CRCA Net NYPD parading proposal
By Ken Harris
I want to remind everyone that NYPD’s proposed change in the definition of a parade (to
any two people violating any traffic law) is coming up for review and immediate passage
on August 23. This redefinition transforms moving violations into a second arrestable
crime of parading without a permit. If you wish to become more informed, and make your
views known to your elected representatives, Transportation Alternatives makes this all
very easy:
http://www.transalt.org/e-bulletin/2006/Aug/0802.html#efaxl
You can easily click through to email your council member, the Speaker, and to fax the
Mayor.
The actual NYPD proposal is there for review as PDF.
There is also the “yield to peds” pledge, which is quite reasonable, nicely symbolic, and
highly non-binding.
If we all (as cyclists) step up and voice our objections, it is very unlikely that this will pass,
and, moreover, the City Council, the Mayor’s office, and NYPD may begin to see us as a
serious, organized, motivated, and large constituency. I am hoping that we can use the
backlash from this power-grab by NYPD to help us address the ongoing problems with
joggers in the cycling lane on the south side of the Park, and the new problem with the
Parks Police harassment of cyclists in the morning in the Park.
It was the consensus of the CRCA board at last night’s meeting that the voices of the
individual club members will have more impact than letters from the Board itself. So
please speak up if you view this a threat to your training, your right to free association,
your access to the the roadways and public spaces, or an offensive power-grab by the
NYPD.
More from Ben Harris
On July 18, 2006 the New York City Police Department proposed making the following changes to the City’s parade permit rules:
A Parade permit will be required for:
1) Any group of two or more cyclists or pedestrians traveling down a public street who commit a moving violation
2) Any group of 20 or more cyclists or 35 or more pedestrians traveling down a public street regardless of whether or not they commit a moving violation
3) Any two people committing any traffic violation may be considered to be parading.
Parading without a permit is an arrest-able offense.
While these changes are clearly aimed at the Critical Mass ride, they have far reaching effects on every cyclist, jogger and walker in the City. If you are with another person and you make an illegal turn, run a red light, exceed 15 mph in the park or commit another moving violation, you have now paraded without a permit, a jailable offence. Also, if you ride in a group of 20 or more, regardless of whether or not you commit a moving violation, this too, is parading without a permit and could land you in the clink.
There is a hearing on this proposed rule change on August 23rd, where the change is up for approval and could become effective as early as August 24th. While I am not normally a big activist, have never attended a protest, and don’t pay much attention to City politics, I find this proposed change to be shocking and cannot with a good conscience allow it to proceed without exercising everything in my power to stop it.
So what can we all do?
Transportation Alternatives has a very informative website on the subject and includes directions on who to contact, and includes simple links on how to contact the mayor your counsel member and others.
If you would like to testify at the hearing you must contact Assistant Deputy Commissioner Thomas P. Doepfner in advance. The TA website gives detailed instructions on how to do so.
Please take a look at TA’s website, and draw your own conclusions regarding the proposed rule change. For people who are opposed to it, I encourage them to write a letter or to testify at the hearing on the 23rd. Please help out and make sure this rule change does not take effect.
I got my whole family to do it!
I’m all over this!! Thnks for the heads up Detroit!
I strongly applaud T.A. putting up the alert page, though I think the issue goes significantly beyond whether the proposed rule will discourage cycling our not. This is my edit of the message, which I submitted to Council Speaker Quinn, who I think is probably the best chance for stopping this:
"I oppose the NYPD’s proposed changes to the City’s parade permit rules. These changes, requiring all group bicycle rides and walks to obtain onerous permits, are a shocking intrusion on the rights of free assembly and travel. What kind of people does the Police Dept. have inside it who could even come up with something like this? This sort of desire to control how, whether and with whom people walk or ride bicycles seems like something out of a much different political culture than our own."
If we cannot train in the park I will quit the sport, its bad enough being a cyclist in NYC this our one refuge.
You might leave the sport but others will leave NYC as it becomes a much less desirable place to live.To some of us NYC chauvinists, it’s hard to imagine civilization on the other side of the Hudson but more and more former CRCA’ers are taking the plunge and liking it. eg Smiley in Cali and Herriott in Seattle.
