<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt"><DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Speaking of the area near the Longfellow Bridge....</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">There have been an increasing number of bike police traps in </SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Cambridge</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> lately. I have noticed that they are spread out along my route at different locations, but they seem to always be at least one cop the intersection of Broadway & Main Street in </SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Cambridge (just before the Longfellow)</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">. I have watched other cyclist get stopped and ticketed a few times, usually when crossing with the
pedestrian walk signal when all lights are red.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Here is a map of the spot: (<A href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Broadway+%4042.362770,+-71.084582&daddr=42.361977,-71.082423&hl=en&geocode=12899578198328372370,42.362770,-71.084582%3B6747366231024457007,42.362270,-71.083680&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=17&sll=42.362008,-71.082627&sspn=0.003623,0.006748&ie=UTF8&ll=42.363047,-71.08283&spn=0.014491,0.043302&z=15">http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Broadway+%4042.362770,+-71.084582&daddr=42.361977,-71.082423&hl=en&geocode=12899578198328372370,42.362770,-71.084582%3B6747366231024457007,42.362270,-71.083680&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=17&sll=42.362008,-71.082627&sspn=0.003623,0.006748&ie=UTF8&ll=42.363047,-71.08283&spn=0.014491,0.043302&z=15</A>)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(In my opinion) I think it is good for the police to stop cyclists for blasting through a red light, but I personally think it is safer to cross that particular intersection with the pedestrian signal vs. waiting for the green and battling for a safe spot with the cars.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I also think it is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS that the bike police at that intersection do NOTHING about all of the shuttles, taxis, large trucks, and cars that are parked in the bike lane less than 50 yards east from where the cops are handing out tickets to cyclists.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><BR>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">----- Original Message ----<BR>From: Anne Wolfe <goannego@gmail.com><BR>To: Boston CM <list@bostoncriticalmass.org><BR>Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 1:48:39 PM<BR>Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Response to Vehicular Assault? (was: Open letter ...)<BR><BR>
<DIV dir=ltr>Stop, prevent injury if possible, treat injuries if needed. Call the police, ambulances if necessary and take notes on time, location, license plate numbers, witness details. Video or photograph anything you can (in these days where everyone's cell phone is a camera this is now remarkably easy). <BR><BR>Just don't retaliate. Or provoke. The second either is done, you're on to a losing battle. <BR><BR>
<DIV class=gmail_quote>2008/7/30 Jym Dyer <SPAN dir=ltr><<A href="mailto:jym@econet.org" target=_blank rel=nofollow ymailto="mailto:jym@econet.org">jym@econet.org</A>></SPAN><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=gmail_quote style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid">> And how should one behave when say... an aggressive<BR>> motorcycle is trying to bob and weave their way through<BR>> the mass on charles street near the gardens?<BR><BR>=v= I've been wondering about this for a while. What's the best<BR>way to stop a motorist in the process of committing vehicular<BR>assault? The car is running, it may have already hit someone,<BR>it may be about to hit someone, what do you do? The goal is<BR>to stop the assault and, ideally, not be arrested for doing so<BR>(or, if arrested, not convicted).<BR><BR>=v= I've followed a few of these incidents over the years (not<BR>all of them involving Critical Mass), and Seattle's follows an<BR>all too typical pattern: those who damaged a precious, precious<BR>car are thrown in jail, but the vehicular assaulter isn't even<BR>charged
with anything. Some judges and juries follow the lead<BR>of the cops here, and despite evidence of self-defense (or the<BR>defense of others), are more upset about damage to cars than<BR>bodily harm to bicyclists.<BR><BR>=v= Actually harming the driver is worse, of course. Trying to<BR>wrestle the keys away would seem to be the most direct approach,<BR>but is arguably assault and battery. (Getting anywhere near the<BR>driver at all is something like a mortal sin.)<BR><BR>=v= So, what's the right thing to do? Have Eddie Murphy shove<BR>potatoes up the exhaust pipe?<BR> <_Jym_><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Boston Critical Mass mailing list<BR><A href="mailto:list@bostoncriticalmass.org" target=_blank rel=nofollow ymailto="mailto:list@bostoncriticalmass.org">list@bostoncriticalmass.org</A><BR><A href="http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list" target=_blank
rel=nofollow>http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list</A><BR>To unsubscribe email <A href="mailto:list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org" target=_blank rel=nofollow ymailto="mailto:list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org">list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org</A><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><BR clear=all><BR>-- <BR>Anne M. Wolfe, LL.M.<BR>Mobile: ( 07805) 456901<BR>"If Happy Fun Ball begins to smoke, get away immediately. Seek shelter and cover head. Please do not taunt Happy Fun Ball."<BR></DIV></DIV></DIV></div><br>
</body></html>