SMCM WTF?
Thread started by
tortuga_veloce at 01.9.09 - 1:40 pm
what's the deal with SMCM? it seems like every time it happens, people just get fucked with by the cops! i mean, at a certain point, does this become counter-productive? i'm all for outrunning the cops when they come gunning for you, but it just doesnt seem like fun to do SMCM if you expect to be fucked with.
in addition (and this is my main point) what if some newcomers to the bike scene (maybe a family or kids) hear about SMCM, decide to go riding, and get run off the road by some motorcycle cops? if SMCM was my first ride, i would very likely have gotten back in my car and said "fuck bicycles."
don't get me wrong, I think that it's important to stand up for our rights in a reasonable way, and I've never seen anything but safe and sane riding on an SMCM. and certainly, the behavior of SMPD with regard to SMCM is at best misguided, and at worst illegal.
i want to do SMCM, and I want to like SMCM. i just don't want to risk getting a stupid $10 ticket, and the benefit just doesnt seem to outweigh the risk for me.
here are a few suggestions
-carrying literature to pass out to cars and police, like at SFCM
-designating "legal riders" to license their bikes at SM City Hall for SMCM, then videotape the ride from the back, like the lawyers guild.
-carrying shotguns, like the black panthers
LET'S DISCUSS! THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY TO DO SMCM.
WHAT ARE OUR OBJECTIVES?
WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES?
WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS?
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the first time i went on it, i saw motorcycle cops swerving in front of bikes, without warning, in a misguided attempt to single people out to pull over. what started out as a happy and carefree ride, escorted by bicycle officers ended with a bunch of people pulled over, and a bunch of motorcycles hemming us in, dangerously close to the curb.
that was the first ride where the police acted negatively towards cyclists. it bothered me greatly. shortly after, the criminanimals ride blocked traffic in front of city hall, which i believe only discredited the cause.
In my opinion, we need to have consistent and solid arguments, and we need to be informed about the laws and about our rights. those of us who ride on SMCM have a special responsibility to be able to explain why they are doing what they are doing.
Alex Thompson showed me this site which is a great start for anyone looking to understand how bicycle laws work and how they compare to other traffic laws
http://www.vcbike.org/bikelaw/bikelaw.htm
tortuga_veloce01.9.09 - 2:03 pm
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i havent been on smcm in like, two years. the next time a cop swerves at you, let him hit you. make sure someone videos it. then a lawsuit ensues and all the money sm uses for all the extra cops on friday night will go into your pocket.
ruinedbyidiots01.9.09 - 2:06 pm
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i just want this bullshit to stop. let justice come through the streets, the courts or the city council. i want to ride around santa monica with my friends, and be left the fuck alone. that's our right. since so many of us are already willing to fight, let's decide on a course of action that will have the best result.
to quote Abbie Hoffman,
"REVOLUTION SHOULD BE FUN"
tortuga_veloce01.9.09 - 2:20 pm
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i just want to get hit and sue
_iJunes01.9.09 - 2:33 pm
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You can be like the guy that got tackled by a cop while riding on NYCM
Gav01.9.09 - 4:25 pm
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Whatever happened to that guy? Is he suing?
skd01.9.09 - 4:29 pm
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A POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
Use staged photographs, op-eds, and video to humiliate the officials in Santa Monica. Turn their city into a joke about "latte liberals".
First, orchestrate funny pictures of bikes harassing bike riders - which make the cops look like dopes. I am a fan of "Fishing for Cops" with donuts on fake fishing poles zip-tied to bikes.
Obeying the law while mocking its application would be an effective route in this situation.
Second, the City of Santa Monica is fighting a similar fight against people who exercise in a median strip by a bunch of million dollar homes. They have laws that forbid people from doing push-ups and sit ups on public land!
That mixed with this issue is simply too much. What is next? An ordinance that requires you to watch T.V. and eat bean and cheese burritos from Taco Bell? Santa Monica has made itself a joke to be tossed around the national airwaves.
It would be effective to let everyone else in the country in on the joke: "This fun City is getting a bad rep for trying to stop people from exercising!"; "Coming up, Santa Monica - a place where the fit get fitter? You might be surprised after this report."
I mean, those leads write themselves.
ubrayj0201.9.09 - 4:49 pm
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Sorry - that line should read : Cops harrassing bike riders
ubrayj0201.9.09 - 4:50 pm
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Suggestions were made at this thread
here, but the counter argument was, "we don't want to piss off the drivers." So nothing else gets planned, no counter plan is discussed and nothing gets resolved.