I notice that Transportation Alternatives has links to Time’s Up and seems to be organizations that are aligned with Critical Mass.
Isn’t the problem that Critical Mass, as nice as their purpose might seem, in practice is doing way more harm to cyclists than good? I mean, it’s been 10 years – I’m at a loss to understand what one positive outcome has come from intentionally clogging automobile traffic in that timeframe. In 10 years time, has any motorist sat in a standstill jam behind a pack of baggy short wearing hippie freds and said, well golly gee, we should put in better bike lanes for all these folks??? No. They get pissed. and despite the fliers that Critical Mass is supposed to hand to motorists (but rarely do), they are ready to chuck inanimate objects out the window the next time it’s just them and a cyclist on a back country road.
I notice that Transportation Alternatives has links to Time’s Up and seems to be organizations that are aligned with Critical Mass.
Isn’t the problem that Critical Mass, as nice as their purpose might seem, in practice is doing way more harm to cyclists than good? I mean, it’s been 10 years – I’m at a loss to understand what one positive outcome has come from intentionally clogging automobile traffic in that timeframe. In 10 years time, has any motorist sat in a standstill jam behind a pack of baggy short wearing hippie freds and said, well golly gee, we should put in better bike lanes for all these folks??? No. They get pissed. and despite the fliers that Critical Mass is supposed to hand to motorists (but rarely do), they are ready to chuck inanimate objects out the window the next time it’s just them and a cyclist on a back country road.
The TA form letter is great. I edited it to my own satisfaction–to make it sound, to my ear, more like me–and I encourage you to do the same. The more responses the City and the NYPD get, the better, and it can only help if those responses are varied.
i haven’t been in the park the a.m. in a while–is the ticketing still going on?
I totally agree with Jeff K, I’m a strong believer that the more often we as cyclists get aggressively in someone’s face and act like we own the road, the quicker we’ll lose this battle…when it’s just you against them and they have an SUV and you have a helmet and they have to decide whether to go a little too close to oncoming traffic to avoid clipping you, it’s gonna catch up to you. There’s a lot of times drivers have made really dangerous, bonehead moves around me but I’ve always at least TRIED to make the effort to take a deep breath and count to ten before trying to rationally (and nonconfrontationally) talk to them about watching out for cyclists…it seems to work, really calming them down and making them much more receptive to my message, rather than just giving them the single-fingered salute. But seriously, everyone send that fax in the park, having to ride significantly below 20mph in central park will effectively end half of NYC’s cyclists ability to build racing fitness (not that I have any this season any way!!)
Hello! finally we as racers are going to have a discussion on this. What took so long. Every time I’ve brought it up in the past 20 years I was written off as a militant nutcase. Yeah quit the sport if you can’t ride in the park.
That takes a lot of guts. Jeff CM is corrodinated in ever major city in the world at the same time. I think someone is taking notice. The car doesn’t work to trans our fat asses around any more then piles of knee deep horseshit made much sence in the 1860’s. There is a better way – thank you Ken for joining the fight.
Man in the sixties the cops made my head look like skippy chunky. We won – now cops can wear long hair and mustaches. Look around, do you think all the crap you take for granted came easy. Wipe your tears and fight for what is your right. Go to the article/interview on Mike Lyach. It was Lou Maltese that brought the Mayor to the park to involve more participation in CP by getting the park closed on weekends. If you don’t know your history you will be forced to relive the same injustices’.
Lou treated them with force but he had a heart of gold to anyone who need his help. He would say fight, bend but don’t break.
I sent the text below to the Mayor and my city council person by mail, and cc’d the Police Commissioner and DOT Commissioner. Also, while I have never been on Critical Mass I completely support participants right to ride a bike.
==============================
I am writing to express alarm at the New York City Police Department
I used the TA website to write to Bloomberg by fax, but re-wrote the letter entirely. My guess is that a bunch of identical letters will have less impact than personalized letters. (My letter was nowhere near as good as JT’s–great letter. How about a free T-shirt contest for best letter?)
Also, I called my councilperson, Gayle Brewer and chatted for a long time with a staffer. In short, she is already committed to fighting against this law and finds it very offensive. (Keep in mind, your councilperson really wants your vote, those elections are often not won by great margins.)
