rock against Bloomberg!!

rock against Bloomberg, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

So our beloved real-estate developer billionaire has made the top 50 most Loathsome New Yorkers. Clever New York Press writers and editors put this list out each year. Check it out in this weeks issue.

It was an obvious choice.

Every election year I always feel like having to recap all the crap things our mayor does in order to try and convince people not to vote for them. I didn't have to look too hard. This is the democrat (so he says) who brought the Republican National Convention here and felt fine to turn this left-leaning town into a militarized police state with things like a free-speech zone and defending the precious lawn of Central Park over our constitution rights to assemble…never stopped those attending the Dave Matthews Band. This is the mayor who felt fine in locking up people in a toxic bus depot after pre-emptive arrests in orange nets, before people were even allowed to engage in civil disobedience…why even give them the chance to break the law?

This stadium obsessed rich boy who tells us to do more with less likes to close our firehouses...so much for our nation's heroes.

And now he seems just fine with letting the NYPD lock us up and steal our property over the critical mass bike ride, which is not illegal.

First they take away our bike ride, then the take away our bikes and then they take away our rights.

Not being satisfied with arrests of cyclists engaged in their lawful right to ride their bikes in the streets, Lovely Mr. Bloomberg is now filing suit to make it illegal to even advertise about the bike ride.

Norman Siegel, running for Public Advocate said it best: "Could you imagine if Doctor Martin Luther King wasn't allowed to talk about a rally or tell people to sit down at those lunch room counters in the South during the civil rights movement."

So I would like to see a Rock compilation album called: Rock against Bloomberg following on the successful propaganda campaign of Rock against Bush. Ok, ok, I know it wasn't successful in getting ride of Baby Bush...but it sold well and registered a lot of kids to at least attempt to make it to the polls, despite the Republican intervention.

So I say we make an album of local NYC bands and use it as a fundraiser to defeat this clown of a mayor we have now…Eventually it will lead to a venue with 5 or 6 of the bands.

Who's with me???

We now accept comments

So fire away!

Still no word...

07 in-truck, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

My bike is still in Lock down. Time's Up, located at 49 East Houston St. in downtown manhattan had a huge meeting last night to discuss the new lawsuits put forward by the city against the critical mass.

The National Lawyers Guild reports that the police say they don't know where the bikes are from the recent Critical Mass attack.

Oh well, I've got plans.

Here is a message from Time's Up plus a list of upcoming events.

Special note...we really need everyone's support on this. We are in a situation not just about a fun event and the cop spoiling it. This is about a direct attack on our civil liberties. Please donate to the Bike Legal defense fund.

SUPPORT FREE SPEECH and YOUR RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE!



This week the City of New York filed a lawsuit against TIME’S UP! and four of its volunteers, prohibiting them from participating in and promoting the Critical Mass bicycle ride. The suit also challenges the rights of 20 or more people to meet in a park without a permit.



TIME'S UP! has established The TIME'S UP! Bike Legal Defense Fund and asks supporters to donate funds to help fight this assault on our rights.



http://www.times-up.org/



TIME'S UP! has been a strong defender of the bicycle community in the face of the City’s harassment, which began with the Republican National Convention. We have been operating on a shoe-string budget with an all volunteer staff; even our lawyers have been working practically for free. We believe that the City filed its lawsuit against TIME'S UP! because of our support for the bicycling community.



Our lawyer, Norman Siegel, advises that this is a huge case, which could seriously infringe on the First Amendment rights of all New Yorkers. The suit against TIME'S UP! is being used as a test case, so it’s very important to get the word out about the potential implications this suit could have on all groups that exercise their rights to free speech and assembly.



There will be huge legal costs because of the free speech ramifications, so we really need your help and support! All donations to the TIME'S UP! Bike Legal Defense Fund will go to help fight this assault on our rights.



STILL WE RIDE
AND SPEAK
AND ASSEMBLE!

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Please join us for the events, workshops and rides listed below. As always, details follow the headlines.

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BIKE REPAIR WORKSHOPS

Every Tuesday, 6 p.m.

TIME'S UP! Space, 49 East Houston (bet. Mott and Mulberry)

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BLESS THE BIKERS and DRIVE THE DEVIL FROM DEVIL-OPERS with

REV BILLY AND THE STOP SHOPPING CHOIR

Wednesday, Mar. 30, 8 p.m.

St. Mark's in the Bowery (10th Street at 2nd Ave.)

$5 for Critical Mass cyclists who say "I Miss Ludmilla"

Nobody turned away.

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FIX YOUR BIKE WORKSHOP

Every Thursday, 6 p.m

TIME'S UP! Space (basement), 49 East Houston (bet. Mott and Mulberry)

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MOVIE NIGHT

Every Thursday, 8 p.m.

This week (Mar. 31): Video Potpourri

Next week (April 7): The Corporation

TIME’S UP! Space, 49 East Houston (bet. Mott and Mulberry)

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FERAL VISIONS TOUR

Thursday, Mar. 31, 7.30 p.m.

ABC NO RIO , 156 Rivington Street (between Suffolk & Clinton)

Take F, J, M, Z to Delancey/Essex

FREE

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CENTRAL PARK MOONLIGHT RIDE

Friday, Apr. 1, 10 p.m.

Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park

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FREE RIDE TO FIRST SATURDAY AT THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM

Saturday, Apr. 2

Union Square, south side, 5:30 p.m.

OR

George Washington Statue in the Square on the Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge, 6:00 p.m.

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BROOKLYN CRITICAL MASS

Friday, Apr. 8, 7 p.m.

Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park

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PROSPECT PARK MOONLIGHT RIDE

Saturday, Apr. 9, 9 p.m.

Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park

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BIKE REPAIR WORKSHOPS

Every Tuesday, 6 p.m.

TIME’S UP! Space, 49 East Houston (bet. Mott and Mulberry)



Come learn how to fix bikes, do simple maintenance and tune-ups at the bike mechanic skill share. All the fun is in the basement.

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BLESS THE BIKERS and DRIVE THE DEVIL FROM DEVIL-OPERS with

REV BILLY AND THE STOP SHOPPING CHOIR

Wednesday, Mar. 30, 8 p.m.

St. Mark's in the Bowery (10th Street at 2nd Ave.)

$5 for Critical Mass cyclists who say "I Miss Ludmilla"

Nobody turned away.



March Critical Mass left Reverend Billy reciting the 1st Amendment again and again, straight into the faces of NYPD: "and the right of the people peaceably to assemble! and the right of the people peaceably to assemble! and the right of the people..." The March 30th service will explore how much the developers' grip on the zoning-building permit process resembles the militarized law enforcement of New York City. Saints in attendance include First Amendment defender and the people's candidate for Public Advocate, Mr. Norman Siegel, and neighborhood-defense activists from Brooklyn.



TIME’S UP! will have a table. Get to the church early so you have time to buy a t-shirt and pick up an April/May calendar.

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FIX YOUR BIKE WORKSHOP

Every Thursday, 6 p.m.

TIME'S UP! Space (basement), 49 East Houston (bet. Mott and Mulberry)



Bring your bike to the basement and share skills with other cyclists while you fix up your own bike.

