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Cop opens van door into cyclist then attempts to intimidate him (Lmagazine)

brianvan:

biteofpythias:

I’ll just throw up this softball for bvan and let him take it yard…

See, the thing is, even if you’re NOT a cop, yelling at a cyclist who you just hit with the door you flung open into traffic is one of the worst things that you can do. For starters, the law is absolutely not on your side. Also, whatever you’ve seen other cyclists doing (the “you’re all maniacs” argument) is irrelevant here. And finally, you have possibly just injured someone greatly, and if that is not the case then you certainly did something that could have (or worse).  

There are so many things that we’ve deemed intolerable in life because of any minimal risk of injury or death. This actually has a significant risk of injury/death; it should be sobering to those who cause it, not in the least inspiring arrogance, self-entitlement, or schadenfreude. Why is the opposite true? Because bikes are toys and adults who ride them deserve to be culled from the population? Our collective approach to this is barbaric. 

And certainly the idea that police officers are causing harm AND being abusive to the public should inspire a call to action. No, don’t fire the police officers because they did something wrong… that’s a stupid knee-jerk approach and I don’t approve of it. But do something corrective. Make sure this is the last time. But I have a feeling it’s far from the last time. Cops enjoy it too much.

Semi-related note: I was very close to being arrested last night, again, after being stopped by police in Williamsburg. The cause: they were obstructing a bicycle lane with their police cruiser (to the extent that one could not actually ride around them) and, after I pointed it out to them, they exited the cruiser and flipped out on me… screaming abusively in my face for a good half-minute and then demanding my ID. They did a full criminal lookup on me… since I have a squeaky clean record and was not doing a single illegal thing - yes, I even had bike lights and a bell - they handed my ID back to me, told me to scram, and (after damaging their cruiser in a poorly-attempted traffic maneuver) sped off without a word otherwise. Meanwhile, a taxi stopped in the middle of the highway and discharged passengers (into a very dangerous spot on the bike lane, at the end of a long downhill where cyclists exit at 20mph+). I pointed it out, and their response? “We’re too busy dealing with you.” So, the officers of the NYPD - though, to be fair, mostly its worst performers - ignore dangerous road behavior while they are busy trying to figure out how they can criminalize innocent free-speaking people like me. Courtesy, professionalism and respect, after all.

(Unless Ray Kelly changes his tune after years of indifference and decides to substantially address behavior like this, I’ll do anything I can to PREVENT him from becoming mayor. Fuck that shit.)

(via fuckyeahgirlsandbikes)

Source: biteofpythias