Bicyclist Not Responsible...?

Question

First let start by saying that I love cycling... However, this has been bothering me... I live in New York, and as such have been exposed to a lot of coverage of that Times Square Bicyclist who had the "run in" with the cop... So today I hear that all charges are being dropped against him... That hardly seems fair to me. This guy attempted to run a cop over with his bike... Then when the cop attempted to gently stop him, (probably thinking that he was going out of control), the biker clumsily fell off the bike and came dangerously close to injuring the crowd, and moreover, the officer. I just hope that in the future, this cyclist is more careful, and that the cop never have to be subjected to wreckless riding such as this.

Any Thoughts?

Answer 1

First let me start off by saying that as a former native New Yorker, born in Manhatten, who comes from a very LONG line of NYC police officers (ie., father, brother, uncles, cousins, etc.) who not only are also all cycling fanatics, but take their motto, "to protect and serve" very seriously, well...all I can say is, YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!

Every NYC police officer I know (and I know a lot) feel stripping that officer of his gun and badge was entirely justified--and I'd also like to add the fact that he had only been on the force for a whole 3 weeks.   He's been placed on desk duty pending investigation and psych evaluations.  

But let's tell the whole story here, which is that this cyclist was participating in an illegally organized "Critical Mass" ride, completely disregarding all  laws requiring, oh, legally obtaining licenses and permits, while  obstructing traffic and endangering lives.  

What the officer in question claims the video did not catch was that shortly beforehand, he witnessed this particular cyclist intentionally harrasssing pedestrians and motor vehicleists by riding irratically all over the road, and on the sidewalk as well,  swerving his bicycle into them to make them jump out of his way, and that's why he knocked that particular guy off his bicycle, to prevent him from continuing endangering others.  The police officer also contends he instructed the cyclist to stop, but he refused.  The cyclist was not trying to "run over" the police officer--he was trying to get away to avoid arrest.  

There's far better ways the police officer could have handled the situation though, and had he had more experience than just being on the force for 3 weeks, and a little older than age 22, he probably would have.  

My thoughts?  They were both in the wrong.

M R:  If you read my post, I clearly stated my "source" as being my family members who actually work as NYC police officers.  I also stated that they don't feel the police officer should have done what he did, but they don't believe he's lying either.

But as far as who's doing the "lying" there? Well, in  the article you posted, the statement was made, " “there was no traffic behind us – there was no traffic to weave in and out of."  No traffic, huh?  

Watch the very beginning of the video and you can clearly see all the bicycles emerging from weaving their way through the massive traffic behind them.  The reason the rest of the traffic wasn't moving is because they all had stopped--to obey traffic laws requiring that they stop at a stop light. It's pretty obvious the cyclists didn't feel they were obligated to obey those same exact laws.  

The real truth is that pretty much all of the cyclists on that video were breaking the law by running the stop light. The police would have been perfectly justified in arresting any, and every one of them for that alone.    

Also, according to your article, the police "...put their knees on top of his head and were smashing him into a phone booth.”

Ok, so after the guy was dislodged from his bicycle, did you see anything in that video that looked anything like that?   Because I don't see anything in that video that remotely resembles any "smashing into a phone booth" or knees to the head--the police look like they're just standing around afterwards to me!    Now, don't you think that if that really happened, the guy who was doing the videotaping would have caught that too?  Or someone else?  How many of those numerous witnesses there do you think didn't bring their cell phones, with video recording capabilities, along with them?  

The person who wrote that article was just reporting what someone else TOLD them, and just because someone says something doesn't make it true.  The video evidence clearly contradicts those statements, so I have to wonder what else aren't they being honest about?  

You know, I go on a lot of organized rides where we are required to comply with specific rules and consider respecting the law and rights of others to be of paramount importance so as to obtain their support in promoting the sport of cycling.  

I'm sorry, but these types of unorganized events with no rules, where "anything goes" only serve to p**s of the very people who's support we should be seeking to obtain, and are completely counterproductive to promoting the sport of cycling to the rest of the general population.  I see something like this, where cyclists are disobeying traffic laws by running stop lights, blocking traffic by taking up the entire road, and I unfortunately realize why so many noncyclists view cyclists with hostility.   In my personal opinion, of course.

Geez, so 2nd edit:  

M R.  Umm, aside from completely ignorning the obivious contradictions I pointed out between the video evidence and article you posted, don't you think my family members who are NYC police officers just might have been called on duty?  The city has to call in officers from the different precincts to help attempt to maintain some resemblence of order during these "events"--and pay them lots of overtime!  My brother in particular needs the money so to him, it's great!  Don't you think they all talk to each other?  Oh, and you think they lie to each other too?  Or that my family members are lying to me?  

As far as credibility goes?  Do you not realize what the entire purpose of a "critical mass" ride is?  If not, here's a definition from Wikepedia:  " In order for the event to function, the only requirement is a sufficient turn-out to create a "critical mass" of riders dense enough to occupy a piece of road to the exclusion of drivers of motorized vehicles, pedestrians, and other road users"  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_Ma...

