Wow. Bike party riders really stepped up to the plate tonight, to throw together an amazing ride with some fantastic press coverage. Estimates range from 3,500 people at the start to 2,200 riders after the second re-group (both are estimates), but even with such astounding growth, we saw much fewer of the “growing pains” problems of past rides.
Many, many riders stepped up to volunteer as BIRDs keeping our ride peaceful and organized or as planners, testing the route and ensuring its success. If you would like to volunteer, please sign up here. Many more riders read the website and courteously observed our How We Ride rules, reminding each other to stop for red lights and doing an awesome job staying to the right when we could (even the Channel 5 reporter pointed out it would have been hard to keep to the right in downtown, not bad).
We all have ideas, and together we can continue to make Bike Party better. (A lot of us mentioned a desire to bring back more goofy Bike Party spirit – we should come up with some chants or songs for the ride…) The best part of Bike Party is that we keep changing and evolving to meet the needs of San Jose’s growing bike community. So send in your thoughts, your stories, and your feedback, and check back here often to find out about our next planning meeting where we can begin to put it all into action. Happy Bike Party!
admin
August 22, 2009
Repost:
Did anyone see two guys pulled over by the police around the corner of Baugach*spelling* and Almaden?
I was pulled over for a “moving violation” from making a legal left turn in the left turn lane when it is completely green. Saying I failed to yield to some truck that didnt even enter the intersection. The Bike Party Bird was even giving us the go ahead to turn, and I feel incredibly singled out of a huge group for doing absolutely nothing wrong.
If anyone was there who saw the incident and could help testify for me and my friend, or help in anyway, please email me. I was wearing a brown hat, black shirt, northface backpack, blue road bike with tail/head lights. Thanks!
Please email him at mreligio@ucsd.edu
Let the posting begin!
August 22, 2009
Amazing ride tonight! I loved the positive vibe and great people that showed up!
Feel free to share your thoughts, suggestions, concerns, ideas, and experiences.
However, keep in mind: stating a problem without contributing to the solution is a problem in itself. It’s also something that has been done on these “reflections” posts quite a bit in the past.
If you didn’t like something about the ride feel free to discuss it, but it means nothing in the end if you don’t DO SOMETHING about it.
So if you feel like posting about what you didn’t like about this months ride, that’s fine. Just be sure you back it up with a solution and step up to the fucking plate.
John Dixon
August 22, 2009
Well said!
At a friends house after the ride I watched recordings of 3 different news broadcasts of bike party.
The CBS version was great, but I wanna see the other 2 online. Links?
Ryan
August 22, 2009
Great ride. one of the most positive Ive seen in a while. glad the cops were around (i know some don’t) but I think it led to a better ride.
really amazed over the turnout! that was shocking! first ride in a while where I didn’t see or hear of a fight. saw almost everyone picking up there trash.
and to the Birds, Great work on doing their best to keep everyone in line epically when some people felt the need to mock and disrespect and talk trash to them.
thank you bike party!
mike g
August 22, 2009
would love to see the other 2? (herd only one other was there) saw both versions of cbs. pretty cool!
Annoyed
August 22, 2009
Hay Guise, lets ride around late at night on heavily traveled streets, taking up all lanes, and only 1/3 of us will have any kind of lights or anything. Sound like a good idea?
Seriously, what I saw was pure irresponsibiliity. Riding down 10th street across all three lanes with barely any lights, swerving into lanes with cars in them, etc etc.
If you don’t guys don’t want to be hated like SF Critical Mass, get your act together and follow traffic laws regarding not obstructing traffic, staying in your lane, and using proper lighting.
Erik B
August 22, 2009
Last night was a great ride, Had a lot of fun. Seen many birds stepping up and doing the best they could to try and keep the ride running smooth. I am proud to be a part of bike party and look forward to continueing to make it great.
testrides
August 22, 2009
San Jose Taiko!!!
We are so lucky to have you guys here and to kick off last night’s ride!!!
Every month gets better and better! From almost no red light running to getting a zillion riders deep into a regroup! Special thanks to the 100+ volunteers (most, but not all BIRDs) stepping up to the plate big time again!!
Every month we focus on some riding behavior to improve dramatically, and it works! What shall we focus on for Sept? Keeping the left lane “open?”
