Tucson Cops Spoil Tuesday Night Bike Fun : AZ IMC

Over 200 bicyclists have been meeting on the University of Arizona campus every Tuesday night at 8pm, in front of Old Main, and riding around central Tucson for a couple hours. Every week the ride was a largely carefree activity and tremendous fun for everyone, with no injuries, no attention from the police, and not even much complaining or shouting from the slightly inconvenienced motorists who happened to intersect with the pedallers.

However, this week the cyclists arrived at the meeting place to find the boys in blue waiting for them - about 5 motorcycle cops, 8 bicycle cops, 6 police cars, a van, and a huge flatbed truck (later it was clear that this was intended to transport the impounded bicycles of arrested bikers). This posse proceeded to escort the ride along its usual route, even blocking traffic at all intersections for the riders. But it wasn't all fun and games. The motorcycle cops piloted their smelly and noisy machines at high speeds up and down the line of bikes, occasionally barking terse instructions through their intercoms demanding that the bikers keep far to the right side of the street. One rider was overheard observing that she felt like she was "in a concentration camp."

One participant was actually arrested as a result of this policy. On a narrow, quiet street when the ride slowed, the rider, perched atop a tallbike (an extra high bike made from multiple bike frames welded on top of each other) that he rides every week, apparently had trouble keeping his steed far enough over for the cops' satisfaction. It was unclear to this writer and other witnesses exactly what he was being charged with, but he was handcuffed and taken downtown, and his high-altitude machine loaded into the police truck. Erik Ryberg, a lawyer specializing in defending bicyclists who was on the ride, hypothesized that the charge would probably be failure to obey a police officer. Others wondered if the arrestee had been singled out by the police because he was easily recognizable on his tallbike and had been on the previous night's ride against police brutality downtown.

Several other riders stopped to watch what the cops were doing and were yelled at to keep moving or they'd be arrested. The ride continued but shed many of its participants, with the police continuing their harrassment. It's unknown at this time if any other arrests or citations were made.

It's also unknown at this time what will happen to these wonderful weekly expressions of bike fun and street community now that the pigs are apparently intent on destroying it.

I'm all for bikes and all of that, but sometimes you people carry it a little too far. When you're blocking public streets in ways that don't let other traffic through - people who need to get home to their kids, to work, or whatever, how do you expect people to react? You score points by being respectful of other people's needs, not just asserting your own.

Of course, the cops probably did act as though the bikers were in a concentration camp; they usually do. Does this surprise you? So, my question to you is, why set yourselves up for such a confrontation with the cops in the first place? If you rode your bikes responsibly - if you didn't try to attract such large numbers of people at a time, thus blocking streets and obstructing the rights of others, there would probably have been no problem.

We Are Traffic
by responsible bicylist Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007 at 9:38 AM

Your argument assumes that bikes have less right to the road than cars do, which is not true. I might just as well say, why don't motorists stop driving in such large groups that cause traffic jams?

I admit there are some riders on such rides that take unneccessary risks and try to purposely provoke drivers and generally just let their testosterone rule, but these are in the minority and have not been a problem for the last few weeks of the tuesday ride.

Also, just chill out - any of the drivers inconvenienced by these large rides were only delayed in their drive by at most a few minutes, so i find your argument about the poor drivers just trying to get home a little weak.

I think you and other motorists, and the police, need to just relax and accept bikes as an important and equal transit option. When skyrocketing oil prices in the future make it impossible for anyone but rich people to drive regularly, you'll thank us pioneers for starting to get the idea out there that bikes are a valid use of the road and deserve respect from drivers.

I ride to work on occasions, but, unlike you, I obey traffic rules. You bums ride as you please. Suppose everyone did that, there would be bike crashes all over the place.

Get over it, the universe does not revolve around you because you want to ride a bike.

How about those needing to get around because they cannot ride? Oh, sorry, that is not you!

Hats off to the police for busting you.

