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Cyclist, motorists clash in Berkeley Critical Mass
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 5/12/7 | Henry K. Lee

Posted on 05/12/2007 3:21:50 PM PDT by SmithL

BERKELEY -- An angry confrontation erupted during Friday night's Critical Mass bike ride in Berkeley when cyclists accused a motorist of trying to run them over, a participant who videotaped part of the fracas said today.

The incident, similar to an altercation that occurred during a Critical Mass in San Francisco in March, occurred about 8 p.m. as dozens of cyclists rode through the intersection of The Alameda and Monterey Avenue, said bicycle activist Jason Meggs.

Tempers flared on both sides and the motorist's windshield was shattered and a wiper bent, but Berkeley police did not make any arrests, Meggs said.

Police officials were not immediately available for comment, and the identity of the driver was not known.

A man driving a Chevrolet van allegedly drove toward the cyclists, Meggs said, prompting the confrontation.

A video of the incident shot by Meggs shows a woman, identified as his wife, in the van -- which has disabled person license plates.

On the video, three bicycles are seen stuck beneath the right front tire of the vehicle and bicyclists trying to remove them.

"Everybody, back away!" one person is heard shouting. Cyclists are seen and heard pounding on the vehicle's hood and windows.

"What the f-? What's your f- problem?" one cyclist demands of the driver, who is inside the vehicle with the windows closed.

At one point, the man's wife opens her door. "How dare you be so violent?" someone is heard asking her. "Are you people drunk?"

The woman says something that can't be heard, prompting a man to ask her, "Guess who started it? Guess who did it?"

"You're on top of three bikes!" a bicyclist tells the driver, urging him to move.

...Meggs said police blamed the bicyclists for instigating the confrontation, a charge he denied.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: anarchy; beserkeley; criticalmass; gay; hypocriticalmasshole
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To: SmithL

What does “dozens of cyclists” mean? 36? 150? 500?

One of the leaders “said the cyclists had a green light when they entered the intersection, but he did not know if the light had changed before they’d all made it across the street.”

In other words, there were probably so many damned bikes that they expected traffic to sit there and wait through several green lights. I don’t object to bicyclists, but they have an obligation under the law to stop for red lights and let other traffic go through.

It used to drive me crazy when messenger bikes zipped through red lights in NYC during the rush hour and never even looked to see if cars were coming.


21 posted on 05/12/2007 3:51:43 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

Thats right, Catholics can’t cuss. Unless they are drinking.


22 posted on 05/12/2007 3:52:09 PM PDT by Yogafist
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To: SmithL
Jason Meggs

The poor queen is one giant victim on the road.... The Man just won't leave him alone!

23 posted on 05/12/2007 3:52:55 PM PDT by SteveMcKing
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To: SmithL

I hate bicyclists. They need to decide if they are traffic or pedestrians and stick to it. However, they want the best of both worlds. They want to ride in the street, and then if there is a lot of traffic, red lights, stop signs, etc. they jump up on the sidewalk, etc.

I’d love to drive a van threw a whole swath of them if I could be certain I wouldn’t cause serious injury.


24 posted on 05/12/2007 3:55:14 PM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: Mad_Tom_Rackham
A good choice.

This was my first thought


25 posted on 05/12/2007 3:55:20 PM PDT by yooling
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To: DesScorp
I am a cyclist but do not ride with Critical Mass or even believe in their cause. For the most part these CM riders do not wear helmets and do not obey traffic laws. However, you will find that road riders with with our helmets, jerseys, $300.00 shoes and $2,500.00 bicycles will almost always follow the rules of the road.

Its a big investment and a crash with a car or otherwise will not only cost tons of money but likely our life and limb.

26 posted on 05/12/2007 3:55:44 PM PDT by trumandogz
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To: trumandogz

Do you wear one of those gay rubber bracelets?


27 posted on 05/12/2007 3:57:50 PM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: SmithL

Critical Mass does this routinely, frequently riding in violation of the laws of motoring and common manners. The intent of their rides is to take over the streets from automobiles. Provoking/creating/inventing an incident is part of their M.O. The fact that their ‘taper/spokesperson’ says the P.D. blamed them for this one is a good indication of whose fault it was.


28 posted on 05/12/2007 3:58:40 PM PDT by ArmstedFragg
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To: RGSpincich
OMG, is that Cheney on another one of his bloody hunting trips?


29 posted on 05/12/2007 4:00:32 PM PDT by Dumpster Baby ("Hope somebody finds me before the rats do .....")
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To: Rodney King

I wore a Yellow Bracelet that was given to me by Lance Armstrong one day when I ran into him at a bike shop here in Austin. I had never seen one before but within a week everyone in town had one so I took it off forever.


30 posted on 05/12/2007 4:00:55 PM PDT by trumandogz
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To: stuck_in_new_orleans

As a pedestrian, I say keep your bikes off the sidewalks and on the streets!


31 posted on 05/12/2007 4:02:04 PM PDT by LiveBait
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To: Homer_J_Simpson
Geez I get upset and think all sorts of nasty when I am behind a small herd, the size of 8, that are taking up the whole road and ignoring traffic laws......I have nothing to whine about because it could always be worse.
32 posted on 05/12/2007 4:03:47 PM PDT by Kimmers (Coram Deo)
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To: SmithL
I’m not particularly fond of Earth First activists, nor gay bicyclists or whatever, but some of the replies in this thread reek of fat cat upper crust republican hate mongers, which is really all the conservatives need at this point.
33 posted on 05/12/2007 4:04:25 PM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by nature, not nurture)
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To: trumandogz
I do not have ad issue with riders like you and am quite happy to share the road with you. I just get irritated with the riders that ignore laws and basic common courtesy.....stay safe
34 posted on 05/12/2007 4:06:30 PM PDT by Kimmers (Coram Deo)
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To: SteveMcKing

Poor old Jason just seems to have a running problem with vans.... http://www.ebbc.org/?q=node/377


35 posted on 05/12/2007 4:06:52 PM PDT by ArmstedFragg
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To: SmithL
... participant who videotaped part of the fracas said today.

That's all that I needed to read.

-PJ

36 posted on 05/12/2007 4:07:25 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (It's still not safe to vote Democrat.)
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To: stuck_in_new_orleans

I can’t stand cars. Get your automobile off the sidewalk:’)


37 posted on 05/12/2007 4:08:24 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: trumandogz

OK, that’s fair.


38 posted on 05/12/2007 4:10:19 PM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: stuck_in_new_orleans
Perhaps if they would have bothered to build a sidewalk in New Orleans over the last 40 years I would ride my bike while I am there on the sidewalk. However, in New Orleans the roads the do exist could destroy a Hummer within a week I hate to think what it would do to the tires on my road bike.

Moreover, the only people in the world that drive cars worse than people in New Orleans are the citizens of Calcutta.

But I must say that a dozen or so loops at the hike and bike train at Audabon Park is always refreshing.

39 posted on 05/12/2007 4:11:14 PM PDT by trumandogz
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To: steve86
I’m not particularly fond of Earth First activists, nor gay bicyclists or whatever, but some of the replies in this thread reek of fat cat upper crust republican hate mongers, which is really all the conservatives need at this point.

First, I'm sure that bikers annoy non-homosexual blue collar dems more than they do upper crest republicans.

Second, who cares?

40 posted on 05/12/2007 4:11:48 PM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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