This is what justice looks like...

From Democracy Now 7/30/08 (www.democracynow.org)

NYPD Officer Stripped of Badge After Tackling Cyclist

A New York City police officer has been stripped of his badge after he was videotaped body-checking a bicyclist during last week’s Critical Mass ride. A video was posted on YouTube showing the officer, Patrick Pogan, violently knocking a cyclist off his bike. The officer then arrested the cyclist and charged him with attempted assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The police have said the charges against the cyclist will likely be dropped.

Here's the raw footage of the assault from last Friday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkiyBVytRQ

Going Out of Business Ride!

This looks interesting...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/07/21/18518307.php

Get These Kids Bikes!

I grew up getting bused across town in L.A. and lemme tell you, it was a miserable experience. Even so, it's a sad state of affairs when kids can't even get to school because the buses just aren't available due to high gas prices. If the standard over protective American parents have any wisdom what so ever, they'll soon be demanding more buffered bike lanes so their kids can ride to school safely.

http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-bus28-2008jul28,0,5126734.story

Some Silver Lining In a Dark, Dark Sky

It's been over a month since i've written anything extensive and a lot of big and little things have happened since then - A 12- year old girl on a bicycle was killed by a car in San Jose www.kirotv.com/news/16592268/detail.html ; Santa Cruz hosted a Wild Cat race that had me carrying my Benotto over a river half nekkid; American capitalism seems to be on the brink of total collapse (yeah!); People Power has kicked off a campaign to create a bike blvd on King St www.peoplepowersc.org ; and last Friday, I blocked off a portion of the street w/ 2 orange cones so 2 kids could ride their bikes figure 8 style. But of all the big and little things, the one that i find especially poetic is the sight of bicyclists riding around town talking on cell phones - Apparently, that's still legal.

Bicycle Drive By...

Damn, gas prices must be really out of control down south.

www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bicycle16-2008jul16,0,6609897.story