And it starts...

[Guest MikeSC]

Well, nice to see the protestors won't end up making gigantic asses of themselves.

Cops bust bike protest

 

At least 264 riders nabbed for blocking streets

 

BY DEREK ROSE

and MAKI BECKER

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

 

 

Members of the environmental group Times Up are arrested at 35th and Dyer Avenue after staging a demonstration at Madison Square Garden. 

 

Manhattan was spin city last night as 5,000 activists on bicycles swarmed city streets and snarled traffic during a protest of the upcoming Republican National Convention.

At least 264 riders were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct for blocking intersections near Madison Square Garden and in the East Village, police said.

 

The arrests marked the first real confrontation between cops and the thousands of protesters who have descended on New York ahead of the convention, which starts Monday.

 

"The cops said, 'Get out of here!' and I was trying to get out and I was cuffed," complained one busted bicyclist who identified himself as Keith from Brooklyn.

 

At first, police seemed willing to allow the protesters to have the run of the road as they zigzagged up and down Manhattan from Union Square.

 

But as the cyclists blocked the intersection of W. 34th St. and Seventh Ave. at the Garden, police began arresting demonstrators.

 

Many more were collared later at Second Ave. around E. 10th St., near St. Marks Church, which was hosting an after-party for the bicyclists.

 

"The cops are coming! Move out!" bicyclists screamed to each other as they made their way down Second Ave., hurling their bikes over the church fence in a desperate bid for sanctuary.

 

"They just all came to a stop," said Reggie Lakew, 28, a gift coordinator from Roosevelt Island, who saw the cyclists as they approached E. 10th St. "Everyone picked up their bikes over their heads and started cheering. Some sat down in the street. The cops surrounded them in a line and they were picking them off from the back and arresting them."

 

Some witnesses said the arrests in the Village began when someone tossed some spaghetti at a cop.

 

"This whole thing is about peace," said one cuffed and disgruntled biker who identified himself as Jesse from Brooklyn. "I don't have a gripe with the police. I have a gripe with the RNC, although the cops were pretty rough."

 

Cops slapped plastic cuffs on the protesters' wrists while other officers snapped Polaroid photos of the detainees in what appeared to be bid to head off allegations of police brutality.

 

Two busloads of protesters were taken from the scene to a temporary jail on the West Side Highway while a flatbed truck was piled high with their confiscated bikes.

 

"They're trying to set the tone for the next week," suggested Annette Wilcox, 47, as she watched the protesters being hauled off. "If you sneeze the wrong way, they're going to arrest you."

 

A crowd three blocks deep gathered around the protesters last night, chanting, "Let them go!" as a helicopter hovered overhead.

 

But police said they had warned the riders for weeks they would be arrested if they blocked traffic.

 

"They were blocking intersections all along the way, backing up traffic," said top NYPD spokesman Paul Browne. "I personally witnessed several ambulances that couldn't get through. They had their lights and sirens on."

 

The ride, organized by an environmental group called Time's Up and dubbed "Critical Mass," is held in the city on the last Friday of every month but never near the scale of last night.

 

Thousands more protesters will take to the streets today. One group - denied its bid to rally in Central Park - is still planning to converge there today. Leaders of the ANSWER coalition have been passing out flyers informing protesters of their right to congregate in the park.

 

About 10,000 abortion-rights activists are expected to cross the Brooklyn Bridge in the 11 a.m. March for Women's Lives, which has a permit from the city.

 

Earlier yesterday, parks workers discovered the Van Cortlandt Golf Course in the Bronx, where a few GOP delegates were to play yesterday, had been vandalized with anti-Bush messages. "Extensive damage" was done to holes 15 through 18 and slogans were spray-painted on the grass, parks officials said. Repairs will cost $6,000.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/s...6p-194587c.html

Oh yeah, this is going to blow up in the Democrats' face. Nothing like being a total jackass.

