Posts Tagged ‘critical mass’

Bring your bikes and boomboxes yall!

Critical Mass Bicycle Ride
Public
Hosted by Rag & Bones Bicycle Co-op

When
Friday, May 31 at 5:00pm
Where
Monroe Park (VCU)
620 W. Main St.
Richmond, Virginia 23220

Details
A critical mass bicycle ride to promote bicycle awareness on the streets of Richmond. Route will be announced before we ride.

BRING THE Noise and fun!

Monroe Park
Meet at 5pm
Leave at 6pm

Update on the new bike ordinance:
Ord. No. 2012-232 (Patrons: Mr. Conner and Mr. Agelasto) – To amend and reordain ch. 102, art. IX, div. 1 of the City Code by adding therein a new section numbered 102-441 for the purpose of making it unlawful for any person to attach a bicycle, motorcycle or moped to a City-owned tree and to amend and reordain City Code § 102-439, concerning the impoundment of bicycles, for the purpose of authorizing police officers to impound bicycles, mopeds or motorcycles, which, for a period of more than 72 consecutive hours, have been attached to City-owned trees, posts, signs or other property owned by the City.

Here’s the original ordinance:

http://library.municode.com/index.a…

Sec. 102-439. – Impoundment.permanent link to this piece of content

(a)

Any police officer may impound a bicycle which is not properly registered, which is not displaying the license decal as required by this article, which is without a serial number, which is abandoned or which is parked in such a manner as to create a traffic hazard. The owner of a bicycle impounded by the police or the owner’s agent may claim it at the place it is held and, upon proof of ownership, obtain possession thereof without the payment of any fee or charge on account of the impoundment. However, the owner, if a resident of the city, shall first obtain a license decal and register such bicycle before it shall be released. The chief of police shall use due diligence to ascertain the name and address of the owner of an impounded bicycle and notify the owner that it is being held. If a bicycle is not claimed by the owner within 30 days from the date it was impounded, it may be either donated to a charitable organization by the chief of police or sold by the director of procurement services. Every such sale, whenever practicable, shall be made on the basis of competitive bids after the public notice required for the sale of tangible personal property owned by the city, and when there has been competitive bidding such sale shall be made to the highest or best responsible bidder. The director of procurement services shall have authority to reject any or all bids and to order new bidding or, with the approval of the chief administrative officer, make the sale to any person, whether a former bidder or not, without further bidding. The proceeds of such sales shall be paid into the city treasury. The cost of impounding, removal, storage, investigation as to ownership, notice and sale shall be paid out of the proceeds of such sale, and the balance of such funds shall be held for the owner of such bicycle at the time of its impoundment for a period of 60 days. The balance of the proceeds of sale shall thereafter be deposited in the city treasury. If, within three years after the date of sale of such bicycle, the ownership thereof at the time of its impoundment is established to the satisfaction of the chief administrative officer, such owner shall be paid the balance of the proceeds from the sale, without payment of interest or other charge. No claim shall be made nor any suit, action or proceeding be instituted for the recovery of such proceeds after three years from the date of sale.

(b)

Any bicycle found and delivered to the police by a private person which thereafter remains unclaimed for 30 days after the final date of publication as required in this section may be donated to a charitable organization or given to the finder; however, the location and description of the bicycle shall be published, at least once a week for two consecutive weeks, in a newspaper of general circulation within the city. Such notice shall be published in a form to be approved by the chief of police. If the bicycle is given to the finder, the finder of the bicycle shall be responsible for the publication of such notice and any cost associated therewith. Prior to release of the bicycle, the finder shall present verification of compliance with the publication requirements, as set forth in this section. If a license plate or tag is affixed to a found bicycle, the chief of police shall use due diligence to notify the record owner that it is being held.

Basically if you lock a bike to city property for 3 days and something goes missing from the bike that makes it inoperable then police tag the bike and remove it in 7 days. Also If you attach a bike to any city property for more then 10 days the city is allowed to remove your urban eyesore regardless of operability.

Complaints can be filed to:
Parker Agelasto (city council 5th district)
Phone (804) 646-6050
Email parker.agelasto@richmondgov.com

Charles Samuels (city council 2nd district)
Phone 804.646.6532
Fax 804.646.5468
Email charles@samuelsforcouncil.com

Richmond will be celebrating bikes again this month with a Critical Mass Bike Ride on the last Friday of August, the 26th, at 5:30pm.

