Nov 03 '06 - 979 W, 4 I - Vote Good + 4 :: Bad - 14 Bike Cafe Strikes Back!
Published November 3, 2006 by C.I.C.L.E.
Contributed by Bicycle Bandito :: Photos by bikey mcridesalot and Bradley
Santa Cruz, CA - When the cop pulled my hands behind my back and lifted me off my bike I remember thinking, "What in the hell is this about? Did I run a stop sign back there?"
Then I remembered the woman who'd parked her car in the middle of the street in an attempt to block us Critical Mass riders only 10 minutes earlier; How the majority of us had ridden past but a handful had approached her and tried to explain what we were doing over her yelling "you fucking idiots!"; How one of our riders had planted herself in front of the already parked car, attempting to block it, and how the woman in the car had stepped out, walked up to the woman on the bike, grabbed the bike and began shoving her out of the way; how in a panic, I'd reached into her open window and turned off her car, pulled out the keys hoping she'd come retrieve them and leave the bicyclist alone; how the woman already had her cell phone out and was threatening to call the police on the bicyclist who refused to move; and how when she turned on me demanding her keys back, I tossed them back onto her seat and said "please calm down, we're leaving."
"Oh yeah," I remember thinking as the handcuffs closed around my wrists, this was what I was being arrested for. My next thought: "Fuck."
It's been a tough year for radical bicyclists in Santa Cruz.
Ever since a group of so-called "black clad" trench coat wearing nightriders had vandalized a couple of SUV's back in April, everyone on two human-powered wheels sporting dark colors had been under suspicion. Supposedly the FBI had come out to investigate, to which a friend had joked, "you mean they don't already have a permanent base here?"
Then there was the issue of vigilante drivers. Not counting the woman who'd parked her car in the middle of the street, assaulted a bicyclist, and then called the cops on me for trying to stop it, I'd seen at least two bikes smashed by frustrated drivers caught in a bike tangle - Once during a Critical Mass where a Marine in a giant 4 x 4 slammed over a mountain bike after he'd been inconvenienced for more than a minute (the rider jumped off just in time), and another during a Take Back the Streets action in downtown where a guy (also in a truck) hadn't hesitated to run over a bike wagon that was too slow to move out of the way.
In response, organizers of Critical Mass and the Midnight Mystery rides attempted to ease tensions by creating more playful events like Friday afternoon themed mystery rides. Throughout the summer, Valentine's Day in July, Pirate Rides, late night zombie rides, Mad Max on wheels rides all took place with mixed results (check out SC Indymedia for pics). Unlike Critical Mass, these themed rides were less about directly challenging the automobile's dominance of the streets, and more about having fun (and of course, avoiding any major confrontations with the cops).
Unfortunately, this didn't seem to make much of a difference with the police - Hundred dollar tickets were issued during the V-Day in July ride for running stop signs (an absurd law for bicyclists in the first place), zombie riders were trailed by cops cars, and August's Critical Mass fell apart as cops cited a tall bike for violating an obscure safety law.
As one police officer put it bluntly to a fellow velorutionary, "We're just gonna keep writing you guys tickets until you go away."
Enter the Bike Cafe.
With an eye on stoking the fire that lies deep within the belly of every bicyclist who's had one too many close calls with a car or the po po, a group of bike advocates have hatched a plan for a DIY festival-esque bike gathering called the Bike Cafe. Devised as a one-day community building event for riders of all stripes, organizers are planning workshops centered around skills sharing, discussion, and of course, play. Think of it as an Anarchist Cafe + Freeskool + Bikes.
Beginning at the HUB (across from Saturn Cafe parking lot) Sunday, Nov.12th at 2pm and going until 8, the Bike Cafe will offer a variety of 45 minute - 1 hour activities to participate in for every kind of bicyclist. So far, activities range from Basic Maintenance to the History of Velorution In Santa Cruz, Bike Polo, Know Your Bicycle Rights, Bike Crafts, Jousting, and Pimpin' Your Ride. In addition, starting around 5pm, riders will converge back at the HUB for food, music, and generally revelry.
Participants are encouraged to bring a blank tee shirt/fabric for a stenciling, stories to share, toys/gadgets for potential handle-bar ornaments (attachments will be provided) and of course - their bikes!
Oh yeah, as to my arrest over 4 months ago, the case was settled with a $140 fine, a no contest plea to two infractions, and a lecture from the judge. As he stated in the courtroom, "I'd recommend you put your energy towards more constructive forms of bicycle advocacy." Okay judge, if you say so!
