[Potroast88]

Man, these "rides" sure sound like good times to me.
Douchebags
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008074874_webcriticalmass26m.html

 

[johnbryanpeters]

I read that. Some folks should be booked for assault and battery.

 

[maddog17]

sounds like all their doing is shooting themselves in the foot. now the next time you'll have some guy in a car/truck take a few out because he'll have remembered what happened on this occasion.

 

[JohnE]

Doesnt help a bit now, does it?

 

[Sandwich]

hey I have an idea....let's set out to change the way people think about riders....by making a bad name for ourselves and creating a stigma associated with our organization.

I'm all for sharing the road, but you west coasters need to settle down a bit. I don't understand why there's so much aggression out there.

 

[ire]

I saw that article....all I can do is shake my head. It pisses me off because we all get a bad name because of those rides.

 

[sanjuro]

So the driver hit two bicyclists, and he gotten beaten up for trying to kill them.

That's another way to see this story.

And really, 100 bicycles. That took about 2 minutes to pass this car before he lost patience and decided to run over cyclists.

 

[stevew]

That took about 2 minutes to pass this car before he lost patience and decided to run over cyclists.

I think this is where he lost his patience

some riders got in the way of the Subaru and prevented it from leaving. Some bikers sat on the car and were banging on it, he said.

 

[Jeremy R]

Its hilarious how all these stories start off the same way in hippie cities.

"A man lesbian gets assaulted by bicyclists in his subaru wagon."

That story would be written a helluva lot different here if those silly massholes tried that nonsense.
It'd go like this.

"A group of cyclists tried to sit on the hood of a 4 x 4 chevy.
Their attempt failed because the monster truck tires raised the hood too high.
When the cyclists tried attacking the driver in the truck, Bubba punched the gas turning the group into a flat lycra pancake.
Police know the driver's name was Bubba, because of the sticker that said,
"Bubba's truck."
Yosemite Sam mudflaps were seen leaving the scene.
Police are looking for a 4x4 Chevy with Yosemite Sam mudflaps, and Git 'er Done written across the windsheild. They have narrowed it down to 23,000 trucks in the state."

 

[The DH]

Odd's are they were fixed gear scensters

 

[jonKranked]

further proof that the human race is evolving in the WRONG direction. Devolution perhaps?

 

[EOBF]

The comments on the stranger about this are pretty scary for all bikers.

http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/last_nights_critical_mass_melee

"He should have shot them instead of running them over with the car. **** Critical Mass Bike Tards"

"It's really too bad the subie driver didn't shoot a couple of the assholes. If those guys had tried their 'cork' the intersection and jump on cars approach in a 'red' state like Texas instead on this pink ass left wing city, they'd likely be 'pushing up daisies' instead of just getting booked into jail."

"If it had been me, there would have been massive cyclist casualties."

"I watched a bike messenger get run over by the rear dualies of a transit bus a few years back . . he popped like a stepped-on grape . . Ride with that visual you stinky hippies . .

Oh yeah - You're all invited to my rally that runs concurrently with the next critical ass-masters rally . . It's called "Sticks for Spokes in Seattle" . .

PS - Watch for my drivers door!! - THINK FAST!! - lol"

and many more like that. I have been commuting to work and seeing first hand the drivers hate for a cyclist.

 

[sanjuro]

The comments on the stranger about this are pretty scary for all bikers.

http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/last_nights_critical_mass_melee

"He should have shot them instead of running them over with the car. **** Critical Mass Bike Tards"

"It's really too bad the subie driver didn't shoot a couple of the assholes. If those guys had tried their 'cork' the intersection and jump on cars approach in a 'red' state like Texas instead on this pink ass left wing city, they'd likely be 'pushing up daisies' instead of just getting booked into jail."

"If it had been me, there would have been massive cyclist casualties."

"I watched a bike messenger get run over by the rear dualies of a transit bus a few years back . . he popped like a stepped-on grape . . Ride with that visual you stinky hippies . .

Oh yeah - You're all invited to my rally that runs concurrently with the next critical ass-masters rally . . It's called "Sticks for Spokes in Seattle" . .

PS - Watch for my drivers door!! - THINK FAST!! - lol"

and many more like that. I have been commuting to work and seeing first hand the drivers hate for a cyclist.