-=Mike

[Lord of The Curry 0]

The fact that Anti-Bush protestors will be going out giving fake maps and wrong directions to people trying to find the RNC should make for good times.

[Guest MikeSC]

The fact that Anti-Bush protestors will be going out giving fake maps and wrong directions to people trying to find the RNC should make for good times.

So, people who hate Bush are just Dicks?

-=Mike

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I dunno. They could be. I'm sure there's just as many people who like Bush that are dicks too.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

More on what happened.

 

http://www.times-up.org/cm.php

 

What is Critical Mass?

Critical Mass, an international event held in hundreds of cities on six continents, occurs on the last Friday of every month when bicyclists spontaneously come together to ride the ordinarily car-clogged streets of their cities. Critical Mass focuses on the rights of bicyclists and the rights of pedestrians on their own streets. It also brings attention to the deteriorating quality of life--starting with the toxic levels of air and noise pollution--that cars create for cities.

 

Cyclists are just as much traffic and have just as much right to be on the roads and travel at their own speed as anyone else. Moreover, cars clog up the streets all day, every day, so a lot of cyclists doing the same on a limited scale once a month cannot be a great source of complaint. Indeed, Critical Mass often finds itself held up by the traffic jam caused by motorists going about their "usual" business.

 

Critical Mass’s aim is to make people take notice of cyclists as road users. Although some obstruction of "normal" traffic occurs, we are only seeking to raise the profile of cycling, and put cycling and transport issues on the agenda so that they will not be ignored.

 

http://www.times-up.org/rnc_2004.php

 

The TIME'S UP! environmental group has a long history of promoting a positive message about our environment and non-polluting transportation. The 2004 Republican National Convention (RNC) in New York City represents a great opportunity to express this message to our elected representatives and the national audience that will watch the Republicans nominate George Bush for another four years in office. TIME'S UP! is planning a full week of events to coincide with the RNC.

 

RNC Schedule

The RNC will take place during the last week of summer, August 30-September 2, but TIME'S UP! will be kicking things off early on Friday, August 27, with a festive Critical Mass that is not to be missed. On Saturday, August 28, we will be holding a Bike National Convention (BNC)--a day for workshops, tune-ups, and fun designed to bring together bike activists from all over the country. The real action begins on Sunday, August 29 when United for Peace and Justice is scheduled to hold a large permitted march and Times-Up will have the first of many Bike Blocs, which will occur throughout the rest of the week. Bike Bloc was a huge success during the anti-war protests on February 15 and March 22, 2003, and was part of a worldwide innovation in the bike activist community (to learn more about this history checkout this great archive). Naturally evolving from Critical Mass, Bike Bloc explores the tactical advantage of bikes during street protests.

 

Oh yeah, this is going to blow up in the Democrats' face. Nothing like being a total jackass.

 

Oh yeah, the Democrats are sending out the Critical Mass bike people.

 

"How can we protest the RNC?" "Get people to ride bikes in New York?" "Brilliant!"

 

Right Mike.. just wait until the Bike-people come to your state, it'll clog the traffic around the state's one stoplight. (Nah, I know there's at least 30 stoplights in South Carolina and a traffic circle too)

[Guest MikeSC]

More on what happened.

 

http://www.times-up.org/cm.php

 

What is Critical Mass?

Critical Mass, an international event held in hundreds of cities on six continents, occurs on the last Friday of every month when bicyclists spontaneously come together to ride the ordinarily car-clogged streets of their cities. Critical Mass focuses on the rights of bicyclists and the rights of pedestrians on their own streets. It also brings attention to the deteriorating quality of life--starting with the toxic levels of air and noise pollution--that cars create for cities.

 

Cyclists are just as much traffic and have just as much right to be on the roads and travel at their own speed as anyone else. Moreover, cars clog up the streets all day, every day, so a lot of cyclists doing the same on a limited scale once a month cannot be a great source of complaint. Indeed, Critical Mass often finds itself held up by the traffic jam caused by motorists going about their "usual" business.

