Too bad to check: New York cop knocks bicyclist over for no apparent reason
posted at 8:51 pm on July 28, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Three weeks on the force and already stripped of his badge and gun. Even worse than the crime, the apparent cover-up:
What the video doesn’t show is Pogan arresting Long for attempted assault in the third degree, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct – charges that kept the Bloomfield, N.J. man behind bars for 26 hours before his release late Saturday…
In court papers, Pogan accused Long of purposely swerving his bicycle to block traffic and then using it as a weapon to run down the officer, knocking him off his feet and causing a “laceration” on his forearm.
Watch the clip to see who ran down whom; linebackers get paid good money to make open-field tackles as crunching as this. The only semi-exculpatory explanation I can think of would be if there was a run-in earlier with the same bicyclist such that the cops had reason to believe he was dangerous and needed to apprehend him by any means necessary. I’m skeptical, but we’ll see. Exit quotation: “If it wasn’t caught on video people would not have believed it.”
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Yep, watching the video again, focusing on the slo-mo parts a few times, it is pretty clear the guy on the bike bends over a bit, shifts his weight towards the right and then braces himself to ram the officer. He made no attempt to slow down and looked like he wanted to hit the officer. Knowing the background of these guys, I’d say this kid deliberately did this to receive this deliberate ‘victim’ status result and demonize the cops.
Michael in MI on July 28, 2008 at 9:55 PM
Sounds like this is what was going on
William Amos on July 28, 2008 at 9:57 PM
I believe, based on these guys superiority complexes, that he believed the cop would step out of his way and he’d ride off into the proverbial sunset, with a kickass story about how he scared a cop out of his way. He met up with the wrong cop.
jimmy the notable on July 28, 2008 at 9:58 PM
This kid is 29 years old. He lost kid status long before this incident. The cop, however, is 22. Closer to kid status, IMO, but still not kids.
Sue on July 28, 2008 at 9:58 PM
If all the cop wanted to do,….
Beagle on July 28,2008 at 9:51PM.
Beagle: I agree,this officer,if unstable had many
oppurtunity’s to push a cyclist over!
And lets not forget,these anarchist’s want
foremost a confrontation,and its always a
mircle that its caught on tape!
canopfor on July 28, 2008 at 9:59 PM
That officer rushed to tackle the guy, and the guy’s trajectory was away. Yes, he leaned to the right, but I think it was because he was suddenly anticipating the cop pushing him the other way.
I’m calling douchebag with a badge this time.
MadisonConservative on July 28, 2008 at 10:00 PM
HEAR HEAR! Excellent post.
BTW, I do most of my short runs to the store on a 1982 Schwinn Traveler.
Ugly on July 28, 2008 at 10:00 PM
Anyone else have the theme to Beverly Hills Cop II going through your head?
- The Cat
MirCat on July 28, 2008 at 10:00 PM
Critical Mass like sputting up vids. I wonder where the vid for THIS is?
Karma is a bitch!
Both cops saw the guy do something. Could he have taken the guy down another way? Maybe. I think the cop is the one who needs some of you to quite overeacting.
“I carry mace!” Oooohhh! Yeah, let’s see you, while riding your bike, pull your mace out in time to use it on a cop before something happens.
Cops who break the law are punished. This cop, if he just flat out attacked the guy, will be punished. The Critical Mass asshat, if he did something wrong, will also be punished with just a dash of “quite being an asshat or you’ll get tackled” thrown in.
Exercise a little objectivity people and quite projecting your own biases into the situation.
catmman on July 28, 2008 at 10:00 PM
ON THE SIDEWALK, I forgot to add…
Ugly on July 28, 2008 at 10:00 PM
canopfor,
That is why I am suspicious. The camera operator turns to that exact spot, even when there are other cyclists still coming from the direction he had just been filming.
Sue on July 28, 2008 at 10:00 PM
Not that it makes it right, but we can’t see the biker’s right hand at all — he could be doing (or holding) anything with it. Maybe accompanied by a porcine taunt?
Again, not that it makes it right, but it would make more sense than ‘roid rage.