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MOVIE NIGHT

This week: Video Potpourri

Thurs., Mar. 31, 8:00 p.m.

TIME’S UP! Space, 49 East Houston (bet. Mott and Mulberry)



Come check out TIME’S UP!’s greatest hits with footage of recent demonstrations and rides, including Critical Mass footage.

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FERAL VISIONS TOUR

Thursday, Mar. 31, 7.30 p.m.

ABC NO RIO , 156 Rivington Street (between Suffolk & Clinton)

Take F, J, M, Z to Delancey/Essex

FREE



Come check out this slideshow about rewilding, radical homesteading, and realizing our wildest dreams! The goal of our tour is to inspire and empower participants to break down the layers of alienation at work in our lives that keep us dependent on complex industrial and social systems. Our presentation explores ways that people are breaking free of the tentacles of civilization, and how people are reconnecting with the natural world around them.

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CENTRAL PARK MOONLIGHT RIDE

Friday, Apr. 1, 10 p.m.

Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park



Join us for a relaxing auto-free ride through Central Park. Enjoy the tranquility of the park and its beautiful ponds and waterways. This totally safe ride, with front and rear bike guides, is a nature lover’s dream – in Manhattan! The ride moves at a very leisurely pace with a few stops to enjoy the scenery. We usually finish before midnight, back at Columbus Circle. Total mileage is under 10 miles. Any kind of bike will work.

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FREE RIDE TO FIRST SATURDAY AT THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM

Saturday, Apr. 2

Union Square, south side, 5:30 p.m.

OR

George Washington Statue in the Square on the Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge, 6:00 p.m.



Come ride with TIME’S UP! to the Brooklyn Museum’s monthly free extravaganza, "First Saturday." The entire museum is open until 11:00 pm and there are free events inside. This is a one-way ride, but it's easy to get back to Manhattan (if that's where you're going) by bike or on the Subway.

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BROOKLYN CRITICAL MASS

Friday, Apr. 8, 7 p.m.

Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park



Come out and join this moving celebration of what our streets and environment could be like with sustainable transportation
.Brooklyn style!

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PROSPECT PARK MOONLIGHT RIDE

Saturday, Apr. 9, 9 p.m.

Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park



Join us for a totally safe, auto-free ride as we explore Prospect Park at night. Enjoy the peace and tranquility of the fields, woods and ponds. Bike guides in the front and back.



This ride will be followed by a group ride to a benefit for Critical Mass arrestees. Benefit is at 91 Meserole St. (between Manhattan Ave. and Leonard St.)

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Support the environment! Make a donation to TIME’S UP! at http://www.times-up.org/store.php







=============================================
TIME'S UP! is a direct-action environmental group that uses events
and educational programs to promote a safer, quieter, friendlier,
and more environmentally sustainable city. We're community-based,
all-volunteer, and non-profit. It's easy to help: Join!

My bike is a political prisoner

bike cut, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

Still no word on how I'm going to get my bicycle back from lock down after the NYPD stole it

I heard a rumor that one person tried to get their bike back and the police issued them a ticket for "abandoning property" Huh? Does that mean every car that is parked out there right now is abandoned property.

If you haven't figured it out yet to police are being ridiculous.

Time's Up held a press conference today and NY 1 news had this to say in their top stories catagory:

Protest Riders Say Police Seized Bikes Illegally
MARCH 27TH, 2005

Some people who participated in Friday’s Critical Mass protest ride in Manhattan say police confiscated their bicycles without justification.

The riders say that once police threatened them with arrest, they got off their bikes and began to walk away from the rest of the group. But they were arrested anyway, they say, and their bikes were loaded onto a truck and taken away.

Other riders say they locked their bikes but that officer cut the chains with power saws and took them.

“I watched as my bike lock was cut by a saw by the NYPD,” Jaimie Favaro, a protestor whose bike was confiscated, said at a news conference Sunday. “I use my bike daily for commuting, and I am absolutely devastated about the illegal theft of my bicycle by the NYPD."

About 200 riders showed up for Friday’s ride, and 37 people were arrested.

Critical Mass organizes large rides through Manhattan on the last Friday of every month to protest pollution produced by vehicle traffic. The city and the group are involved in a court battle over whether permits are needed for the rides.

“You know we get together once a month to have this small action of peace and an alternative lifestyle that gets pretty violently challenged by the powers of the city,” said William Laviano, whose bike was also seized.

The NYPD says it confiscated 50 bikes in connection with a law violation. Police say bikes used in violation of the law will be taken regardless if any connection to a protest.

critical mass pile of bikes

critical mass pile of bikes, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

Here is another testimonal from someone arrested on last nights Critical Mass bike ride. There is some good advice to follow.

There is also a fund raiser for bike related arrests on April 9th.

91R Meserole St. between Manhattan and Leonard

"I was arrrested for riding my bike on the streets of NYC last night. I did nothing illegal; obeying all traffic laws and stopping for red lights. The "Powers-That-Be" A.K.A. Bloomberg and Kelly have decided to crack down on cyclists by arresting them and confiscating their bikes month after month. They hope that by doing so in the winter months when numbers are low they can break us before the good weather and massive numbers return. This is a terrible waste of scarce resources and affects every New Yorker, not just bicyclists.

There were 37 arrests last night. All arrestees I spoke with plan to fight this in court. We need your support in many ways:

1. Continue to ride so that we may return CM to a fun, safe event for all.

2. Support the upcoming benefit on April 9. This is specifically for defending CM arrestees; www.bicycledefensefund.org.

3. This is an election year let your elected representatives know how you feel; Contact your local city council member and the Mayor through this link: www.nyccouncil.info/constituent/contact_member.cfm

4. Write letters to editors and call local newsdesks demanding that they report on the actions being taken by the City against cyclists.
New York Times contact info:
www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/infoservdirectory.html

Ride On,

If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention.

See also:
http://www.bicycledefensefund.org
http://www.nyccouncil.info/constituent/contact_member.cfm

Report after 03/25/05 Critical Mass NYC

03 bike-stolen, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

Here is my experience at the recent critical mass.

I rode around Union Square about 6:55pm to scope out what the NYPD had up its sleeves for tonight's ride. Things had been amped up because of another lawsuit filed by the city against the critical mass. Previously a Federal Judge, who said the bike ride DOES NOT NEED A PERMIT in order to proceed, nullified that lawsuit. There are also no laws proclaiming that it is illegal to ride a bike more than 2 a breast. Once again we heard a statement coming out of a police sound system planted in Union Square North, loud enough and repetitive so that all gathered there could be properly warned about what was a blatant lie made up by the police. "Riding your bicycle in a procession without a permit is dangerous and illegal" came the recorded voice. "Anyone involved in this unlawful activity will be arrested." So this is what the police say despite the fact that a federal judge ruled differently. This brings us to the current lawsuit filed on Friday, the day of the most recent critical mass. Since the police cannot make the bike ride illegal, they are going on the grounds of the gathering on parklands, where there is a pre-existing ordinance that claims any group of 20 or more must have a permit to assemble. Again this is a big grey area, which must be worked out in a legal arena. How can a leaderless activity of showing up to ride your bike with other people apply for a permit? Who would apply for a permit? Critical Mass is not a group it is an activity, a coordinated occurrence. Are 20 people assembled in Union square as a group? What about every day when people are hanging out in the park, or are skateboarding? Do they need a permit? What constitutes a group?