 

Critical Mass’s aim is to make people take notice of cyclists as road users. Although some obstruction of "normal" traffic occurs, we are only seeking to raise the profile of cycling, and put cycling and transport issues on the agenda so that they will not be ignored.

 

http://www.times-up.org/rnc_2004.php

 

The TIME'S UP! environmental group has a long history of promoting a positive message about our environment and non-polluting transportation. The 2004 Republican National Convention (RNC) in New York City represents a great opportunity to express this message to our elected representatives and the national audience that will watch the Republicans nominate George Bush for another four years in office. TIME'S UP! is planning a full week of events to coincide with the RNC.

 

RNC Schedule

The RNC will take place during the last week of summer, August 30-September 2, but TIME'S UP! will be kicking things off early on Friday, August 27, with a festive Critical Mass that is not to be missed. On Saturday, August 28, we will be holding a Bike National Convention (BNC)--a day for workshops, tune-ups, and fun designed to bring together bike activists from all over the country. The real action begins on Sunday, August 29 when United for Peace and Justice is scheduled to hold a large permitted march and Times-Up will have the first of many Bike Blocs, which will occur throughout the rest of the week. Bike Bloc was a huge success during the anti-war protests on February 15 and March 22, 2003, and was part of a worldwide innovation in the bike activist community (to learn more about this history checkout this great archive). Naturally evolving from Critical Mass, Bike Bloc explores the tactical advantage of bikes during street protests.

 

Bizarre, the bikers aren't actualy saying that. In fact, they're openly quoted as saying that they are there to oppose the RNC.

 

But, hey, ignore the actual story in support of gibberish.

 

Oh wait --- you simply prove with the 2nd part of your column that the 1st part was bullshit.

Oh yeah, this is going to blow up in the Democrats' face. Nothing like being a total jackass.

 

Oh yeah, the Democrats are sending out the Critical Mass bike people.

 

"How can we protest the RNC?" "Get people to ride bikes in New York?" "Brilliant!"

 

Right Mike.. just wait until the Bike-people come to your state, it'll clog the traffic around the state's one stoplight. (Nah, I know there's at least 30 stoplights in South Carolina and a traffic circle too)

In fact, going with the present Democratic mantra, this is ABSOLUTELY, DEFINITIVE proof.

 

And, hey, we might only have one traffic light --- but we also don't have nearly as many as fucking assholes.

-=Mike

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

Bizarre, the bikers aren't actualy saying that. In fact, they're openly quoted as saying that they are there to oppose the RNC.

 

But, hey, ignore the actual story in support of gibberish.

 

Oh wait --- you simply prove with the 2nd part of your column that the 1st part was bullshit.

Friday was the last Friday of the month, the usual day that they do that anyways. The RNC just happened to be coming into town. Now, if they tried to clog the streets on a convention day.

 

In fact, going with the present Democratic mantra, this is ABSOLUTELY, DEFINITIVE proof.

 

"I'd expect them to do that" is not proof. In a court of law, using the argument "Well, this sounds like something he'd do" without any proof doesn't go over well.

 

And, hey, we might only have one traffic light --- but we also don't have nearly as many as fucking assholes.

 

As a total number or a percentage?

 

Don't worry about the traffic light thing, i'm just messing around there. There's other small jokes I could use to expand on that though, like "If they're riding in South Carolina, they would need mountain bikes"

 

I might be wrong about the traffic circle claim though

[Guest MikeSC]

Friday was the last Friday of the month, the usual day that they do that anyways. The RNC just happened to be coming into town. Now, if they tried to clog the streets on a convention day.

And I don't buy it. Very simple. I do not believe them that this is a regular event --- or that this event was not done specifically to bitch about those evil Republicans.

In fact, going with the present Democratic mantra, this is ABSOLUTELY, DEFINITIVE proof.

"I'd expect them to do that" is not proof. In a court of law, using the argument "Well, this sounds like something he'd do" without any proof doesn't go over well.

