Police and New York City Blow $1.3 Million on Critical Mass

[BillyTheMountain]

Police and City Blow $1.3 Million on Critical Mass

Time's Up reveals in a report today that since September 2004, the Bloomberg administration and the District Attorney’s office have spent at least $1.3 Million harassing cyclists on Critical Mass bike rides.

Time's Up says the $1.3M figure is a very conservative estimate of what has been spent by the NYPD, the District Attorney and NYC Corporation Counsel to suppress and litigate a bicycle ride that lasts 2 hours a month.

During Critical Mass the police break out helicopters, dozens of scooters, patty wagons, etc, to chase cyclists around the streets of Manhattan. It's like a small armed force and that adds up. And the result is the Police have run people down, hit them with van doors, yanked them off their bikes while standing still, make arrests, issue tickets, all to just have it thrown out in court! Why? To stop people from riding their bikes at the same time. And it's on our bill, to the tune of $1.3M over two years!

Meanwhile Business-Mike bitches that the city is not getting enough terrorist defense funding from the federal government. If money is so tight, is harrassing cyclists for 2 hours a month worth $1.3 Million Dollars?

[BillyTheMountain]

Critical Mass happens peacefully in other cities, but since the 2004 Republican Convention in NYC, the NYC version has been subjected to intense police action.

Critical Mass rides once a month in an effort to promote a more cyclist friendly city.

[john_childs]

To stop people from riding their bikes at the same time.
To stop people from breaking the law at the same time.
If they were just riding their bikes lawfully it would not be a problem. If you have ever seen a Critical Mass ride you know they are not obeying the traffic laws and several other laws they find inconvenient.

So the city of New York spends money cracking down on mass lawlessness and mass demonstrations. Where is the news?

[john_childs]

Critical Mass rides once a month in an effort to promote a more cyclist friendly city.
Critical Mass rides once a month in an effort to make cyclists look like assholes.

[BillyTheMountain]

Critical Mass rides once a month in an effort to make cyclists look like assholes.

Should I assume you want $millions of YOUR tax $ spent on rounding up bicyclists?

Should I assume you think motor vehicles have a greater right to the road than bicyclists and unicyclists? If so then change the law.

Watch The Right Hook, Another Bicyclist Killed
By: Will on: Aug 11, 2006 [03:51 PM] (684 reads)
Damn, another cyclist was killed. This time by a truck making a fast right turn from an avenue to a side street in Chelsea and ground the cyclist in its wheels.

This is what we who are so upset about the lack of support for cyclists are talking about. And for this the police don't even issue as much as a ticket. What we do get is ticketing of cyclists in central park and on the bridge bike paths.

Be careful out there. Keep an eye on those turning cars and trucks, they are not looking for you.

[john_childs]

This is what we who are so upset about the lack of support for cyclists are talking about. And for this the police don't even issue as much as a ticket. What we do get is ticketing of cyclists in central park and on the bridge bike paths.
Then find a proper way to raise awareness with the police, city government, and the people. Critical Mass type protests are not a way to gain any sort of sympathy or understanding from the police, city government, or the people. It's not difficult to find the proper channels to lobby your cause to city government and the police. Effectively educating the general public is a little more difficult but not impossible.

I'm a very cycle friendly guy. I am well aware of the dangers and problems cyclists have. But even I have zero tolerance for the Critical Mass antics and methods. You expect a better reaction from those who are not cycle friendly?

[BillyTheMountain]

You may be against unicyclists using the sidewalk, but this thread is about spending taxpayer $$$. And priorities. If you don't have enough to keep the city safe from terrorists, I don't think getting unicyclists off the sidewalk should be the priority.

Or arresting bicyclists when a simple ticket MAY be called for.

It's YOUR $$. I didn't know you were a tax and spend kind of guy. My surprise.

Maybe you think the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution made the colonists look like assholes, too, huh? Could be. They REALLY made a mess.

[dan de man]

this made me laugh
and by GAR that's the new contender for the darwin awards
police break out helicopters, dozens of scooters, patty wagons, etc, to chase cyclists around the streets of Manhattan.

[BillyTheMountain]

this made me laugh
and by GAR that's the new contender for the darwin awards

The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who remove themselves from it in really stupid ways.

Not quite sure what you are saying here, DanDe.

[dan de man]

my mistake ,what im meanin g to say is that who ever said that cops can or should do this is worthy of a darwin award

[DK]

There are two kindas of CM's and 2 kinds of CM riders: people who just want to have a big fun group ride and help raise awareness, and people who want to be assholes and essentially act like the cars act to us, and be overtly political.

Im not saying either side is right, but not all CM's are the same.

[john_childs]

There are two kindas of CM's and 2 kinds of CM riders: people who just want to have a big fun group ride and help raise awareness, and people who want to be assholes and essentially act like the cars act to us, and be overtly political.

Im not saying either side is right, but not all CM's are the same.
Unfortunately the only ones that stick in your mind and the only ones that get any coverage are the ones where they're being assholes.

The general goal of Critical Mass (for what it is) is good. But the ends does not justify the means.

It would be much more effective to support a lobby group that would lobby the government and the public to generate awareness, general recognition, a more cycling friendly environment, and other goals.

[UniBrier]

Are these (http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/11/16/nypd-spent-132m-to-suppress-monthly-bike-ride/) your sources (http://www.ppolnews.com/?id=82328&keys=Critical-Mass-rally)?