Furthermore, if you look at the really overgrown (shall we say grassy?) area at the edge of the screen…
Mephistefales on July 28, 2008 at 10:00 PM
Meh…
I pretty much hate cops, even though my grandfather was a State Policeman.
But this cop was dealing with a Critical Masshole. He should’ve just parted the creep’s hair with his nightstick.
Tinian on July 28, 2008 at 10:00 PM
P.S. Speaking of, with Hollywood and all their remakes and part IVs, is’t it time?
MirCat on July 28, 2008 at 10:01 PM
I don’t know much about Critical Mass, but from what I’ve found so far, it sounds like a bunch of anarchists or overgrown children getting a thrill at “sticking it to the man” in an attempt to convince themselves that they have some power and some purpose.
hillbillyjim on July 28, 2008 at 10:02 PM
Imagine all the police brutality that went unpunished before video.
corona on July 28, 2008 at 10:02 PM
First off, the cyclist clearly started moving toward the left as the cop approached him. It’s obvious to me; the intention was to go around to the left. The cop continued into the path until the cyclist had what appears to be less than a foot before hitting the curb. He clearly could NOT have “went around him to the left.”
Secondly, he did not “turn his bike to go at him.” He ‘leaned his bike’ into an unavoidable impact. This is an instinctive and defensive move. IF the cyclist truly wanted to steer into the cop, the cop would not have had to travel half the width of the street to get to the cyclist a foot from the curb. Would he?
Lastly, I’m not sure where you pull the accusation that he “threatened the cop” from. Are you able to hear a verbal audio in the video? The cop is clearly moving ‘toward’ the cyclist and I don’t see his lips moving to indicate a request for the cyclist to stop. So I think you’re stretching it a bit.
I’m all for hearing both sides of the story, but let’s get real. IF there WAS any “incident” where the cyclist threatened a cop, injured a cop, attacked a cop, resisted arrest, or disobeyed an order … it didn’t happen here. It had to have happened moments earlier, or at some other time.
Gregor on July 28, 2008 at 10:02 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1pbPsl9RIo :D
Ugly on July 28, 2008 at 10:02 PM
you’re rarely wrong but this time….
jerrytbg on July 28, 2008 at 10:03 PM
About the Seattle incident…I have long ago instructed my wife to floor it if her car ever gets surrounded by a group of anyone besides nuns and girlscouts (not stopping a block away should be a given.)
I have never heard of a car-surrounding ending peacefully.
Grafted on July 28, 2008 at 10:04 PM
Those critical mass people are obnoxious as*holes.
I’ve seen them spit on and throw sh*t at cars on their merry little journey through my downtown, disrupting everything and accomplishing nothing.
This video doesn’t show what the cyclist was doing before getting sh*tcanned into the curb.
Dave Rywall on July 28, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Hm, I reserving judgment. Looks like he singled that guy out.
But outside of that, good hit!
Spirit of 1776 on July 28, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Hehe, I was thinking more of Shakedown.
MirCat on July 28, 2008 at 10:08 PM
There is a problem with your observation. It appears to me the officer picked him out before he comes into view. And the bicyclist may be leaning because he is anticipating the body blow. I am not making a judgement on who is in the wrong here because we do not see what apparently caused the officer to intercept him. But that officer definitely picked him out, in my view, and positioned himself for the knock down.
NotCoach on July 28, 2008 at 10:08 PM
Ok, I couldn’t read all the previous comments so someone already may have pointed out these facts
First, the cop that “allegedly assaulted” the biker damn near got hit by one biker and never took his eyes off the one he ended up taking down.
Second, both cops began moving in the same direction simultaneously and had him locked in their sights the entire time indicating they were going to take him down. The second officer didn’t even hesitate when looking for restraints.
This dude did something that warranted an arrest, maybe not that hard of a take down, but he wasn’t innocent by any means.
Ciannaky on July 28, 2008 at 10:09 PM
I guess I use the label “kid” based on behavior, instead of age. I would call an 18 year old in the military a young man, while I will still call this 29 year old Critical Mass punk a ‘kid’.