Well, going with the whole SBVT "They're attacking Kerry, they must be Bush toadies" mentality --- yes, this is unerringly coordinated.

And, hey, we might only have one traffic light --- but we also don't have nearly as many as fucking assholes.

 

As a total number or a percentage?

Both actually. We're quite nice if you're not a prick down here.

Don't worry about the traffic light thing, i'm just messing around there. There's other small jokes I could use to expand on that though, like "If they're riding in South Carolina, they would need mountain bikes"

 

I might be wrong about the traffic circle claim though

We only have one circle that I'm aware of (NJ, on the other hand, was laden with the damned things). However, those cloverleaf intersections that suck so hard are rather prevalent and are a constant headache.

-=Mike

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

And I don't buy it. Very simple. I do not believe them that this is a regular event --- or that this event was not done specifically to bitch about those evil Republicans.

So, I assume this site is part of the plan to make it look like they've done this for awhile.

 

Well, going with the whole SBVT "They're attacking Kerry, they must be Bush toadies" mentality --- yes, this is unerringly coordinated.

 

So, because a group with ads blasting Kerry is accused of having Republican ties, that means a group of guys on bikes are coordinating a protest with the DNC?

 

Riiiiiight

 

We only have one circle that I'm aware of (NJ, on the other hand, was laden with the damned things). However, those cloverleaf intersections that suck so hard are rather prevalent and are a constant headache.

 

My area has at least two traffic circles. And one of them is two-way at the moment. I hear there's more plans for the area that will make the "roundabout" (as they actually call it). Here's the traditional traffic circle (which is only by an ammo plant): http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.asp...=21645&z=15&w=1 and I'm sure traffic circles are a complicated way to confuse drivers.

 

And I forget if it's Texas that has the 'horizontal' traffic lights, or if it's Arkansas.

[Guest MikeSC]

And I don't buy it. Very simple. I do not believe them that this is a regular event --- or that this event was not done specifically to bitch about those evil Republicans.

So, I assume this site is part of the plan to make it look like they've done this for awhile.

 

 

No, I'm saying that I don't buy that this is a part of that at all.

Well, going with the whole SBVT "They're attacking Kerry, they must be Bush toadies" mentality --- yes, this is unerringly coordinated.

 

So, because a group with ads blasting Kerry is accused of having Republican ties, that means a group of guys on bikes are coordinating a protest with the DNC?

 

Riiiiiight

Care to guess whom they support?

We only have one circle that I'm aware of (NJ, on the other hand, was laden with the damned things). However, those cloverleaf intersections that suck so hard are rather prevalent and are a constant headache.

 

My area has at least two traffic circles. And one of them is two-way at the moment. I hear there's more plans for the area that will make the "roundabout" (as they actually call it). Here's the traditional traffic circle (which is only by an ammo plant): http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.asp...=21645&z=15&w=1 and I'm sure traffic circles are a complicated way to confuse drivers.

 

And I forget if it's Texas that has the 'horizontal' traffic lights, or if it's Arkansas.

Our only circle, of course, leads to the airport AND a tech college --- which makes travel fun.

 

And we have a few horizontal lights --- but they're downtown and done that way because it looks better.

-=Mike

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Critical Mass has been a regular function in San Francisco for what feels like forever. It ran out of steam in 2002, but was one of those events that was becoming so regular that traffic people warn you about running into it while coming hom on the morning commute broadcast.

 

In the SF ones, while I've heard a few rotten apples who drum their hands on the hoods of cars filled with upset drivers, it's not really that violent as protests go but it also might be because people were starting to get used to it being there a couple days out of the year and try to avoid the route.

 

 

 

For the most part, at least over here it's about a bunch of bicycles exercising their legal right to drive on the roads. And they do so in a big group. And automobile drivers get cranky because their car/truck/SUV is stuck going at the speed of bicycle.

[Guest MikeSC]

Let's hope that the drivers don't exercise their right to squeegee the carcass of a snotty biker off of his windshield. That'd be tragic.