I kinda agree with the below poster. I Think rides such as critical mass, etc need to re-asses what their short-term and long-term goals are. Yes, "we are traffic" is true- but if you want to assert your rights over the dominant car culture, DONT complain if you get ran over by other frustrated drivers in cars...try to make yourself not look too annoying. Maybe a ride during rush-hour is not such a good idea? I think maybe rides around 7-9pm are in order, at least the traffic impact will be little. I'm not saying conform to car culture, by NO MEANS. I just think you have to not be pissing people off so much that they de-legitimize anything you have to offer/say to bring forth the idea that cars are destroying all that we hold sacred.

This comes all from a C-Mass rider of over 12 years and 15 states. I've been arrested/beaten/jailed multiple times as well- so don't go thinkin' I don't know what the hell I'm talking about. Take it under consideration, please. Radicals of all kinds need to heed that word- humble yourselves, and the masses will listen.

Hi Long Time CMasser,

I agree with a lot of what you're saying about CM. The thing is, u evidently haven't been to these Tuesday night rides and you seem to have some misconceptions about them. Here's some facts:

1) they start at 8pm, or more like 815 or 830, not during rush hour
2) it's not a "critical mass"
3) it's for fun, and there's no real "radical" or political proselytizing during the ride to each other or to motorists.
4) it's much more well-behaved than the average critical mass. The ride largely takes only 1 lane and is pretty respectful and polite.

It really wasn't a problem until the cops made it one last night.

Your argument assumes that bikes have less right to the road than cars do, which is not true. I might just as well say, why don't motorists stop driving in such large groups that cause traffic jams?

I admit there are some riders on such rides that take unneccessary risks and try to purposely provoke drivers and generally just let their testosterone rule, but these are in the minority and have not been a problem for the last few weeks of the tuesday ride.

Also, just chill out - any of the drivers inconvenienced by these large rides were only delayed in their drive by at most a few minutes, so i find your argument about the poor drivers just trying to get home a little weak.

I think you and other motorists, and the police, need to just relax and accept bikes as an important and equal transit option. When skyrocketing oil prices in the future make it impossible for anyone but rich people to drive regularly, you'll thank us pioneers for starting to get the idea out there that bikes are a valid use of the road and deserve respect from drivers.

We are traffic said: "Your argument assumes that bikes have less right to the road than cars do, which is not true. I might just as well say, why don't motorists stop driving in such large groups that cause traffic jams?"

Actually, I don't make that assumption. I fully realize that bikes are legitimate traffic and have rights on the road. Let's face it though, bike traffic generally moves much slower than that of other vehicles. I have been stuck behind Critical Mass rides before. These people are friends and associates. Yet, I have become annoyed at their insistence that they spread out across both lanes going in one direction while traveling at 10 to 15 mph.

With every right come responsibility. What's the point in annoying your neighbors? It's not going to win them over to your way of thinking.

laughing man said:
"Pioneers"? What a fucking Greenfece grade school 'tard.

Lemme get this straight - should reasoned debate ever be expected from junior high leftists that proclaim bike riders are "pioneers"?

Bikes aren't even supposed to block 1 lane. That's what the bike lane is for!! Stay outta the streets you bike fag.

actually, bikes are allowed the entire use of the lane by law if the rider determines that it is neccessary for their safety. Just because there are bike lanes doesn't mean bikes cannot be anywhere else. Bikes have the same rights to the road as cars, you stupid carfag. ;-)

Read the law. It's readily available at your public library.

Sure, I did have misconceptions. They were addressed, and corrected. No problem there. I guess what I was trying to get a (partly) is that people WILL whine about bikers, and so-on. Its just the herd mentality. Ignore them, the days of everyone being able to afford fossil fuels will be over soon....therefore, LESS traffic! LESS roads! Yay. Anyway, to all you shit-talking car-pride idiots out there, lets see if you can talk that shit when you see me outside your windows witha U-lock in my hand, motherfuckers.

:) Up tha Bike PUNX