Saw tickets being issued this morning to a few cyclists. I didn’t have a watch on but it was right around 7 am – if not before 7 am – and no cars were on the west side drive above 72nd yet.
Anyone is welcome to use/edit my letter as well. I Agree w/ Ted and others, personalized letters are much more effective.
—————————————————————
Dear Counsel member,
On July 18, 2006 the New York City Police Department proposed changing City rules to require parade permits for any group of two or more cyclists or pedestrians traveling down a public street and commit a moving violation or any group of 20 or more cyclists or 35 or more pedestrians.
My understanding is that this proposal sets out to address the "Critical Mass" rides that occur periodically in NYC and elsewhere. While I am very much against the disruptive critical mass rides, I am also a recreational cyclist and jogger and see this proposed rule as an outrageous abuse of the parade permit rules. This change impacts countless of innocent city residents that cycle, walk and run in the city, are not disruptive and have absolutely nothing to do with the Critical Mass ride. To require a group of friends that get together for a ride or a run on the weekend to apply for a parade permit is ridiculous. To change a simple moving violation, something that already carries with it a legal and financial penalty, into a violation of the parade permit laws, simply because the offender is with one other person is equally outlandish.
There is a hearing on this proposed rule change on August 23rd and I ask that you stop this rule change and help the NYPD find a more logical way to deal with the critical mass rides. I am sure that the NYPD is not targeting the recreational runner or cyclist with this proposed change, but I cannot with a good conscience allow a change of this type to proceed without exercising everything in my power to stop it.
I strongly oppose this rule and I ask that you help block this proposal and help everyone find a more reasoned way to deal with the Critical Mass group.
I thank you for your loyal service to this great city and your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Ben Harris
Just so everyone knows, the city counsel has zero authority to kill the proposed rule change. Rule changes always pass.
The only way to kill the proposed change is to lobby the police department directly or to testify at the hearing.
The best argument against the proposed rule change is the fact that it inevitably will be subjectively applied – meaning the NYPD is not going to arrest a group of 8 tourists for jaywalking but will gladly arrest anyone participating in Critical Mass. That type of subjective application is dangerous in that it does not permit joe average to know what his/her rights are.
We are stuck we the dual and incompatible legacies of Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs. It is the job of the government to stop the citizens from fighting over and destroying the commons. It is failing. I think we should see beyond this one fight and look to the long term. We, as cyclists, are a pretty selfish and inward looking bunch, but I believe that we can use this spur to to help make this a more livable city by forcing our representatives to think in terms of true urban planning, not ceaseless construction without infrastructure or humane transport.
Ken
Campocat – tell me this then.. Does Critical Mass have a stated measurable goal to achieve? Can it track it’s progress towards meeting that goal over the past 10 years?
It isn’t happening – the actions of critical mass are now directly backfiring on cyclists – but for no reason at all.
ANALOGY: Let’s say we are PETA, and maybe some of us are. There are a lot of ways for us to educate the public, make political statements and fight against fur coats etc. But when we take up actions such as throwing paint on a person and it becomes an unlawful act against the person we might have hoped to educate – we’ve lost. People of rational thought dismiss you as hoodlums. And that’s what Critical Mass has done to the cycling community.
Unless you can point to achievements of the Critical Mass movement, then it’s pointless – try something else – and achievements are not – getting more people to show up – getting the movement spread across the world.. Achievements are things like changes in the behavoir you are looking to change – less cars, more tolerance for cyclists, more bike racks, etc.
steve, please don’t be such a fatalist. each political organization depends on the other and the whole functions together. if the public (i.e., john & jane doe cyclist) organizes a response and puts equal political pressure across the board, the police will hesitate to act unilaterally.
you can believe whatever you want about the outcome of this bill – predestined to pass or open to amendment, but if you do nothing, you will achieve nothing
Jo’b
I am not trying to be a fatalist. I just talked to a lawyer who worked in the mayor’s office and is currently a lobbyist. He told me these things always pass. Believe me, I wish it were not true.
hmmm… as an attorney myself, i rarely believe what other attorneys tell me. but that is how i make my bread and butter.
see you on the 23rd at one police plaza.
