A mom in a minivan got assaulted by a Critical Mass mob in San Francisco.
“It seemed like they were using their bikes as weapons,” Ferrando said. One of the bikers then threw his bike — shattering the rear window and terrifying the young girls inside.
All the while, Ferrando was screaming, “There are children in this car! There are children in this car!”
She had the presence of mind to dial 911 on her cell phone — and within minutes, the squad of motorcycle cops who were assigned to keep an eye on the ride descended on the scene.
Let’s all act surprised that the cops claim they can do nothing about this fine San Francisco traddition. Hell, even Oakland got some control over weekend cruising.
Note the mayor’s weasle-worded support for the mob. That tells the whole story.
As for reaction from City Hall, Mayor Gavin Newsom said such acts of violence — if true — “only serve to undermine the worthwhile message of Critical Mass, which is to raise the awareness of bike transportation issues.”
I like San Francisco. I really do. But the inmates are running the asylum.
Compare with how SF’s law enforcement responded to a handful of art students trying to promote mass transit:
http://www.njudahchronicles.com/2006/08/muni_street_theater_bonanza_a.html
Yeah, I know. And our “moderate” mayor is on the side of Critical Mass?
Comment by N Judah Chronicles — 4 April, 2007 @ 16:42
The problem is that she did floor it, hitting a cyclist with the bike ending up under the van, according to witnesses — it wasn’t the light little tap claimed in the editorial you linked to. It was the cyclists (all two dozen of them at the very very most, not the “thousands” that’s implied in the editorial) who first called police on 911 to report the assault and attempted hit-and-run. The cyclists surround the van to prevent the driver from fleeing the scene of the collision. Then some idiot smashed out her rear window.
To summarize:
Mom (with kids in the van) commits assault.
Mom (with kids in the van) then attempts to feel the scene of her crime.
Cyclists call 911.
Cyclists surround van to prevent hit-and-run.
One idiot smashed out the window and scares the kids.
Police arrive, can’t sort anything out as cyclists insist on the driver’s arrest, let everybody go.
Driver takes this to the media with her spin.
Somebody at the Chronicle decides to do a fact check much later in the day. Mayor calls for “a good look.”
Comment by Fritz — 4 April, 2007 @ 20:18
It may or may not have gone that way. Until I can find a report that puts time stamps on the two 911 calls it’ll be hard to tease out who’s telling it straight.
Nothing would change the fact that Critical Mass is flat wrong, and the City of San Francisco is stupid and clueless for letting it continue more than a month, let alone ten years.
Comment by buttle — 5 April, 2007 @ 16:53