seattle: From criticalmass@scrimass.org

Matt Stephenson (

yts88) wrote in

seattle,
@ 2008-07-26 11:42:00

From criticalmass@scrimass.org
from Muir Kumph <mkumph@karrot.org>
to criticalmass@scrimass.org
date Sat, Jul 26, 2008 at 9:31 AM
subject [Fwd: critical mass july 08 incident important!!!]
mailed-by karrot.org

There was an incident on 7/25/08 during Critical Mass ride at 15th and Aloha.

3-4 bikers were blocking off a car so the rest of the riders can continue, they were telling the driver that he needs to wait couple of minutes. Driver was inpatient, and kept telling things like "I have a reservation, I have to go" There was more bikes blocking him off because of the argument, at some point the driver got very mad, and turned around going on the side walk, almost hitting some bikes. Then the bikers started getting closer to the car so he wouldnt drive in the middle of the riders, and the argument got heated. Bikers were telling him to wait, and all of a sudden the driver said something like "Fuck this" and drove into the bikers. He intentionally hit people, injuring 2 bikers, and smashing couple of bikes, and back packs. He started driving away while everyone was running away from him so they wouldnt get hit as well.

Some bikers ran after the car, while others call 911. By the time police showed up, 2 of the car windows were broken and his tires were slashed. When the driver saw the police, he started crying and saying he was just scared, but none of the bikers even touched him before he ran over people.

I heard someone saying "The tires were slashed so he couldnt drive off"

2 of the bikers got arrested for property damage, and they are booked to jail. THEY HAVE COURT TODAY STARTING AT 12.30 PM AT KING COUNTY COURT HOUSE, COURT ROOM #1. So we need people who saw what happened to contact us, because the driver is trying to pull off that he didnt do anything.

Channel 5 tried to interview us, but we refused to talk with them, and it seems like media is showing the incident like "Violent bikers attacked a car..."

Bikers who got hit by the maniac driver, and bikers who got arrested need support from the community. Please contact via e-mail ekirgoz@yahoo.com, if you were witness or if you could show any kind of support, and share ideas...

I will post updates on this case but in the mean time please remember there is a court today !!!

edit: one of the biker's account, and the cops blame the bikes : http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/372364_criticalmass27.html

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gypsykat
2008-07-26 06:47 pm UTC (link)