Michael in MI on July 28, 2008 at 10:09 PM
I agree. I don’t think there’s any doubt that this particular guy did something to draw the attention of these cops and invite the “take down.” I also have no sadness seeing one of these losers hit the pavement. I just find it funny that there are some who see something in the video that’s clearly not there. Whatever happened; happened before the video started rolling.
Gregor on July 28, 2008 at 10:10 PM
I agree with Ciannaky; there must be more to this. If the cop was suffering roid rage, as some postulate, he had plenty of opportunity with people whizzing by him. He was locked on to this guy; as in looking for, match description, let’s take him down. Maybe the guy flipped him a bird, or maybe it went back to something earlier. Cop randomly attacking someone in a crowd of a 100 witnesses with another officer nearby is just not going to fly. Maybe something else will come out in the next couple of days.
austinnelly on July 28, 2008 at 10:11 PM
Are you kidding? If not, that’s ridiculous. The cop had to lunge forward several steps at the last instant to intersect the trajectory of the bicyclist. The guy on the bicycle doesn’t do anything in the video that would warrant that kind of treatment.
But maybe if flipped off the cop before he entered the picture or had something on his shirt that the cop took offense to.
Also, both cops may have started walking the same direction at about the same time, but I think it was just a coincidence or that he was following the first cop, because he made no real effort to intercept the bicycle as he would’ve if that had been his intent. The only exception is if he’d intended to chase after him down the street on foot.
FloatingRock on July 28, 2008 at 10:12 PM
The bikers could organize and have rallies or rides for charities. It seems they are only interested in making a spectacle of themselves by disrupting traffic regardless of the traffic laws intended to give motorists and cyclists safe access to streets and meet their transportation needs.
I’m not saying that this justifies that suhweeeet slobberknocker, but I am interested in finding out what led up to this incident.
hillbillyjim on July 28, 2008 at 10:13 PM
GET HIM!!!
Ugly on July 28, 2008 at 10:13 PM
I see. I don’t agree, but I see. At some point, being a kid, or acting like a kid, is no longer applicable. I think a 29 year old has reached that level.
Sue on July 28, 2008 at 10:13 PM
yes… The previous incident.
jerrytbg on July 28, 2008 at 10:14 PM
The cyclist was already moving to the left, that was his general path, as was the cyclists who passed the cop before him. The cop was clearly watching this specific cyclist, and the cyclist knew it. The cyclist clearly had the intention of ignoring the cop’s wishes for him to stop. Even if the cop didn’t say anything, when a cop is staring you down, and you know he’s there, and he’s walking towards you, you understand his intentions. The biker clearly ignored those intentions, and then, once he realized that he couldn’t go around the cop, decided to hit him, and hope the cop might get out of the way.
He definitely turned his bike to go at him. The cyclist only decided to steer towards the cop once it became clear that he wasn’t going to get away from him. I mean, he had ample room to apply the brakes.
He physically threatened the cop.
And if there was another incident, then this guy knew about it, and was deliberately trying to avoid the police. The police knew it, and he knew it. This guy is NOT innocent. Maybe the cop isn’t innocent either, but this guy doesn’t get to play the victim in my book.
jimmy the notable on July 28, 2008 at 10:14 PM
I completely agree with you. I agree the officer picked him out. My speculation (from other comments I have posted in this thread) is that this kid was causing havok, blocking traffic and possibly assaulted a cop previously and resisted arrest. Therefore, these cops were in the street looking specifically for this kid. He walked towards him expecting him to slow down and stop to respect law enforcement (as any reasonable person would do) and when he didn’t, he knocked him on his ass. Because they had been looking for this kid already and he had no intention of allowing him to knock *him* over and get away again.
Michael in MI on July 28, 2008 at 10:14 PM
AMEN HALLELUJAH
Ugly on July 28, 2008 at 10:15 PM
Like I said earlier:
Ugly on July 28, 2008 at 10:17 PM
Maybe Nanny Bloomberg sent word down to nip this sh!t in the bud.
hillbillyjim on July 28, 2008 at 10:18 PM
Well who knows how many drinks people had before commenting. If they are seeing two bikers, then I guess you could see one of them superimposed on the cop, heh.
