Critical Mass Rider vs Police Officer
- Thread starter SixSider
- Start date
Wow.
Playing devil's advocate here. If the cop was trying to cross and he thought the rider was leaning in toward him (which it looks like he is doing - sort of stealing himself for the collision) he may have been defending himself against it.
He used an awful lot of force though and it almost looks like he is going for the guy, like he had his eye on him the whole time. It could also be that he was trying to make eye contact so the rider would know he was going to cross in front of him and the rider took it as a challenge.
I feel like neither of these people are completely innocent.
Playing devil's advocate here. If the cop was trying to cross and he thought the rider was leaning in toward him (which it looks like he is doing - sort of stealing himself for the collision) he may have been defending himself against it.
He used an awful lot of force though and it almost looks like he is going for the guy, like he had his eye on him the whole time. It could also be that he was trying to make eye contact so the rider would know he was going to cross in front of him and the rider took it as a challenge.
I feel like neither of these people are completely innocent.
Critical Mass has been a contentious issue for cops. Although they can by court order ride without a permit, cops are free to ticket for any other infractions (such as riding without the proper lights. Yeah.) Bike tickets are dumb - my ex husband has gotten ticketed for all kinds of craziness.
Still and all - not cool.
Still and all - not cool.
seriously? i think there is plenty of video before the cop shoved the guy off his bike to establish the setting. you think the rider was violently flipping the cop off, but then hurriedly put his hands back on the handles before coming into view? or maybe he was making lewd gestures and talking shit about the cops mom?
i don't know man, even before knowing what the cop was going to do to the guy, i could see him (the cop) scanning the oncoming riders and singling one out. i mean, he moves to catch the guy. sure there is information that we don't have, but i think all the information present in that video is pretty damning. especially considering his report of what happened is a fabricated in every detail and doesn't match up with anything in that video.
The general consensus from Critical Mass rider you were behind them (yes, they are biased but I've talked to them) is that what you see is what it was: Riders were going around the officers, the one officer started to move forward, the rider moved a bit to the left to go around the officer (but wasn't swinging EXTRA wide) and was then, basically, jumped.
Up to that point, nothing was happening that has not happened at all of the critical masses before. Nothing was different.
I am NOT saying this is a case of NYPD striking out at Critical Mass. Yes, they are hyper-sensitive and will arrest for the slightest provocation beyond bike riding. But this appears to be a case of an officer who had only been on the force for 3 weeks, is only 22 years old, and got over excited – to the point of randomly selecting a rider and pushing them.
I obviously have no idea of all the details. I do know from my previous experiences with the NYPD at similar events (Idiotarod, etc.) that 95% of police officers are supportive of such events... as long as nothing unexpected happens. But there are also always the officers who seem to approach it, visibly pumped and agitated.
Up to that point, nothing was happening that has not happened at all of the critical masses before. Nothing was different.
I am NOT saying this is a case of NYPD striking out at Critical Mass. Yes, they are hyper-sensitive and will arrest for the slightest provocation beyond bike riding. But this appears to be a case of an officer who had only been on the force for 3 weeks, is only 22 years old, and got over excited – to the point of randomly selecting a rider and pushing them.
I obviously have no idea of all the details. I do know from my previous experiences with the NYPD at similar events (Idiotarod, etc.) that 95% of police officers are supportive of such events... as long as nothing unexpected happens. But there are also always the officers who seem to approach it, visibly pumped and agitated.
The instances of harassment by the cops are well-documented.
Last month I was walking down 14th street when the cops were cracking down on critical mass. A serious lot of police power to basically, um, assert their power. Their actions were more disruptive to traffic than anything they could possibly have been hoping to accomplish.
People on the sides of the streets watching were shocked and booing the police. Police on motor bikes (those lazy three-wheeler kind) were riding down the crowded SIDEWALK, nearly running over pedestrians to try to cut off the bikers.
None of it made any sense and just seemed a wayward glance away from explosion (from the cops.) It was nice to see normal law abiding people taking the risk and booing the cops for endangering citizens in their pointless display of dickitude.
Last month I was walking down 14th street when the cops were cracking down on critical mass. A serious lot of police power to basically, um, assert their power. Their actions were more disruptive to traffic than anything they could possibly have been hoping to accomplish.
People on the sides of the streets watching were shocked and booing the police. Police on motor bikes (those lazy three-wheeler kind) were riding down the crowded SIDEWALK, nearly running over pedestrians to try to cut off the bikers.
None of it made any sense and just seemed a wayward glance away from explosion (from the cops.) It was nice to see normal law abiding people taking the risk and booing the cops for endangering citizens in their pointless display of dickitude.