Every month we also focus on getting more volunteers. What is our aggressive goal this month? Last month we shot for 25-50 new BIRDs. We got 30+ BIRDs. And many non-BIRDs that stepped up last night (again)!
It’s OUR ride, we need your support, now more than ever! How to help? Please start with filling out this form: http://www.sjbikeparty.org/who-we-are
Secondly, please sign up to be a BIRD or a BIRD fan at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SJBP-BIRDs/124988094282 or email testrides@sjbikeparty.org if you’re not into FB. We’ll be announcing “pre-rides” where you can learn “How We Ride” and how to become a BIRD.
(2 SJBPs min, etc.)
Thanks again SJ BIKE PARTY!!!
And a huge THANKS to SJ’s own SJ TAIKO!!!
Can’t wait to see you for your huge annual show — Rhythm Spirit 2009 in Campbell! (Sept 11-12) http://taiko.org/
dasfreshyo
August 22, 2009
This was a crazy ride. Most riders were cool but some were standard DB riders. Unfortunately, I don’t have many good things to write about this ride. One of the first incidents was seeing how peoples attitudes on bikes aren’t too much different than in cars. I saw a lady bump a guy’s rear tire while he was stopped. The guy said watch out. And her friend was quick to tell the guy “Its a !$#ing bike party, that will happen.” My observance of that type of behavior removes responsibility from the rider. Just because its a bike party does’t mean you don’t watch what you are doing. In fact, you should be more alert since there are 3000 more people around you!
The ride felt like an evening car commute in some parts.
Hey slow riders that want to chat, please move to the right side of the lane.
LEARN THE RULES OF THE ROAD. SJBP isn’t just a casual cruise through the streets. Its actually a pretty intense experience of cycling culture, where you need to watch all six sides of your ride!
If you want to pass, ring your bell, honk your horn, OR call out “passing on your right/left” depending on where you are passing. That is a STANDARD CYCLING courtesy rule.
If you come out to ride, CHECK YOUR BIKE! I heard someone talk about their bike and didn’t even know if it was a multispeed bike and complained that her coaster brakes didn’t work perfectly. You shouldn’t have even brought that bike out to ride! You could injure yourself or another rider! You wouldn’t drive a car without brakes right??
USE GOOD SENSE!
Please don’t kick parked cars or use those compressed air horns. Its just DB annoying and unnecessarily ear piercing loud.
Good job BIRDS! Good job organizers. God bless SJBP. Peace.
Roger Lynn
August 22, 2009
HELP please!
I lost my camera somewhere after the second water stop. It is an blue and silver Olympus stylus 770 SW.
Reward!
Rapid Robert
August 22, 2009
The only problem I saw was the big Douchebaq on the shiney new blue cruiser bike, standing with his group of four friends in the middle of the enterance to the first regroup site. I asked them to move it over, he said he was waiting for his friend, nobody there to back me up, so he just continued to block a thousand people from rolling past. What a freakin’ POS! I let it go. Next time, I’ll get a couple other BIRDS and move the grabage out of the way.
Other than that, it was a much, much safer ride from what I saw. I don’t think the staggered start worked very well, as half the crowd left the lot from the bottom end, bypassing the enterance BIRDblock.
I heard a few comment on the nice quality of the streets we rode on last night. I saw very few dress it up for the theme, waaaay fewer than the number of pantsless riders last month!
Looking forward to next month’s ride. The bottom line for this one, however, is that it was much more “Woodstock” than “Altamont”. THAT’S the SPIRIT!!!!
Metal Dan
August 22, 2009
Wow, last night was awesome, i was really impressed with the Police assistance, although they could lighten up a bit. I saw a massive reduction in the DB particapation. Loved the atmosphere. Look forward to next month’s SJBP.
\m/ Live Long and Metal
admin
August 22, 2009
If anyone wants to look up the other news broadcasts, please post them here. What were the stations?
Thomas
August 22, 2009
Last nights ride was fantastic. We rode past the whose who of Silicon Valley companies like Cisco, Intel and Yahoo. We might to zig zag through North San Jose sometime as that is mostly commercial and I would imagine very few cars on the road at that hour. Massive improvement in behavior by most. Still there will always be a fool but way less. Would love if everyone would buy a light for their bike. Perhaps a link to local bike shops or an affordable bike light you can buy online. I know that police did give out tickets for not having a bike light as they should. Also I saw more families on this ride and people over 50 which is great.
admin
August 22, 2009
Walts Cycle was on site providing lights and helmets. Hopefully they will come again.
