Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by vxla on September 29, 2008 at 12:25pm

Ok, so what are you trying to achieve? Bike lanes on the new North Avenue bridge, or sidewalks? My comment was only about the illegality of riding bicycles on sidewalks. I do not believe protesting the issue during a bike ride "without any agenda" is the way to get the ball rolling, even if it may give the ball a slight push while already rolling.

Permalink Reply by L. Jerome on September 29, 2008 at 12:43pm

CCM would be a great opportunity to pass out info/literature/whathaveyou to people that will really care about the issue... printing out info and handing it out as everyone assembles in Daley Plaza - you would have a huge group all in one place, and they won't just throw them out like randoms on the street might

Permalink Reply by vxla on September 29, 2008 at 12:45pm

Just today I heard that CM has no agenda. At least that's the line that keeps getting used, which I don't fully agree with.

There's a lot of other ways to draw attention to the issue, as well. I've written emails and called CDOT, IDOT, and the Mayor's office several times. Does anyone know who else to bring the issue up to?

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on September 29, 2008 at 2:08pm

vxla - Come to the next Mayor's bicycle council advisory meeting. Next one is Dec 10th.
vxla said:

Just today I heard that CM has no agenda. At least that's the line that keeps getting used, which I don't fully agree with.

There's a lot of other ways to draw attention to the issue, as well. I've written emails and called CDOT, IDOT, and the Mayor's office several times. Does anyone know who else to bring the issue up to?

Permalink Reply by Vilda on September 29, 2008 at 4:36pm

So I needed some time to calm down from the worst Mass I've been a part of. This is long but in depth and is entirely my perspective so if you think it's biased towards one thing or another it may be. I saw some over aggressive behavior but nothing that was awful...UNTIL i was at the intersection of Clark/Halsted/Barry.

A delivery driver was corked by several bikers and it was getting heated when the driver decided to drive through the cork and hit a biker (david). Now the biker was not hurt but his front wheel was brutalized.

The car belonging to the delivery driver was beaten on/spit on and kicked several times after he struck the biker.

Several people called 911, I was the only person to stay but many CM'ers gave their info to dave as witnesses. Here is where the fun begins....

The Reporting Officer (we'll call him Officer Tojo) arrived and immediately started yelling at me and dave. "Bikers just cause trouble." "Bikers are only thinking of themselves." Called us Morons and belittled us at every turn. Never wanted to hear what happened, and when i asked about dave pressing charges for vehicular assault, and Officer Tojo said it wasn't assault of any kind.

Now let's be clear...This was a stationary automobile that decided to hit a stationary bike that was in front of it. This is not only Vehicular Assault but it's also premeditated. This idiot driver had to decide to do it.


Now let's be clear...This was a stationary automobile that decided to hit a stationary bike that was in front of it. This is not only Vehicular Assault but it's also premeditated. This idiot driver had to decide to do it.


Officer Tojo decided to write a report but not issue citations to anyone. Now it gets really impressive.

The delivery driver then says that the person that kicked his car is over by the Domino's. This was great because Officer Tojo's response was "I thought you said they did it" as he pointed to us.

So the cop CALLS FOR BACKUP and places a girl over at Domino's in cuffs. Based solely on the word of a driver that is a psychopath. They take this poor girl over to the dented car and rant at her and take her info and write ANOTHER report without issueing a citation. As a side note I saw this girl when everything happened...she did spit on the car and yell at the driver but she never kicked anything. All those people rode off.

Eventually Officer Tojo lets the girl go and leaves with the now ridiculous show of force in 4 squad cars and one 4 wheeler. All-in-all nothing was done. So here is the lesson I've learned...Next time. Drag that driver right out of the car and kick his ass...then ride off. If the cops are going to do anything then we can handle it ourself. Right?

I work with police on a daily basis and have an acquaintance in the 23rd precinct, a Sgt, where this preposterous event took place. And when I'm suitably calm I'm going to approach him about filing a complaint against Officer Tojo. but for this moment the lesson I have learned is to kick ass first and ride away.

All for now,
gabe

Permalink Reply by Abby on September 30, 2008 at 3:03am

Gabe, I am so sorry to hear about this. It makes me really sad when things like this happen at CM, and from what I have gathered about the September ride...there were a few too many things to be sad about on such a happy day.

Keep your cool dude, you were doing the right thing.

Gabe said:

So I needed some time to calm down from the worst Mass I've been a part of.

Permalink Reply by 2slowtrek on September 30, 2008 at 3:59am

Gabe, Keep us updated if you speak to your SGT friend.
Even with all our witnesses we will not see justice because we were the mob I am thinking.

Permalink Reply by root on September 30, 2008 at 6:57am

just curious.. have you even ridden in a CM or are you just talking out your ass again?

Permalink Reply by vxla on September 30, 2008 at 9:35am

Ok, everyone chill out and relax. There's nothing wrong with people who ride in CM, nor those who object to it.

Please try and respect each others opinion even if they do not align with your own beliefs.

Thanks.

Permalink Reply by Anton on September 30, 2008 at 9:52am

fair enough. Deleted my response due to feeling silly for being roused on a message board.

vxla said:

Ok, everyone chill out and relax. There's nothing wrong with people who ride in CM, nor those who object to it.

Please try and respect each others opinion even if they do not align with your own beliefs.

Thanks.

Permalink Reply by L. Jerome on September 30, 2008 at 10:30am

yo gabe, that is rough... saw you at CM, chatted a bit... I agree, this CCM was more rowdy than i'm used to... it's so much more fun when we all smile and wave... and then SUV scream and swear and we wave and say "happy friday...grab your bike and join us next time...have a fun weekend" ...

a few first-timer friends and i, were surprised at the aggression of some of the cyclists... toward the end of the night, as we were making our way to LSD path some meat-head monster of a guy was stepping into the street yelling and swearing some cyclists just taunted him and tried to fight him... just keep riding kids... leave those apes behind, prove that you've evolved past fists and internal combustion engines

smile, sip your beer, and wave to the folks caught in traffic... next month they might take their bikes home, it's so much faster

Permalink Reply by Anton on September 30, 2008 at 4:04pm

I found this comment offensive. Not because it differs from my beliefs but because it is pointing blame at the victim of what was essentially, from what I understand of the incident thus far, a hate crime that could have happened to anyone on this board. Disabling someone's transportation and risking their safety is messing with someones life and, likely, their job. There was no compensation offered for this guy's wheel, the time and inconvenience of getting it replaced, not to mention cost of supplemental transportation in the meantime. All of this because a motorist threw a temper tantrum because he had to wait for the mass to pass. It's unfathomable to me that anyone, let alone a cyclist who makes it a point to be visible in a, albeit online, cycling community would be preaching about this driver's rights being violated though I don't expect someone who prioritizes five minutes of a motorists commute over a rally for cyclists rights to share my outlook. H3, this is the jist of the message I deleted, though slightly less emotional. Sometimes I forget how internet forums can get. Sorry if it got confusing. There's a fine line between being passionate and just adding to the silliness. Just trying to avoid the camp of the latter, though I'm not sure I've succeeded.

Video_Drome said:

Gabe said:

So here is the lesson I've learned...Next time. Drag that driver right out of the car and kick his ass...then ride off. If the cops are going to do anything then we can handle it ourself. Right?

such a Fonzie statement. This is why bikes are hated and people try and run us over.
yey bikes!!!!!

someone do me a solid, and stop yellin at cars unless they deserve it. You guys should've realized that YOU WERE MESSING WITH SOMEONES JOB!!!!! clearly we're missing the point. We have no right to mess with peoples lives like that. CM isn't a protest, its just an excuse.

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