While I absolutely do not condone the driver, I have to say, I do not like Critical Mass and their tactics. I certainly do not condone their actions post-incident, either. That's mob rule. With the number of witnesses, they could have taken the license plate, called the police, and had the driver arrested. The bikers who slashed his tires and broke his windows deserve to be arrested just as much as the driver does, though obviously for different charges.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	amythyst 2008-07-26 06:54 pm UTC (link)
	I agree completely. I think Critical Mass does a lot more harm than good. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	animimi 2008-07-26 06:47 pm UTC (link)
	Sounds like a lot of people - bikers and car driver - were in the wrong last night. It's just too bad cooler heads couldn't prevail. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	frogger414 2008-07-26 06:50 pm UTC (link)
	Srsly. It's just like the traffic circle incident where both parties were acting immaturely and petty. It's a shame when people get injured or killed because they can't chill out. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	yts88 2008-07-26 06:55 pm UTC (link)
	From my days in Chicago critical mass, I really doubt the media will get the whole story out. The important thing will be how the courts rule on it. The media won't publish a story where the cyclists are in the win since they already made a pretty anti-cyclist story. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	ironheadjane 2008-07-26 06:55 pm UTC (link)
	It's likely at the King County Jail, court room 1, not the Court House. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	ckn 2008-07-26 06:57 pm UTC (link)
	I admire critical mass for their objectives, but their means do not meet the ends. I have a huge problem with cyclists in Seattle simultaneously wanting to be treated with the respect of other vehicles on the road, yet while not obeying the traffic laws themselves. ...if you want to sit at the table with the adults, you need to act like one. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	verybadlady 2008-07-26 07:46 pm UTC (link)
	Can you imagine if some cars blocked in a cyclist to let a bunch of cars pass? hah. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	animimi 2008-07-26 07:15 pm UTC (link)
	I totally agree. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	yts88 2008-07-26 07:46 pm UTC (link)
	Please expand, I didn't see any elements of seeking confrontation. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	yts88 2008-07-26 07:48 pm UTC (link)
	Critical Mass stands for nothing, it doesn't actually exist, there is no organization called "Critical Mass". If you want to change what happens on the last friday of the month, then show up and preach while you ride. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	Re: Support bike riders! maudelynn 2008-07-26 07:36 pm UTC (link)
	So it is ok for cyclists to break the law and cause chaos? What if the driver had an emergency situation? I think it was aggressive behaviour on both sides started by the cyclists breaking the law. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	fuck critical mass sysoprock 2008-07-26 07:43 pm UTC (link)
	i love how critical mass always plays the role of the victim and then whenever there is video of the incident it ends up playing out like this http://youtube.com/watch?v=bo4MpO3kBRE (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: fuck critical mass yts88 2008-07-26 07:52 pm UTC (link)
	Irrelevant, you are relating 2 separate rides together with no common goals or ideals. Critical Mass is not organized, it is not a group, it isn't anything. It is a periodic event perhaps, but nothing more. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	More eye witness accounts boydmain 2008-07-26 08:06 pm UTC (link)
	http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/last_nights_critical_mass_melee 'feared for his life' my arse. I really hope that this driver is arrested and charged with an appropriately serious crime, like assault with a deadly weapon. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: More eye witness accounts ermac 2008-07-26 08:11 pm UTC (link)
	yeah, by those eyewitness accounts he definitely seems more in the wrong, no matter what you think of critical mass. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	sgiffy 2008-07-26 08:38 pm UTC (link)
	Why can't hippy college students find a way to feel self important without inconveniencing the rest of us? Also why can't people learn to not get all pissy and aggressive when they are inconvenienced. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	nihil_duce 2008-07-26 09:55 pm UTC (link)
	Why can't hippy college students find a way to feel self important without inconveniencing the rest of us? Because Lyndon LaRouche is sooooooo 2006. rimshot (Reply to this) (Parent)

	jameth 2008-07-26 08:40 pm UTC (link)
	it's about time this happened (Reply to this)

	feignedapathy 2008-07-26 08:50 pm UTC (link)
	I hope they gas all of the bicyclists. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	frogger414 2008-07-27 01:02 am UTC (link)
	lollerz (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: eye-witness ermac 2008-07-26 09:03 pm UTC (link)
	i'm having a tough time deciding which side you're sticking up for (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

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	nihil_duce 2008-07-26 09:23 pm UTC (link)
	I'm a pedestrian. I've had to avoid being hit by both drivers and bicyclists who were wrapped up in how fucking entitled they are. I hope the driver and the bicyclists involved have nice cells and get sweet,sweet involuntary buttsecks. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	frogger414 2008-07-27 01:03 am UTC (link)
	i second this opinion. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Epic Misappraisal mcfnord 2008-07-26 09:36 pm UTC (link)
	Those who did the crime will do the time. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	superdeluxe 2008-07-26 09:55 pm UTC (link)
	More boo hoo needed from the cyclists. We broke the law, we were banging on this guy's car. He got scared and decided to try to leave the area. Then we decided to break out his windows, slash his tires, and punch him in the face! Its all his fault!!!! (Reply to this)

	seattleeco 2008-07-26 10:55 pm UTC (link)
	I've been commute-and-errand cycling for four years now...shit like this gives all of us a bad name. Thanks a lot for making more drivers want to smash me, CM. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	syukton 2008-07-26 11:11 pm UTC (link)
	It isn't the lone you that we want to smash. It's the mob-you's that unlawfully detain and intimidate us with the threat of force. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	wurby 2008-07-27 01:56 am UTC (link)
	may everyone get what they deserve (Reply to this)

	Ride Civil by Bikehugger mcfnord 2008-07-27 04:54 am UTC (link)
	Hi asshole, this is Ride Civil in this area, sponsored by Bike Hugger. (Reply to this) (Parent)

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