BEACH PARTY ARREST!
Thread started by
parlorbikes at 06.30.08 - 12:02 pm
Yes, I am the rider who got arrested on Riverside after the start of the ride.
PLEASE READ FULL POST BEFORE YOU COMMENT.
TO ALL RIDERS:
Please accept my full apologies for interrupting the start of the ride.
1. Why they LIT ME UP!
I was just starting the ride near the back of the pack. We were on Riverside coming up to the red light before the left at McDonald’s. There was a group of about 5-10 people I was within 10-15ft of. The light in question was red with a NOHO Security Liaison holding about 6-8 cars in all directions as the previous 300 riders had already gone through this light. As we approached a friend of mine suggested since there was about a 15ft gap to the next rider to stop at the light. Traffic was stopped and the Security Liaison was in front of 3 of the cars at the intersection. I decided to roll the light. The LAPD officers were trailing the ride to the left right behind us. THEY LIT ME UP!!!!
2. LAPSE OF JUDGEMENT
At this point I decided to try to run and blend into the group. Not such a good idea, this was the first ride ever I decided to dress up for. Wearing a bright blue Hawaiian shirt and trying to blend with my ultra SEXY bike, that is hard enough to look away from, was near impossible, not to mention that I have a license plate on my bike.
3. CUFFS
So at this point to avoid adding injury to insult, I gave up my 20-30 second agro riding tirade and stopped before myself or any other innocent riders were harmed. I was put into cuffs and talked to very sternly. The LAPD officers are doing there job, serve and protect. MORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED AND INJURED IN THE US ON THE ROADWAYS THAN ANY DIEASE, ILLNESS, MURDER or CRIME every year. So when they pull you over for speeding or anything you must RESPECT that they are trying to make the world a safer place.
4. THE RIDE TO THE STATION
PLEASE PAY ATTENTION!!!!!!!
I was put into the squad car and my friend talked with the police and told them we all are here to have fun and judgment gets skewed when you are with a giant mob of Funsters. Every time I was asked a question I replied with a YES SIR, NO SIR, THANK YOU SIR. I was buckled in the car, THANK YOU SIR, I was un buckled from the car THANK YOU SIR, every question or door they opened SIR, THANK YOU SIR.
5. THE BEAT
Now at the NOHO police station they did the normal questioning and sobriety tests. I had just open a 40oz and drank about a 1/3rd of it before the arrest. I passed all test, no gangs, no prior’s, no record etc….. I was 100% RESPECTFUL. I talked with them about the rides and the safety and the NOHO Security Liaisons. By the end of my time spent there they were both chatting about riding to work and gas prices. They also wanted to know what was BICYCLE POLO.
6. BEAT THE BEAT
I believe 100% that the actions I took at the time of the incident were in appropriate behavior and was willing to deal with the outcome. However RESPECT AND BEING POLITE is what took my JAIL TIME + 5-6 offenses to 1 moving violation.
7. BACK TO THE STREET
At this time I was let loose and was intent on getting back to the ride. After running down to the Chandler path and then to the NOHO station. I called my bicycle savior and he brought me back my bike and to the ride after a brief buzz kill. We met back up at the 7-11 at Vineland and Ventura.
8. THANKS
I greatly appreciate the no rider left behind. This was the first time I needed this and it does extremely say something about the bicycling community.
THANKS GO OUT TO: JEFF, ALEX, DAVID, AARON whom directly helped with me getting back to the ride.
WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED:
NOHO Security Liaison’s do not have the authority to hold traffic at red light according to the LAPD.
RESPECT to the proper uniformed officers is very key to the treatment and outcome of implication pressed upon you.
When you are riding with a group please go through a light with the group, if one goes you all must go to reduce the ability for a LAPD officer to single someone out. In no way am I pointing the negative finger of blame on anyone but myself. However if 5-10 people would have gone through the light this might not have happened.
RIDE-ON and be positive.
PLEASE ONLY POST POSITIVE COMMENTS.
IF YOU HAVE NEGATIVE ONES, you can come and talk to me at 818 Bicycle Polo where I will have a group of riders with mallets for your remarks, or BICYKILLERS IF YOU CAN CATCH ME.
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now that's the way you play the game.
indigis06.30.08 - 12:18 pm
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If one goes and all the others stop, the one should have been paying better attention. No way am I putting my own safety or driving record on the line to cover for someone else's bad decision. If every other rider in your group managed to stop, then you have little excuse for rolling the light. More importantly, if drivers crossing your path see riders finally stopping for the light, they are reasonably likely to start to proceed through the intersection. A single rider rolling through is just increasing their own likelihood of getting creamed. As you pointed out, missing one light is incredibly unlikely to cause you to lose the group. There was a no rider left behind policy in place, after all.
ideasculptor06.30.08 - 12:35 pm
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There was a female rider about 10ft in front of me whom had just rolled through the light about 2-3 seconds prior.
parlorbikes06.30.08 - 12:43 pm
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It goes to show how much being smart and respectful can do to paint you as a good person suffering a momentary lack of judgement, that deserves a "slap on the wrist"; rather than a public nuisance who needs to be "taken in hand".
All in all ... your experience seems to have left a positive impression on the cops. Good job!
That said.
When there is big gap in ridazz, especially especially when there cops present, everybody should stop. Somebody should call out the stop and everybody should stop for the red.
When the heavy SMPD surveillance started on the ABC ride we came to a fresh red. I called it out and stopped, some called it out and rolled. The cops got on their megaphones and squawked. i'm not sure if anybody got a ticket for that particular light, but that is the type of shit they hate: rubbing it in their faces.
When in doubt, stop.
trickmilla06.30.08 - 12:45 pm
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My friend claims he overheard the officers talking before they lit you up.
He said that the only reason they arrested you, is to find out where you got those bad-ass cream-colored tires. Ha!
two wheels good06.30.08 - 6:59 pm
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I was bummed that the ride started off with an arrest! Mainly for you, but hey it seems that all is well.
Thanks for the update and the advice.
Ride On.
Stonerock06.30.08 - 9:48 pm
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BRAVO to you Parlorbikes for your well written and well thought out explanation. thanks for caring so much as to let us know your circumstances. It could have been any of us. you really conducted yourself well after getting picked up and your understanding of the implications is brilliant. I applaud you.
Roadblock07.1.08 - 3:09 am
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Wow. Thats really a great post.
Having spoken to a few police on ride it's obvious that they are not really looking to put the hammer on us.
I once started trying to plead our case to a cop who was complaining about us running red lights and his response was "You're preaching to the choir, Just don't do it in front of us."
If they stop you just be nice and give them every reason to believe you are just a nice kid (at least at heart) and they will most likely have some empathy for you. Remember a lot of cops ride bikes.. crappy ones, but bikes nonetheless.
If you see cops on a ride, change your behaviour accordingly its easy and they leave pretty quick if they don't see anything outrageous.
If they stop you or try to harsh your mellow just be cool.
stillline07.1.08 - 3:21 am
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Thanks gents for the kind words.
To the Block, and Stilline.
Two Wheels Good eye candy for you.
parlorbikes07.1.08 - 8:43 am
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WHAT TIME DOES THIS RIDE START?
Purp12.1.08 - 2:43 pm
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OHHHH you got me,,,,,,,wait,,,wait,
THIS IS ABOUT A RIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BigRingKing12.1.08 - 5:53 pm
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Purp ride starts here.
http://www.midnightridazz.com/forums.php?topicId=6290&pgnum=1
parlorbikes12.1.08 - 5:57 pm
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great post. thanks for the update and everything RB and SL said..
redridinghood12.1.08 - 9:43 pm
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