The Wall

[dennyt]

WTF!?

From the SLOG:
Mark says he rolled over two bicycles when his car lurched forward, before a crowd of cyclists swarmed him. One rider tried to punch him through his open car window, but missed, and others were clinging to his car as he sped off

Comments

[iseethefnords]

Critical Mass has always seemed to me like kind of a jerky thing to do. Bicyclists want motorists to respect them on the road, so they clog up the road and piss off the motorists. Seems to me like it'd be more useful to ride single-file, sharing the lane or using a bike lane (if it exists). Is there a reason that Critical Mass doesn't do that?

And the reporting on the Critical Mass incident on Slog and elsewhere has a serious Rashomon thing going on.

[dennyt]

With 200-400 riders lately, the Seattle Critical Mass typically takes up 2-4 blocks of all lanes of traffic, with riders rolling through red lights 'en masse'.

If the group were to stop at every light, it would become fragmented, and stretch out over ~20 blocks.

If the group were to ride single file in a bike lane, it would stretch out over... 100 blocks? It would take an hour to empty westlake square.

Bicyclists are not legally allowed to run red lights, but they are allowed to ride in bike lanes, traffic lanes, on bike paths, and on sidewalks, with some restrictions.

[silverfae9]

I feel like pedestrians need to start up some sort of Critical Mass-ish thing for bikes. I see where the bike riders are coming from and all, but I'd have a lot more sympathy if they'd give people walking the same sort of courtesy they're asking for from drivers. Still, at least a few times a week I'm nearly plowed over by bikes who blow through red lights while I'm legally crossing the intersection.

Basically, I think the point is that some people are just assholes, and everyone needs to quit running other people over.

[iseethefnords]

Hmm yeah ok. The logistics didn't quite work out there. I guess my point is to be less jerky.

Dylan does a better job of explaining my point. Civil disobedience != douchebaggery.

[punkjr]

So is the cyclist that hit the guy with a U-Lock going to be charged with aggravated assault, or attempted murder?

[dennyt]

Interesting, I'm asking the same thing about the driver who intentionally drove over two people with a 3000lb 150hp weapon.

[dennyt]

BEFORE the u-locks were brandished, nonetheless. If the stranger's timeline is accurate as it appears to be.

[punkjr]

So it's OKAY to attack someone AFTER he's pulled over and exited the vehicle to see if anyone needed help?