The reason why we’re dealing with this is because of critical mass. This has nothing to do with racing cyclist, although it effects everyone that throws a leg over a bike. Now look where we are. The racing athlete trying to right the mess NYC cycling is falling into because of a pointless group of people who’s only intention is to grow bigger and grandstand the fact that they dont drive cars.
Here’s the letter I wrote. Should I call them, too? And what about showing up for the hearing: should we try to organize something? Isn’t that the same day as the Atlantic Yards hearing?
Dear Mr. Yassky,
It appears that the New York Police Department proposes to identify couples
who jaywalk as an illegal parade, and subject to arrest on the spot. I am
referring to their proposed amendment to "Subdivision (a) of section 19-02 of
Title 38 of the Official Compilation of the Rules of the City of New York,
which will now define a "parade" as "a group of two or more pedestrians…
proceeding together… in a manner that does not comply with all applicable
traffic laws…."
I wish to express my strongest disapproval of this proposed change and ask you
to use every power at your disposal to prevent it.
I commute from Park Slope to Manhattan by bicycle. If I am riding near
another cyclist, and we are in technical violation of a traffic law because we
are missing a bell or reflector, where before we would have been subject to a
fix-it ticket, under the proposed new rules we would be subject to immediate
arrest.
A public hearing will be held on Wednesday, August 23, 2006, in the 1st Floor
Auditorium at 1 Police Plaza, New York, at 6 p.m.
Would you please speak out at the hearing against this amendment?
If you are in favor of this amendment, would you please let me know why?
Thank you so much for your help,
Now is not the time to air grievances against CM. Whether you like them or not the issue is the clearly prejudiced application of rules that are in violation of our first amendment right to free assembly. We as cyclist are all potentially impacted by this rule whether or not we agree with the implied or expressed goals of CM, or participate. As long as we ride it doesn’t matter whether we are messengers, racers, commuters or recreational riders, we can all potentially lose our right to use the public streets of this city for lawful purposes because the police has it goal the limitation of the rights any one of us. We should not be throwing CM under the proverbial bus, as part of our argument against this rule, that just divides us, when we most need to be united. Even if this is only used against riders on CM, who is to say what potential other uses the police will find to apply this to. I, for one do not want to wait idly until they decide that races need a parade permit too, and the promoters decide that is the final straw and it is no longer worth the effort to hold races in the city.
Dan R
Maybe, but it sure has a lot to do with our rights as citizens. If we stand by and watch fundamental rights be chipped away bit by bit our democracy is lost. These parade rules are scary stuff and I hope everyone, at a minimum, uses the link at the TA website to let the mayor know your disgust for this.
are completely missing the point. If you don’t like CM, don’t go on it. I don’t. But the roads belong to the people, not only to cars.
The core problem is that too many people think cars rule, and too many cyclists don’t give a shit about the bigger issues in society. Take action — tell politicians what *you* want.
Just what we need another unattrative label applied to cyclists. Not only will be we traffic stallers, dopers, red light runners, we don’t need to add suborners of police to the list of unsavory things people think about when they look at somebody on a bike. Offering "donations" to the PBA will not solve the issue of the negative impression of cyclists in the public sphere.
The core of the problem is the lack of a clear and forward looking policy as to the use of the roadways and the public spaces, not TimesUp!/CriticalMass. The bicycle / running / blading industries do not lobby our representatives the way the energy and auto industries do. I am not here to defend CM, but they choke the streets 3 hours a month, we all breathe exhaust 24/7 if we live in the City. Blaming CM is like blaming the Weathermen for all the illegal ’60s wiretaps. This is about power, not about perps.
donate to the PBA as a reward for oppressing us?
I understand this will be a problem for all. I feel we must take take up the fight to see it shot down. I am also not blind to why we’re in this situation. I dont like to throw stones @ CM and well, if these people rode their bikes in a way that allowed auto’s and cyclist to share roadways respectfully ie..obeying lights and traffic signage, riding 2×2 or whatever is appropriate and so on, I wouldnt take the stand against them as I do.
The fact is you just cant spin 200+ bike riders down madison avenue and not expect problems. These laws that are being introduced, though backward ass and broadstroke effecting, isnt something that just popped up to kill bike riding in Manhattan. I think its the Mayor’s office half-ass way of killing this stupid ride.
PBA is not the issue either way. The parade rule and the broader harassment campaign is coming from higher up in the NYPD – PBA is essentially the union for rank and file cops.