Online cowards. Let me show you what happens if you decide to do something attack a cyclist: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008074874_webcriticalmass26m.html

 

[N8 v2.0]

a few less massers would make the sport a better place

 

[Stray_cat]

It's sad what critical mass has become. It really used to be fun, but I refuse to do one now. Yeah roads we're always shut down for a few moments as bikes passed through, yeah there was some swearing, yeah there's a chance we went where we weren’t supposed to, but **** no punches we're ever thrown. Now almost every major city that has a critical mass has some sorrta issue with aggression. It really sucks. The last one I ever did I witnessed a rider smash someone’s side-mirror with his U-lock after he got sworn at. The whole point is to not care, it's a sorrta laid back lesson in anarchy, but now it's just pretty f**ked, and angry.

 

[sanjuro]

It's sad what critical mass has become. It really used to be fun, but I refuse to do one now. Yeah roads we're always shut down for a few moments as bikes passed through, yeah there was some swearing, yeah there's a chance we went where we weren’t supposed to, but **** no punches we're ever thrown. Now almost every major city that has a critical mass has some sorrta issue with aggression. It really sucks. The last one I ever did I witnessed a rider smash someone’s side-mirror with his U-lock after he got sworn at. The whole point is to not care, it's a sorrta laid back lesson in anarchy, but now it's just pretty f**ked, and angry.

I actually agree about you, and frankly, it is hard for me to defend something I will not to do myself.

I do like going to CM, and I will stop cars if they are going to careen in a bunch of cyclists (if you remember my cardboard hummer, I stopped a mad SUV driver by rolling headfirst towards it), but the only incident where a driver was attacked which have been justified was a truck driver near Castro who broke a cyclist's leg in his rage.

But majority of the incidents are cyclists who know they have 100 bikers backing them up when starting crap.

I have a simple rule about critical mass: I don't do anything I wouldn't do by myself. I don't get into fights by myself and I won't do it in mob situation either. I've seen enough of those that I won't do it again.

 

[Skookum]

There are problems with society in terms of unbalanced folk who cannot check their emotions and lack proper decision capability. Anyone who knows anything knows that any whack job can get a license and a vehicle. And it's absolutely easy to kill or maim a biker with a vehicle.

Knowing this, cyclists who participate in Critical Mass are joining in a cause that will kill innocent cyclist by further causing judgemental crazies to instantly discriminate against a cyclists, justified or not.

There is more at work in why there is a problem that is derived from fear on both sides. From poor infrastructure where safe bike lanes are anything but the norm, to the reasons of bad drivers i illustrate here, to cyclists that don't obey traffic laws.

The local press is probably not giving a fair indicator of the story of what happened. But Critical Mass in and of itself is a movement that is BEGGING for these types of altercations. A more pro-active movement would be to be more active in cycling advocates and work to raise awareness and work with public officials to find solutions. If Critical Mass is trying to accomplish these goals (which i have my doubts) they are going about it in an entitled dangerous and radical fashion. Being how it involves the safety and lives of fellow cyclists i would beg riders to consider saving the radical revolutionary spirit for higher events and causes that are worth dying for.

This is a friendly convoluted way of saying get real, get a life, grow up before someone you know dies as a result of Critical Mass.

 

[sanjuro]

There are problems with society in terms of unbalanced folk who cannot check their emotions and lack proper decision capability. Anyone who knows anything knows that any whack job can get a license and a vehicle. And it's absolutely easy to kill or maim a biker with a vehicle.

Knowing this, cyclists who participate in Critical Mass are joining in a cause that will kill innocent cyclist by further causing judgemental crazies to instantly discriminate against a cyclists, justified or not.

There is more at work in why there is a problem that is derived from fear on both sides. From poor infrastructure where safe bike lanes are anything but the norm, to the reasons of bad drivers i illustrate here, to cyclists that don't obey traffic laws.

The local press is probably not giving a fair indicator of the story of what happened. But Critical Mass in and of itself is a movement that is BEGGING for these types of altercations. A more pro-active movement would be to be more active in cycling advocates and work to raise awareness and work with public officials to find solutions. If Critical Mass is trying to accomplish these goals (which i have my doubts) they are going about it in an entitled dangerous and radical fashion. Being how it involves the safety and lives of fellow cyclists i would beg riders to consider saving the radical revolutionary spirit for higher events and causes that are worth dying for.