So as we all know the NYPD lies and don’t have to answer to anyone. A Federal judge says one thing, cops do another. Meanwhile the cops were out in full force, staging various pieces of equipment around Union Square such as a mobile RV command unit, flatbed truck with barricades and a converted school bus. One thing I noticed was they had orange mesh nets about 4 feet high in bundles on the corner of Union Square East and Park Ave South and on Broadway. These were used during the RNC when hundreds of bike riders were arrested on critical mass. The tactic of this is to stretch the makeshift barricade across the road and trap anyone in it. Who is blocking traffic now? So it looked like it was going to be a night for the police to use the netting tactic. In the last 2 or 3 rides that had just been attacking the ride with a phalanx of mopeds, often ramming into bike riders in order to get them to stop and then blocking off the ride in the middle with mopeds. I saw the moped division hanging out on there usual spot on Union Square East. This is the same moped division that used to facilitate and monitor the ride without being used as a battering ram for over 6 years of uneventful rides. Not anymore.

Reverend Billy and a marching band were playing in Union Square and then the band left the park heading north and stopped in front of the Petco pet supply store, on the sidewalk, on Union Square North. There were rumor that other rides were leaving from Tompkins Square and Washington Square parks, but I do not know what happened with them. Bikers filled out of the park, watched the moped division drive up the wrong way on Broadway and assemble in a straight line, waiting for the bikers to move. About 50 people headed off on their bikes down 17th street towards 5th Ave, thus starting the critical mass. I rode up ahead as quickly as I could to see what lie waiting for us, I did not want to be in the back and get rammed with a moped. As we reached 5th Ave. I saw the police trying to hurriedly put up an orange banner blocking all of 5th ave. So turning Left was not an option. Then we crossed 5th, stopping at the red light, and headed for 6th Ave. 17th was blocked with the orange net as well as a net inside a outdoor parking lot in the middle of the block which might have been an escape for the riders. So in essence we were trapped like fish in a barrel. Many people at the 6th Ave side of the street stayed with their bikes and asked the cops why they were being held. I also noticed that pedestrians unaffiliated with the ride were not being let out either. I did not know what was on the 5th Ave side, but could only assume it was another bright splotch of florescent orange.

I locked up my bicycle to scaffolding on 17th street and put my helmet on the bike. Other people were deciding what to do as more police began to mobilize on the block. One scooter cop rode past me on the sidewalk and hesitated by me as I was in the process of locking up my bicycle. Maybe he would have arrested me right there or not. Its good to see the mopeds riding on the sidewalk in such a safe manner, especially when critical mass is supposedly dangerous and illegal. Ok, so now we waited. It was clear that the people at the fence were going to be arrested. The plastic handcuffs were coming out and some people were already being fitted. Other police officers were walking up and down the block, looking for anyone holding onto a bike. Those people were escorted over to the area of other arrestees and were put through the process. One friendly doorman allowed at least 2 people to hang out in the lobby with their bikes. The police eventually went into the building and escorted those people out to be arrested. So now I had a choice. Stay with my bicycle or exit the orange fence and try to get the bike later. I opted to stay with the bike as long as I would be allowed. Anyone in the area with a video camera or taking photographs was not hassled by the police, which was an unusual change form normal when they would be asked to leave unless having proper credentials. I also saw several legal observers in identifying neon green hats being allowed to talk to people being arrested. One police sergeant asked on his walkie to get the task force in here with the saw and lock cutters. Soon 2 fire trucks, a converted NYPD police bus to take away arrestees and some emergency vehicle trucks had begun to filter into the closed block. About 40 people were being processed on the street, photographed with their bikes and being loaded onto the bus. Meanwhile 2 police officers came down the block with the saws and stopped at my bike. I said to officer McCarthy, who seemed to be calling the shots as far as bike removal. "Are you going to steal bikes?" He replied by saying, "Tell all your friends that you can have a choice. You can step forward and claim you bike and be given a summons. You will then be able to leave with your bike. Or, we will take the bikes." I said, "But that would be theft." He said, "I guess that is what we'll do than." One guy who had his bike locked up next to mine, took the summons. I just sat and watched as they used a giant saw with sparks flying to cut one link of the chain. No, you couldn't cut the lock; you had to cut the $70.00 chain. Then my bike was tagged with a number and loaded onto a flat bed truck stacked high with all the bikes. There was one guy from Philadelphia who turned the corner and saw that his bike was taken, he was not on the ride. He was given his bike back. Why were the cops sympathetic to certain people while others were taken?

After the RNC critical mass in August, the police did a similar thing. They blocked off a side street (EAST/WEST) and people locked up their bikes. The police came and cut locks. People sued the police for taking property without linking it to an arrest. The police answered this by suing to make critical mass illegal, which was what we talked about at the beginning. That same federal judge ruled, the police CAN NOT TAKE BIKES without being associated to an arrest. So once again the police violated a federal order and took property. This has been one of the only things we have been able to win on in the legal arena.

So here we are again. Critical mass is being attacked more harshly with every ride without legal grounds for arrest. The police do not want to work with the citizens of New York. I for one am not against the NYPD, I just want to participate in an event that promotes bike riding that has been happening in New York for 6 years without a problem and in over 400 cities across the planet.

Oh yeah and I want my stolen property back.

If you too had a bike taken and not arrested on 17th St, contact me:

criticalmassbiker@mac.com

Critical Mass is in trouble...wah wah

Critical Mass, Jan 2005, originally uploaded by tiqtoq.

This article in News Day in order to make tonights ride, that much more unpleasent...

NEWSDAY, NYC

March 25, 2005, 3:12 AM EST



NEW YORK (AP) _ The city has filed a complaint seeking to require permits
for a monthly bicycle rally through Manhattan that typically brings
automobile traffic to a standstill.

Summonses were issued Tuesday to four participants in the Critical Mass
ride, ordering them to respond to the complaint, The New York Times reported
in Friday editions.

The city wants to require permits for use of city streets and of Union
Square, the rally's starting point, and to bar participants from publicizing
the ride.

The event _ held the last Friday of each month in Manhattan _ gained
notoriety last summer, when police made dozens of arrests at a ride held
several days before the start of the Republican National Convention.

Last December, the city filed a lawsuit to require cyclists to obtain parade
permits, saying the rides threaten public safety by creating traffic chaos.
But a federal judge dismissed the case, saying the issue should be resolved
in state court.

Cyclists argue that since no one claims to organize the event, the issuance
of permits is unnecessary. They say they do not need a formal organization
because they have the same rights to streets as motorists do.

The bike rides are designed to make a statement about cyclists' rights and
to protest urban areas' reliance on motor vehicles.

NYC sues Times Up!

Well, here we go again. One day before the NYC march 25th, 2005 Critical Mass bike ride...a ride that had been going on for over six years in NYC, the last friday of every month and happens in over 400 cities across the globe, for more than 10 years.

