NYC Bicycle Abuse

On the theory that US fashions eventually become UK fashions, this isn't really
off topic...

From Boing Boing

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/02/02...s_war_on_.html
NYC declares war on cyclists

New York has declared war on bicyclists. Last week, participants in the monthly
"Critical Mass" ride were dragged from their bikes and arrested, their wheels
confiscated (this amid a climate where city lawmakers are proposing to ban
"unlicensed" cyclists). The riders who were taken in had been riding in the
bicycle lane and not interfering with traffic. Civil rights lawyers got the
episode on video and the whole mess will surely end up in court.

"Because of the cold, there weren't that many riders, so the Mass was not quite
critical enough. With absolutely no blocking of any traffic the mass took off
from Union Square. I made it about 4 blocks before I was swarmed by cops on
scooters who grabbed me off my bike and put me in handcuffs. Let me make one
point particularly clear: I WAS RIDING IN THE BIKE LANE at the time of my
arrest. The mass was small so we it wasn't taking up the whole road and everyone
was riding off to the side. Not that it mattered. A small woman who was riding
behind me was forcibly pulled from her bike and thrown to the ground with a knee
in the back of her neck. "

http://overstated.net/05/01/31-nyc-bicycle-abuse
NYC bicycle abuse

I WAS RIDING IN THE BIKE LANE at the time of my arrest.

I'd have put the emphasis on "at the time of my arrest". Wonder what the
guy was doing before he went into the cycle lane?

wasn't taking up the whole road and everyone was riding off to the
side. Not that it mattered.

He means "Not that it matters as I was arrested for something else".

I wonder what really happened?

Mark Thompson composed the following;:
I WAS RIDING IN THE BIKE LANE at the time of my arrest.

I'd have put the emphasis on "at the time of my arrest". Wonder what
the guy was doing before he went into the cycle lane?

wasn't taking up the whole road and everyone was riding off to the
side. Not that it mattered.

He means "Not that it matters as I was arrested for something else".

I wonder what really happened?

Yeah, be an interesting follow-up to see what they were charged with
when they were arrested. 'Being in charge of a bicycle, m'lud'

--
Paul ...
http://www.4x4prejudice.org/index.php
(8(!) Homer Rules ...
"A tosser is a tosser, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

On Wed, 02 Feb 2005 11:13:32 +0000, Marc Brett
wrote:

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/02/02...s_war_on_.html
NYC declares war on cyclists

New York has declared war on bicyclists. Last week, participants in the monthly
"Critical Mass" ride were dragged from their bikes and arrested, their wheels
confiscated (this amid a climate where city lawmakers are proposing to ban
"unlicensed" cyclists). The riders who were taken in had been riding in the
bicycle lane and not interfering with traffic. Civil rights lawyers got the
episode on video and the whole mess will surely end up in court.

"Because of the cold, there weren't that many riders, so the Mass was not quite
critical enough. With absolutely no blocking of any traffic the mass took off
from Union Square. I made it about 4 blocks before I was swarmed by cops on
scooters who grabbed me off my bike and put me in handcuffs. Let me make one
point particularly clear: I WAS RIDING IN THE BIKE LANE at the time of my
arrest. The mass was small so we it wasn't taking up the whole road and everyone
was riding off to the side. Not that it mattered. A small woman who was riding
behind me was forcibly pulled from her bike and thrown to the ground with a knee
in the back of her neck. "


Land of the free, home of the brave....

--

Call me "Bob"

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a
little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"

Benjamin Franklin


Email address is spam trapped, to reply directly remove the beverage.

Marc Brett wrote:
On the theory that US fashions eventually become UK fashions, this isn't really
off topic...

From Boing Boing

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/02/02...s_war_on_.html
NYC declares war on cyclists


Doesn't surprise me. NYC is an awful place. Been there three times and
hated it each time, and it's nothing to do with cycling; for me it just
epitomises everything we've f*cked up in the world.

--
Chris

Paul - xxx wrote:

Yeah, be an interesting follow-up to see what they were charged with
when they were arrested. 'Being in charge of a bicycle, m'lud'


Hmm... not sure they say "m'lud" there - don't they say "yer onnerrrr"
whilst glancing at the camera to make sure it's getting their good side...

--
Chris

Succorso wrote:
Marc Brett wrote:
On the theory that US fashions eventually become UK fashions, this
isn't really off topic...

From Boing Boing

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/02/02...s_war_on_.html
NYC declares war on cyclists


Doesn't surprise me. NYC is an awful place. Been there three times and
hated it each time, and it's nothing to do with cycling; for me it
just epitomises everything we've f*cked up in the world.

/Some/ people apparently like it. TWFKAML is going there for a week
shortly. For pleasure!

Personally I'd rather have a couple of teeth extracted, and I've never even
seriously believed that the place exists...

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
World Domination?
Just find a world that's into that kind of thing, then chain to the
floor and walk up and down on it in high heels. (Mr. Sunshine)

Succorso wrote:

Doesn't surprise me. NYC is an awful place. Been there three times and
hated it each time, and it's nothing to do with cycling; for me it just
epitomises everything we've f*cked up in the world.

Rather like it myself. I wouldn't rate it as a particularly good place
to cycle though.

Pete

in message , Succorso
') wrote:

Marc Brett wrote:
On the theory that US fashions eventually become UK fashions, this
isn't really off topic...

From Boing Boing

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/02/02...s_war_on_.html
NYC declares war on cyclists

Doesn't surprise me. NYC is an awful place. Been there three times and
hated it each time, and it's nothing to do with cycling; for me it
just epitomises everything we've f*cked up in the world.

boggle
you mean worse than London?
/boggle

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; 'I think we should trust our president in every decision
;; that he makes and we should just support that'
;; Britney Spears of George W Bush, CNN 04:09:03

On Wed, 02 Feb 2005 17:23:39 GMT, Ningi
wrote:

Succorso wrote:

Doesn't surprise me. NYC is an awful place. Been there three times and
hated it each time, and it's nothing to do with cycling; for me it just
epitomises everything we've f*cked up in the world.

Rather like it myself.

So did I, the two times I went there. Incredible place.

I wouldn't rate it as a particularly good place
to cycle though.

I did stacks of cycling/walking round the city, especially up in
Harlem and round the Bronx....which was, err.......interesting to say
the least.

One of my claims to [insiginicant] fame was to cycle from JFK down the
Van Wyck into the city on a very, very humid August night. Never
forget that journey as long as I live.

Varying mileages and all that jazz.


Garry