NY1 does a story on stolen bikes

W, originally uploaded by 7-how-7.

So NY1 did air a story after all. Sometimes you send out a message to the press and they do follow through. Go figure.

Here is the story:

A group of Critical Mass riders get their bikes back from police, but they're not exactly happy about it.

The bikes were among 50 that were seized during last month's ride. Most were returned last Friday, but a few remaining bikers didn't get their rides back until Monday.

The riders say they were never charged or even issued a summons, and so they're considering a lawsuit for illegal seizure.

"I was not arrested and I was not doing anything illegal, but the police still cut my lock with a saw and confiscated my property," said Critical Mass rider Jamie Favaro.

"The police were basically told by a federal judge they cannot take property without linking it to an arrest, and they're basically in contempt of court for disobeying a federal judge's orders, said fellow rider Michael Green.

For its part, the NYPD says the bikes were seized because they were chained illegally.

A spokesman for the department says while they recognize the inconvenience of having a bike seized, it can be avoided by not chaining a bike illegally in the city.
========================

Hmmm. So I am very curious what constitutes illegal chaining of a bike?