The police get angry and tattle to their Mommies. All you Republicans out there, who want less government involvement, less frivolous law suits with your "tort reform"...yet God forbid one woman has her feeding tube removed....Wah Wah Wah, MORE GOVERNMENT, MORE GOVERNMENT!!!! Let's take this to the Supreme Court! We must preserve the culture of life...Oh we just killed 30 people in Iraq, well they must have been insurgents, quick hide the bodies, deny everything and if any unembeded journalists come snooping around here, well will kill them too, after all Iraq must have democracy and a free press.

Oh, a federal judge said you don't need a permit to ride your bike in NYC? Well will just keep arresting people on the bike ride and we need more government intervention...why we need a law that says riding in critical mass without a permit is illegal.

A message to the NYPD...We are not against you. The bike ride has not been taken over by anarchists. Try thinking for yourselves for once when you go to that meeting with that power point presentation that shows you pictures of black clad youth fighting cops. This is a bike ride. Nothing has changed in 6 years other than the fact that it has gotten more popular.
Stop arresting us. Stop harrassing us. Stop trying to act like a bunch of sniviling babies and filing law suits. Your flyers and sound system annoucement before each ride isn't working. Still we show up, still we ride, Still you bomb Iraq so Dick Chenney can get rich on a fuel substance that is running out and we can't control its price. WAh Wah Wah. New York's Boldest? Courtesy, Proffessionalism and Respect? There are much more important things to clean up in NYC. You shouldn't get so worked up on the last Friday night of each month. You have to think about your retirement and that fat pension you'll get when you retire in West Chester county.

Anyway here is whats going on taken from a report in NYC.indymedia.org

New York City filed a lawsuit this week, seeking to prevent the TIME'S UP! nonprofit environmental group from promoting or advertising events that the city alleges to be illegal. The lawsuit also states that TIME'S UP! and the general public cannot participate in riding or gathering at the Critical Mass bike ride. It claims that any event whatsoever with 20 or more persons require a permit.


TIME'S UP! states that this case is ridiculous, selective enforcement. Everyday there are hundreds of events that goes on with more than 20 people without a permit. Furthermore, we advertise hundreds of events each year promoting sustainable environmental solutions. Some of the events we organize and others we are just passing along the word. Our right to do so is protected under the First Amendment.


We are hoping for a friendly outcome that would benefit the people of NYC and we are actively seeking funds to defend the right to assemble and the right to free speech, without a permit.

Critical Mass man

Critical Mass man, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

That's Right.

Still We Ride.

Time for another Critical Mass Bike Ride in Manhattan

March 25th, 2005.

Bring a bike to Union Square North 7:00pm

No more Wars for Oil...MORE BIKES, LESS CARS!

critical Mass melbourne Australia

critical Mass melbourne, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

If you haven't guessed by now...Critical Mass is a worldwide phenomenon.

The most accurate website to find out information on rides in other cities: Visit www.critical-mass.org

There is also a book on critical mass through AK press called: Critical Mass: Bicycling’s Defiant Celebration. This is a collection of essays written by participants of various rides throughout the 10 years of Critical Mass. The collection was put together by Chris Carlson, one of the originators of the Mass in San Francisco.

Check out the book at: www.akpress.com

This Friday in NYC is the March Critical Mass.

3/25/05 Union Square North 7:00pm

Be there.

March 19th, New York Protest against the war

March 19th, New York Protest against the war, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

First day of Spring, hard to tell in the drizzle of a cold March 20th. Yesterday were protests against the ongoing occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq in over 700 cities throughout the US, as well as all over the world. This marks the 2nd anniversary of the coalition forces invasion of Iraq.

Here in New York were a number of demonstrations and rallies.

There was a Freedom Bike Ride in the vein of "Bike Bloc" a tactic to use bicycles on the day of protest event to support the marches and to send the message of non-polluting transportation against oil wars. Bike Blocs have been successful in New York in previous anti-war demonstrations, although last year during the Republican National Convention, a squadron of plain clothes NYPD officers on mopeds attacked the bike ride.

This year, there were reports of no arrests.

Meanwhile the war resisters league lead a march of about 200 people across midtown to Times Square. Carrying cardboard coffins draped in US flags and wearing images of killed US soldiers. The group made a strong visual statement to the numbers of US troops killed in these on going occupations.

36 people were arrested during civil disobedience actions in New York outside military recruiting stations in time's square and in downtown Brooklyn.

These marches and actions were smaller then previous ones in NYC, but keep alive on going sentiment against the war and the anti-war movement itself.

There was a march from Harlem to Central park organized by the Troops out now coalition. The idea of having it start in Harlem was to make the connection that low-income and people of color make up a majority of the armed forces in America and are often the hardest hit by the death toll and casualties resulting from foreign wars and occupation.

For pictures, video and eye witness accounts of the M19 actions check out:

www.nyc.indymedia.org

Monster Track 6 old news...World's new news

Monster Track 6, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

This is a bit of old news but worth mentioning. If you've ever been nearly knocked to the pavement on the streets of New York City by a bike messenger jamming through an intersection at top speed, your probably thought the worst. Why is this A-hole not watching where he or she is going? What you may not know is this person may be involved in a race. Messengers all over the world compete in unsanctioned street races often referred to as Alley Cats. They go on at least once a month and could be on a weekend or the middle of rush hour. Sometimes they catch a car for that extra advantage, sometimes the take their bikes on the F.D.R. and one individual who straps a video camera to his helmet has the video to prove it.

Alley Cats work like this, anyone with a bike can race. You pay a modest fee and that money is pooled for the winner. You don't have to be a messenger, but it helps. Messengers do this to blow off steam, to compete and to see who is the fastest outside of the job. In the race you hit various checkpoints and have a volunteer working that checkpoint sign your manifest. The first person to hit all the checkpoints and have all the signatures wins. Of course there are variations on the theme. Sometimes its holiday specific like Thanksgiving is Cranksgiving and the checkpoints are local bodegas where the racers have to get thematic food like a can of cranberry sauce, which is later donated to the homeless.

There is one race in NYC dedicated to the fixed gear bike. That is a bike designed to go on a track in a veledrome but because of its simplistic nature it has become a popular street machine. It's called a fixed because the one gear in the back is fixed to the wheel. So if you pedal forward the bike goes forward, if you pedal backward…you guessed it. The cranks never stop spinning, even at 60mph on the FDR. Often these bikes have no front or rear brake. What is the advantage of this? It's light weight, nothing to brake down, less to steal and it makes you a much more defensive rider because it becomes a mental game as well as physical…you get into the flow. After a while, you become one with the bike. Your legs become fixed to the pedals, to the crank and to the back wheel. When you want to go slow, you go slow,and fast is up to the amount of balls you have.

So every year, there is Monster Track. An alley cat for fixed geared bikes, no brakes.

2005 was the 6th annual monster track and a very good description of this race, along with pictures can be found at the following URL: www.nybma.com/gallery/monsterTrack

(NYBMA) stands for the New York Bike Messenger Association. Call it an ad-hoc union for messengers. An organization that works to protect and provide benefits for NYC messengers who often lack health care and put themselves at risk so top models can get there portfolios to agents faster than anyone else can deliver.

