I just wanted to say I was really impressed by your update to this story. It is so easy to get into the “us” and “them” mentality that it can be hard to even begin to understand the situation from another perspective. It takes an incredible conscious awareness of thought, and I commend you for that.

I’ve been going to Critical Mass for 10 years and I’ve seen a few incidents that were certainly escalated by the very un zen like reactions of the cyclists to very un zen actions of car drivers. Of course other times, there’s incidents that are _totally_ the result of agression from one side… It’s hard to tell which is which when you read news or police reports. For the record I sometimes also drive a car.
Thanks again.

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

To clarify a little more, there is nothing I’ve read that suggests the driver was under any reasonable threat of extreme bodily harm until he escalated the situation beyond threats. As I’ve already covered, someone telling you they’re going to hurt you, while criminal, does not justify attempted homicide.

Also, to be clear, I think CM is a great idea that has been hopelessly and irrevocably twisted beyond its original intentions. I will probably never participate in one, even though I am an avid cyclist. But, vehicular assault is not something that should ever, EVER, be taken lightly, no matter the circumstances.

First, tipping a stationary car is unlikely to kill anyone. Second it would take more than a couple guys to tip a car. Third, a driver could literally wait until a mob was actually trying to life their car and still take them all out in a second by gunning it. Running someone over in the context of this incident, even if they did (and this is still all hearsay) threaten to tip your car you is completely, 100% unjustifiable.

Wow… the rationality meter is even lower here than I thought…

From all the stuff I’ve read, including Ryan’s description, the guy was blocked in by six people on bikes, one of whom said “Let’s tip the car.”

That’s not a verbal altercation, that’s the prelude to serious mob violence. If that’s truly the way it went down, (and I’ve come to believe that’s what happend - given my personal exposure to CM in the past and the variety of stories) I think the driver’s reaction was justifiable as self-defense. He may have overreacted initially - but running down a group of assholes that have you blocked in is suddenly reasonable when they threaten to tip your car.

(When I was 14, a guy I’d pissed off said “Chris I’m gonna kick your ass” and the next thing I saw was his fist coming into my face. I’ve learned to take people at their word when they say they’re going to hurt you.)

I don’t for minute buy that these guys we’re quietly asking him to wait - it’s not what they do, I’ve seen them in action.

They guy that clocked him with the bike lock is an entirely different story and I hope he does long hard time and comes out of jail a harmless old man. Whether the driver wants to press charges is entirely irrelvant in WA state.

It’s the fact that even when you are a responsible cyclist, you ARE. NOT. SAFE. Be prepared for actions like this from drivers, it will happen again, and chances are will face no repercussions.

If the city had any balls, they would file for an injunction against all CM events and arrest any who show up. They won’t do so until someone other than a thug is killed.