Critical Mass=violent urban hippy bike thugs

[4matic]

I've had the same thing happen to me by the hippy bike nazis:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...GF7P12RN23.DTL

A biker in front blocked her as another biker began pounding on the windshield. Another was pounding on her window. Another pounded the other side.

"It seemed like they were using their bikes as weapons,'' Ferrando said. One of the bikers then threw his bike -- shattering the rear window and terrifying the young girls inside.

All the while, Ferrando was screaming, "There are children in this car! There are children in this car!"

[MassLiberal]

It was only a matter of time before things went wrong with that thing.

[slim]

Shame on you Greydon.

[f2f]

"Mrs Driver, how does it feel to be a part of the minority for a couple of minutes?"
"I'm so very scared!"

call me when the first minivan driver is killed in a collision with a cyclist changing lanes.

[waxman]

"We sit there and they just go right through the red lights,'' Sgt. Callejas said. "What else can we do? Arrest one rider while 500 keep going?

sure, you already do it to speeders/jay walkers etc

[snowsprite]

That's a bummer all around. But those bikers better be careful...one day they are going to cross paths with the driver who has no kids in the car, and no qualms about squashing them.

Bike vs car = bike loses every time.

Sprite

[bio-smear]

I'll just paste my response from Kidwoo's version of this thread since we're paralleling:

I've been involved in a bmx version of Critical Mass, and it can be chaotic. At first I was caught up in the power of the group and the disregard for any lights or laws or cars, but this is ridiculous.

It's so antiproductive for cycling, and will only end up in more strict enforcement of traffic laws on cyclists in the future, likely when some otherwise responsible rider is made a target while he is without his critical throng.

Assholes run rampant both on bikes and behind the wheel. It's too bad that one of these days the gang is going to get tangled up with someone who doesn't lay down for the novelty of Critical Mass, and some riders and going to get killed.

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

"Mrs Driver, how does it feel to be a part of the minority for a couple of minutes?"
"I'm so very scared!"

call me when the first minivan driver is killed in a collision with a cyclist changing lanes.

Understandable attitude, but if that is how you really feel don't expect drivers to suddenly be more conscientious because a gang of cyclists(who were, by their own admission, breaking numerous traffic laws) vandalized their car and terrified their children.

[Telenater]

"Mrs Driver, how does it feel to be a part of the minority for a couple of minutes?"
"I'm so very scared!"

call me when the first minivan driver is killed in a collision with a cyclist changing lanes.

Unfortunately, this incident has created at least a few people who will choose to not ride bikes because of the example set by the critical mass. It has probably also created drivers that will never look with favor on bicycle riders.

[Benny Profane]

jeez, why do I feel that I'm only getting one side of the story here? Poor, defenseless mommy and kiddies in minivan get attacked out of the blue by crazy, nasty bicycle riders. suuuuuurrrrreeee.......riiiiggghhhhttttt.......Jus t suddenly found herself in the middle of this mess. Nope, didn't provoke a thing at all. right.

[4matic]

jeez, why do I feel that I'm only getting one side of the story here? Poor, defenseless mommy and kiddies in minivan get attacked out of the blue by crazy, nasty bicycle riders. suuuuuurrrrreeee.......riiiiggghhhhttttt.......Jus t suddenly found herself in the middle of this mess. Nope, didn't provoke a thing at all. right.

That's exactly how it happens and it has happened to me. Critical Mass is nothing but a bunch of jealous punk hippies that can't afford a car causing trouble for those that work for a living and require a car for transportation. It serves no valuable purpose. None.

[Tippster]

Benny - read the article.

[snowsprite]

Regardless of who provoked what...you have to have a few screws loose to be willing to circle a motor vehicle on your bike and assume you're not going to be laying in traction! I think they got lucky it was a mommy chick driving that van.

I'm not siding w/ anyone, simply stating the stupidity of trusting that some person who you are aggravating w/ your bike (whether right or wrong) is not willing to run you over. I don't trust people who I'm not aggravating w/ my bike not to run me over.

Sprite

[A-wreck]

Fucking hippies

[Steven S. Dallas]

jeez, why do I feel that I'm only getting one side of the story here? Nope, didn't provoke a thing at all. right.