They also gave out 1200 wrist bands with discount coupons. Stop by the store and mention Bike Party. Buy a light, a helmet, a patch kit.
http://www.waltscycle.com/
dhug
August 22, 2009
Man that was a ride woooh. I didnt even go by great america i made a right on to montague and then left on first street to tasman its easy to get lost when your in front of everyone. Then didnt even stop at the last regroup becuase i didnt know where it was at and didnt know till i was halfway down oakland but it was a fun ride just a bit too long becuase i have to ride another 6 miles home from SJSU. I didnt even see that many people on my ride just the few riding with me cuase i knew where we were going. i think next time i wanna stay at least in front of the big pack so i know where to go and not be so lonely out in the middle of somewhere i dont really know. BIKE PARTY!
Sally
August 22, 2009
I had a really good time at my first Bike Party! I am one of the slow, older riders and stayed to the right, always. I enjoyed the scenery and commraderie immensely. I did end the night tho with an unsettling experience. My friend and I rode into to SJS to watch the scene before heading home when we were approached by one of the Birds, I think, who accused us of making fun of him when he was shouting directions. He was loud, extremely rude and WAY off mark. He claimed to have us recorded on his Google phone and marched off to retrieve it and prove it to us. Of course, he never returned. I saw him later and asked for the proof of his ridiculous, loud assault. Wouldn’t you know, he didn’t have enough “light” to show us! He continued his disturbed rant and ramble. Watch out for this guy, short dark hair, dark rimmed glasses, facial piercings. He is paranoid and disturbed and really put a damper on our night and all of those around us who witnessed the sick event. I regret not getting his name.
ragingworker
August 22, 2009
Thank you SJBP Riders & Volunteers!
And musical Guest.
This month’s vibe felt better than last month overall. I saw more BIRDS in the ride which helps keep the ride together, good job guys. People need to be aware of what’s happening around them. Getting people to leave the left lane open for passing cars was hit and miss for me as a BIRD. Some people had the presence of mind to move over, while others didn’t have a clue even after I rode up right next to /behind them. Props to those that moved over.
Since the ride was longer (a good thing) I saw more people peeled off to the side of the road in groups along the way. If you want to stop, please pull off the road completely. Passing these groups, I encouraged people to ‘keep rolling’
Getting people to bring lights for their rides still remains an issue. I would be willing to talk to bike shops in the area to see how we can get lights to people who need it.
Overall, the sheer volume of riders that came out last night was refreshing. Bike Party continues to grow and in my opinion gets better each month. I know a number of people are asking people to volunteer. Do it. Become a volunteer and make next month even better. Even a small contribution is appreciated.
katskull
August 22, 2009
wow…so much for a stealth start…it shows that this phenomena is going to grow despite changes…that’s good news i think…and KCBS 5 was super positive and great for BP!!! San Jose Taiko was amazing! THANKYOU!
here’s a few things about last nite…again, i didn’t run into too many people behaving badly, but i still say that music soothes the savage beast and once again yoda and i had music…
as much as i appreciate police presence and support…SJPD were jerks! i was stopped as we were departing because the officer said my music was too loud…i had a boombox…even when i turned it down, he said i was breaking the law…he was not very nice and said i’d be easy to spot if i turned it back up…i thought to myself, where is SJPD when my neighbor is blasting his car radio and it sets off all our alarms or when we call because their music is shaking our house at 2AM…they NEVER show up! we were not in a neighborhood last nite and my radio just doesn’t put out that kind of sound…i heard several similar stories about SJPD…but milpitas and santa clara on the other hand seemed very supportive…we made sure we all thanked them! i think some of us who live in SJ should write to our council people and the SJPD and let them know we’d appreciate their support (and we welcome ticketing to those in BP breaking the law) but harassing the entire group is unacceptable! they were treating us all like we were criminals! and SJ claims to be BIKE friendly…
it seems like more people are stopping at reds, moving over for cars, and just bringing a positive vibe…unfortunately there is still a lot of littering…PACK YOUR TRASH PEOPLE…have some respect…and the fools who stopped in the STREET in front of JERRY’s…wtf…even cars don’t do that…BIG NO NO…i realize there weren’t many fueling places along this route and that may have caused this STUPID behavior…but cmon people…we’re better than that…get off the frickin road!
again, yoda and i had a great time, but some in our group encountered a much different ride…there are still people inviting their A-HOLE friends…please make new friends!