But even hypothetically if that dude thought he was going to hurt the cop from what’s in the video, then he needs to learn some physics.
Anyway, sure seems likely that something happened earlier. If we are lucky this story will get flushed out more.
Spirit of 1776 on July 28, 2008 at 10:19 PM
Once again, you are basing your judgement solely on 30 seconds of video, which does not tell the whole story. I am basing *my* judgement on knowing there was something that happened previously to warrant the cop to specifically look for this kid and want him stopped.
I’m simply amazed that some people here are acting as judge and jury based on 30 seconds of video and the testimony of some anarchist bicyclists.
To think that people have such biases towards cops that they think they will knock innocent civilians on their asses for no particular reason… just reminds me of the Left who thinks the same demonizing things of the military. Just sad.
Michael in MI on July 28, 2008 at 10:19 PM
AP’s guide to thread explosions.
1. Atheists vs Believers(of whatever, it all works for this).
2. Evolution vs Creationism.
3. Cops vs Punks.
Nothing busts out a thread like good old fashioned partisanism. :) I use partisanship because it’s the same old players saying the same old things no matter what is presented.
- The Cat
P.S. I’d like to take out Occam’s Razor and use it on it so much you’d think it was EMO.
Millions of people are watching.
The other Cop didn’t think it was weird.
They are standing in the middle as cyclers go flying by.
They both watch the guy and follow him over.
vs
“He did it so he could take us to war in Iraq.” I mean to say he did it for no reason, or cause he was an ass, a little logic please.
P.P.S. But I forgot, F’n pigs. *eye roll*
MirCat on July 28, 2008 at 10:19 PM
actually lets try 18. no one raised in this country doesnt realize that at 18 they are responsible for their actions. i dont know if the biker did anything or not but age doesnt excuse either one of them.
chasdal on July 28, 2008 at 10:20 PM
I’ll take it one step further…. I think the “cameraman”(or woman) knew this was going to happen!
Modern communications technology at it’s worst.
jerrytbg on July 28, 2008 at 10:21 PM
jimmy the notable on July 28, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Bingo. Could not have stated it any better.
Michael in MI on July 28, 2008 at 10:21 PM
canopfor
Sue on July 28,2008 at !0:00PM.
Sue: I fully agree,it would be one thing,to pan the
camera to that spot,and maybe pan away,and then
seeing an accident,re-direct the camera!
However,the camera guy,just turns the camera,a
second or two on that spot,and it looks like,an
anticipation shot,ummmm!:)
canopfor on July 28, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Let me clarify. I am not saying anyone over the age of 18 *is* a kid. I am simply saying I *label* them as kids, if their immature behavior warrants it. (ie, “you’re not a man, you’re just a kid” … “No, I’m a man, I’m 25 years old” … “until you start *acting* like a man, you are still going to be seen as a kid”)
My younger brother was a ‘kid’ until about junior year in college. Then he grew up, joined ROTC and now he acts like the man he should.
I hope that clears it up.
Michael in MI on July 28, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Funny, I was just about to say the same to you for this comment:
There’s nothing that pisses me off more than demonization of police officers. For me, Punks vs Cops, Punks lose every time. especially over-organized punks who block traffic and taunt people in cities around the country.
jimmy the notable on July 28, 2008 at 10:25 PM
Inappropriately, I laughed my ass off at this.
Hard. For several minutes.
I dont like rougue cops and if thats what this is,
then flatfoot should get The Book thrown at him.
But i dislike Critical Mass hippies. Intensely.
Mike D. on July 28, 2008 at 10:27 PM
And there’s also this:
- The Cat
MirCat on July 28, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Sorry, but I’ve been in three car/bike accidents and one pretty violent bike/bike accident and I can assure you that the reflexive response is not to lean into the impact but to try to get away from it. You might try to push off with a hand if it’s really unavoidable, but mostly it’s swerving away and braking. Leaning into the impact only makes the impact worse.
