Its been a fairly classic pattern on the critical mass rides. Rank and file officers are ordered in pairs by a white shirted Lieutenants to ticket riders for disobeying traffic laws when they are riding in group less then 30. These violations include not having proper lighting, not stopping at red lights and not riding in bike lanes. When the individual riders comply with the traffic laws and tell the officers they are not breaking the law, the officers resort to what I like to call: “making shit up.” Cyclists are then given summons for failing to ride to the right, which is not illegal. When cyclists decide to ride on greenways designed for bicycles and pedestrain traffic and not motor vehicles…the police violate this space and follow the riders on the paths which are depicted in the video.
If this isn’t harassment, then what is?
Read the full story here.
10 comments:
So, relating to CM in Orlando. when the cops broke everyone up into about 4 groups @ mills/colonial. I wonder what that was about. They said no running red lights, but shouldn't we be considered a procession or something. When funerals have them they are allowed to run reds as a procession and do not need a permit.. Anyone know what the cops had to say, who talked to them..?
They basically informed CM participants they would arrest anyone who corked. This is why it stopped like that on mills and 50. The police officers at that corner where none to willing to talk to anyone regarding the legalities of the issue. It appears it is illegal to do so though...
The messed up thing is that by making us stop at the light like that, we caused more of an impact to traffic at that intersection than had they just let us just cork and move along.
just a little curious here, when you are doing these critical mass rides and "corking" are you riding in 1 whole traffic lane (say on a four lane road w/ 2 lanes on each side of the road) or are you taking up both lanes ? 2nd - when corking(blocking traffic) are you blocking all 4 points of any said intersection or just blocking/protecting the main group by "corking" say a side street and the 1 main lane you are using.. ? from a legal standpoint the answer to these questions could be the main factor of what the problem is and what the outcome seems to be w/ the police now getting involved...?
I just want to kind of put this out there but I did notice at the last CM in the beginning a cop car was corking for us and i thought that everything was all good. And then later down the ride we had that situation.
" ? from a legal standpoint"
ACAB! jus sayyin, in this case....and most others!
Colin- if you're talking about the cop blocking the intersection at Robinson, he was herding us on to that road. I have no clue what that was all about...
re: the corking questions
most of the time corkers post up at all corners of the intersection, not just the lane the mass is traveling on. Usually the mass tries to just occupy one lane and leave another open for traffic. Sometimes this happens and sometimes it doesn't...
From what I'm hearing, its illegal to go through the intersection regardless...
I am not sure where it was because I am new to the area and it was only my 3rd time attending. But I do know it was towards the beginning for the ride I believe just on the other side when we pass under the bridge. Maybe it wasn't a nice gesture as I thought it was oh well.....
FUCK THE COPS AND THAT ANONYMOUS GUY! FUCKING DORK
Fuck paddywagons
Hey Collin, that cop was not corking, he actually pulled someone over and harassed a homeless person that was hanging out by i4. I remember it quite well because It bothered me the entire ride. trust, dude was not corking. He was probably the cop that called in warning other cops that we were coming downtown. seriously....
Post a Comment