There are Alley cats all the time in NYC these days. People come from all over the world to race. There is about one a month in NYC.

Coming up is the Grand Daddy of them all. The World Messenger Championships. This is an official sporting event that has taken place in different cities throughout the world for 12 years. NYC is the 13th annual and is being held…July 30th-July 4th.

For more info on this check out: www.nybma.com/cmwc2005

More on that to come.

Bike Party flier - oweinama

Bike Party flier - oweinama, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

Norman Siegel, former head of the New York Civil Liberties Union (1985-2000) and constant fighter for civil rights is now running for New York Public Advocate in 2005.
You can find out more information about this at: www.norman2005.com.

Recently Mr. Siegel has been involved in protest issues, specifically with the arrest of demonstrators at the Republican National Convention in August of 2004 and in recent arrests and bicycle confiscations at various Critical Mass events.

Mr. Siegel has been in court trying to defend the very lifeblood of the bike ride itself from a police force that seems ever poised to dismantle the event.

In January of 2004, Federal Judge William Pauley ruled that bike riders attending critical mass did not need to apply for or obtain a permit for this ride. This came in response to the NYPD trying to file an injunction against the ride so as to make it illegal to even occur at all. So basically, the situation is like this. Critical Mass is a leaderless event, therefore no one particular individual can make decisions for the group nor can apply for a permit because the ride is an occurrence, not a protest and not a violent group of anarchists who hate all cars and want to destroy the city, as the NYPD would like to have you believe.

Yet, the NYPD is continuing to harass cyclists, make violent arrests and confiscate bicycles at every critical mass since the big one in August 04. This includes massive police presence at the beginning of every ride with multiple police vehicles, helicopters and large divisions of moped officers that are generally the ones ramming bikers and knocking people to the ground. This brings up many questions:

1) Why are people being arrested for traffic violations which should be desk appearance summons?
2) Why are people being arrested for riding in a procession, for participating in an event that a Federal Judge declared did not need a permit?
3) If police are concerned about safety, why are they ramming people’s bicycles with mopeds, riding motorized vehicles on the sidewalk and using SUV’s to corner people riding in a monthly occurrence that is leaderless and ruled by a Federal Judge to not need a permit?
4) Why is there an announcement at the beginning of each ride in Union Square both verbally by loudspeaker and in a written flyer handed out by a different division of the NYPD who does not do the arresting on the ride that you WILL be arrested if you participate in this ride?

This is some of the harassment we cyclists face every day on the streets by both motor vehicles and by the NYPD on critical mass.

It is time for the NYPD to back off! It is also time to instill some leadership at the civic level who will fight for our civil rights and move towards an agenda that does not waste taxpayer resources on a bike ride. This man is Norman Siegel.

He will be having a kick off campaign party this Friday the 18th at the Time’s up bike space on 49 East Houston Street. Please come by, donate to the campaign and meet Norman Siegel. Its time for a change.

Not much to Report

Seem like there are a lot of existing movies and new documentaries in the works about bike messengers and bike riding culture:

Here is one to check out:

http://www.dontshootthemessengers.com/

Upcoming actions weekend of March 19th and 20th

Bicycling...a quiet statement against oil wars.

MARCH 19th-20th …It's time to TAKE ACTION!!

PROTEST BUSH'S OIL WAR BY RIDING YOUR BIKE!

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FREEDOM RIDE

Saturday,  Mar. 19, 11 a.m.

Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park



Saturday, March 19th marks the 2nd anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and is a worldwide day of protest. In NYC, people will march from Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem to Central Park's East Meadow to demand the immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.



FREEDOM RIDERS will converge upon Central Park at 11a.m. riding loops

in support of the TROOPS OUT NOW rally. At noon, riders may either lock

up and join the rally or head out onto the streets to ride together.



The objective of the FREEDOM RIDERS is to express opposition to Bush's

war, to demonstrate oil-free transportation, and to assist pedestrian

peace protesters in any way we can.

===

ROCK-A-BIKE PEACE PICNIC!

Sun day, Mar. 20, noon

Marcus Garvey Park (124th St and 5th Ave.)



Come together to celebrate BIKES!

Speak out against War!

Stand up for Community—jobs education, and healthcare!

Bring food, signs, whistles, bells, tambourines, or just your own voice. Oil-free entertainment will be provided.



Followed by BIKE BLOC.  Location: TBD

TIME’S UP! encourages everyone to form their own bike groups AND hit the streets together all weekend long, and let the world know…NO MORE OIL WARS!  Still We Ride!

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Support the environment!  Make a donation to TIME’S UP! at  http://www.times-up.org/store.php  

BROOKLYN!!

a-bike-ride, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

This Friday, Brooklyn Critical mass

for more info:

http://www.times-up.org/cm_brooklyn.php

Word.

mutant-art

mutant-art, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

dunno

St. Pats for All Parade-Sunnyside Queens

st-pats-for-all, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

This article comes to us from: www.nyc.indymedia.org

New York City's Anti-Imperialist Anarchist contingent took to the streets of Sunnyside Queens today as part of the St. Pat's For All Parade. The contingent, which included the Rude Mechanicals Orchestra and the Hungry March Band, provided a lively and festive element to Queens' yearly all-inclusive celebration of Irish heritage. The anarchist and anti-imperialist marchers carried black flags with circle "A" shamrocks and were led by a banner proclaiming "US out of Iraq, UK out of Ireland". Spectators along the route waved and cheered as the bloc bounced and danced to the beats of the march bands. Flyers, which related the anti-imperialist causes of Iraq, Palestine, and Ireland's 6 counties, were distributed throughout the march. Although police barred fire performing, participants kept the festivities alive with stilt-walkers, hula-hoopers, flag-twirlers, and tall-bike-riders, who danced, tumbled, and made our presence known and appreciated.

also check out:

www.bombsandshields.blogspot.com

and
www.stpatsforall.com

gramps teaching about nonconformity

gramps teaching about nonconformity, originally uploaded by hive.

Just had to post this...

Tall Bike Story and Critical Mass Portland Story

Rich-on-Tall, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

Old News and Good News...

Yesterday, a friend of mine came over to borrow my tall bike for the Saints for All parade in Queens. This is an annual parade designed to include all groups unlike the main St. Patrick’s Day Parade in NYC, which is rather exclusive and does not recognize all the diverse groups that New York City has to offer.

The Tall bike was made in a last ditch effort at the New York Bike Show in May. (2004) Thanks to the fine welding of the boys at Chunk 666 I was able to make a tall bike at the show at the Chunk welding workshop.

The Bike, which is rather tall was sitting in my rat infested basement, waiting for warmer weather, therefore it was totally available for someone to borrow, especially to take to a parade which would feature other tall bikers.

Since it is two adult old school ten speeds welded on top of each other...it is tall for a tall bike. I had to take both wheels off to cram it into the basement; mainly because the super was complaining about all the bikes I had stacking up in the hallway.

So the tall bike was forced into hiding. Like a dope I forgot a few bolts when taking off the back wheel and back derailleur.