I wonder what would be some of the CM defenders’ take on it if an organized group of pedestrians and runners decided to block the ability of "dangerous" cyclists to ride in central park by having human chains across the roadway certain days and times….
"The fact is you just cant spin 200+ bike riders down madison avenue and not expect problems."
Lee3, you can’t expect to have 5,000 cars down Madison Avenue and not expect problems. And that happens every day on every major street in the city. Look around. Get some perspective. Just because cars can go faster doesn’t mean they have more of a right to the roard.
As far as the comment about deciding to "block the ability of "dangerous" cyclists to ride in central park by having human chains across the roadway" that’s absurd. CM riders are just out riding. They are not blocking the road. They are riding. If 5,000 pedestrians decide to go for a walk in a place are allowed to walk, I’ve got no problem with it being on the bike. I’ll just have to ride slower or go somewhere else. No one has more of a right to use the road than other people.
Go take a look at CM at teh end of this month before you start ragging on it.
Now Lee3 and crew — are you actually going to do something in terms of talking to politicians? Writing on this board is not enough.
PS I have a car and my wife drives five days a week at least.
Well auto’s in manhatten are a problem, even to themselves but atleast they loosely obey traffic light signals and have laws such as not blocking the intersection box and such to allow orderly flow. Its not perfect but there’s a system in place. Now with 200+ biker riders on that same road or street, not obeying any traffic signage or lights, not sharing the lanes and so on lacks "perspective". In your own words "No one has more of a right to use the road than other people". This is why CM is a target here. Its like they use thier numbers as a shield against creating chaos. The name of the ride in and of itself is like wearing a "give me a summons" t-shirt.
I’ll do my small part to keep this snuffed out but I think the killing of this stupid ride would do wonders.
well then you miss the point didn’t you officer
whoops….meant to write "….shield FOR creating chaos"
to Lee3 –
So you suggest supressing the rights of others to peacefully assemble is an acceptable price to pay so you can continue to race in this city?
is CRCA articulating its position on the 23rd?
anyone else we know speaking at this thing or is it going to be a medly of crackpots?
no……I accept the laws state that if you are gonna ride your bicycle on public roadway in the presence of other vehicular traffic, one must obey the signs and lights. Look @ NYCC. A textbook case of how to "assemble" on a bicycle. Their rides have order. When they spin through harlem, sometimes 60 or 70 strong, they have no problems. The Gimbels ride, somewhat guilty of the same infractions as CM, but atleast they make an effort to stop at signs and lights, share the roads with traffic and, for what its worth, hit speeds that make the auto issue somewhat bearable. That ride has been going on since WWII and not a peep. Ever since the Repubican convention came to town this CM thing just gets worse and worse. i see these idiots on their bikes in the news voicing their views amidst the chaos they create and I think to myself, this is not what riding a bike in Manhattan is about. Their freedom to assemble shouldnt be taken away but someone should be responsible for the actions of THIS group.
We need a mob like the won who organized in Mel Brook’s Young Frankenstein – to go after CM – pitchfork and torches style!
"CM thing just gets worse and worse. i see these idiots on their bikes in the"
Where did you see this?
"not obeying any traffic signage or lights, not sharing the lanes and so on lacks "perspective"
What? Where did you see this? There is no way the Manhattan or Brooklyn Critical Masses have 200 people running lights. And sharing lanes? You’re telling me that in Manhattan, on an avenue, if you were running a 200 person ride group that group should be single file so a car can be in the same lane? Wow.
"They are intentionally blocking the road & pissing people off every time they ride."
They are riding on a public road. There is no minimum speed limit. If people are pissed off that the bikes aren’t getting out of their way, that’s not the bikes problem. You have bought in to the car owns the road nonsense.
Critical mass is a single bike ride each month in each boro that lasts at most a couple hours once a month. It’s a nice scapegoat for a few people high up in the NYPD and
Again — are you guys moaning about CM going to actually moan to the city about these rules?
And moan about all the cars blocking traffic the next time you crawl down park avenue in a cab? Like the traffic jam that I can speak about with certainty that is going to happen this afternoon. Now! There are cars out there blocking traffic. Take a look outside.
