One of my general measuring sticks for Left Wing Liberal Assholes (LWLA) has been: what would have happened had this been perpetrated by _________ (insert GOP or “Conservative” here). Read this story and then posit: what would have happened had a horde of, say, bicycle-riding Conservatively-linked thugs assaulted a Democratic mother with child in a vehicle?
Then, after a few swear words, the alleged victim took off on his bike while the rest of the crowd continued to yell at both the cops and the van. Sgt. Ed Callejas — the lead cop on the scene and a veteran of Critical Mass rides since their inception — said he’d never seen anything like it before.
“I’ve seen the bikes swarm cars, and scratch them as they go by. I’ve seen guys get out of their cars and start fighting with the bikers, but if you had seen the faces on those little girls in tears,” Callejas said.
“All I could do was apologize for what they had been through.” The sergeant suggested that Ferrando write a letter to the mayor.
Estimated damage to the car: $5,300.
Those Critical Mass participants who break the law sometimes defend their actions based on their belief that the special circumstances surrounding Critical Mass means obeying the letter of the law would be more dangerous and inconvenient for all road users. In addition, some participants say that typical laws governing bicycle road users are unfair compared with those governing pedestrians and motorists, and that street design and traffic laws heavily favour motor vehicle users: breaking the law in the context of Critical Mass is therefore an act of civil disobedience against this unfair legal arrangement. Still others say that they are simply living life as they wish it to be for a few hours each month, making culture which favors motorists obsolete and irrelevant.
Okay, let me see if I have this right: a crowd of roughly 3,000 Critical Mass bicyclist thugs surround a mother in her car, do $5,300 damage, smash the rear window of their family van, cause the little girls inside to scream in terror — and rightly so — and the SFPD motor cops who are nearby (“the squad of motorcycle cops who were assigned to keep an eye on the ride”) do nothing. Nothing.
In summary from the SFPD Sergeant: This is San Francisco where cops have no balls and, even if we had them, we’d likely find then tinsnipped from our groin by our liberal Mayor and council because, after all, we much prefer our paychecks and our pensions to clashing with various “protected classes and species.” You write the letter, Ms. Victim — we can’t jeopardize our comfy jobs or our spot in the motor unit.
We sit there and they just go right through the red lights,” Sgt. Callejas said. “What else can we do? Arrest one rider while 500 keep going?
Why yes, Sgt. Callejas, that is PRECISELY what you do. How many SFPD motor officers are assigned to the ride each Friday? Two? Three? Make it four or more. Designate one of those officers to be the videographer. Designate one officer as the contact officer. Designate the other two or more officers as cover for the officer making the stop. Cite one at a time for as long as your shift lasts.
If, following the stop the swarm return, you continue with your citation and video everything. If it gets out of hand, call for backup. One way or the other, this band of Spandex Thugs needs to be provided a Reality Check.
And SFPD: you completely disgust me. You make me ashamed to be a cop. Here’s a unique concept: try doing your fucking jobs.
BZ
Kind of makes you want to put on your illegal alien mask and take your 60 Chebby with no insurance and drive thru the crowd.
Ooooooh. . .
BZ
I guess, since it’s Cali shooting the bastards is out of the question??
That would likely ruffle the feathers of the PC SFPD I am guessing…
I gotta tell you, Dallas isn’t any better, and neither is Austin, both are liberal havens, but that’s where it ends, if that bullshit had happened in any other part of Texas, Mom would have been packing serious heat with at least a dozen rounds in place and 2 backup mags in her pocket…
It’s been my thought that if you drop about 20 or so of these moonbats the others get the message and will make a hasty retreat, if they don’t, drop about 6 more in one hell of a hurry, if they haven’t changed their minds by then, a car is a marvelous tool for playing “Crowd Bowling”…
Damn, I love most Texas…
TF: it is so depressing and disappointing to see law enforcement caught in the same basin of slime and sludge as the general population of invertebrates.
BZ
One of these days…. ONE OF THESE DAYS … something is gonna snap … then who will they blame when the bikes become bowling pins…. If it was here, the riot squads would be out … they tried civil disruptions before, and they were squashed real quick…
ABF: yours is the likely future truth because, as you so surely point out, people will tolerate only so much. One day the Critical Mass will come across an armed parolee and his equally-armed buddy on their way to scoring some lovely crank, and then. . .
BZ
TF: isn’t if funny how “regional” various responses are? :^)
BZ
It would seem simple enough to make streets that are for bicycles only. They make streets one way why not include streets that are bicycle only. I dont care how much it screws up traffic and kills off businesses in SF.
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04 05 07
Texas Fred brought up a valid point, Recall that San Francisco is a gun free city now! So even if the woman chose to shoot those assholes, she would be to blame. Now I wonder if insurance will pay for the damage to her car? Who will she sue? BZ, you have seen critical mass, I am sure. I got caught up in it a few times and it is so ridiculous. I just can’t stand the way those guys ride in front of you then get pissed if you almost hit them! The arrogance I say! heheeeh Have a nice Easter:)
Mahndisa: might you go so far as to venture “the arrogance of the LEFT?”
BZ
Try driving anywhere in Boulder county. OMG, the stories we have. And they wonder why they get hit by cars.
Stacy: and that’s a good part of the point — bicyclist are almost by their very nature arrogant. They EXPECT to be accommodated by everyone all the time, though in Fornicalia they are BY LAW a VEHICLE and subject to all the laws applicable to any vehicle in the CVC. Compound that with ever greater arrogance and mix with politics and Conspicuity By Crowd (CBC) — now mix with violence and what do you have?
A GANG.
BZ