Rich and I spent a good hour putting the tall bike back together. Hard work paid off and it was ready to ride. Unfortunately, Rich was a little unskilled in the fine art of tall bike riding so he needed some practice. The basic principle to getting on one of these contraptions it to coast it, try and find a nice straight-a-way with a bit of a downhill and coast the thing. You'd be amazed how much time you have to coast before ever having to be in the saddle engaging the pedals. But it takes some getting used to. I remember the first time I tried it with this bike. I kept walking around Williamsburg, looking for the right street to make my first attempt, one that didn't have too many people on it to watch me screw up. I could empathize with Rich as he struggled to give it a go. One time he just sort of let the bike go and it came down on the street with a hard crash. After a few more attempts he did it!! Then we inspected the bike...there was a huge crack in one of the welds basically rendering the bike un-useable. Thus ended the tall bike coming out party experience. It was back into the basement, just in time for the exterminator to show up and we could talk about the giant rats in the basement.

So now I'll be looking for Chunk or some other welder to fix the bike, but its low on the priority schedule.

In some old news, but good news...

Portland Oregon has to be the most bike friendly city I have ever been in. No surprise their mayor decided to go to Critical Mass in January...here is an article from the Oregonian...

Potter pedals with Critical Mass to test his political (Headline)

Saturday, January 29, 2005
JOSEPH ROSE



Tom Potter's Friday? Well, there were the suit-and-tie meetings about the Portland mayor's upcoming trip to Japan and his recent takeover of the city's bureaus. There was a quick visit to a new Toyota import plant.

Oh, and at nightfall, he took a spin with the city's two-wheeled pirates.

At least that's how many cops and motorists see the bicyclists who participate in the monthly Critical Mass protest ride through downtown.

Pedaling punks. Gear-shifting anarchists. A bunch of hoodlums with no respect for traffic laws or rush-hour motorists trying to get home after work.

But Friday night, Potter -- a man who won by 23 percentage points without taking a donation over $100 -- once again showed that he takes his mandate as the city's new mayor seriously.

He pedaled his Recumbent, a bike resembling a lawn chair on wheels, through a steady rain with about 250 Critical Mass demonstrators.

At the first stop sign, Potter, 64, squeezed the brakes until he noticed the rest of the pack rolling through the intersection. "I'll just follow you," he told another cyclist, chuckling.

The next three stops signs were a blur.

The same could be said for his first month in office, when Potter showed he isn't afraid to ruffle feathers. He angered public-power opponents by supporting a city takeover of PGE. He took over day-to-day operation of the bureaus from the city's four commissioners.

And now, he's cruising with Critical Mass.

Several people e-mailed City Hall to berate Potter for his planned ride. It was tantamount to supporting one of the city's biggest menaces, some complained.

"This is just a bike ride," Potter said as he answered a barrage of questions from TV and radio reporters before the throng of cyclists departed from their gathering spot near the North Park Blocks' giant elephant. "I don't see the big deal."

Potter said he was simply keeping a campaign promise.

After all, he was running for mayor of the city rated as North America's best for bicycling. So, meeting with the biking community while campaigning was pretty much a must.

Over and over, bicyclists approached him with complaints about what they saw as police harassment during the Critical Mass protest. He pledged to look into it.

But was he bold enough to take a spin with Critical Mass? If elected, candidate Potter pledged, he would ride.

"It's one of the reasons I voted for him," said Kronda Adair, a 33-year-old project manager at Kinko's. "If anyone is going to stop the cops from harassing us, it would be him."

Critical Mass started in San Francisco in 1992 to make a statement about cyclists' rights. The rides have spread to more than 200 cities globally, and generally occur on the last Friday night of the month.

A news release from the mayor's office made Potter's planned ride-along sound like a midwinter spin through the city with a merry band of cyclists.

For Portland police, Critical Mass is a public safety problem, snarling traffic and frustrating motorists. Rogue cyclists have vandalized cars and attacked motorists.

An August 2002 ride exploded into confrontation, with police using pepper spray, firing a stun gun and arresting nine cyclists.

In recent months, the Police Bureau has assigned enough officers to issue as many tickets as necessary to dissuade bicyclists from violating traffic laws.

Riders say the ticketing is out of control. "There's a lot of heavy-handed, selective ticketing by the police," said Alex Pollock, a 27-year-old electrical engineer who has participated in Critical Mass rides as far away as Melbourne, Australia. Also, officers, especially those on motorcycles, have become increasingly confrontational, Pollock and others said.

Friday night's event, however, was a downright pleasant ride.

Zero arrests. Zero citations. Stop signs seemed to be fair game, but everyone braked for red lights, giving Potter a chance to chat with cyclists.

"Do you commute to work?" a bearded man asked. "I'm a fair-weather biker," the mayor admitted.

Coasting down West Burnside, following a string of blinking red tail-lights that extended to the glowing Unico U.S. Bancorp Tower, Potter waved to people who cheered him on from restaurant doorways and bus stops.

The former police chief plans to ride with officers to see Critical Mass from their perspective. But at the end of the ride, he sounded as if he had sided with the cyclists, saying he thinks too many police resources are dedicated to monitoring the ride.

As television news helicopters hovered above the riders, members of Potter's staff joked that it took a bike ride for him to get decent media coverage.

As Sara Culp put it: "I hope we get this much attention for school funding issues."

Joseph Rose: 503-221-8029; josephrose@news.oregonian.com

Article on Critical Mass

This article comes from the Villager about the 2/25/05 Critical Mass in NYC.


The Villager
Volume 74, Number 43 |  March 02 - 08, 2005

14 arrested, as Critical Mass crackdown continues

By Jefferson Siegel

A National Lawyers Guild volunteer legal observer is arrested at last
Friday's Critical Mass.

As they have every month for eight years, bike riders from around the
city and out of town gathered in the north plaza of Union Sq. Park
last Friday night for the Critical Mass group bicycle ride.

Dave Bonon, a member of the Danbury Independent Media Center, came
from Connecticut. On his backpack hung two license-plate style signs
reading "Bicycling A Quiet Statement Against Oil Wars" and "True
Automobile." Eric Ferguson from Croton-on-Hudson drew attention with
his replica of a Pennyfarthing bicycle with a huge front wheel and a
tiny rear wheel.

Police handed out fliers stating "No permit has been issued for a
bicycle procession. If you choose to ride in a procession this
evening, you will be arrested and your bicycle will be seized."
However, a court ruling last December by a federal judge denied the
city's request for an injunction barring the monthly rides from
occurring without a permit.

When the ride started just after 7:30 p.m., over 100 bicyclists
pedaled out of the northwest corner of the park, heading west on 17th
St. But the ride was promptly cut short one block later at Fifth Ave.
Six riders, including a legal observer for the National Lawyers Guild,
were arrested. They were escorted onto the sidewalk, where they were
handcuffed, photographed and loaded into a police van. Another police
truck removed their bicycles.

Civil rights attorney Norman Siegel had walked over from Union Sq. in
time to witness the arrests. When asked about the legality of
detaining a legal observer, he said, "They can't arrest anyone. These
arrests are illegal."

