SFCM rolls thru red lights with thousands of bikes. I know from experience. I never saw a SFPD give a hassle to the riders who were moving along in the ride. That said, however, Richie & I did see a bicyclist who was standing off his bike corking at an intersection get into trouble with SFPD. An officer on a SFPD Dual-Sport went strait towards him stopped an inch away from him, yelled at him to move along. The bicyclist just stood there not moving. the Officer rolled back a few feet revved up and charged,making minor but firm contact, and yelled "move on". This happened again. After this the guy with the bike wasn't moving and the Officer pulled back farther revved and SLAMMED into the guy knocking him down with force. I was in the moving sea of bikes, and that's all I saw, but I'd guess the guy probably got arrested/ticketed? I sure couldn't figure out that guys reasoning for not moving on when told the first time.
I went into SMPD with a few others a couple years ago, tried to reason why CM rolls thru lights. SMPD didn't buy it. I suggested that if the ride gets broken up by traffic lights, it will only make the line of bikes longer, and our traffic will take longer to move thru the area. This will mean longer for automobiles waiting. I know it wasn't the "original" intentions of Critical Mass, but I think it will be a bigger impact. It would be even more to the point if it is a fully legal ride, with more bicycle traffic. Bicycles win then, as we are traffic, and that to me is the point of critical mass rides.
Gern09.23.10 - 5:26 pm
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