Cyclists cited, bikes impounded in Long Beach Critical Mass ride

Police in Long Beach shut down a recent Critical Mass bike ride of about 85 cyclists and seized more than 20 bicycles for various offenses, including riding unlicensed bikes, officials said Monday.

The Critical Mass ride is an international event that takes place on the last Friday of each month in hundreds of cities around the world, said Ronnie Sandlin, of Long Beach, a spokesman for Pedal Movement, a cycling rights advocacy group.

The Long Beach ride was shut down because organizers said riders lacked a special events permit, and many broke traffic laws, said Sgt. Dina Zapalski, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman.

The ride began at Cal State Long Beach and within 20 minutes cyclists met officers at the intersection of Anaheim Road and Palo Verde Avenue, Sandlin said.

Riders thought police were there to help move traffic along, but instead cyclists were cited and their bicycles impounded. About 60 citations were handed out to riders without proper night lighting, for running stop signs or riding unlicensed bicycles, among other violations, Zaplaski said.

Of the bikes seized, 11 did not have brakes, Zapalski said. To lawfully ride a bike on city streets, bicyclists must register their bikes with the city and have it inspected by the Fire Department.

“We take bicycle safety seriously in Long Beach and will not stand by idly while any person or group acts with blatant disregard for the safety of the residents of our community,” said Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell.

Those who lead the ride attempted for two months to secure a permit and tried to get the word out to riders to follow all traffic and bike laws to not “give the cops any reason to hassle us,” Sandlin said.

He was cited and his bicycle was seized for lacking proper registration. Sandlin said he had tried repeatedly to register his bike, only to be told by the city that it had ran out of stickers for the year.

Ride participants are organizing to retrieve their bicycles en masse Tuesday from the city warehouse where they were impounded. They also plan to attend the Long Beach City Council meeting Nov. 9 to voice their concerns.

“Not having a bike is a big deal for us,” Sandlin said, adding that for many riders, it is their only form of transportation.

-- Stephen Ceasar

Comments

[TrueFreedom]

The bike registration is c.rap. It is different city by city. Last year, LA County decided to suspend the license program. I live in unincorporated Pasadena which does not require a permit, but the City does. But, I cannot register my bike in the city, because I have a county address. WHat a mess.

[jack dawson]

way to go long beach !

[Mrs. G]

"'Not having a bike is a big deal for us," Sandlin said, adding that for many riders, it is their only form of transportation." - Oh poor baby. Then try following the laws like the motorists do! I am so tired of being in my car following the laws (stopping at stop signs and red lights) and and watching some a-hole bicyclist fly through an intersection. Or how about when they ride side by side or worse yet 3 deep. IT"S AGAINST THE LAW!! If you want to be on the rode then simply follow the laws.

[Mike]

It's ok, a lot of those hipsters can just ask their parents for more money to take care of it.

[Nikola]

I'm just curious: why is the Fire Department assigned the task of inspecting bikes? How is their expertise relevant?

[Ed Dart]

What is the City thinking?
These Police should move to Selma Alabama
Maybe the feel they missed the chance to beat Civil Rights Workers so now they impound bikes. I think the City of Long Beach can handle a little civil protest without over reacting.

[Lulo Antille]

Bikes MUSt be registered and approved by the Fire Department? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!!!!

Let me guess...I bet there is a fee somewhere in there. And where do Fire Departments get the mandate to be bicycle inspectors?

It all sounds to me like a nice scheme to fill up those pension coffers.

The absurdity is so thick you can chew on it.

[downshifthn]

Now is my request valid that Long Beach police department decrease their tolerance of loud MOTORCYCLES that disturb anyone within a 1/4 mile radius now that they're worrying about people on bicycles? Were they waking up napping babies/elderly/sick? Or are they easier to ticket because they're less intimidating? Pathetic. I was asked if I wanted to buy hard drugs twice that night at 2 different public halloween parties. Is it so difficult to enforce laws that really matter? When you're on the taxpayer's dime you should have better priorities LBPD.

[2cents]

love to have seen these jerks get what's due

[hugo Fonseca]

Good.

[slugger]

Cyclists=The Spandex Gang
They are soooo annoying!

[Doug]

I ride my bicycle in downtown Los Angeles all the time, and obey the laws. Recently I came across a Mass Cycle in downtown LA while driving. Several riders ran a red light, almost causing me to collide with another car beside me who swerved to try and avoid a cyclist. Sadly, it seems that some of these younger cyclists express their individuality and independence by being inconsiderate jerks while riding. Hopefully they won't have to learn their lesson the hard way.

[steviemartinz]

It's time for ALL riders to clean up their act, I am also a rider but I use my car when I haul things, the commute is too far or very time sensitive, I can no longer count the number of times I have almost hit riders for not having lights at night, not stopping at designated stop signs or crossing the intersection on a red light because they can move faster than pedestrians, don't get me started on the need to wear a basic helmet. Sometimes I feel that some riders take advantage of the new no bike harassment law to act stupidly on their bikes. Please be responsible, not only for your own safety but to set an example to others.