This is a friendly convoluted way of saying get real, get a life, grow up before someone you know dies as a result of Critical Mass.

Let's not be overdramatic. How many murders of cyclists are there in San Francisco?

P.S. I ride CM for fun. Is that ok?

 

[Skookum]

Let's not be overdramatic. How many murders of cyclists are there in San Francisco?

P.S. I ride CM for fun. Is that ok?

Whatever dude. i'm talking about subsequent reaction from people and how they think about cyclists.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/338042_shot04.html

From the spin the local media and newspapers put on this fiasco, combined with listening to people rant on local am talk about their feelings of "hate" against cyclists. And finally from experiencing first hand the stupidity of local drivers who are quick to road rage. (i've had a gun pulled out on me in traffic)

Critical Mass in my book is lucky it hasn't been Critical Massive Death, it's just one drunk or one nutjob being pissed off away from a car plowing into tons of riders. Oh wait that's what we're talking about isn't it....

But my thesis carries into the intangible effect of violence against a rider. It's impossible to prove that the guy that was shooting at cyclists in West Seattle was just a nut. It's also impossible to say if his hate on cyclists has anything to do with Critical Mass. But the question i ask is related or not, what effect does CM have ultimately. Maybe i'm "overdramatic" and stupid, but to me it simply appears to exacerbate a real problem.

i wouldn't mind having fun at a CM either, but from my observation and opinion, i won't have anything to do with it.

 

[sanjuro]

It's not like I have ever been to a critical mass before.

I used to go to the one in New Haven. Nice people, about 50-70 in summer, we rolled by a block or two, the girls would hand out fliers, and everyone would smile.

SF CM is ridiculous and considering the history of protests, there ain't nothing no one can do about it. But there is a need to ride the streets. Don't forget that.

 

[pinkshirtphotos]

 

[Skookum]

But there is a need to ride the streets. Don't forget that.

YES SIR!

Then you don't forget that CM is being used against cycling. Sure we can agree that the ride was a friendly uneventful fun event. Unbias eyewitness account that this guy stated he was late for a meeting, proceeded to run a man down, in a hit and run. Then riders chased him down, slashed tired and broke windows. That's the word on the street.

But that's not what you predominately read or hear on local news.

Fair or not, i merely throw an objective view out to the wind.

This incident shows the effect that CM can cause. i just ask question and raise speculation based on my deduction of what i find plausible. Maybe the tide will turn onto cyclist favor and this will prove helpful to cyclists rights.

Or rather it will just continue to piss off drivers and the general public.

Again i hate to be overdramatic, but i don't find the prospect of someone running over my leg or any part of my body for that matter, by a car, worthy of experiencing, even in the name of fun. i've lead many a ride and can think of much more fun to be had than this proposition.

 

[sanjuro]

Welcome to Noo Yawk.

 

[Slugman]

Welcome to Noo Yawk.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25898876/

YouTube video shows NYC cop shoving cyclist
Officer stripped of badge and gun after video is posted

updated 4:30 a.m. MT, Tues., July. 29, 2008
NEW YORK - Police stripped a New York City officer of his badge and gun Monday after a video posted on YouTube showed him body-checking a bicyclist who was part of a Times Square demonstration.

 

[Sandwich]

if that's assault, then I've assaulted over 9000 people in my day. I didn't know riding by somebody constituted assault. They should also arrest the over 9000 other people taking part in that demonstration.

Thumbs up dude, enjoy your lack of pension and your new job as a security guard!

This critical mass stuff really is retarded, isn't it?

 

[Wumpus]

This is old, but all it would take is one irate motorist to plow thru a hundred bikers...

http://bicycleaustin.info/cm/index.html

 

[Stray_cat]

CM is not a bike advocacy event...well at least if shouldn't be viewed as one. My main incentive for doing CM was to say 'dude whatever society.' The mass amounts of bikes just happened to be a fun tool to say that with. We certainly weren't fighting for bike lanes or awareness. I think some of the anger now involved in the event stems from people who think they're fighting for the cause of the bicycle.