Thanks again organizers and BIRDS!
BIKE PARTY!!!!
Metal Dan
August 22, 2009
I agree with KatSkull’s comment regarding the SJPD, where are they when the neighbor is blasting their music, and he told me the exact same thing when i had my music at 50% “you’ll be easily spotted and stopped if you turn it up.” Right, i put that sheet at 75% once we were outside their area. And i rolled by the SCPD and MPD at Full Volume and they thought it was cool. WTF! But next month, its on!
\m/ Live Long and Metal
Audrey
August 22, 2009
Well, last night was my first bike party, and I gotta say, I really enjoyed it. There were some DBs, but there were also a lot of cool, fun people.
I took last night as an opportunity to advertise my bike, which is for sale. As a 1950s Raleigh Robinhood, it has only three speeds, narrow tires, all original parts with the exception of a tire, the seat and the brakes, and it has all the original decals including a license dating all the way back to 1959. If anyone was interested in it, my number was on my bike as well. It was great to hear all the shining complements from the bike connoisseurs riding with me, mostly fellows riding older bikes as well, but it was rather irritating to hear the insults and ignorant comments from all the little teeny-boppers on their 35-gazillion speed suspended mountain bikes, and over-hyped, over-waxed cruisers. For the most part, I ignored the people trying to get a laugh at my expense, but it did dampen my evening. If anyone remembers my bike though, and had some interest in an authentic street bike, you can also email me at antispamiswhereimat@gmail.com. I made the whole route on it with no pit stops other than the break points and helping others fix their bikes.
I made sure to thank all the cops along the way for helping keep our ride a safe one, and the BIRDs were very friendly and helpful. Thanks again, SJPD, and all those awesome BIRDs! I did see a lot of people violating traffic laws too, and that kinda sucked, but I also witnessed someone trying to run a red fall down in the middle of an intersection for no apparent reason, which I can only reason out to signify instant karma. Good to know karma values following the rules.
MASHING SJ
August 22, 2009
KKIIIILLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRR ride lastnight! My front tire bit the dust between hookup spost and I couldent believe how many folks that passed by and asked if I needed a hand. That was too awesome! Overall ride was smokin! Didn’t care for tha cops being everywhere also didn’t care for all the DB’s talkin s#!t on the birds. Couldent belive it when we were on 10th and a small click of older ladys were totaly talkin crap on a bird tryin to keep everyone to the right lane. Well they shut there mouths when some car came terin a$$ down the street comin pretty close to hitin folks and then cuttoff the whole ride! If your gona disrespect the peeps that put this together and keep the ride goin smooth. Please don’t come find another ride or star your own disrespectfull s#!t talk ride! Thanx to everyone that made this ride sweet! To the DB’s go home!
Leo
August 22, 2009
Totally agree with KATSKULL….
SJPD for the most part were jerks. Santa Clara and Milpitas PD were awesome. Officers in Santa Clara were helping direct traffic and keeping riders in the far right lanes…they were even hi-fiving riders as they were passing by. And the officers in Milpitas were just as cool. I had a talk with one at a red light about my bike–he really liked it and wated the store location. And I can’t forget SJSU campus police…extremely courteous and chido.
For the most part, riders were doing it up:
Calling out violators and being vocal
Obeying the law
And keeping sober
————–
I attribute the last part (sober) to not having liquor stores around our rest stops. haha. Anyways, I loved the ride and the only thing that sucked was I lost my back light somewhere on the ride. Oh, and not having trash cans around our second rest stop sucked. I found a Bird though and he helped me find someone with a trash bag. kudos Bird man.
ONLY THING I WANT TO SAY….again:
Please learn to ride your bike before…
If you ride fixed….learn to stop or get a front brake put on
And learn to ride in a straight line and stop zigging and zagging all over the place
Thanks…..for my safety and the safety of the group. I got hit by another rider screaming no brakes last night. no bueno
Leo
August 22, 2009
http://cbs5.com/video/?id=54389@kpix.dayport.com
link to CBS5 video on Bike Party
heyo!