Doesn't sound like they "spent" $1.3M on "new" money, rather they estimate $1.3M of resources have been allocated to police Critical Mass. Still does seem a bit excessive but there must be more to this story.

[kington99]

Exactly what laws do these people break during these rides? My friend has unicycled with CM in birmingham and from what i understand it consists of riding in a block that occupies the whole of one lane slowly. Can't say i really agree with that but i didn't know it was illegal.

[BillyTheMountain]

It would be much more effective to support a lobby group that would lobby the government and the public to generate awareness, general recognition, a more cycling friendly environment, and other goals.

Maybe the colonists should have done the same thing. British rule is not so bad.

Consider that the harassment began DURING and SINCE the Republican Convention in NYC. At that time, it became clear that many in CM were not fans of BUSH or the war.

[UniBrier]

Critical Mass happens peacefully in other cities, but since the 2004 Republican Convention in NYC, the NYC version has been subjected to intense police action.

Critical Mass rides once a month in an effort to promote a more cyclist friendly city.More of the story (http://critical-mass.info/police.html):August 2004. Police arrested over 250 bicyclists after about an hour and a half into a CM ride which drew some 5000 riders -- a higher number than usual since the theme was to protest the upcoming Republican convention.
If CM is about bicycle awareness, why were they protesting a political party? Churches can lose their non-profit status if they do that.

[Beener]

Wow, I started to read this thread because I thought that it might be informative. Now it seems that it has broken down into an argument about political parties, terrorism, and British rule.

Not sure what to make of this now. I see one side saying that they have to resort to peaceful protests to bring public awareness to cyclist problems, then someone says, no the protests are basically cycle terrorism, then someone says that the money spent policing the protest takes away from the money spent protecting the country from terrorism. It all kind of sounds like the same battle to me really. unlawful protesting is really the root of terrorism anyway, isn't it.

[domesticated ape]

Wow, I started to read this thread because I thought that it might be informative. Now it seems that it has broken down into an argument about political parties, terrorism, and British rule.

Not sure what to make of this now. I see one side saying that they have to resort to peaceful protests to bring public awareness to cyclist problems, then someone says, no the protests are basically cycle terrorism, then someone says that the money spent policing the protest takes away from the money spent protecting the country from terrorism. It all kind of sounds like the same battle to me really. unlawful protesting is really the root of terrorism anyway, isn't it.

Wow, what a ridiculous post. No-one said the cyclists were terrorists, just that they have been known to disregard the law. Of course this doesn't make them terrorists, or do you also think that everyone who has ever broke the speed limit while driving or dropped a piece of litter is also a terrorist?

How is policing critical mass the 'same battle' as fighting terrorism? Terrorists are out to kill innocent people to promote their aims, critical mass cyclists are protesting non-violently to promote a safer environment for themselves and other cyclists, not exactly the same thing is it?

Also, what the hell are you on about with the last sentence? If you really belive this then maybe the Chinese government should be congratulated for their anti-terrorist success when they killed all those terrorists (unlawful protesters) in Tiananmen Square.

By the way I have never seen a CM ride, and think that there are good arguments for and against them in this thread.

[john_childs]

Rather than joining in the anarchy of Critical Mass, I choose to support cycling awareness by joining local cycling clubs that do cycling awareness work and local lobbying. Those clubs are also members of national organizations that support cycling awareness and lobbying on the national level. That, IMHO, is a better way to promote cycling. The membership numbers and the dues do help and make a difference.

[BillyTheMountain]

Rather than joining in the anarchy of Critical Mass, I choose to support cycling awareness by joining local cycling clubs that do cycling awareness work and local lobbying. Those clubs are also members of national organizations that support cycling awareness and lobbying on the national level. That, IMHO, is a better way to promote cycling. The membership numbers and the dues do help and make a difference.

That's cool. I'm glad people find different ways to stay involved and accomplish things, or not. I have no idea how long the colonists tried lobbying England before resorting to terrorism.

And bicycling in the streets is not terrorism, either.

And this thread is about the government spending LOTS of resources (and taxpayer $$$) to silence a group of bicyclists during and since the Republican Convention in NYC. I'm glad on this thread there is little or no support for such spending.

[mark williamson]

British rule is not so bad.

Over here we rather enjoy it ;)

I must say, I don't think CM causes quite so much bother over here - even in London, as far as I know. Although some cyclists are a bit militant about it, much of it seems to be about having a bit of fun and making a point.

There are critical mass rides here in Cambridge, apparently, but there are so many cycle paths and so many bikes on the street that it's not really noticeable!

[BillyTheMountain]

Over here we rather enjoy it ;)

I must say, I don't think CM causes quite so much bother over here - even in London, as far as I know. Although some cyclists are a bit militant about it, much of it seems to be about having a bit of fun and making a point.

There are critical mass rides here in Cambridge, apparently, but there are so many cycle paths and so many bikes on the street that it's not really noticeable!

John Childs and a few drivers aside, CM doesn't cause any trouble over here either. Remember, the police didn't start the harassment until Bush's Republican Convention in NYC. It's only in NYC where they spend outrageous sums of the taxpayer $$$ to harass cyclists.

The Mayor got elected by paying far more per vote than anyone ever had, but he's a $$$ billionaire with no expereince in politics.