That's the thing- what Massers (and lots of bike commuters) take as provocation is just cluelessness. I guess Critical Mass might raise awareness of city cyclists and stuff like that, but the overall attitude is way self-righteous and kind of a turnoff.

[f2f]

Unfortunately, this incident has created at least a few people who will choose to not ride bikes because of the example set by the critical mass.

but will they stop riding cars if they are the victim of road-rage by some gun-toting truck driver?

[Benny Profane]

Benny - read the article.

I smell anti bike bias - last lines:

"The mayor also said that -- if the charges are grounded -- he expected the attackers to be "punished to the greatest extent of the law."
Riiight."

I'm an urban bike rider. Fuck, I'm a road rider. 10-1, she got impatient, hit a bike, and got hers.

I'd like to whip out a few examples of how bicyclists get screwed every day on the road when they plead their case in the courts. Juries and judges are extremely biased against bicyclists in our car obsessed society. Many have literally gotten away with murder. I could tell you a few personal little gems when I've just talked to police with license plate numbers.

[Benny Profane]

Regardless of who provoked what...you have to have a few screws loose to be willing to circle a motor vehicle on your bike and assume you're not going to be laying in traction! I think they got lucky it was a mommy chick driving that van.

I'm not siding w/ anyone, simply stating the stupidity of trusting that some person who you are aggravating w/ your bike (whether right or wrong) is not willing to run you over. I don't trust people who I'm not aggravating w/ my bike not to run me over.

Sprite

Yup, my rule is, if I'm ever going to be in an encounter like this when I'm alone, get off the road immediatly, or kick the motherfucker's ass and grab his keys. A car can be classified as a dangerous weapon if used in violence.

[4matic]

I smell anti bike bias - last lines:

"The mayor also said that -- if the charges are grounded -- he expected the attackers to be "punished to the greatest extent of the law."
Riiight."

I'm an urban bike rider. Fuck, I'm a road rider. 10-1, she got impatient, hit a bike, and got hers.

I'd like to whip out a few examples of how bicyclists get screwed every day on the road when they plead their case in the courts. Juries and judges are extremely biased against bicyclists in our car obsessed society. Many have literally gotten away with murder. I could tell you a few personal little gems when I've just talked to police with license plate numbers.

The Urban Hippies cause trouble with a technique called "corking". They stop in the middle of the intersection blocking right of way to green traffic and challenge cars to bump them. If a driver bumps one of the bikes it license for the hippies to get violent and vandalize the car.

[danimal's dead]

I'm happy if I can ride my bike all the way back to the house without getting a beer can thrown at me.

[Squatch]

I think it would be hilarious if someone drove a snowplow at 40 mph while the critical mass riders were going through a red light.

(and this is coming from a jealous guy who can't afford a car, etc.)

[Benny Profane]

The Urban Hippies cause trouble with a technique called "corking". They stop in the middle of the intersection blocking right of way to green traffic and challenge cars to bump them. If a driver bumps one of the bikes it license for the hippies to get violent and vandalize the car.

What can I say man, but just get on a bike and ride around cars for a while in a fairly tense urban like enviorment. You'll soon learn that some drivers consider your existence near them on the road "corking" if you are somehow slowing them down in their very important quest for dry cleaning or soccer practice. My biggest fear is the crazed mommy in the minivan/SUV on the cell with 2 wines in her from lunch late for school pickup.

[runethechamp]

The Urban Hippies cause trouble with a technique called "corking". They stop in the middle of the intersection blocking right of way to green traffic and challenge cars to bump them. If a driver bumps one of the bikes it license for the hippies to get violent and vandalize the car.

So if you crash them it's technically their fault, they're going on red right? Crash them and then sue their asses off. Although I understand the concept behind this thing I have no respect for people who turn violent in traffic, whether their sitting in a car or on a bike.

[Steven S. Dallas]

If a driver bumps one of the bikes it license for the hippies to get violent and vandalize the car.

Even if someone is blocking your way, you don't have the right to hit them with your car. Sorry. If someone did that to me, damn straight I'd try to fuck them up.

[snowsprite]

Not a good idea. Dialing 911 and letting the cops deal with it is better.

Sprite