Bike Cafe - Sunday, Nov.12th 2-8pm
Activities 2-5pm, Convergence 5-8pm
$5 donation requested @ door, no one turned away for lack of funds.
For more info or volunteer: p.mue.wi (at) gmail (dot) com
More photos at Santa Cruz IndyMedia:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/08/17/18298003.php
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/08/19/18298732.php
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Thanks BB. I am so glad the Cops and impoatient drivers didn’t rain-on or reign-in or run-over your positive velorutionary bicycle spirit. Neither did they dampen the Santa Cruz cyclists that are continuing to celebrate our rights and lifestyles that are so truly healthy!
Right on, roll on! Viva la revolution! Continua!
Your Comrade
G-Man
G-Man (Email) - November 05 '06 - 06:36
BB, you’re the sexiest! Good piece!jetpoweredmonkeynavigated (Email) - November 09 '06 - 12:34
What’s the deal with pissing people off? Give it a rest. People in cars are not lame just because they drive cars.You SHOULD focus on something constructive.
Or at least make it so that the ticket is worth it. That lady’s keys should have been ejected into the fucking intersection, and you should have taken her cell phone away. If you’re going to be a square-fighting rebel, at least grow a pair.
ubrayj02 (Email) (URL) - November 09 '06 - 15:39
ubrayj02,Hey man/woman… cut BB some slack. How does BB’s attempt to try to diffuse an escalating situation qualify as “pissing people off”?
Quote: ”...how in a panic, I’d reached into her open window and turned off her car, pulled out the keys hoping she’d come retrieve them and leave the bicyclist alone…”
Aside from that, this article seems to be addressing just what you’re suggesting to do, to transmute aggressive activism into creative activism.
scorcherphile - November 09 '06 - 21:07
ubrayj02 wrote:What’s the deal with pissing people off? Give it a rest. People in cars are not lame just because they drive cars.
You SHOULD focus on something constructive.
Or at least make it so that the ticket is worth it. That lady’s keys should have been ejected into the fucking intersection, and you should have taken her cell phone away. If you’re going to be a square-fighting rebel, at least grow a pair.
What’s the deal with posting comments that piss people off? Give it a rest. People who ride CM aren’t lame just because they ride CM.
You SHOULD focus on SOMETHING constructive, like capitalizing words RANDOMLY.
Or at least make it so that the disapprobation you so richly deserve is worth it. You should have physically gone to the original poster’s house, disassembled his bike, jammed the stem down his throat, stolen his CDs, forcibly shaved his head, urinated into his refrigerator, and then invited your friends over to drink flagon after flagon of mead and sing songs of war while listening to the guy’s muffled sobs and laughing. If you’re going to be an online tough guy, at least grow a pair.
IMBG - November 10 '06 - 03:28
IMBG and scorcherphile,First, I don’t think people who ride CM are lame. Nothing in what I wrote stated that. You don’t need to invent things to argue with me about, there is enough in what I wrote to quibble with for days on end.
Second, a judge told the guy:
“I’d recommend you put your energy towards more constructive forms of bicycle advocacy.” Okay judge, if you say so!
I said:
“You SHOULD focus on something constructive.”
That is not random CAPSLOCKing. That is a intentional emphasis.
Further, this guy decided to “diffuse” the situation by reaching into someones car and turning off the gas? You know what would have “diffused” the situation? Telling his friend to get riding again, and ignore the pissed off lady.
Once you want to be confrontational, and start fucking with someone else’s car/property/etc. you might as well do it to some practical end.
So, diffuse the situation by leaving OR escalate it to the point that nothing is going to happen to you because the lady can’t drive away or run you over, and her means of contacting the authorities is gone.
That is just my opinion. When you break the law, and really piss people off, you should handle it. I need no further disapprobation of this guy – but maybe I’m wrong. I guess I need the lofty heights of some bullshit pacifist perspective to really know what to do.
ubrayj02 (Email) (URL) - November 10 '06 - 13:30
All righty everyone. I can see that this thread has the potential to erupt into a full on flame-war. Let’s keep it cool, and perhaps consider ending on a constructive note rather than an insulting one.But overall this topic is a good one. I think that discussing how to effectively handle and possibly diffuse potentially violent confrontations is definitely worth our while since these types of situations tend to emerge on many of our rides—whether or not they are politically oriented.
Shay (Email) - November 10 '06 - 14:48