Here's your Monday afternoon gripe. Enjoy!

[benb]

Still really hard for me to see past the 420 angle. Advertise drug use on a bike ride on social media, super intelligent. The cops would not be doing their job if they didn't come down on this. The bell aspect is just an extra, probably wouldn't happen if not for all the other stuff.

I voted for legalization here but I am still 100% OK with the cops completely throwing the book at every single car driver or bicyclist who is riding high.

Mostly it's car drivers around here that are the problem... very easy to sniff them out.

This is the same thing as a bunch of kids on Facebook who organize their "Brootal Crewz" VW/Subaru "Gangsta ride" and then wonder why the police are going over their vehicles inspecting them for every little violation in their mufflers and chips & aftermarket headlights on the cars after they catch them all doing 130mph down the freeway. They'd have gotten away with relatively harmless illegal mods on the cars if they hadn't attracted attention with the speeding/reckless driving/racing.

The cops ignore the 420 ride and then we might be reading a story about "Tragic accident kills cyclist during 420 ride."

[azrider]

Originally Posted by johnmdesigner

I called it a "nugget" not "investigative reporting".
And bicycle bells would seem very appropriate for a memorial ride.
I have come to expect very little from my Police Department.
Yesterday one relatively skinny guy overpowered 4 policemen, took their Taser and used it on them. So no, I'm not expecting much.

No no........I wasn't insulting your choice of words.....I was insulting the actual reporter who (like others in this thread) are taking the whole "bell" thing at face value and not looking at the real reason why they cracked down on these guys in the first place...........the reason for this whole "BELLGATE" is because.......

you know what.....


forget it.

[johnmdesigner]

Originally Posted by benb

Still really hard for me to see past the 420 angle. Advertise drug use on a bike ride on social media, super intelligent. The cops would not be doing their job if they didn't come down on this. The bell aspect is just an extra, probably wouldn't happen if not for all the other stuff.

I voted for legalization here but I am still 100% OK with the cops completely throwing the book at every single car driver or bicyclist who is riding high.

Mostly it's car drivers around here that are the problem... very easy to sniff them out.

This is the same thing as a bunch of kids on Facebook who organize their "Brootal Crewz" VW/Subaru "Gangsta ride" and then wonder why the police are going over their vehicles inspecting them for every little violation in their mufflers and chips & aftermarket headlights on the cars after they catch them all doing 130mph down the freeway. They'd have gotten away with relatively harmless illegal mods on the cars if they hadn't attracted attention with the speeding/reckless driving/racing.

The cops ignore the 420 ride and then we might be reading a story about "Tragic accident kills cyclist during 420 ride."

You did read the article right?

[UPDATE / 4:02 p.m.] NYPD spokesperson Detective Denise Moroney sent us the following statement:
On Saturday, April 20, 2019 l NYPD officers were assigned to a detail at Tompkins Square Park. The detail was in response to a large gathering of bicyclists called “420 Bake and Race” advertising smoking marijuana and traveling on New York City roadways to various locations. There was a total of four summons written for no bell on a bicycle (1236-B of the VTL) in the area of the park. There were a total of four bicycles were taken into custody for the violation and once the violation was corrected (bell affixed to the bicycle) all bicycles were returned in a 24-hour period. One person was taken into custody for an outstanding warrant. Members of the public and the NYPD have a shared responsibility to ensure safety for all navigating the streets of the city.

"There were a total of four bicycles were taken into custody for the violation and once the violation was corrected (bell affixed to the bicycle) all bicycles were returned in a 24-hour period."
This is an illegal seizure. Nothing more than thuggish harassment.

No one was arrested for smoking marijuana.

Had the organizer been issued a summons for an illegal parade on public property (a park) without a permit it might have been a more legitimate excuse. Too lazy and too sloppy for that. Just more NYPD thuggery. Ensuring safety for all navigating the streets by letting motorists who kill pedestrians in the crosswalk off scott free.

[johnmdesigner]

Originally Posted by azrider

No no........I wasn't insulting your choice of words.....I was insulting the actual reporter who (like others in this thread) are taking the whole "bell" thing at face value and not looking at the real reason why they cracked down on these guys in the first place...........the reason for this whole "BELLGATE" is because.......

you know what.....


forget it.

Just turn me over to Sheriff Joe and call it a day.

[azrider]

Originally Posted by johnmdesigner

Just turn me over to Sheriff Joe and call it a day.

Sheriff Joe hasn't been in office since 2016........so......there's that.

You've obviously got a penchant for banging on Police.......lets hope you never find yourself needing the services in which they provide. I personally think you'll find bad cops everywhere. A buddy who is a detective says the same thing. But to paint with such a broad stroke and encompass all police as thugs is more a you problem then a them problem.

This is where I'll bow out.

[asindc]

Originally Posted by MagicHour

That's it, I'm buying a gong for my bike. F*** it.

I like that idea.