August 22, 2009
Last night’s BP was definitely more chill. Some highlights about it was that I heard and saw so many people helping out strangers w/ their bikes. People were hooking up others w/ bike pumps, patches, and other various aid. I think that’s one of the dopest things about this event, that despite the DBags that show up to mess up the party, there are some angels out there who are helping others out. Much love goes out to the BIRDs too; I felt that riders were pretty responsive to the BIRDs in the section that I was at.
I have to agree, however, that opening up the left lanes so that cars could pass was a hit or miss. People seemed like they knew the rules, but after the Coleman leg of the ride, they disregarded it. Some kids, during the ride through Milpitas, were hanging onto cars. I did my part and chewed them out but that didn’t come w/out some threats of getting my ass kicked. But when they saw that I rolled 30+ deep, it was all love.
Anyway, I think a horn or some signature sound from a PA system could help keep the crowd to the right. It’ll be heard over people shouting “to the right!”, and eventually, the sound will become habitual and indicative that we need to move. Just my thoughts.
See you next ride
ANGEL IN THE VAN
August 22, 2009
Let me set the scene as a store owner at
1177 W . San Carlos Street. I must tell you how amazing it is every month as the sun begins to set on the third Friday of Every Month. There is a beautiful feeling that over comes us all. A hoot , haller and excitement fills the air as the masses begin their monthly migration. Like zombies calling, we too become infected and scurry to close up shop fast and collaborate with the others in the packs. As we arrive to our destination………
unity at last……….. Let get this Bike party started.
This time we manned the van, sold shirts at the ride, and really saw to our amazement that the pack was so long and strewn across the valley it really put into perspective that you can quickly maneuver around the entire valley on a bike. The fact of 6 miles and 13 miles in between stops, scores of riders practically beat us to every rest stops So exciting to have room on the road to drive safely along next to the riders. We were skeptical about the desolation of Santa Clara but this beautifully chosen route proved Worthy with it’s clean, wide smooth roads and minimal traffic confrontations.
Thanks to all who contributed to last nights good vibes.
See you next Friday at Fixed Friday http://www.getretrofresh.com
number six
August 22, 2009
you’ll never control everyone with your club rules. signal communication and being aware of your surroundings is key. snails crawl right. racers sprint left. if you are prepared to navigate some of the uncertainty and the certainty of douchebags then you’ll have way more fun.
gringotrout
August 22, 2009
Wow, I was shocked and suprised to see the
number of riders increase. I had predicted
the new procedure( not announcing the location
till the day before ) would result in a 30-50%
reduction in riders. This shows just how much
momentum BP has!! I, for one, had to work
much harder attend this ride: I had to find
parking( Dicks is in my ‘hood ), sweat it when
the location wasn’t posted on the wbsite till
11:45, and get lost a few times. That’s OK,
it was worth it. My point is this: I assume
most riders needed a bit more determination
to attend this ride, yet there were more of us!!
Can’t keep us down.
Reducing the meet-ups to two worked great.
This makes it more about riding, and, less about
partying. It also gets us more exersise, and,
makes DB behavior much less likley. It must be
why, towards the end, the riders were pretty dam quiet.
The only complaint I have is the strat point was hard to exit. Otherwise it was epic!!
sk8mags
August 22, 2009
Last night’s ride was a much more mellow ride and actually seemed like a relaxing cruise at night with community. Rather than cause tension, it was a tension-reliever, which is what everyone, including DBs, is really after. Some just seek it using different methods.
I agree with gringotrout regarding the meet-ups. Fewer was better. We were tired by the end, but in a satisfying way. I also liked the distance. Both seem to make the event more about community riding and less about finding the nearest liquor store. Too bad there aren’t any routes without liquor stores!
People were pretty cool out there, and the vibe was much more positive.
Two things I noted regarding the left lane:
1. When a negative was used (“Get the F out of the left lane!”), riders paid attention to it more. They tuned out the more neutral “Stay to the right.” Should we start yelling “Get out of the left lane?”
2. When BIRDS were in pairs, they got no flack, and male BIRDS were more respected than female BIRDS. Should BIRDS pair up? Should women be put with men?
SJ Taiko was so amazing! It was one of the coolest things about last night.
Thank you Kati!!!!
