[*BCM*] Parades vs. travelling on a bike

[Matthew Arcidy]

On Fri, 4 Mar 2005, turtle wrote:

> Ok, I'd like to ask the folks who seem to be parade experts a few
> questions:
> 
> 1. How many vehicles/pedestrians must be travelling together (communally
> agreeing to travel in the same direction, and going the same place)
> before a permit is necessary?  2, 4, 10, 50, 100?

X where X is less than the number of morons who had to ruin it for people
by doing it during the RNC.  From admissions in the emails, it was not a
problem before the RNC.  One wonders, had the RNC ride not happened, if
it would continue to not be a problem.  Unfortunately, the technology to
explore alternate timelines does not exist.  This will remain harmless
conjecture and be stricken from the record.

> 
> 2. Is it the act of agreeing to travel together that makes it a parade?
Yes, by definition of the word.

> 
> 3. Should all group bike/car/pedestrian trips have to get permits to
> travel on public roads?
No, you should follow the laws of your city.  How many bike/car/ped trips
break traffic laws?

> 
> 4. Is arrest of non-permitted group travellers an appropriate punishment
> for the "crime"?  
>From who's perspective?  non-permitted means something "non-permitted" is
going on.  Is there a rule against such an offense?  Is the rule
punishible by incarceration?

> 
> 5. Is arrest of those violating traffic laws appropriate?  (Seperately
> from the parade issue.)
Seperate from the above answer, that is tough.  Arrested is not
punishment, it is what happens to you when you allegedly commit a crime.  
You can be arrested for littering.  Are you saying arrestings should not
happen at all?  Innocent people are arrested all the time, but are then
let free when the state cannot prove its case.  But that is the judges
decision, and not the officers.  When a law is violated, someone is going
to get arrested for it.  That's why there are different levels of
offenses.  If you want to fight these down to misdemeanors, sure, go for
it, but no one wants a bunch of (from their prospective) yahoos parading
down the streets blocking traffic.

> 
> If you can tell me the legal answers to these questions, I'll come up
> with a plan.  If not then I guess we just have to keep riding our bikes
> the way we believe is best, and see what happens.

Answer me one simple question, which still no one has addressed.  Why is
breaking the law necessary on a CM ride?  What is the purpose of breaking
the law?  We're talking about individuals who's actions are hurting
innocent people.  I do not support these people and their fight to
continue making it dangerous for me or my liberty (staying out of jail).

If you are within the law, as you your statement below suggests, then I
support you and your fight.  They are wrong due to ignorance of the law or
arrogance in beleiving it does not apply to them.  The issue in question
is phantom.  Do you really need a hard definition of parade out of
this?  I'm sure you'll get one.  And it will be 3.  And then CM will never
get a permit for every reason that they can think of.  And it's all
because they just HAD to make their "point" (though everyone denies one
exists) during the RNC.

Do you fundamentally beleive that CM'ers should be given the
priviliage to flaunt the law whenever they want?  How many would you
consider a CM?  2? 5?  At what point is a group large enough to gain
"above the law" privilages?  That is what you are asking for, though
clearly this passage is meant to draw it out to extremes.  It's a question
of doing things correctly or not, and they screwed it up as to put CM in
danger.  That is a classic example of what the combination of arrogance
and ignorance does.  They were ignorant of the parade law, which by itself
was enough to get the charges dropped I'm sure, but the arrogance led to
the arrests, and further arrogance of this farcical suit will lead to the
hard definitions you want so badly.  Play in the law helps both sides if
you know how to exploit, but with the hard defiitions you seek, you will
get the organization that you so abhor.

-Matt

> 
> -Turtle
> who was arrested for trying to get a bis driver's name after he
> assaulted her, and was then told by the judge to stop riding in the
> road, and get on the sidewalk (In Boston, where sidewalk biking is
> illegal).
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