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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

Critical Jack Asses.


41 posted on 05/12/2007 4:12:24 PM PDT by Minutemen ("It's a Religion of Peace")
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To: Rodney King

Thanks, actually Lance is a great guy but is also a class A jerk.


42 posted on 05/12/2007 4:12:41 PM PDT by trumandogz
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To: Kimmers
It is the unwashed hippies here in Austin that give cyclists a bad name. I cuss them out when I am driving my car. But thanks for recognizing the difference between people like me that ride for fun and health and the asses that disobey every traffic law.

I also understand that if I crash while riding on a Texas Hill Country highway at 25 or 45 MPH that I am a dead man. Therefore I respect cars, trucks, beer cans, pebbles or what ever else may be on the road.

43 posted on 05/12/2007 4:17:31 PM PDT by trumandogz
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To: Political Junkie Too

Where is the video? I always have my camera handy...you never know what will happen.


44 posted on 05/12/2007 4:17:39 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
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To: ArmstedFragg

That video of the disruptive bicyclists tells it all.

JERKS.


45 posted on 05/12/2007 4:18:19 PM PDT by bannie
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To: SmithL

Why do protestors think that pissing people off will win them over?


46 posted on 05/12/2007 4:19:42 PM PDT by Jeff Gordon ("An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last." Churchill)
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To: ArmstedFragg

That was great. Someone should give the guy who drove that car a medal.


47 posted on 05/12/2007 4:20:51 PM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: Kimmers

Agreed.

I have absolutely no problem with cyclists...

Well, until they dart out from around parked cars, then flip me off when I just barely manage to avoid them by swerving into the oncoming lane...

...decide to utilize the bicycle lane we taxpayers were charged for by riding directly on the white line, hanging halfway out into the traffic...

... ride two abreast in the bike lane, with one cyclist hanging out into traffic...

...never, ever use hand signals, relying on psychic powers to broadcast their intention to suddenly cut across 3 lanes of traffic...

...and get angry and thunk on your car if you can’t manage to get far enough away from them without causing a head-on collision in the oncoming lane.

Otherwise, they’re G2G with me.


48 posted on 05/12/2007 4:26:02 PM PDT by Shion (Hunter 2008! www.gohunter08.com)
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To: trumandogz
and do not make fun of my bike shorts.

Do you wear those tight gay looking bike shorts? No offense meant,... just wondering. ; )

49 posted on 05/12/2007 4:27:50 PM PDT by D Rider
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To: trumandogz; D Rider

You post the picture, and we’ll decide.
; )


50 posted on 05/12/2007 4:30:40 PM PDT by SmithL (si vis pacem, para bellum)
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To: D Rider

When you are on a 100 mile bike ride on that little seat you want everything to stay in place and lots of padding. I did one 50 mile ride with cheap shorts and afterwards I felt like I had been traded for a carton of Kools at the State Prison.


51 posted on 05/12/2007 4:31:32 PM PDT by trumandogz
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To: trumandogz

Yeah for Texas.

Michigna just published a pocket sized booklet called What every Bicyclist Must Know. It goes into the laws about cycling. I’m thinking of getting a few copies and keeping one in my jersey pocket to hand to those unenlightened individuals who think that cyclists have no road rights.

I have noticed that as gas prices go up, horn honks tend to lessen.


52 posted on 05/12/2007 4:35:37 PM PDT by cyclotic (Support Scouting-Raising boys to be men, and politically incorrect at the same time.)
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To: trumandogz; mtbopfuyn
As of today in the State of Texas bicyclists have the same right to the road as a motor vehicle.

Been true in Washington State for a long time.

However, they also have the same responsibilities and I discovered that few cyclists knew that. Back in the 90s I researched the state law, compiled the sections referring to bicycles, and gave it to the area's bicycle club (the largest in the country, I believe). Pretty soon I saw this compilation in flyers in the counters in all the local bicycle shops.

I don't know that it's changed things significantly, but for some time cyclists here (excluding the folks who buy their bikes at Target and the like) have found it hard to claim ignorance.

Interesting about the three feet clearance -- we do not have that here. Which is why I quit cycle-commuting after buying a a house in a rural locale where all (both) the roads in are narrow and high-speed. Besides, I do NOT like obstructing cars for any long than absolutely (and evidently) necessary -- but the young'un drivers tend not to have figured life out yet and act like idiots too often.

It's not worth it, so I just contribute my part to the traffic jams in town. In my car.

53 posted on 05/12/2007 4:36:47 PM PDT by sionnsar (trad-anglican.faithweb.com |Iran Azadi| 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | UN: Useless Nations)
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To: cyclotic
Michigna just published a pocket sized booklet called What every Bicyclist Must Know. It goes into the laws about cycling. I’m thinking of getting a few copies and keeping one in my jersey pocket to hand to those unenlightened individuals who think that cyclists have no road rights.

I tried that. It didn't work. ((:-(

54 posted on 05/12/2007 4:38:04 PM PDT by sionnsar (trad-anglican.faithweb.com |Iran Azadi| 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | UN: Useless Nations)
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To: trumandogz
I've got no problem with cyclists who obey the rules of the road.

BUT . . . there's a local bicycle club here that is just FULL of scofflaws, not to the same extent as the CM nutz, but enough that I worry about (accidentally) killing one of them.

We live on a winding, narrow, very hilly road with half a dozen completely blind curves/hills. The bicycle club has seen fit to schedule 2x a week rides down this road. It is absolutely nervewracking to be driving along minding your own business when the "peloton" pops over a hill or around a curve . . . riding 6 or 7 abreast so that one or two riders are over the center line. I had to jam on my brakes just yesterday to avoid one of these idiots who was just about level with my hood ornament as I crested the hill.

Then he has the nerve to flip me the "Hawaiian peace sign" . . . when it was only my quick reactions that saved him from a messy death on my grillework. . . .

55 posted on 05/12/2007 4:41:12 PM PDT by AnAmericanMother ((Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment)))
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To: SmithL
Might I propose a solution for the next Critical Mass ride:


56 posted on 05/12/2007 4:42:05 PM PDT by July 4th (A vacant lot cancelled out my vote for Bush.)
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To: sionnsar

Might work with some. I had a little “counseling session” with a man last year. He and his wife honked and shook their fists at me while passing. (They had been held up by another car who refused to pass even though I waved her by twice) After quickly explaining that I had the same rights as him, waved the lady by and was only doing about ten below the speed limit, we ended with a handshake.


57 posted on 05/12/2007 4:42:23 PM PDT by cyclotic (Support Scouting-Raising boys to be men, and politically incorrect at the same time.)
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To: cyclotic
I’m thinking of getting a few copies and keeping one in my jersey pocket to hand to those unenlightened individuals who think that cyclists have no road rights.

Oh, and those clothes you wear... they're gay.

58 posted on 05/12/2007 4:42:44 PM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: Shion

LOL


59 posted on 05/12/2007 4:43:15 PM PDT by Kimmers (Coram Deo)
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To: stuck_in_new_orleans

I have 3 autos that are all tagged and inspected. I pay my share of road taxes. I also ride a bike. I do stay out of the road but get really annoyed when cars treat the shoulder as a running or passing lane and blare their horn like I’m in the road.


60 posted on 05/12/2007 4:44:57 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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