JFT – What have you accomplished with Critical Mass?
Traffic’s bad, yes. So the solution is to make it worse? And that approach is working? Where are the results?? – how much time does Critical Mass need to establish that pissing off motorists isn’t going to do crap-all for cyclists, or anyone else. You’ve got this holier than thou approach to dealing with a problem, and you won’t even accept the (lack of) results or consequences of your actions.
"You’ve got this holier than thou approach to dealing with a problem"
The approach is not "holier than thou"– JT seems to be expecting equality. Public roads are for everyone, motorists and cyclists have equal rights.
But there seem to be 2 different issues being hashed out here: 1. whether cyclists have the same road-use rights as motorist, and 2. whether the CM ride is effective or possibly detrimental. I don’t think JT has taken a position on #2, but on #1 he’s adamant. If you’re going to blast him, be accurate.
Ken is right about the lack of forward thinking when it comes to our metropolitan roadways. Its a complete joke that there is a bike lane on selective streets in this city and not all of them. There’s one that starts on 14th street @ second avenue and ends @ houston and cabs and trucks just whip into it without a shred of concern as to whether they’re endangering one’s life.
everyone here dosen’t want tooth decay
but no one wants to go to the dentist
have a cup cake and call me in the morning
It’s pretty depressing how some people on this board don’t appreciate what our democracy is about. Whether or not Critical Mass is "effective" people have a right to use the roads and a right to political protest. They could be riding down the streets in white robes with signs saying KKK and they still have right to be there. The fact that cops hate CM doesn’t in the slightest make the proposed rules acceptable, even if they are only applied to CM or the Klan or peace marchers or PETA or whoever.
If you want to argue against CM go ahead — that’s your right. But at least do something about this parade ruling — don’t sit back and say "oh, it’s only about CM" so the govt can take their rights away. That’s scary stuff.
One other thing Lee3 — I don’t see what the NYPD running possibly illegal surveillance on CM has to do with anything. You should be speaking out against that, not using that as some sort of excuse for inaction on your part. And Moscow police? WTF are you talking about?
"More constructive ways"? What are YOU doing. Have you written to the mayor or your city council member yet? Are you going to do that? DO IT.
anyone who argues with JFT must enjoy arguing, he seems to be a professional. We all want to have more freedom to ride our bikes, those who think a confrontational approach will work, good luck. For the others who want a more diplomatic solution, there are many possibilities. I always imagine the park loop permanently closed to autos, split in two with joggers/peds in one lane and bicycles and possibly roller bladers (not sure where they fit in exactly yet) etc. in the other…the truth is there are just too many people out there to believe that it is fair to ride at 5 mph down broadway and say "that’s just the car’s problem, there’s no minimum speed limit on public roads, you’re just buying into the whole ‘cars own the road’ idea" you’re just being selfish and blind to the larger picture of how manhattan has to move. Good point on a deeper, philosophical level though, I’m sure your TA in your first year hume class will totally agree with you…
"I’m sure your TA in your first year hume class" — yeah, it’s all about talk. I mean, what’s the point of the Bill of Rights other than chit chat and mental masturbation and showing off in class. They don’t mean much really… and if CM isn’t effective why should we care about those people’s rights?
Part of the message of Critical mass is we are all living together in this urban environment. The Auto should rule our roads. While the majority of Racing cyclists are generally of a more conservative leaning. I’d ask you all to support CM and TA to help kill what is frankly an Un American infringement on our collective civil liberties. The right to gathe, protest, or just ride our bikes falls pretty squarely in line with that most trodden upon of documents the US Constitution.
And for the writer who says a bunch of yahoos blocking traffic is not what riding a bike in Manhattan is about. Well there are more than a handful of members of the road runners club who would say that applies to kids in lycra 200+ clipping through "their" beloved park at 6 am clocking 25 mph.
America in the 60s, there were two major philosophies of protesting the most egregious oppression at that time. One was led my Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, the other led by Malcolm X.
Of the two, the CM ride is more similar to King’s protests: legal, peaceful "marching" down a major avenue in Manhattan (except for one difference: a true equivalent would have King’s followers marching on the sidewalk, not the street. But since bicycles aren’t permitted on the sidewalks, the streets are the appropriate marching places).