Sad cause I miss coming to SMCM.
User101.9.09 - 5:13 pm
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SMCM is not an organized ride. It goes where it wants and people will show up whether it gets posted here or not.
If you want to change the way SMCM turns out then show up and start making it happen. Talking about it on the internets has very little effect.
Crank mob is a great example of this principle. It was terrible for crashes and bad behaviour for the last few months. People bitched about ti on the internet to no end, but it only got better this last time because people like Richie (and others) stepped up and said something to everyone AT THE RIDE instead of just venting in the forum.
stillline01.9.09 - 6:57 pm
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That's not quite right. People bitched about it, the Crank Mob ride online and then the next one got changed. People bitched about another thing about the Crank Mob ride and now things will get changed again.
End result is it pays to bitch about things online if you want to see change. Same thing will happen to SMCM eventually.
User101.9.09 - 7:43 pm
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@User1
People complain all the time at about everything. It didn't change cause of complaints it changed because of actions taken by people who I've never heard complaining.
stillline01.9.09 - 7:48 pm
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Yes it changed cause people spoke up for change online. It's easier and more affective to do it in this forum, than it is with a bunch of drunks getting high right before a ride, yeah?
User101.9.09 - 8:35 pm
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"Crank mob is a great example of this principle. It was terrible for crashes and bad behaviour for the last few months. People bitched about ti on the internet to no end, but it only got better this last time because people like Richie (and others) stepped up and said something to everyone AT THE RIDE instead of just venting in the forum."
@ Stillline:
Yes. Agreed. It was amazing - C.R.A.N.K. Mob, all those people calling stuff out and being aware.
what i realized through this experience is that "you can't change people. you can only inspire them to evolve."
bondink01.9.09 - 9:25 pm
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"Yes it changed cause people spoke up for change online. It's easier and more affective to do it in this forum, than it is with a bunch of drunks getting high right before a ride, yeah?"
@ User1:
No. I disagree. I think these forums are a great "web" (pardon the pun) of communication for Ridazz. However, that is just what they are.
Safe Mob was something that Richie and Shues and a list of other ridazz created. They pulled about 16 ridazz over and handed out the c.r.a.n.k.mobmandments and then in twos they all set out to just inform other ridazz that we all wanted to have fun and go home in one piece, bike intact.
It was the safest ride i have ever been on.
all those ridazz came together and did something about it. most of them do not float the forums regularly, they had never complained and in the end, took action into their own hands.
lead by example. i'm just sayin' - if you had been there, you would understand.
bondink01.9.09 - 9:32 pm
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@ complainers
stop bitching. it's very ironic.
--
agreed, taking action is necessary to accomplish any goal. shues and richie got together in person and online and threw something together. it wasnt overwhelmingly hard and it didnt take a lot of brainstorming.
all they needed was a good idea, a shoestring budget and a lot of friends.
THE QUESTION IS...
what is wrong with SMCM?
and
what are we going to do to change it?
--
Maybe we can take the flyer idea, and print out some information handouts on bicycle law and safety.
I can help with that. Everyone is invited to contribute to my work or do it yourself.
Does anyone else have a concern or an idea that can help?
tortuga_veloce01.10.09 - 3:33 am
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You guys aren't giving credit where credit is due. The change started the day after the ride. People didn't like some aspects of the crank mob ride. The thread was over 100 posts long. Do I have go and dig this up for you guys? Crank mob is Richie's and some westsider's baby. They saw what people didn't like and initiated change. It went from A--->B--->C, you want to just acknowledge B--->C? Fine, noooooooo problem. I'll stand by my position that forums are a VERY effective tool in implymenting change. As is taking a stand and voicing your disapproval.
And for the record I was at the last four crank mob rides.
User101.10.09 - 4:47 pm
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ahahaha!
i saw User1 at the ROBOTZ ride last night and he admitted that he agreed with my opinion, but just wanted to keep nagging on the threads!
ahahahaha! i LOVE you, User1 - see you at C.R.A.N.K. Mob next week!
bondink01.11.09 - 3:44 pm
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@USer1
That whiskey you gave me on robotz kicked my ass.
Come to the next SMCM please. I'll be there.
stillline01.11.09 - 4:37 pm
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guurrrrrl, wacha smokin ova da west side!?!?!?!
User101.11.09 - 5:03 pm
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stillline,
You guys going to run from the cops again? Bail outa SM?
I'll pass but thanks anyway!
User101.11.09 - 5:12 pm
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Ridazz Roulette!