August 22, 2009
I just want to thank KATI!! She was the very kind woman driving around the Van that said “BIKE PARTY!” on it, my buddy and I were stranded with bike chain problems and she came and rescued us. If it wasn’t for her we would have gotten home probably at 4am. There are still good people out there in this world, I want to thank you so much Kati, your kids are very lucky to have such a great mom!
patricio
August 22, 2009
Lats nights ride was again off the HOOKY!! Straight up about biking!! You could tell that the majority of riders really made an effort to act in the best interests of Bike Party in ALL ASPECTS. The only problem I saw was with the SJPD being JERKS, more then once! HONESTLY WHAT IS UP WITH THEM? The Santa Clara, and Milpitas PD were soo encouraging!! I yelled out “BIKE PARTY”!! TO a santa Clara cop and he yelled it back, does it get better then that?
Lastly, Just keep pumping out the how we ride rules, and perhaps something for first time sjbp riders who have never ridden in a large group ride like ours, One 1st time rider told me it was abit overwheling, some tips for new riders might be helpful.
And a big shout out and thanks to the birdies MUCH RESPECT!!!
Rapid Robert
August 22, 2009
I’d also like to applaud the starting location. The flight path provided the occasional low flying heavy bird, and the freeway ramps formed a nice industrial sculpture overhead (more lasers, more lasers!).
The Taiko drumming was great, and I think it at the start set the vibe for this ride just like the band did last month.
Ms.Damsel
August 22, 2009
This is one of the better rides I’ve been on. A lot less DB bike riders. For the most part people were staying to the right and I saw a lot of lights on bikes. After the red truck event two months ago I was hesitant to do any more rides in fear of being pelted with eggs, rocks….but I kept on it and am glad I did. It’s great exercise and fun. Plus it doesn’t cost anything!
I’m happy with there being less stops and less liquor stores is always a good thing. This is suppose to be a sober ride, but if you have to drink be smart about it. Yelling I need more beer is putting a big bulls eye on you and if you didn’t notice cops are being more involved.
Thanks to all volunteers.
To Sally
August 22, 2009
To Sally
“Sick event” you are way over exaggerating. I rode with this “paranoid and disturbed” guy the whole ride. This guy was yelling for people to stay in the right and these old woman behind us started loudly making rude comments. We were shocked that these seemingly positive riders were being so rude. As far as “stayed to the right, always.” That’s BS but way to try and make yourself look better.
He wasn’t rude when he confronted the both but just wanted to make a point, the both of you lied about saying anything, then were quick to put the blame on someone else. Then all you could say is you have proof. You don’t need proof when you hear someone say something, then turn around and see who was just saying rude comments. By the way we heard your friend say your name Sally, so denying it was you, then making a posting with your name further proves what we heard was correct.
What was “disturbing” was your behavior walking up and continuing this “sick event” then loudly and extremely rudely saying that he needs “psychiatric help”. Lady if anybody needs help it’s you. You were way out of line and were instigating an argument or fight. All this guy was doing was trying to tell you and your friend he didn’t appreciate the rude comments. He didn’t personally attack you or rudely state you needed help. If anyone was lashing out “loud assaults.” it was YOU!
This guy people should look out for is an active volunteer of SJ Bike Party and has been for going on two years. He’s one of the people who helps make the ride what it is and tries to make it a safer ride.
On a last note check out posting number 22 mashingsj. Guess this “paranoid and disturbed” guy wasn’t “extremely rude and WAY off mark.”
admin
August 22, 2009
FYI Sally and “To Sally” These will be the only two comments we approve on this issue. Fighting back and fourth publicly is not something we want on the comment section. If you would like to communicate with each other you can share emails, contact me sjbikeparty at gmail.com
Jahlaen
August 22, 2009
Last night was a SJBC tour de force!
This was your best and most impressive planning and execution to date. Folks just stepped up and out performed!
I saw a quantum leap in the growth and improvement in the Bike Party organization.
Yeah; the start was a little rough, however: “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry” — so, you get another shot at it next month.
And I think you will have to raise your game to another level in September.
I am convinced you will face an even bigger turnout next month because that “über-positive” media coverage is going to result in a deluge of new riders — not only from our home turf but from all over the Bay Area and beyond.
That story on CBS-5 was a pure and unabashed SJBP infomercial.
You gotta love it!
And ultimately, that is what I enjoy about SJBP, the challenges grow bigger every month.
The most impressive outcome of this month’s ride is the increasing influence of BIRDs — and also BIRD sympatizers — who stepped up last night to keep many riders in line.
Planning and admin came up with a great game plan but, ultimately, BIRDs, operate in real time to keep the ride safe and flowing within the established rules.