This is an instinctive and defensive move.
Instinctive would be to push off with a hand, not barrel into the collision.
IF the cyclist truly wanted to steer into the cop, the cop would not have had to travel half the width of the street to get to the cyclist a foot from the curb. Would he?
I’ve looked at the video a few times. The cop was forcing him to the curb, he tried to swerve around. As a rider, if a cop was in the street and forcing me to the curb, I think I’d stop. I think the rider’s lean to the right is him trying to accelerate and either knock the cop down or barrel past him. If you watch the video, he starts to shift his weight to the right just as his right pedal is coming over top dead center. That’s exactly what a cyclist will do when trying to accelerate.
rokemronnie on July 28, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Mi dispiace.
“Rogue” cops. A rougue cop would be really hard to handle.
Mike D. on July 28, 2008 at 10:27 PM
critical mass is nothing but a freak show by some unwashed morons who think because they peddle they dont have to obey the laws.
They disrespect everyone that gets stuck in traffic. They run lights, stop signs and block traffic and like little brats they need to be taken to the wood shed.
I found out if you throw them hard enough they work like a bowling ball and you can pick up the 7-10 split no problem
Mojack420 on July 28, 2008 at 10:30 PM
Maybe nanny Bloomberg,…
hillbillyjim on July 28,2008 at 10:18PM.
hillbillyjim:From another thread,wink,wink,
I’ll take McMuffin’s !!!!haha:):).
canopfor on July 28, 2008 at 10:30 PM
Also, if his trajectory was already toward the curb, which was only a short distance away, he would’ve had to quickly turned back to the right, (causing his weight to shift to the right as well), in order to prevent a crash into the curb, regardless of the cops actions.
Still though, it’s entirely possible he did something before appearing in the video—but if so, why don’t we see the cop hold up his hand to tell the cyclist to halt or point at him or verbally command him to stop?
FloatingRock on July 28, 2008 at 10:30 PM
Michael,
I understand your point. I just don’t agree with it.
Sue on July 28, 2008 at 10:30 PM
we dont kerteak fer spelan lol ;)
jerrytbg on July 28, 2008 at 10:31 PM
I’d give this cop a pat on the back, maybe even a promotion. Critical Ass should be taken into a dark room and beaten with nightsticks.
flenser on July 28, 2008 at 10:32 PM
I don’t know, I just keep thinking how lucky it was for CM to be able to obtain the video and post it on the net, with their own headings. Very convenient.
Sue on July 28, 2008 at 10:33 PM
Okay, here’s my guess. At the beginning of the recording, you can barely see that there are stationary cyclists in front of the stopped cars. I’m guessing that the guy that got knocked over was one of them, and he had been harassing a driver moments before and was perhaps confronted by a third cop, who called ahead to the two in the middle of the street to tell them to grab that particular guy. One of the other cyclists who probably had also been holding cars and bringing up the rear then comes by and calmly takes his buddy’s bike at the end — he doesn’t seem surprised or upset at all that the cops knocked his fellow cyclist down and arrested him. He didn’t stop to say, “Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Which leads me to believe he knew his buddy deserved it and just figured he’d do him the favor of saving his bike from the impound lot or wherever perps’ bikes go.
Total speculation, but just as founded as most of the rest of the speculation I’m seeing. Point is, we don’t know all the facts. We all know a few seconds of video can be terribly misleading when taken out of context. I usually err on the side of trusting the cop over the anarchists.
aero on July 28, 2008 at 10:33 PM
Mob mentality is usually not a good thing, even on two wheels. Most of them are probably militantly green to begin with, likely pushing fliers on uninterested passers-by on their little joyrides.
Perhaps a decision was made higher up that something had to be done to reign in these unruly events before the situation gets further out of control.
Just spitballin’ here.
hillbillyjim on July 28, 2008 at 10:34 PM
And there’s also this,..
MirCat on July 28,2008 at 10:27PM.