There was a lot of resistance and anger toward MLK’s protests, just as there is toward the CM ride. In retrospect, it’s easy to see that MLK’s people weren’t hurting anyone. They just wanted to be heard and recognized as equals. It’s similar to the CM people– they don’t have the by-any-means-neccessary, militant approach that might be justified for their (our) plight. They’re "marching" peacefully to bring attention to our oppression. And the ones who are inconvenienced and angered are the very ones who benefit by our absence on the roads. Appeasing them (satiating their greed) will maintain our position as non-citizens.
Oppression can’t be fought while bowing. One must stand.
(Disclaimer: This post has not been approved by JT)
Thank You NY Velocity for being not just an endless source of entertainment but also for being a community advocate.
MLK’s protests had someone that took responsibility for their actions. CM is leaderless. No one to answer for the actions of the small minority of riders that take that ride a bit more militant than others.
JFT no one here is saying ‘lets take away CM’s right to gather or assemble’ as you seem to be adament about. I agree with this position, however it seems like you’re basing your posts on something otherwise. Let’s just admit – the only reason why this law is an issue is because of the CM agenda. Just admit it. I dont want to see this law enacted anymore than you, but I’m not blind to see what brought about this whole dilemma in the first place. Those pics I posted were there to illustrate the contrast between "JUST RIDING", as you write, which is done by groups like NYCC, and the other kind which involve law authorities, tv cameras and congested traffic issues and what not. You cant see the difference with this?
I’ve made written contact with my mayor over bike lane issues in the past and I’m also looking into trying to bring an ITT to the west side greenway. So I can say I do a small part for NYC’s cycling culture. I think a tad bit more constructive than calling together an unmanagable group of people to ride NYC streets @ evening rush hours and quite frankly f’kn shit up for the joe commuter that just wants to get from point a-b without the stigma. So you want to know what I’ve done – there it is. Not that I need to justify it to ya but since you asked.
As far as runners in cpk go. They are just as guilty of bad decisions as cyclists. I’ve seen many a jogger use the park in ways that befuddle logic. Darting in front of, crossing without looking and the list goes on. I’m not saying cyclists are saints but its our skins too. Most of the real runners know how to co-exist with cycling clubs. Its the weekend park-rider and the occassional jogger that usually have clashes.
Are you guys serious?!?! comparing the Critical Mass ride to MLK and the civil rights movement in the 60’s? I don’t take issue with people defending the CM rides, but please get some perspective.
for camparing King’s civil rights movement to CM.
Civirl rights (and the marches) were supported by a sizeable portion of the population or at least a large numbers of people. Also, it proved to be effective. Nobody, save for the mostly young riders in CM support it and from what I can tell doesn’t develop sympathy from anyone to increase their numbers. Addtionally the fact that so many cyclists (who hate cars, see the need for more alt transportation modes, think the police are too aggressive) don’t even like CM speaks volumes about how innefective it really is…Condier that last fact.. please….
I’m saying that anybody — MLK, CM or even the KKK has a right to assemble and a right to free speech and we should all be outraged that government attempts to end that for any of them. CM participants can be ticketed if they break the law. It’s not appropriate to say that because CM is (supposedly) an ineffective political movement that they should be stopped by law in a way that undermines freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
"CM is not like MLK"
"OK, then, its more like Eldridge Cleaver"
"Does that make the TA, like….Beaver Cleaver?"
"This is getting ridiculous"
"No, it got ridiculous about 10 posts ago"
No one is comparing CM to MLK or the Civil Rights Movement. Eugene brough it up to compare protest methods, not to say the reason for the protest are similar.
Ohhh so now its a "political movement" – what happened to ( "CM riders are just out riding. They are not blocking the road.")?
CM riders are not blocking the road, they’re travelling on it– just like motorists.
Political, riding, whatever. Freedom of an assembly is a political right, whether or not the people doing it have a political purpose or a social purpose or no purpose whatsoever. It’s like someone want to worship God or Wicca or the Cookie Monster. They can view it as a personal thing or whatever. And they have a political right to do it.
Read the Constitution. Everyone should read it at least once in their life. Esp the first ten amendments, which I think are called the Bill of Rights.
Even without the parade law, and I don’t think they’ll use it against cyclists in Central Park, the 15 mph spped limit and enforcement of red ight violations makes training almost impossible.