So, the entire point of a "critical mass" ride is to intentionally cause chaos by creating traffic jams and preventing anyone else from being able to use the road. Deliberately disrespecting the rights of others for your own personal agenda--what kind of way is that to gain their support?  

Have you actually ever been to NYC?  Do you have any idea of the extent of traffic in the downtown area of Manhattan?  These stunts back up and "gridlock" traffic, creating jams that sometimes last for hours.  It's not the police who are being inconvenienced, so they're not the ones who are really pissed off!   And this isn't just a once a year event--it's the last friday of every month.  So exactly who is it who's intentionally setting out to "bully" who?  

You know, as a direct result of these "critial mass" events, there's already hearings and proposed legislation calling for banning bicycles completely from subways and many sections of NYC.  These "critical mass" rides are only adding even more ammunition to the anticyclists case.  

As far as my police officer family members are concerned, the entire NYPD should completely recluse itself and do absolutely nothing!  Historically, anytime the police department has taken that approach, it's generally not long before the situation becomes so completely out of control and the resulting public outcry so great, that government officials start passing laws far stricter than they need to be--granting the police even more power.  

In case you still don't get it, this is where experience comes into play. The more experienced officers know that doing no more than absolutely necessary in this type of situation will work far more to their advantage in the long run--so leave them alone and let them ride!  

If you're still not understanding, I'm sorry, but I don't see any point in continuing and won't respond further.  

Take care,

Answer 2

haha, are you a troll or something?

"gently attempted to stop him"

Did you not see the cop put his entire weight into pushing the guy off his bike - into innocent pedestrians I might add.

Not only that, but the cyclist was already out of the way of the cops path, the cop pre-emptively went in to push the guy off.

Answer 3

Trolling I see, as the video clearly show police brutality. The cop is on desk duty until the investigation is complete. The cop should be fired now. We don't need the Hitler youth brutalizing us.

EDIT: The story is pretty clear at this time the cop ambushed a cyclist, made a false police report, lied, committed battery and false imprisonment.

Here's one of 100's of stories (all agree BTW the cop is a criminal)

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...

Any one who thinks this cop is anything but a thug and criminal needs to suffer a beating by a cop themselves.

100's of stories witnesses, video all agree the cop is a criminal of the worst sort. How can anyone can defend his kind?

He probably took some money from a wino, went home, beat his wife and kids, got drunk, shot his neighbor's dog, vomited in his bed and slept in it til the next day to begin the cycle over again.

Answer 4

Have you seen the video?  I have mixed feelings regarding critical mass events, but the video really puts the police officer's statements into question.

Answer 5

Did the rider admit to trying to run over the cop? If not, your question is unfounded.

You are providing excuses (thinking he was going out of control) when there doesn't need to be any for either party.

Answer 6

When you watch the video in slow motion, its obvious what happened: the cop rushed the rider and attacked him.

Just another sign of how we are slouching further towards anarcho-tyranny -- fewer and fewer controls on criminals, more and more controls on people. This video deserves the widest possible circulation.

Answer 7

and that's why im an anarchist.

Answer 8

hahaha - funny.

I just read more on this; not only did the cop brutalize the cyclist, he filed a false report that contradicted the video evidence and eye witness testimony.

The cop needs to be fired, (and his buddy that further beat the cyclist too) charged with falsifying a report, false imprisonment and assault.

EDIT: Cauldron, that's not the whole story according to this article: http://gothamist.com/2008/07/29/cyclist_...

Please post your source as I'd like to read the contradicting claims. Your source sounds like the cop's false report. We already know this cop is lying. Whether a new or old cop isn't the issue. Would you prefer to be assaulted by a veteran cop?

EDIT: Family COPS as your source, sorry, I thought you were kidding, the last source many would rely on. They weren't there - not a valid source at all. The video proved the cop a liar and committing assault. Making excuses for cops because you know some is no excuse. Protect and serve, not abuse and bully.

EDIT: another report and witnesses: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/natio...

So he got dislodged from his bike your say?  You're sounding more and more like a spin doctor. The guy got hammered off his bike - he WILL be sued (and the NYPD) and they WILL lose or settle.

Regardless of how badly you may want this to be "every ones" fault - it's just isn't.

Whether you agree with critical mass or not has nothing to do with this question nor the video and eye witnesses that corroborate the cyclist's story.

I'm sure most cops agree - he never should have done it. (that is get caught on video)

EDIT: Thank God this sick cop wana be wasn't practicing with a gun - we'd have a 1/2 dozen dead cyclists on the street. When it's understood cops are to serve and not beat people nothing will change.

As my good friend said: "The only people that should be cops are the ones that don't want to be cops"

So the Mayor of NY the police chief all the witnesses are wrong, but you and one liar of a cop is right? The video must be fake right? You are brainwashed to thing the wife beating, drunk cops out there are better ten the general public? Wrong. Cops break more laws in any given day then the public at large.