An hour later another eight riders who had managed to continue on were
arrested at 26th St. and Broadway.

One of the first to be arrested was West Village resident Madeline
Nelson.
The next day she recounted her ordeal. "At the point where I left
Union Sq., it was a pretty thin stream of people. Police vans came,
turning onto 17th St. pretty quickly. It almost felt like we were
riding single file because these police vehicles were taking up the
road. I got to the corner of Fifth Ave., looked across the street,
saw, Oh, people are getting arrested and I turned onto Fifth Ave."
she said.

Nelson had been riding alone when a policeman ran in her direction and
placed her under arrest. Along with the other five arrested cyclists,
she was taken to the Ninth Precinct and held for three and a half
hours.

When all 14 arrested cyclists were released at 11:30 p.m., Gideon
Oliver, a National Lawyers Guild legal observer who has observed the
rides since last August's Republican Convention, was waiting for them.
The next day, commenting on the arrests, he said, "What concerned me
about last night was that the Police Department seems to be shifting
their tactics and seems to be chasing the rides rather than
facilitating them, which is obviously incredibly dangerous."

Paul J. Browne, the Police Department's deputy commissioner for public
information, responded: "We've attempted, but were rebuffed, when we
tried to escort them. Meet, have a route and escort it. Since then
we've just asked people to observe the traffic laws. If they do
they're not arrested; if they break them, they are."

The arrested cyclists were charged with parading without a license and
disorderly conduct and were issued desk appearance tickets. A court
date is scheduled for March 22.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Here is my two sense and I wasn't on this ride. The police are acting hostile and renegade. They are not concerned with safety in the least and this is made evident by their behavior. If they were they would not be ramming people with police scooters and throwing people to the ground. If you are so concerned with the violation of traffic laws then give summons. Stop people on their bikes and issue them a desk appearence ticket for the violation. This is not what it is about for the NYPD. They are hellbent on stopping critical mass. They want to chip away at people. A few arrests each month will show those damn cyclists whos running things. Funny how non of this was done for six years prior to the Republican National Convention. Hmmmmm. 5,000 bikers showed up and suddenly we have a problem. This is what seems to happen to every Critical Mass in America. It starts out small and then it gets popular. Then the police are forced to react. They begin with violent tactics and make arrests. Eventually they get tired of this cat and mouse game and go back to working with the citizens of New York City who gather once a month for a peaceful bike ride. Critical mass is not going away. Is the never ending war for oil going away? Is the lack of attention to fuel alternatives and other forms of human powered transportation going away? Is the time period when the planet runs out of fossil fuel getting any further away? Then answer is no. So therefore...Still we ride.

A reflection from the 2/25/05 Critical Mass in NYC.

A little late...

Here is what one fellow bike rider in NYC had to say about her recent experience at critical mass. This was the most recent CM that occured on: 2/25/05

The Police were once again very aggressive and made 15 arrests.

There are 2 critical mass bike rides in NYC.

Brooklyn's is the 2nd Friday of every month, the next one is 3/11/05

Manhattan's is the last Friday of every month, The next one will be the 25th of March. Meet at the North End of Union Square 7:00pm

Here is that post from:

Leah B. Rorvig leahrorvig@gmail.com

Hello my fellow cyclists,

As many of you have noticed, I've been a bit out of the XUP world as
of late, mostly due to increased responsibilities at my job. This
morning I felt compelled to write a brief "manifesto" of sorts about
my Critical Mass experiences. Last night I had an amazing Critical
Mass. It is the first Critical Mass in a very long time that--for
me--has had the same energy of the first CM I ever attended, back in
June.

At my first CM, it was pouring down rain and there were maybe 200
dedicated cyclists. I was with a very good friend of mine from
college, and it was the first time I had ever participated in a
cycling "event' of any kind. I had just started riding a bike in NYC a
month before, at the urging of my then bike messenger boyfriend. The
energy that night was incredible. The 200 of us rode through the
streets like a whirling dervish, whooping and hollering, sticking
together even in the rain. I screamed my head off until I was hoarse,
and more than any other time in my entire 5 and a half years in New
York City, I really felt like the city belonged to US--this random
group of people who got together on a Friday evening to ride their
bikes through midtown, this community of people on two wheels. I felt
free, I felt unstoppable, I felt a part of something wholesome,
healthy, and fun. "Whose streets?" we asked. "Our streets," we
answered, and in this city of isolation, of loneliness, of dirt, of
homelessness, of struggle, and of unimaginable wealth, of subways and
of skyscrapers, I actually felt like they were our streets.

I immediately began volunteering at XUP and participating in CM every
month for the sole reason of wanting to give this gift of Critical
Mass to as many people as possible. Not only that, I wanted to
recapture this amazing CM feeling for myself as frequently as
possible. When I was tired, cold, doing TV interviews at 5AM, and even
in jail after being arrested at Bike Bloc, what kept me going--what
kept me believing in Critical Mass despite the uphill battle it has
been to keep it moving forward--was the feeling I had at my first CM.

After being arrested at Bike Bloc on August 29, my Critical Masses
have been marred by fear of arrest. Sad as it is, the free feeling I
had on that first rainy June night was stolen away by the threat of
plastic handcuffs and months of court appearances. But last night I
had simply had enough. I wasn't afraid. I thought, if I get arrested
again, I get arrested again. So be it. And I had one of the more
amazing Critical Masses of my life.

I know people were arrested at the beginning of last night's ride, and
I know people were arrested at the end. I have no idea how many people
were snatched up by the police, but I know that without them I could
not have had the experience I had last night, of once again being
free, of once again owning New York City streets. The threat of arrest
may have temporarily stolen away the free feeling I used to have at
CM, but it has also made it that much more precious. I am also still
amazed at by the fact that every month, people come together, despite
the freezing cold, despite the risk of arrest, and despite actually
having been arrested before. It is a true testament to the infectious
power of the unstoppable CM. No matter how intensely our beloved ride
may be criminalized, we will all still be there on the last Friday of
every month.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for all of you who have worked
so hard for many years to make this happen and to allow me to have
these amazing experiences. And many thanks for reading this entire
cheesy but sincerely heartfelt email. STILL WE RIDE!

infinite peace and love,

Leah

Time's Up Schedule for March

Here are some ways to get involved with bike riding in NYC...




VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR LEGAL SUPPORT AND VIDEOTAPING!



While we have had success with our Federal case (special thanks to Norman Siegel and all the lawyers), much assistance is needed as individual cases start coming to trial.  



In particular, the National Lawyer’s Guild (NLG) is looking for volunteers to help in a variety of ways as they prepare the defense of arrested cyclists.  If you can lend a hand, call 212 679 6018, x20.  You can say you heard from TIME'S UP! that they were looking for volunteers.



Motions for discovery in these cases are bringing new evidence to light.  Early discoveries have been amazing and might help to reveal wasteful spending and corrupt behavior.  We are also seeking to determine whether equipment and resources used to suppress free speech and hinder community-building  was paid for with resources earmarked for combating terrorism.