I wish I could take all my BIRD brethren — along with our sympatizers — out to a pizza joint to celebrate an outstanding performance. However, your legendary apetites and unquencheable thirst for grog would automatically force me into deficit spending. And I am not a member of the FED nor the U.S. Govmn’t!
But I still love all a’ yawl…
Peace!
Erik
August 22, 2009
I think having a *minimum* of 5 miles between stops is a stroke of genius. It weeds out the casual riders and drunkards that can’t hang and really only show up to raise hell during the first 1/3 or 1/2 of the ride, rather than the people actually there to, you know, ATTEND THE EVENT.
SJPD wasn’t really as bad as everyone is saying. All the law enforcement contingents (SJPD, MPD, SCPD, SJSU) were enormously helpful and generous, as much as we could expect them to be. Consider that SJPD has been dealing with an ever-increasing mob of riders every month for quite a long time now, whereas SCPD and MPD, it’s more of a novelty since we hardly ever pass through there. Of course they seemed more “chill!”
But SJPD – it’s kinda like having someone crash with you. At first it’s kinda cool, but people will eventually wear out their welcome. Month after month after month of noise complaints, moving violations, people not stopping at lights. accosting motorists, it’s not hard to understand WHY the SJPD would be more apt to act kinda dickish vs. other depts. But personally, I thanked every single person I could while riding because that’s actually *doing* something about it, rather than bitching and moaning about it. Nobody was arrested. Nobody was a victim of police brutality. Maybe some of the SJPD were more strict in enforcing the law then they needed to be, but that’s their prerogative.
As a whole, we should be more grateful to the community that we are a PART of, and thank all the patient motorists, law enforcement, business owners and pedestrians who we INCONVENIENCE, rather than bitch about how someone’s trying to ruin our party. Without their patience and willingness to put up with the SJBP’s disruption (peaceful as it may be), we would be in a far, far worse place.
I agree with the assessment that people respect BIRDs and other riders more when vulgarity/aggressiveness is used. I tried to keep people out of the left lane during the first 1/2 of the ride or so since the speed limit was 35-40mph and there were some blind curves. When I yelled “stay to the right,” I was derided, but when I yelled “don’t fuck with traffic, get out of the left lane!” people were more responsive. Sad, but it may take that sort of approach to really make a larger change to how everyone behaves. I also full-on blocked lanes to let traffic pass. It’s one thing if it’s 1 car stopped at a light here and there, but there were some situations near SJO where there were 3, 4, 5 cars waiting to exit a parking lot and people were taking a “fuck you, BIKE PARTTTYYYY” approach. Blocking the lane was the only way to get them to stop. They may have yelled at me and talked trash, but at least they stopped.
As for a “target goal” for the BIRDs during the next ride: I really think the best thing is to work WITH traffic, law enforcement, pedestrians – COMMUNITY – more, and make that a priority. Be thankful, be respectful, insist on other riders being considerate. It will show our true character and remind the community that we are trying to invite them into our world, rather than crash down on theirs.
Name Calling
August 22, 2009
Thanks to the 3 or 4 people that called me an ahole or B!tc# last night when i went to go retrieve my pedal that had fallen off my bike. And a special thank you to the girl who ran me over and her friend who called me an MFer and some other crap. Seriously, my pedal came off in a poorly lit area. That pedal was a road hazard to all riders behind me and without it, I would have been stranded. I tried calling out to warn people of my presence, but the area was poorly lit and way too few people have lights on their bikes. Sorry for momentarily slowing down traffic, but drop the dbag-ery.
Erik
August 22, 2009
P.S. Speaking to working with the community more – perhaps we could reach out to the mayors (or at least reps) of each community (Campbell, SJ, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Los Gatos, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Saratoga) and maybe see if they’d be willing to do a round table discussion with some of the ride organizers to brainstorm. Kind of like “look, the SJBP isn’t going away, even if all the organizers quit and stop promoting it, so we want to work WITH you to figure out what will make everyone happy and impact the community in the most positive way possible” approach. I think that having the people who are responsible for RUNNING our communities would have some great input on logistics, and it would definitely help make them more receptive to our needs as everyday cyclists (poor lighting, lack of bike lanes, rough roads, aggressive motorists, all the stuff we deal with when SJBP is over and we keep riding).