[Nancy in Chicago]

Amazingly piggish behavior by the cops, Ugh.

[D. Posson]

It seems to me that if the Long Beach Police Department has all those extra resources available to be impounding the bikes of these cyclists, perhaps the department is over-funded and it is time to scale back on their budget and send some of these "police" to get a real job instead of harassing the cyclists who are interested in promoting a cleaner world.
D. Posson,
Long Beach

[jake reigle]

wow leave them alone most of the people who do crital mass do it for fun.

[TheSkeptikAl]

I hope that they are able to stop Critical Mass in it's tracks. After living in the Bay Area and having to deal with these arrogant bicycle activist breaking traffic laws, causing grid lock, damaging peoples cars, and assaulting people just trying to get home from work, I have no desire to see them get a toe hold in Long Beach or Los Angeles. This is no way to win people over.

[Apple1]

It’s difficult to beleive that the City of Long Beach ran out of registration stickers, and couldn’t or didn’t issue a temporary certifcate of some kind. I’d like to read a follow-up on his statement - like getting both sides of the story.

I’m sympathetic to cyclists riding in city traffic. However, most of what I’ve seen of cyclists behavior is dangerous and inconsiderate. That’s not to say all cyclists are inconsiderate, but I’ve seen many who are. Cyslists, mororists and pedestrians have a lot to learn about sharing the road.

Good for Long Beach PD. Riders, especially in mass cycling oevents designed to draw attention to cyclists, should their registrations up-to-date, working brakes and reflectors, etc. If they don’t they should be cited just like any motorist would be. Duh, trafffic laws apply to everyone. My guess is that when they appear wn masse at the City Council meeting, if they do, they will be disorganized, and a bit disorderly if not rude. I hope I’m wrong, but if they live the way they ride...

[EO]

$$$$$$ > realistic safety issues

[Ben]

Bike getting license? How stupid can these laws get. Don't police have anything better to do.

[andrew hill]

Has something changed?

It's my understanding that the bike license program was suspended in early 2009.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/01/city-council-pu.html

[josh]

"If these Yahoos weren't so obnoxious, feel entitled to own the road, rude, cocky, etc, I'd feel sorry for them. They bring the heat down on themselves. "

"Big praise to our brave officers out there patrolling the streets. The general public is now much safer!"

if you guys cared to research this particular event, or knew of anyone who was there, you'd know that many people were cited for things they did not do. some even had their bikes impounded without the officers taking any documentation down as to who's bicycle was whose.

who would you like your car impounded for no reason because you were around people who were driving recklessly?

[Soondubu]

these guys even tried to register their bikes!

stupid waste of police resources.

oh i forgot.

citations yield $$$ while going after criminals doesn't generate revenue

[nag]

WAY TO GO LBPD! Many of these mass group bike riders are inconsiderate jerks. They obey no traffic laws and if they are hit by a car when they run a stop sign they scream holy murder at the poor motorist.

[Gilda Ortiz]

You are all being fed a lye . So I was there and I am not a hipster, I am a 59 year old woman who loves bikes and wanted to go on a massive costume ride.
The organizers tried for weeks to get a permit and escort. The truth is that the mayor just didn't feel like allowing it.
When we arrived at the college the officers gave the impression that they would not only escort but that they would ensure no one broke the law. We thought K. The minute we set tire on the pavement the sirens started and the helicopter was on it. All the riders complied fully by not being route and taking the citations and giving up not 11 bikes but more like 60 bikes. No one was arrested WHY? Because we were just a nice group who just wanted to ride on halloween.
I applaud the group for being orderly. The cops did what they were ordered to do by Chief McDonnell.
The group got to ride about 50 feet and RAN NO STOP SIGNS and BROKE NO LAW.
I had to compile rides for the stranded tax paying LB loving ...some LB business owners and friends, and distraught kids that would not have transportation to work on m Monday.
So the city spent more money on resources to harass the group than the tax payers would have spent in cooperating.
And by what I have read here it seems that everyone likes to talk GREEN but when the young people take it to heart , they are thugs. I met these kids they are great citizens , so do not buy this bull that the cops are claiming. They could have had a riot on their hands and instead I WITNESSED A PEACEFUL SURRENDER.
IF the Mayor feels that bikes out in mass are a reckless disregard, then he should band bicycles in LB. This is our future generation ...Kids who care about the environment and want to entice the couch potatoes to get out there.
Many of the riders like myself are normal executives and business owners in LB.
Having an organized ride once or twice a year does not make you a bike friendly city. And by the way......Many of the riders who did the ride last spring for the MAYOR event, had unregistered bikes and the 6th winner of the 60 k had no brakes...so why was he not arrested mayor.

I like LB and I like the mayor but you blew it.
PS
These kids all love LB and want to do it right. They want to work with you so who is the bigger man?