The ride will meet up in Monroe Park at the fountain in the middle.

The times are subject to change and the route is TBA. Meet up at the fountain with your bike and your love. Leave the attitudes and aggression at home. This is not a race, it is a peaceful ride to show co-existence of humans, bicycles, and motor-vehicles. This will be a reoccurring monthly event so put it on your calenders and be ready to ride!

Bring water, any of your preferred safety gear, boomboxes, signs etc.! to make this bike parade festive!

If you want to know more about Critical Mass in general or it’s history in Richmond specifically we recommend you check out the Wingnut zine on Richmond Bike Laws, which includes info about Critical Mass! You can pick up a copy at the Wingnut or download it here:  http://zinelibrary.info/richmond-bike-laws-zine

You are also welcome to get in touch with the WIngnut if you have other questions. No one is in charge of Critical Mass but many of us have experience with this sort of bike ride and would gladly answer any questions we can.

Today’s Critical Mass was a cop free fun bike ride for around 150 people!

Here is a link to the story and http://www.nbc12.com/story/15023255/g

The news coverage is funny, as the reporters from conservative NBC 12 try to frame the bike ride as controversial. The Critical Mass was pretty tame and worked hard to keep a pace inclusive to all participants. No medical help was needed, although there were medics present. No copwatching was needed, although there were trained Copwatchers present. About 50 Richmond Bike Laws zines were handed out to participants as well.

Plans were formed to continue with Critical Mass rides in Richmond, scheduling them on the last Friday of each month. Look for more about those rides on this website and on http://www.rvaradicalendar.blogspot.com

Members of Richmond Copwatch will be briefing July 4th Critical Mass participants on asserting their rights and interacting with the police  should that become an issue.

Some literature will be available and copwatchers will actively address any questions or concerns. Briefing will take place   at Rite-Aid (Belvidere and Broad) prior to the ride (approx. 11:45-12:00  depending on arrival of riders).

Feel free to bring your own camera to record the fun and maybe the Fuzz!

You can also brush up beforehand  and download a copy of the snazzy new Richmond Bike Laws zine here-

http://zinelibrary.info/richmond-bike-laws-zine

The Wingnut Anarchist Collective has just finished a zine with information on Bike Laws in the state of Virginia, as well as general tips, and information about Critical Mass Bike Rides. We see knowing bike laws as going hand in hand with the Know Your Rights type of work that we do with Richmond Copwatch.

The text of the zine is below, and you can also download a copy at: http://zinelibrary.info/richmond-bike-laws-zine

We will be distributing the zine at the July 4th Critical Mass, which is starting at 12pm at the Rite Aid at Broad and Belvidere.

cover

Biking in Richmond, Virginia

This zine is a creation of the Wingnut Anarchist Collective in Richmond, Virginia. It is meant to be a reference and guide for all people who ride bikes in the city of Richmond. Most of the content of this zine is based on the laws about riding bikes in Virginia found on the VDOT website. Our re-publication of these laws does NOT mean that we support all of these laws or are making any sort of ethical judgement about them one way or the other. We think it is important for all bike riding people to know these laws so that they can assert their rights. Having this guide on hand may be useful when cyclists are stopped by cops, or are being harassed by people in cars. Be aware of the laws. Know when you are or are not in compliance with the laws.

Helping cyclists learn their rights, so they can assert their rights, fits in with a lot of the work currently being done by the Wingnut Anarchist Collective. We participate in Richmond Copwatch, which does general Know Your Rights trainings to help people understand what their rights are when dealing with the police in general situations. Specific Know Your Rights information is a logical extension of the Copwatch project. If you ride a bike on a regular basis, knowing the laws, and therefore knowing your rights can help make your experiences more pleasant and less harassed. Nothing irks a cop more than a person who knows the laws more than they do, and isn’t afraid to assert their rights under the law! (more…)

RVA CRITICAL MASS!
JULY 4, 2011!


MEET UP: THE MEET UP WILL BE AT THE RITE AID ON BROAD AND BELVIDERE AT 12PM ON THE 4TH OF JULY.

what to bring: BRING YOURSELF, YOUR BIKE AND FRIENDS!

Contact:

  • wingnut_collective@yahoo.com or call 804 303 5449 to volunteer to help out with an aspect of the ride. Or check it out on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119196908166176