MirCat: If these wacko’s have this on their websites
as a trophy,and are bragging about it,then
I would surmise,its close to a smoking gun,
so to speak! :).
canopfor on July 28, 2008 at 10:35 PM
Plenty of cops are punks or think they’re guards and we’re all prisoners. Still, this case looks like the cop had his reasons.
rokemronnie on July 28, 2008 at 10:35 PM
Siding with the cop on this one- we can’t see what happened before he knocked him over.
The Critical Mass douchebags are well known for intentionally blocking traffic and attempting to instigate confrontation- sometimes violently. I won’t shed a tear if the whole lot of them get turned into SUV speedbumps.
It was pretty clear that the cop was targetting this person in particular well in advance- I’m thinking he had a reason to apprehend him.
However, embellishing a police report ain’t cool and was incredibly stupid… though I suspect it happens all the time.
Hollowpoint on July 28, 2008 at 10:38 PM
Because if hippies know one thing, it’s rugby.
- The Cat
MirCat on July 28, 2008 at 10:38 PM
canopfor—hehehe
hillbillyjim on July 28, 2008 at 10:39 PM
As opposed to, you know, braking!
flenser on July 28, 2008 at 10:40 PM
Trust me, there is always a good reason to kick over a bicyclist in NYC.
awake on July 28, 2008 at 10:41 PM
I’ve never been in NYC except for JFK. Don’t they have bike paths and such in the parks up there in the big city?
hillbillyjim on July 28, 2008 at 10:42 PM
Good. So now it’s OK to assault people because they support bike riding.
Good job defending an obvious pig. And that’s not a slur, it’s a description. The dude was a fat piece of trash who was mad because some kids could self-ambulate.
He targets the guy from way back and lays into him like gigantic sack of flour.
***
I’ve worked closely with law enforcement. I have family in law enforcement at various levels. I love cops. That’s why I despise the really bad ones.
This dude is nobody’s cop. He’s a pussy.
Critical ass.
The Race Card on July 28, 2008 at 10:43 PM
actually just being a part of critical mass warrants that kind of treatment and then some .
Mojack420 on July 28, 2008 at 10:43 PM
LMAO Booo YAAA! HAHAHA!! Pwned!! HAHAHAHA!!!
Chakra Hammer on July 28, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Ever jaywalk?
The Race Card on July 28, 2008 at 10:44 PM
They’ve pulled this before http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igPApH7UXNk Notice how AGAIN there isn’t any of the before.
- The Cat
MirCat on July 28, 2008 at 10:44 PM
Obfuscation.
Suppose you’re driving a car, there are cops standing in the street, one of the cops walks into your path. What do you do, keep your foot on the gas an veer to the left? Then, when a collision looks likely what do you do, veer into the cop?
Suppose you’re driving a motor yacht, the marine patrol is sitting in the channel you’re navigating, one of the marine patrol divers swims into your path. What do you do, leave the throttles forward and veer to the left? Then, when a collision looks likely what do you do, veer into the swimmer?
Suppose you’re riding a bicycle…
Never mind what happened prior to the video.
jaime on July 28, 2008 at 10:45 PM
The curb there is a typical NYC metal crowned curb. It’s got a curved edge and might be 4″ high. The cyclist was riding a mountain or hybrid bike, with relatively fat tires. I’m not saying that jumping the curb was a no brainer, but it’s not likely to have caused a wreck with that bike and decent bike handling skills and going up on the sidewalk is preferable to hitting a burly cop.
The cops had singled him out, he knew it and thought he could speed up and blow by the cop.
rokemronnie on July 28, 2008 at 10:45 PM
Ever jaywalk after a game or stadium event? Ever seen hundreds of people crossing streets against lights?
Mow ‘em over next time. You’ll be a hero on HA.
The Race Card on July 28, 2008 at 10:45 PM
I’m guessing you haven’t done the careful studying of the video as the rest of us, and that is the kneejerk reaction they want you to get from viewing it once. There are many subtle nuances that prove he is not a pig. I don’t feel like explaining them.
jimmy the notable on July 28, 2008 at 10:45 PM
This dickhead cop gives real cops a bad name. Other than Jetboy’s dad, I can’t imagine a cop signing off on that.
