DrakeHawton

at work i saw a glimps of a bunch or fixies lined up along a road and ambulances then breathelized tests and arests. not sure what was said since it was muted, can anyone fill me in?

rustybrown

Hmmm....sounds like a hipster roadblock.

Pitted. So pitted.

DrakeHawton

only knew they were fixies because of a white front aerospoke

rustybrown

But on the real...with ambulances involved, I hope there wasn't an accident or collision.

Critical mass running this Thurs. in your town?

DrakeHawton

critical mass is last friday of the month. there were less than 30 bikes, all fixed anyways. la critical is a good couple hundred or thousand ive been told. may have been a typical ride or "crank mob" as the cool kids call them. drink and ride or some ****. may have been a accident but i know there were ambulances, fixies, breathelizers, and arrests.

PeDDeR27

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/station...113525579.html

Thirteen.

^^^ Thanks for the newstory. Didn't know motor vehicle regulations apply to bicycles as well.

rustybrown

Oh man, so about 15 BUI's, a fellow that ran into a center divider and a bunch of pushy CHP.

Group ride gone wrong.

Really, that was a plethora of CHP. Whole division, possibly.

Drinkin' and riding ain't smart, yall.

Capocaccia

...really?

Thirteen.

yeah, i really didnt know so. afterall, it isnt motorized.

PeDDeR27

But you can still cause harm to other people.

rustybrown

Mostly indirectly but on the rarest occasion, yes you can cause harm.

A bicycle is motorized, by human power. I'd suggest you read up on your local laws. Save yourself a heartache.

Most importantly, tell cops no. You have rights. Tell them no.

Capocaccia

well it is motorized in a way by the person in the saddle. But if you are going to ride on the road like a car you are considered a moving vehicle regardless of motor and are subject to all motor vehicle and cycling laws. It just seems like you probably shouldn't be riding a road bike if you don't know the rules of how to do it without dying.

I don't mean to be cynical but you have to realize ignorance is a major causal factor in cycling accidents that can leave you seriously injured or dead.

rustybrown

Cycling laws, which, usually equate to nothing more than MBLs and FRAP. That's just common sense riding. Not VC, which seems ignorant in a lot of cases.

Hell, even cyclists don't understand the laws. Hence, "get off the road."

cc700

i'm going to go ride my bike down the wrong side of the highway, because laws don't apply to bikes! derp!

not surprised chp is making an example... am surprised at Thirteen.

also, don't consent to stuff. if they detain or arrest you then you need to lawyer up right away but for gods sake don't talk to them just because they intimidate you. don't ignore them, and address them when they address you, but don't answer their questions or consent to being searched just because, unless you like having no liberties.

rustybrown

Agreed. This is what all my ol' law school buddies and I agree with and I try to convey to anyone dealing with the legal system.

Thirteen.

Not to seem like a fool or anything, obviously I know the general rules of safe bicycling (pretty much common sense) but I didnt know that DUI on a bicycle lands you an arrest. I would have thought the penalty of a DUI on a bike would have been less severe (for some unknown reason.) Yes, it can be hazardous to others both directly or indirectly but riding a bicycle and driving a car are pretty different things. That's kind of what I had in mind.

PluperfectArson

But then drunk drivers can hit a bicyclist and flee the scene, only to be slapped with a fine and community service.

The law be trollin'.

rustybrown

Common misconception is that since that bicycles aren't a car, they don't belong on the road and get slap on the wrist fines. Don't pay user-fee taxes, impede traffic, are a public nuisance for a perceived recreational device.

In fact, we are subject to the same laws as cars, or motorized vehicles, as one might say. And the laws are disproportionate to the crime. Actually, the laws are written as to put the cyclist at fault, in any situation, pertaining to car and cyclist interaction.

As they say, you want to kill someone legally, run them over on a bike.

Sad, but it rings true in court rooms around the world quite often. Deaths and manslaughter charges are often dropped, or the offenders are simply charged with a small traffic fine, around $157.

Still, this group of BUI's are facing the same consequences as hurdling a 3,500 lb. death machine down the road at 55 MPH. Justice is blind, indeed.

dsh

It's always funny when guys say stuff like this.

I mean sure if they're investigating you for murder, or even something like DUI which could be similarly life-changing, you should probably have a lawyer.
But people on the internet say you should take the "be a dick" approach to everything... traffic stops and other mundane stuff included.

A few weeks ago I was riding around the suburbs during a visit to the parent's house for the holidays. It was 1 or 2 in the morning, and I decided to ride through a park on some trails. When I got to the exit there was a cruiser waiting for me, and the cop flagged me down. He asked me where I was coming from and where I was going and stuff, which I absolutely didn't have to tell him. I could have clammed up and asked "AM I FREE TO GO? AM I FREE TO GO? AM I UNDER ARREST?"
To which he probably would have replied:
"Uh... yeah, ok, come to think of it Mr. Law School, you are. For trespassing on federal property. The park closes at dark. You're getting locked up for that tonight. Get in the car."

But instead, I had a conversation with the guy. And explained how I was just riding and saw a path that looked fun and didn't see the "closed at dark" sign, and I wasn't drinking or anything and I was just in town for the holidays, and...
All sorts of information being volunteered in a non-confrontational manner, and so instead what I got was:
"Well, the park closes at dark. That is actually what I'm out here for, to watch out for people trespassing. You could actually get locked up for that tonight. I'm just giving you warning, but be more careful next time."

Obviously according to the law, you aren't supposed to be penalized for refusing to volunteer information or consenting to things. But if you think that's how things work in real life, you are dumb.

By the way CC700, I know your statement was made within the context of "if you are detained or arrested", which isn't what I'm talking about. But it's a general point.

Leukybear 

Just wow..... I LOL'd.,

rustybrown

Obviously, the cops are only there to shake people down into pressure situations vis-a-via drug or warrant searches. After all, who rides bikes in the park, in the suburbs, after dark?

...only drug pushers, miscreants and cops on a break. A recipe for quick convictions.

dsh

Except he didn't ask to look in my bag. Or if I had anything on me.

If he was there to crack down on people with drugs, then worst crackdown ever.

ho_kazzen

Damn, I just rode my bike home while under the influence not too long ago.....

dbwoi

i ride my bike home dronk every weekend. yowza.