 

[TN]

fargin' idiots.

 

[Wumpus]

The Driver Speaks
posted by Jonah Spangenthal-Lee on July 27 at 11:21 AM



This morning, I spoke with the driver involved in Friday night’s Critical Mass brawl, to get his side of the story. Obviously, it’s very different from what Critical Mass riders have said up to this point

Mark—who asked us not to print his last name—a 23-year-old travel agent, says he was heading to the University District to pick someone up for a birthday party.

While driving through Capitol Hill, Mark says he saw a herd of Critical Mass riders and pulled over on a parking strip on Aloha to wait for them to pass. After waiting for five minutes, Mark says he tried to turn his car around to get out of the way and get off of the street. That’s when about a dozen cyclists surrounded his car, he says.

“As soon as I tried to turn around, they completely corralled me in and were shouting things,” Mark says. Although he says cyclists were initially “playfully taunting” him, Mark says the longer he waited, the more aggressive they got. “They wouldn’t let me move even after the rest of the bikes went by, he says, adding that he started to panic when cyclists began tugging on his side mirrors and he heard someone say “let’s tip the car.”

Mark says he felt intimidated and was concerned for his safety, so he began to rev his engine. “ was going to…try to be macho and scare some people,” he says. “I didn’t realize my car was in first [gear].”

Mark says he rolled over two bicycles when his car lurched forward, before a crowd of cyclists swarmed him. One rider tried to punch him through his open car window, but missed, and others were clinging to his car as he sped off.

Although a number of reports have indicated that riders slashed the car’s tires, forcing it to stop, Mark says he heard a rider shout “someone’s really hurt” and slammed on his brakes. “I thought I just knocked 2 bikes over,” Mark says. “I wanted to get away from the situation but if I’d hurt someone, I didn’t want to flee.”

Mark says he got out of his car and was immediately struck in the back of a head by a cyclist wielding a U-lock. Mark then told the angry crowd he was “sorry” and “didn’t know anyone was hurt,” before walking up to where the injured cyclists were. This, Mark says, is when cyclists “completely destroyed [his] car,” breaking his windows and slashing his tires.

Although Mark still believes cyclists instigated the confrontation, he doesn’t believe anyone should be facing charges for the incident. “I hit two of their friends and they tore apart my car,” he says. “I’d rather not have anyone…be charged from any of this.”

While a some cyclists I’ve spoken with have written Mark off as another indignant road-hog, Mark says he actually used to be a bike commuter when he lived in Seattle a few years ago. “I sympathize with [cyclists’] cause. I ride bikes too. I’m a liberal hippie democrat,” he says, adding “I’m gay, the person with me was a lesbian and we were a attacked by eco-terrorists. It’s the most Seattle thing that could have happened.

While Mark still believes this incident was sparked by hostility from cyclists, he does seem genuinely remorseful about what happened and is disappointed that cyclists are being charged for the incident. “What I did was probably a mistake,” he says. “I want to apologize to [the cyclists]. I didn’t mean for it to happen. It was terrifying for me. I was pissed off, I overreacted, I didn’t pay attention to what I was doing and I’m sorry for it.”


http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/the_driver_speaks

 

[sanjuro]

The Driver Speaks
posted by Jonah Spangenthal-Lee on July 27 at 11:21 AM

“As soon as I tried to turn around, they completely corralled me in and were shouting things,” Mark says. Although he says cyclists were initially “playfully taunting” him, Mark says the longer he waited, the more aggressive they got. “They wouldn’t let me move even after the rest of the bikes went by, he says, adding that he started to panic when cyclists began tugging on his side mirrors and he heard someone say “let’s tip the car.”

Mark says he felt intimidated and was concerned for his safety, so he began to rev his engine. “ was going to…try to be macho and scare some people,” he says. “I didn’t realize my car was in first [gear].”

That's sounds like no CM incident I have witnessed.

 

[Bicyclist]

CM is not a bike advocacy event...well at least if shouldn't be viewed as one. My main incentive for doing CM was to say 'dude whatever society.' The mass amounts of bikes just happened to be a fun tool to say that with. We certainly weren't fighting for bike lanes or awareness. I think some of the anger now involved in the event stems from people who think they're fighting for the cause of the bicycle.

Exactly.