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Friday, July 28, 2006

Westlake Center. 5:30. Today.

Posted by on July 28 at 13:53 PM

Judging from the comments I got a couple of days ago when I reported that the King County Prosecutor’s Office decided not to press charges against Critical Mass cyclist Zack Treisman (which indicated to me that Treisman probably has a good case against the KC undercover detectives who messed him up), I’m not sure CM riders want to hear from me.

You see, in that widely-condemned post, I also groused that Treisman wasn’t pressing charges, and I went on a jag about race and how police brutality isn’t a pressing issue for whites, and so the value of bringing a case against the Sheriff’s Dept. may not have been forefront for Treisman.

I don’t know Treisman. He did not speak to the press. As the story was breaking, I spoke over the phone with Treisman’s girlfriend. During the follow-up coverage, I spoke with Treisman’s attorney. I did see Treisman down at the Sheriff’s dept. And I did randomly see him at a local bar watching the Tour de France. I even exchanged a friendly e-mail with Treisman earlier this week (before my post). But again, I don’t know him. So, singling him out to make my point about race was unfair. However, I stand by my thought that this issue isn’t important in the white community, and the resolution of this drama is evidence of that.

Anyway: The reason I’m dredging all this back up is because today is the first CM bike ride since the arrests last month. It’s at 5:30 at Westlake Center.

Cue Brian May on electric guitar. Freddie Mercury says: “Get on Your Bikes and Ride.”


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Up until you made that wildy off the mark assumption about race, your coverage had been the most up to date and well thought piece on this issue.

Maybe you we're stoned, that I can forgive. But next time put the bong down and ask the source before you decide to wildly speculate.

And lastly, see you at 5:30 motherbitches!

I'll be there. And I'm over 21, so I'll carry your beer.

Um, the White Community?

Where is that exactly?

I for one live in multi-cultural multi-national Fremont, where the people who live there are no more white than the people in White Center.

Now, let's be happy that the day is just right for biking - not too sunny, not too hot, and still summer.

Ride, my pretties!

I'll do a lap around Normal Heights (in Sandy Eggo) in your honor!

Maybe you assholes can follow the traffic laws this time, huh? I know nothing makes me want to share the road more than being infuriated. Oh and by the way, enjoy your impotence:

http://www.bikeroute.com/Recumbents/Bent-Impotence.html

I know one thing -- since the incident with CM last month I have been much more aware of all the jackass bicyclists careening around the streets of downtown (and on the friggin sidewalks) with no regard for anyone else. I can't tell you how many times I have almost been hit by a bike -- way more often than almost being hit by a car. Have fun at your little circle-jerk.

Here's an idea: Let's get a huge group of pedestrians to teach those "bikers" to share the streets and sidewalks. We will get a huge crowd of walkers to surround anyone we see on a bike and by annoying them, breaking traffic laws, and forcing them to ride at walking speed, they will learn to share. I hope you get your nuts caught in your bike chain assholes. Oh and by the way I do not own or drive a car so I am not some bitter commuter, but the interactions with "bikers" that I have had, both on foot and riding in a bus have shown me that the people who need to be "taught" something aren't in cars.

Follow the traffic laws? Wait, aren't more than half of the drivers in those cars driving without due care and attention (e.g. cell phones in use - even if hands free - are scientifically proven to be riskier than being legally drunk).

Seems to me the bicyclists pay taxes in this city too. Heck, so do the pedestrians. Only road that gets paid for by motorists is I-5 and Highway 99.

Gas is predicted to reach $4 a gallon by the end of summer.

FUCK YEAH! Feel it bitches.

I'd LOVE to see a Critical Mass of pedestrians. I would gladly step off my bike and join in.

Nothing makes me wanna go out and break some traffic laws more than the sweet promise of getting away with a pointless act -- a pointless act that makes me smile, and infuriates people whose angry existence is punishment enough, perhaps.

Oh, the entitlement!

But seriously, though, thanks for the kind thoughts, P.P. You've inspired me to go out and attend my first Seattle Critical Mass. See you there, sweetie, but I'll take a rain check on that nuts & chains thing.

PP & GG:

Please send us a description of your vehicles & license #'s. We'd love to infuriate you even further, but it would help if we knew where to find you first.

Also, we'd like to keep an eye out to make certain you don't break any traffic laws yourself.

Pedalist
Here ya go:
Vehicles: my fucking feet
license#: Learn to read jackass
I have no car. Has your bicycle seat cut off the flow of blood to your eyes as well as your dick?

Josh, I stand by my thought (no, make that the fact) that you are still being judgemental and making assumptions about something you know so little about. If you had dug deeper before making your racist, illegitimate remarks you would know that this incident is NOT RESOLVED with us. Show up on Sunday and you'll find out the truth.

The Girlfriend (is this Jill?),
With an invitation like that...sure. See ya Sunday.

That shooting had some terrible timing, drawing attention away from the important first-CM since the incident.

No kidding.

Here we are living in a world where some drivers are rude and Critical Mass is bravely blocking traffic to get us to pay attention, and all we care to worry about is ethnic hatred and murder.

Sometimes I think society doesn't deserve to be enlightened by good and noble Critical Mass.

So, I'm curious, did you cork the inetrsections as the swat team was rolling though on it's way to Belltown?

I also noticed that Zack's girlfriend spouts off at the mouth, ALOT.

Whereas he keeps his mouth shut.

Nice dynamic.

I think it's safe to say the majority of the Critical Mass riders were unaware of the goings on in Belltown until after the event.

As we approached one of the first intersections, the lead riders were wanting to take a right, until a couple of informed riders shortly behind yelled "Left!, left!, Don't go to Belltown!" And we all went left and steered clear of Belltown.

All in all it was uneventful, with lots of waves and smiles.

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