Biking in the Marigny

[AndyGibbs]

Got stopped by a cop the other night for riding my bike the wrong way down Dauphine. Apparently the Marigny is now patrolled by FQ cops. Cop told me they're stopping everyone for minor infractions (no headlight/taillight, not stopping at stop signs, etc) and giving warnings for now...tickets to come later.

It's cool that people are becoming more aware of cyclists and all...but it also seems pretty insignificant when there's murders and robberies happening right around the way. Anyway, y'all be careful. I imagine the police presence is only increasing since it's Mardi Gras.

[werd]

This has been going on for a few months. Russell got a huuuuge ticket a little while back for riding the right way on Bourbon between 6pm and 6am without a headlight. He got it reduced to just the headlight infraction, but Josh got a ticket for not stopping at a stop sign in the Marigny and had to pay it. Here's some bike laws for reference:

<> Bourbon is pedestrians only between 6pm and 6am every day
<> Royal in the quarter is pedestrian only during the day (don't know the exact hours)
<> No biking the wrong way down one ways in the quarter or Marigny (or really anywhere)
<> Headlights and taillights are required for all bikes after dark (new state law)
<> Cyclists are technically supposed to stop at all stop signs and red lights

They're giving out $100+ tickets for all these things. Agreed that it's completely out of hand, and the NOPD should certainly be using their resources elsewhere, but them's the breaks I guess. And remember the no peeing in public rule during Mardi Gras!!!

[.:.]

"We are traffic!"

Now you get tickets like you are.

Also, I agree with Andy that murder and robbery is waaay more fun than a cycle infraction.

[Damien]

Yeah yesterday I saw some bald geek in mirrorshades give a crusty a warning for having run a red light on his bicycle. I figured it was just profiling of crusters, but I guess not.

That's the 8th district for ya.

ACAB

[deaux]

ugh, cops, cars, commit suicide.

[AndyGibbs]

Yeah yesterday I saw some bald geek in mirrorshades give a crusty a warning for having run a red light on his bicycle. I figured it was just profiling of crusters, but I guess not.

That's the 8th district for ya.

ACAB

I totally saw this go down. I was coming out of Flora and saw you down the street.

[nolaanarcha]

it's sad that with so many bikers in the FQ and marigny they can't get it together to have disruptive critical mass rides or other types of protests to protest this bullshit and get it to stop.

it really wouldn't take that many masses/protests, with media called and disruption the goal, to get the city/cops to back off. the masses could specifically tie up traffic around city hall during rush hour, or on canal st, etc... or to keep it local, on st. claude/elysian fields.

i'm sure the city doesn't really give a shit, but they've only heard from the few whining rich people who complain about everything and try to make the city like the suburbs, and so they acted on that.....

i remember peter got a ticket like a year ago and a bunch of @s went to the next regular critical mass with flags and shit, as a first step to organizing more effective protests, but then his ticket got dropped, and so did our momentum for pressuring an end to this bullshit, at least as far as my friend being personally fucked over by it goes...

scott had sent out some video on better biking enforcement and law procedures that was from the Northwest US somewhere... that video was good... scott, maybe you'd be a good person to try and go make an appeal to city hall, if people organizing a protest isn't going to happen....

if you want a nice, liberal, mayberry USA neighborhood like the marigny/bywater to live in, in New Orleans, you're going to have to fight for it. otherwise it will become a totalitarian nightmare if only the constant complainers and rich people have their way.

[nolaanarcha]

I made a poster about it. stop complaining and do something, etc etc right?
I should have made this a long time ago after I was clotheslined by a roid-raging cop on bourbon st who pulled me off my bike and made me leave bourbon st. i said to some tourists "only tourists allowed here in this adult disneyland. no locals allowed." then the cops ran up and put his finger in my chest and screamed "say it again, say it again and i'll fucking deck you"

i was like "uh, no, i have somewhere to be right now." and walked around him and got on my bike and took off. steam was coming out of his ears. steroids are a hell of a drug! that was fucking scary and really sucked. all for riding a bike!



Full size image/poster for printing: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D62cVkiLbEU/T ... ssment.jpg

[nolaanarcha]

PS here is how to wheatpaste in case you want to put these up around town:
http://nolaanarcha.blogspot.com/2011/05 ... paste.html

[patrick!]

uhh this is stupid. while the rules might be dumb and biased towards cars, etc, just fucking follow them so you don't give the pigs any ammo. cyclists get enough shit. you wanna be taken seriously on your bike? stop riding down one ways and on sidewalks, stop at red lights, use proper lights, etc. you are a goddamn moving vehicle capable of hurting someone. quit being so damn reckless. PS the next P.O.S. who almost runs into me while speeding down the sidewalk on their bike is getting knocked the fuck down.

[patrick!]

PPS

ugh, cops, cars, commit suicide.

[Damien]

while the rules might be dumb and biased, just fucking follow them

a persuasive argument