The Race Card on July 28, 2008 at 10:46 PM
BTW, regarding the retired cop who said he’d have jammed his nightstick in the spokes, the cyclist is lucky the cop didn’t do this. Jamming the spokes usually results in going over the handlebars. Getting tackled is better than endo’ing and face planting.
rokemronnie on July 28, 2008 at 10:47 PM
That Cop was like a crazed DOG!
Chase and attack anything that moves! LMAO!
Cop 1
Sissy bike rider 0
Chakra Hammer on July 28, 2008 at 10:48 PM
I think its pretty obvious from the video that the cop is being an overly aggressive jerk. The bike rider could have been killed.
The cop should be charged with assault and kicked out of the department.
Verbal Abuse on July 28, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Now tell many, how many of you ride a bike at least once a week for more than a mile on a main road? I think all of you are ignorant of how freaking dangerous it is for a cyclist on the streets of America, as you need to die first before the police actually do anything with the driver who hits you. I’ve been hit twice by careless drivers who’ve both been cited for their carelessness, and their fines equal less than what it costs if they were to run a red light. The laws in this country need to be changed to be more mindful of cyclists who legally share the road with cares, which is where Critical Mass comes in to bring awareness. While I don’t support their silly outlandish behavior at times, I do support their cause.
For those of you who whine about them obstructing traffic, do you yourself know the rules of the road? I’d take the time to learn them before ridiculing because in a lot of states, bicyclists are are allowed to take up the right lane if there’s two or more riding. It’s quite clear that the cop was at fault here because he acted anything but professional. Big whoopteedo if he flipped him off, taunted him, called him names, etc. That doesn’t give him the right to attack the cyclist. You don’t see those of us in the military beating up anti-war protesters at will.
ViperPilot on July 28, 2008 at 10:49 PM
So he’s supposed to have read the cops mind?
Decided to hit him? If the cop hadn’t run the last few steps the bicyclist would’ve gotten by with a wide margin.
Is there a second video? What are you talking about? And why would he apply the brakes?
Did you read this somewhere?
It may turn out you’re right but there isn’t anything in the video that backs up your analysis in the slightest.
Look, I don’t like Critical Mass either, especially after what just happened here in Seattle, but that by itself is no excuse for what happened in this video.
FloatingRock on July 28, 2008 at 10:49 PM
This is exactly what makes sense in this instance. From my perspective, it was clear the cop wanted the cyclist to stop. The cyclist seemingly ignored this, probably because he knew they were after him from the aforementioned incident. He never once appears to slow down.
jimmy the notable on July 28, 2008 at 10:50 PM
Any idea on why the biker starts moving away from the officer as soon as he is in frame? Didn’t look like any over the other riders were doing that. Darn video won’t load for a 2nd look, so I can’t confirm my initial impression. I would suspect the rider knew what was coming from some previous event.
rgranger on July 28, 2008 at 10:51 PM
1. Who knows what that cyclist did off camera.
2. I did notice another critical masser come much closer to that cop that the guy who was knocked down.
Urban Infidel on July 28, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Based on your comment, I respect your intentions, but I don’t think you know anything about Critical Mass. Read some comments from cyclists on the first page of comments, they hate Critical Mass because they CREATE this anti-cyclist attitude among cops and motorists, diminishing the respect law-abiding cyclists deserve.
jimmy the notable on July 28, 2008 at 10:51 PM
I stated earlier that these bikers’ behavior doesn’t justify the takedown, but will reserve judgment until more information is available about what led up to the incident, if anything.
From what I have read about Critical Mass events from a very quick search, it seems that these events are in no way analogous to jaywalking.
It is a bunch of bikers who decide to get together in large enough groups to be able to flaunt the traffic laws (purposefully) by stopping traffic, blocking intersections in a tactic known as “corking”, riding in circles in intersections, etc.
Not jaywalking.