-=Mike

[Highland 0]

This topic reminds me of this:

 

I’ll tell you somethin' else: when I'm president of the United States, all you assholes who ride bikes in the city, LOCK AND LOAD, okay? You’re goin’ down. Yeah, what the FUCK are you people thinkin' about, huh? You wanna ride a bike in the city, move to China. Go ahead. Eat some rice for the rest of your life. Are you fucking insane ridin' a bike around in the middle of Manhattan traffic? There's no speed limit in New York, have you noticed that? Have you ever seen a speed limit sign in Manhattan? No, they don't exist! Red lights here mean "Stop if you want to." Last guy who got speeding ticket in Manhattan was the guy who crashed his plane into the Empire State Building, back in 1937, wake the fuck up and smell the maple nut crunch! They drive me fucking NUTS! Have you ever had that experience, where you’re getting out of the cab, you open the door, and a bike guy smashes into the car door? And then he gets an attitude? "Hey man, that’s my space!" "No it isn't, that's the space for the fucking door to open, asshole!" They got their little spandex pants on, their little gloves, and they’re ridin’ around. "I have the right to ride my bike right in the middle of traffic. I have my little whistle, TWEET TWEET..." "Yeah, well I have a horn, HONK HONK, you're dead!" And you roller bladin' assholes, lock and load. Lock and load. With your pink spandex, and your headphones on, dancing, doing the hussle in the middle of traffic... Make up your mind, dance or drive, okay asshole? Just make up a decision. Fuck... I don't get it, you know? Why don't you just put on clown pants and ride a unicycle down Fifth Avenue goin', "Hey, look at me!" Parasail down Broadway, "Hey, look at me! I have the right to do this!" "No you don't! SNIP, SNIP! Happy now?"

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Where's Rudy G's special team of po-pos that go out in the dead of night shooting innocent black men when you REALLY need them?...

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Let's hope that the drivers don't exercise their right to squeegee the carcass of a snotty biker off of his windshield. That'd be tragic.

              -=Mike

x 3. Like I said, over 90% of them are civilized and police officers tell you that bikes belong on roads before they belong on sidewalks so I don't see the problem.

 

Yeah, people who don't pay attention can't roar along through city streets at maniacal speeds, but in San Francisco that's almost like a little gift of heaven for once instead of a curse.

[Guest MikeSC]

Let's hope that the drivers don't exercise their right to squeegee the carcass of a snotty biker off of his windshield. That'd be tragic.

              -=Mike

x 3.

Hey, I said it'd be tragic.

-=Mike

...Yeah, act like a badass when the car can easily kill you going just 20 miles an hour. BRIGHT move, dipshit...

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

+1...

[Jobber of the Week 0]

...Yeah, act like a badass when the car can easily kill you going just 20 miles an hour. BRIGHT move, dipshit...

See my edit.

[Guest MikeSC]

-3

-=Mike

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

BTW: What are we fighting with JOTW and friends week about? I just see a lot of "quotes," while scrolling down this thread, which means we're in a fight over something -- and it's probably stupid, too...

[Guest MikeSC]

BTW: What are we fighting with JOTW and friends week about? I just see a lot of "quotes," while scrolling down this thread, which means we're in a fight over something -- and it's probably stupid, too...

Beats me at this point. However, anything Jobber supports is usually a good bet to be fairly idiotic, so opposition is your best option.

 

Oh, +87.5

-=Mike

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Jobber's pretty reasonable when the insane liberalism creeps into his backyard.

 

Speaking of backyards, Pedro just uncovered a bee's nest.

 

EDIT: Crap, wrong thread...

[Guest MikeSC]

Jobber's pretty reasonable when the insane liberalism creeps into his backyard.

 

Speaking of backyards, Pedro just uncovered a bee's nest.

 

EDIT: Crap, wrong thread...

He always seems borderline delusional to me.

-=Mike

...Not like, say, bigjig or snuffy, mind you...

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

This is why nobody likes you...