained from enforcing the law or seizing bicycles that are unattended or obstructing vehicular or pedestrian traffic. That's all there on page 24.

Surely there's more about the legalities someplace, to regulate the on-going CM rides to prevent more confrontations by the police? However, the bicyclists have done some damage themselves, such as during the July 30th ride "many" of the 4,000 riders went onto the Battery Park underpass and onto the FDR, where some cyclists blocked entraces and exits, bringing traffic to a standstill (pages 3-4). Or how about page 4, where on the August ride cyclists went North on 5th Ave against traffic?

If the NYC CM wants to help prove they -ahem, we- ARE traffic, somebody needs to mind the traffic laws.