BTW there is no place to jaywalk around here.
hillbillyjim on July 28, 2008 at 10:53 PM
They don’t support bike riding. The folks who support bike riding do it by commuting and running errands on a bike, not by blocking traffic on Friday rush hours.
He targets the guy from way back and lays into him like gigantic sack of flour.
Argues against your position. Clearly not a random act or the cop just laying into someone.
I’ve been called a cop hater, but as a cyclist I’m with the cop on this one.
rokemronnie on July 28, 2008 at 10:53 PM
the diffrence is in those cases they are not confrontational with the motorist and for the most part its no problem , but these idiots who cant afford cars think they have the right to disrupt the lives of those who do own and drive cars.
Mojack420 on July 28, 2008 at 10:53 PM
ROFL, if a cop looks at you, that means he wants you to stop??? You’re killing me Jimmy! Where on earth is this new rule? If the cop would of wanted him to stop, he would of made the gesture to do so with his hand, not assaulted the cyclist.
ViperPilot on July 28, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Jimmy, there is very little nuance here. The cop is walking toward the curb, and actually starts walking faster so as to make contact with the bike rider. You’re grasping for straws, it’s clear as day. I don’t like critical mass, but this is clearly a case of assault.
Verbal Abuse on July 28, 2008 at 10:54 PM
To stop?
flenser on July 28, 2008 at 10:54 PM
I’ve looked at the video a few times.
rokemronnie on July 28,2008 at 10:27PM.
rokemronnie: Look,anything is possible in a bike accident!
After a concert at Castle Farms,back in the day,
I had my Raliegh Supercourse,raining to beat the
band,and i was highballing,really standing on the
pedals,and I was strapped in real tight!
Still rainy hard,less then 1/8 of a mile to the
intersection,green light,two cars making a turn,
making a left,i would of slid under the car,made
a disicion to go straight,maybe to the right,I
hit the car almost head on,flipped,I literally
felt my back push into the windsield!
The windshield did not break,flipped in midair,
and by a miricle landed on my two feet,with a
very sore hip!
I still can’t figure out,with the staps very tight
how I slipped out of those straps and land on my
two feet,from a near head collision!
Probably,because of the heavy rain,so anything
might be possible!————————-:)
canopfor on July 28, 2008 at 10:55 PM
If you live in a society run by laws, you are supposed to understand police officers. That is the agreement you make when you take up the road that they police.
Yeah, and the cyclist, seeing that the cop was closing off his escape route, sped up and decided to hit him, or hopefully scare him out of the way. BRAKES, they’re right there by the hands. This guy never touches them.
No, I just examined this video numerous times.
Say you’re driving your car and you swerve towards a pedestrian. That is a threat. This is the same thing. The vehicle is the instrument of the threat towards the cop.
I completely disagree.
jimmy the notable on July 28, 2008 at 10:56 PM
Wow Mojack, a bit ignorant are we? Who says because we ride bikes means we can’t afford cars? Riding a bike saves money on gas, is better for the environment, and is good exercise. It’s a win-win situation all the way around. Shall I get started on stupid drivers who think they have the right to disrupt the lives who do own and ride bikes?
ViperPilot on July 28, 2008 at 10:56 PM
You can’t assault a member of Critical Mass. They deserve anything and everything that happens to them.
flenser on July 28, 2008 at 10:56 PM
there seems to be a reason why the choose to tackle that particular guy, if you notice in the video another bike rider comes even closer to the same cop right before the tackle..
(Did the police have radio information of a perp, and thats why they they took this guy down? example “be on the look out for a guy a mountain bike with a backpack and a “red hat” or whatever.. and they got the wrong dude?)
Chakra Hammer on July 28, 2008 at 10:58 PM
He was staring at him. As was the other cop. They were both moving in a direction as to obstruct the cyclists path. If he doesn’t understand their intentions, he is not intelligent enough to be out at 9:30 at night in NYC with a group of anarchists.
jimmy the notable on July 28, 2008 at 10:58 PM
A bully cop, angered by cyclist, deserved to be fired and sued for assault.
Plain and simple.
Kini on July 28, 2008 at 10:59 PM
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