We’ve been cooperative in trying to stop the night ride and encouraging smaller training groups. There are times that the park is too crowded and unsafe to ride fast but the crackdown is focused in the morning, when the park is not congested. The crazy thing is that just a little consideration by other park users for us would make the situation manageable. We also need to address the issues of park safety within a plan that would allow training. For example making runners aware that they need to look at oncoming traffic when they wander across the street.
When cars are in the park, they have the right to go 25 mph and they stink up thw whole park and make a lot of noise,but people don’t wander in front of cars. Bikes travelling at 25 mph cause much less pollution, noise and disruption than the cars but people wander across the road and get hurt. Reducing the hours for cars in the park has made cyclists more of a target.
We’ll keep our races but if people can’t train, what good is it.
Just as pack races are seen as safer than TT’s maybe we can set up sanctioned park training rides even including a moto. The training rides will be clearly visible to other park uses and avoid random congestion and chaos. Legalizing the night ride? I must be losing my mind.
Stray riders must obey the traffic laws and reduce speed but
Areas in the parks noth end will be designated as open for interval training. speed must be reduced in the south end and by Delacorte theatre and downhill approaching 72nd St on the west side.
The idea is to reduce create some sort of order.
I know that large pack rides work in the Bois du Bologne in Paris but don’t know anything about overall park usage. Is there anything to learn form how things work there?
The anonymous post has traction. I never see runners dart and dash when cars are in the park, or cross without checking and such. Just because runners have the #’s they are responsible for their and OUR safety as well. Like I said earlier. The real running athletes in the park, and I’m talking about the ones that run in Jan., know the drill and yes I’ll fess up. The unsaid ride is something that I friggen love. That ride never gets hassled by the fuzz, the runners know we’re there and there have been times when I hear the occassional cheer from them. Fast forward to when the weather gets warmer and the indoor treadmill types come out and all of a sudden the night riding becomes taboo! Its all political. The runners want 6am-7 – end of story. I’m always hearing about how all of a sudden its more crowded in the mornings. They know that this prime training time and they know that cyclist are in the park during these hours and quite frankly are muscling us out. The cops could care less. Otherwise you’d see cops doing this same thing in 32 degree Jan.
That should be easy to do. Just get the motos, get permission for dates/times from the park and now maybe the police too, get the riderrs to sign up, maybe set up some signs and cones. Pretty easy to do.
You probably don’t need insurnace since it is just training but insurance is probably easy to get. Simple.
You could also get the riiders to pay the costs, but that would be a hassle so probably just doing it for free would be the way to go.
I’d ride those rides. Great ideas guys. I hope you can start it before the season ends. Maybe if you can’t CRCA can. CRCA should organize this. Talk to Ken Harris and get him to do it. Or get Charlie I to do it.
If it were that easy to organize a training ride with moto etc., why are our races at 6am? The last thing we need is an offical organized training ride (without marshalls?) where someone could nail a pedestrian or runner and screw up racing in the park for good. One accident with a time trial killed that form of racing for the forseable future. To all the whiners – training the in the park is still easy pre 7am post 7pm and if you have the luxury of being able to train when its bright and sunny in the morning and cars are in the park, why aren’t you heading up over the GWB anyway?
And if a pedestrian gets nailed by an unofficial ride we’ll be in better shape?
Pedestrial get hit by solo biker – it happens. Pedestrian gets hit by a biker during sactioned training ride we’re just as screwed as if it was a race. At least with the races there are marshalls etc to warn people.
I’m pretty sure MOTOS was being sarcastic about how "easy" it would be to do something like that.
5am-7am.
Joggers>use bike & joggers lane
Slow Cyclists/roller bladers>15-20mph left traffic lane
Fast cyclists>20mph+right traffic lane.
no more than 4 teammates per paceline.
All bikes must have flashies in the dark or get tickets.
Fast movers in the slow lane get tickets
Speed limits/stop signs lights apply after 7am..
Will they be able to confiscate bikes as evidence?
"Will they be able to confiscate bikes as evidence?"
if you get arrested, then yes, i would imagine that’d take your bike and throw it in a police locker somewhere and you’d have to pay a fee to get it back.
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