Comments on: Why the Cops Will Not Shut Down Critical Mass

By: adama

adama — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 04:06:42 +0000

Officer Wilson’s day in court is coming soon.

http://fossilfool.com/funky-quadricycle/

By: hughillustration

hughillustration — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 22:26:22 +0000

Gross injustice is your phrase, Analyzer.

By: Analyzer

Analyzer — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:30:15 +0000

I was at Critical Mass last Friday, and I got a ticket for “impeding the flow of traffic”–i.e., doing exactly what everyone else in CM was doing. I’m lucky enough to be able to afford it, but some others might not be. Maybe the SFPD is smart enough to try to defeat the ride not with and overwhelming force, but with a thousand little cuts. Let’s not let them do it.

So you broke the law and subsequently got a ticket? And this is a gross injustice? I don’t follow.

By: Dan Brekke

Dan Brekke — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:31:42 +0000

Very, very belatedly–’cause that’s the way I do everything–I wanted to say that when I was on the city desk at a late and lamented (by me) San Francisco daily, I did go out and do the ride and scribble a story about it. I had a blast, and I said so. Of course, that was in 1994, so it hardly counts now. The next job I had, in web media, I led some fellow employees out to Critical Mass several times. So … sometimes the media is biased in a direction you’re not expecting.

By: hughillustration

hughillustration — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:10:53 +0000

I’m sorry that you see us a bullies, but I’m glad that you are raising your kids to be active citizens. Right on, Dad!

Here’s the thing about the bullying charge (which I heard on KGO the other day as well): I’ve been riding on Critical Mass for over 17 years, and nobody — I mean nobody — of the hundreds of SFCM participants that I know rides on SFCM to bully motorists. We aren’t out to punish or dominate or control anybody. We don’t act that way in our day-to-day lives, we don’t act that way towards friends, family or co-workers, and we don’t act that way towards people with differing views from our own. We are simply people that want respect and safety and a good time when we explore this city that we love on bicycles. If you don’t like our methods, that’s fine. But don’t call us names.

It may be that traffic laws are being violated on SFCM. Are you concerned about traffic laws being violated? Do you think that all traffic laws should be obeyed at all times, and that if people break traffic laws, they are fundamentally indecent, uncaring, dangerous bullies?

If so, I would like to draw your attention to a very common traffic violation that is done with impunity on a regular basis. It is the violation of speed limits. There is not a motorist on the face of this planet, myself and yourself included, that has not broken a speed limit law. All motorists ignore speed limits, with impunity, through the sheer numbers they enjoy, on a regular basis. And the police simply look the other way.

Your view that such scofflaws are dangerous bullies would be well justified, in this case. The number of people who are killed each year by motorists violating speed limits must surely number in the hundreds of thousands. Just think — thousands of people killed through this thoughtless disregard of the law.

So who are the real bullies?

By: Mike R

Mike R — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:46:27 +0000

I am a middle aged recreational* bike rider. I also ride a motorcycle and drive a car – both for recreation as well as work.

CM participants are bullies. Through sheer force of numbers, they break the law with hoped-for impunity. Jim Dyer writes: “Contempt for our civil rights is not the kind of “leadership” people are looking for from the SFPD.” This unintentionally hypocritical comment begs the question: What about CM’s contempt for the civil rights of everyone who is not participating with CM?

As with most parents, I hope for my children to be free-thinking, compassionate people. I hope they have the courage to speak-up and even act, if necessary, in the face of injustice. But I certainly do not model for them, as halebopp states that he will, the use of the bullies’ tactics. I have, however, shown them that when all else fails, even walking away, it is sometimes necessary to protect yourself from the actions of a bully.

* As a Sales & Service Rep, I drive a car throughout the Bay Area. Using a bicycle just would not work.

By: halebopp

halebopp — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:49:55 +0000

I would like to see them try it. That night in 97 was one of the funnest times Ive ever had. I will be there for the next attempt to shut down CM. My wife will be there and my children will be there.

By: ryanrs

ryanrs — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:37:08 +0000

According to the SF Municipal Code, Critical Mass is an athletic event, and therefore not a parade. I am not a lawyer, but the language in the code seems pretty clear.

San Francisco Municipal Code
Police Code, Article 4: Parades
Sec. 366(e) A “parade” is an event, not including an athletic event, in which a group of persons proceed as a collective body for more than one block on any street in the City and County of San Francisco, whether on foot or in any type of vehicle or on an animal or animals, which event obstructs or interferes with the normal flow of vehicular traffic. An “athletic event” is an event in which a group of people collectively engage in a sport or form of physical exercise on any street in the City and County of San Francisco, including but not limited to jogging, bicycling, racewalking, roller skating or running. The following processions are not included in the definitions of a “parade”: (1) processions composed wholly of the military or naval forces of the United States or of the State of California; (2) processions incidental to a wedding or funeral; (3) processions composed of one or more governmental officials or candidates accompanied by security personnel to which such officials or candidates are entitled by virtue of their office or candidacy. Any event taking place entirely on property under the jurisdiction of the Recreation and Park Commission shall be exempt from this ordinance.

http://search.municode.com/html/14140/level1/A4.html

By: Darren

Darren — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:47:30 +0000

Several years ago a local right-wing columnist accused Toronto’s Critical Mass of riding around and pouring urine on motorists. I called him out on it. He showed up to CM and riding his mother’s bike. He saw first hand that the urine bit was an urban myth, so too were a lot of other things he heard about CM. He was also first to get a ticket. He did not have proper lights on his bike. The cops were very apologetic to him cause he remains to this day one of their favourite columnists. Since then he has always given CM a fair break.

By: Hank

Hank — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:03:26 +0000