In one early motion for discovery, lawyers reviewed police helicopter footage from a special $9.8 million Bell 412 helicopter that was recently purchased by New York City.  Its infrared night vision cameras were focused on Critical Mass and also people making out on rooftops.  Check out the Channel 2 story, "The video the NYPD doesn't want you to see."

http://www.times-up.org/press_view.php?article=050224_cbs2_nypd_cameras



Keep shooting video and keep documenting!  It’ll make a difference



Still we ride!

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BIKE REPAIR WORKSHOPS

Every Tuesday, 6 p.m. (new time!)

TIME'S UP! Space, 49 East Houston (bet. Mott and Mulberry)

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FIX YOUR BIKE WORKSHOP

Every Thursday, 6 p.m. (new time!)

TIME'S UP!  Space (basement), 49 East Houston (bet. Mott and Mulberry)

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MOVIE NIGHT

Every Thursday at 8:00 p.m.

This week (Mar. 3): Blade Runner

Next week (Mar. 10): Plan Colombia: Cashing-in on the Drug War Failure

TIME’S UP!  Space, 49 East Houston (bet. Mott and Mulberry)

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CENTRAL PARK MOONLIGHT RIDE

Friday, Mar. 4, 10 p.m.

Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park

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FREE RIDE TO FIRST SATURDAY AT THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM

Saturday, Mar. 5

Union Square, south side, 5:30 p.m.

OR

George Washington Statue in the Square on the Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge, 6:00 p.m.

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RIDE TO GREENE DRAGON’S OUTLAW PARTY

Meet outside in front of the Brooklyn Museum @ 10pm

to ride together to the party, or meet us there.

Saturday, Mar. 5, starting at 9 p.m.

Asterisk - 258 Johnson Ave. Bushwick, Brooklyn

Sliding Scale: $8-$15 (five dollar entrance for those on the ride!)

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BROOKLYN CRITICAL MASS

Friday, Mar. 11, 7 p.m.

Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park

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PROSPECT PARK MOONLIGHT RIDE

Saturday, Mar. 12, 9 p.m.

Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park

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BIKE REPAIR WORKSHOPS

Every Tuesday, 6 p.m. (new time!)

TIME’S UP!  Space, 49 East Houston (bet. Mott and Mulberry)



Come learn how to fix bikes, do simple maintenance and tune-ups at the bike mechanic skill share.  All the fun is in the basement.

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FIX YOUR BIKE WORKSHOP

Every Thursday, 6 p.m. (new time!)

TIME'S UP!  Space (basement), 49 East Houston (bet. Mott and Mulberry)



Bring your bike to the basement and share skills with other cyclists while you fix up your own bike.

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MOVIE NIGHT

This week: Blade Runner

Thurs., Mar. 3, 8:00 p.m.  

TIME’S UP!  Space, 49 East Houston (bet. Mott and Mulberry)



Deckard is a Blade Runner, a policeman of the future who hunts down

and terminates replicants, artificially created humans. He wants to

get out of the force, but is drawn back in when four "skin jobs", a slang

term for replicants, hijack a ship back to Earth. The city that

Deckard must search for his prey is a huge, sprawling, bleak vision of

the future. This film questions what it is to be human, and why life

is so precious.

117 min.

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CENTRAL PARK MOONLIGHT RIDE

Friday, Mar. 4, 10 p.m.

Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park



Join us for a relaxing auto-free ride through Central Park. Enjoy the tranquility of the park and its beautiful ponds and waterways.  This totally safe ride, with front and rear bike guides, is a nature lover’s dream – in Manhattan! The ride moves at a very leisurely pace with a few stops to enjoy the scenery. We usually finish before midnight, back at Columbus Circle. Total mileage is under 10 miles.  Any kind of bike will work.

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FREE RIDE TO FIRST SATURDAY AT THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM

Saturday, Mar. 5

Union Square, south side, 5:30 p.m.

OR

George Washington Statue in the Square on the Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge, 6:00 p.m.



Come ride with TIME’S UP! to Brooklyn's monthly feebie extravaganza. This month view award-winning short films, scorching cabaret by members of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, a one-act play starring Joanna Merlin (Fiddler on the Roof, Law and Order), and classic funkand soul spun by DJs from Brooklyn's own Black Underground. And for the last month… Marilyn's "I want to be loved by you" photos are still on exhibit! http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/first-saturdays?date=2005-03-05



Museum is OPEN TIL 11PM This is a one way RIDE!

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RIDE TO GREENE DRAGON’S OUTLAW PARTY

Meet outside in front of the Brooklyn Museum @ 10pm

to ride together to the party, or meet us there.

Saturday, Mar. 5, 9 p.m. -late

Asterisk - 258 Johnson Ave. Bushwick, Brooklyn

Sliding Scale: $8-$15 (five dollar entrance for those on the ride!)



"When fun is outlawed, only outlaws have fun."  Come dressed as your favorite underground hero and revel the night away with the modern-day patriots of Greene Dragon (the folks who brought you Paula Revere's Ride and the July 4th extravaganza of 2004). This event is a benefit for Greene Dragon's continuing efforts to free America from Corporate Tyranny and King George II's reign of fear. See http://www.greenedragon.org/ for more details.

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BROOKLYN CRITICAL MASS

Friday, Mar. 11, 7 p.m.

Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park



Join this moving celebration of what our streets and environment could be like with sustainable transportation – Brooklyn style.

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PROSPECT PARK MOONLIGHT RIDE

Saturday, Mar. 12, 9 p.m.

Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park



Join us in a peaceful auto-free ride as we discover Prospect Park at night.

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Support the environment!  Make a donation to TIME’S UP! at  http://www.times-up.org/store.php  

Peter at the Gates Closing Day.

pedicab-peter, originally uploaded by Green Biker.

This is Peter member of Time's Up and one of the orginal founders to bring Pedi-cabs to New York City.

I ran into him on Sunday, the closing day of the Gates project in Central Park.

Under snowfall, the "Gates” project officially closed in Central Park after a 16 day run. New Yorkers had mixed feelings about the 7,500 gates spread around 23 miles of the park. Some are trying to figure out why they call this art. Others just enjoyed seeing the park in a new light, sprinkled with orange wickets spanning the various park trails. Vendors in central park that rely on tourist dollars had no problem figuring out what the installation was all about…money. Many vendors saw a huge increase in sales with all those visiting the display and finding themselves in need of a hotdog or a pedi-cab ride through the park. Mayor Bloomberg praised the project for bringing in millions of dollars to the city.

The project cost $21 million dollars and was the brainchild of fellow French-Belgium artist couple Christo Vladimirov Javacheff and his partner Jeanne-Claude. These artists are best known for wrapping entire structures in plastic such as the Point Neuf in Paris and the Reichstaf in Berlin. They have also dotted the landscapes of Japan and California with giant umbrellas.

The couple had wanted to do this project for 20 years and were turned down twice because of logistics for such things as wanted to dig holes and needing the park closed for a certain amount of time.

Also, I highly doubt former mayor Rudy Giuliani would have welcomed such an art project, being the prick he was against artists.

I got to see the project a couple of times and have to say I liked it. It was interactive; you could see the park in a whole different light. Each path you took became a new visual adventure.

Maybe Christo can come back to NYC and wrap the new jets stadium in plastic…permanently.