| Re: Critical Mass Tunnel Freaks
"Rico X. Partay" <EricR@NoSpam.ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:RcJLa.1344
> > Buck wrote:
> >> Have you found a survey or are you
> >> relying upon personal experience?
>
> A survey? Would that settle the issue for you? My use of
> words like "rather" and "seems" were a clue -- I formed my
> opinions by following the issue for years. There's no "data" that
> can prove anything one way or the other. It's a big gray area. I
> was just trying to indicate that it's not all as cut and dried as
> you and some people think. Forgive me for trying to expand the
> discussion. By all means let's stick to being upset and stating
> arbitrary, absolute rules that apply to everyone and every
> situation.
That's right, it's not all cut and dried and no, I never suggested it was.
I'd love to see a survey to settle the issue once and for all, but for now I
have to rely upon my own observations as well. As a CM supporter, you
obviously have your blinders on if you think that their methods are being
received in a positive way. In fact, I spent some time this morning
searching for a positive comment about CM outside of the CM network of
supporters. I found none. I did, however, find several editorial comments
from newspapers that did not cast CM in a positive light.
> It's very much about safety when some moron gets so angry
> because he's delay for a few minutes that he tries to kill people.
I'm certain that the CM riders were innocently riding along. Oh wait, here's
the perspective of the Honda driver:
Bikes vs. Cars: The Never-Ending Story
by Krissy Morrow
Editor:
I just wanted to correct some inaccuracies in the article about the Critical
Mass/Jeep incident ["Statesman Falls Off Its Bike," Oct. 5]. I was the
driver of the car that got hit. Now, I dislike aggressive drivers as much as
the rest of us, but I also know the law. Much as I would love to forcibly
stop someone after they cut me off and beat the crap out of them, guess
what? I don't have the right to.
Yes, when the cyclists stopped traffic on Congress when the cyclists
illegally ran a red light, Mike Henderson probably should have just sat on
his horn like the rest of the drivers and just tolerated the delay. But he
didn't. He went around the traffic and stopped at the next intersection. Too
aggressive? Maybe. But we as Austin drivers all know how many aggressive
offenses we witness a day that go unpunished. If a police officer doesn't
witness it, basically it didn't happen.
Henderson then came to the next intersection and stopped at the traffic
light -- which is where all this mess begins. The cyclists, apparently quite
like Gomer Pyle, decided they had the authority to make a citizen's arrest
for Henderson's aggressive driving. Now, even if they did actually believe
that they had the authority to detain Henderson, I ask you, did any single
person in the group actually make a call or seek out police so that the
proper authorities could intervene? I'll answer this one for you -- no.
Absolutely not. There is no record of a report of an aggressive driver at
First and Congress, and even if there were a call -- the cyclists absolutely
still did not have the authority to detain Henderson. By the way, the
cyclists also harassed the passenger. "Accomplice to the crime" -- is that
his charge, Gomer?
When the light turned green, Henderson asked the cyclists to please leave
him alone because he was going forward. He then inched forward cautiously.
When the cyclists still did not heed his warning, he proceeded. Contrary to
the Chronicle's report, there were at most two cyclists still in Henderson's
path when he went forward. After Henderson landed, the cyclists proceeded to
slash his tires (note, this means they were armed with knives) because they
decided he was a flight risk and then they keyed his car and spit into it
(because as well all know, keying a car and spitting into it greatly
increases the chances that it won't move).
And you know, if I were Henderson, I would have done exactly the same thing
and sped off. I would have felt as threatened as he did and feel the need to
remove myself from the situation. "Fight or flight" -- it's human instinct.
And Henderson didn't want a fight -- would you take on 20 angry, armed
cyclists?
To Critical Mass, if you want to promote your cause, taking a day every
month to break the law in groups is not the way. If you're just a bunch of
cyclists who decide to get back at all the drivers who cut you off all
month, then call yourselves that. You're promoting a cause. You're just a
pain in the ass.
And to the Chronicle: You criticize the Statesman for only getting half of
the story. I guess I must have missed the part in your article where you
managed to get the other half of the story (the non-cyclist perspective) --
both my and Henderson's contact information are on the police report. I
object to the Statesman version as well, but on the grounds that it is
biased toward Critical Mass. Henderson did not get "frustrated by the delay"
and speed off. He had a green light and the right to proceed, but the
cyclists would not allow him to do so. I guess the only agreement we can all
come to here is that the Statesman can't ever seem to get the story right.
Krissy Morrow
And here's another example of CM riders exhibiting exemplary behavior:
"A group of bicyclists formed a circle around the officers, yelling and
spitting at them, and then a man grabbed an officer´s radio and ran. Two
officers chased and tackled the man, handcuffed him and took him to the
police station. "
I could spend all day quoting articles that demonstrate how CM participants
are less than peaceful protestors. This is why I don't want them
representing me.
-Buck
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