A few nights ago I was riding with a friend down Campbell Ave. towards the Westgate area and some kids drove by in a late-model Jetta and shot at us with an Airsoft (or similar) pistol/rifle. They hit my friend and apparently some other pedestrians in the area. Campbell PD showed up FAST, were super respectful and helpful, took it seriously (even though we didn’t have much info to go on). An actual sergeant was on hand (rather than just regular patrol). They went out of their way to make us feel safe, even though a couple of guys riding through at 11PM on a mid-week evening isn’t something you’d think would be high on their list of priorities. I appreciated the gesture and would like to see that kind of thing continue, but SJBP could easily damage that kind of goodwill if we don’t make it part of our core values to engage them rather than just inconvenience them.
admin
August 22, 2009
If you are stopping, call it out, stop slowly and pull to the right.
People who stop in the middle of the ride or stop suddenly put everyone behind them in danger.
It is definitely a difficult task to go against the flow of traffic to pick up a dropped pedal. Hopefully next time, someone can pick it up for you. Just ask. Or keep repeating as you are in the middle of the road “I need to pick up my pedal….”
I have seen ample people stop and pick up a dropped item and bring it to the rider ahead.
I would have also yelled at you for stopping in the middle of the ride (without knowing why you are stopped), its matter of perspective.
Don’t take it personally. If a car was going backwards in traffic and stopped, people would be pissed off regardless of why the car was backing up.
Name Calling
August 22, 2009
@40, fair enough. But it i did make it to the curb and left my bike there and waited for what looked to be clear moment, took off my bike light and used it as a flashlight to find the darn thing.
heyo!
August 22, 2009
Just saw the CBS report and I’m pretty proud of what we’ve got. Definitely looking to continually build this community!
Citizen
August 22, 2009
Hi all, congratulations on a successful ride. Some feedback. I live on Oakland Road near Brokaw which was on your route roughly around 11PM. Several riders were hollering or blasting radios as they rode past my bedroom window. That’s never cool and just creates ill will. My suggestion is past 10PM, when riding past residences (even on the opposite side of the street) be considerate and maintain a respectable noise level and turn radios down. Good luck, and maybe I’ll join you next time!
Ernest
August 22, 2009
I saw at least two separate unlawful stops by the police. They were both at left turns on green lights. At the second one, a copy tried to flag me down, but I didn’t do anything wrong, so I ignored him and steered to avoid him. Then I heard him tell the girl behind me to stop and she did.
At the first stop I saw, the cops stopped 2 kids for no reason and wrote them tickets. I stopped to watch because I thought it was messed up of them to do. Then one of the cops told me to move, but I just watched and told him I had the right to observe from a safe distance according to the City of San Jose’s ‘On-Looker’s Policy’
sigh… There were a lot of cops planted along the route too.
The Mercury article a few weeks ago mentioned that there are probably under-cover officers infiltrating bike party. The author of the article said it.
I would imagine it’s true… due to all the stupid fights that keep breaking out and idiots with confederate flags tattooed to their chests.
But the concerning thing is, they will eventually try to shut it down. They might start sending an under-cover to the planning meetings just to see what people are up to.
Yeah, I kind of lost the point I was trying to make. It’s just concerning to see the city watching BP so closely..
admin
August 22, 2009
Just in case you all don’t know:
Riding your bicycle without lights is grounds for a ticket.
If you are under 18, riding without a helmet is grounds for a ticket (and maybe violating curfew)
Riding your bicycle while inebriated is illegal.
Running stop signs, blocking the bike lane/road, running lights, etc are all grounds for a ticket.
I don’t know why people got pulled over/ticketed, but I assumed they were breaking one of the above laws.
There were so many riders without lights, I am surprised more people weren’t pulled over left and right. BUY A LIGHT!
And to be honest, if they were breaking the above laws, they deserve a ticket.
We aren’t above the law.
The police in general were very polite from my observations.
Drinking responsibly
August 22, 2009
Amen admin!
I can’t stand people booing police for doing their jobs. People that were on the side of the road with blue and black on them: you did SOMETHING to deserve it. Really… out of 3000+ people YOU got busted? You can try to say whatever you want about how unfair it was, but bottom line is that you did something stupid enough to stand out. Blame yourself. Ride smarter next time.
If you’re going to drink or smoke (blatantly) then you’re just asking for trouble. I’ve never been busted at BP. But then again… you won’t catch me in the middle of the road pounding a 40 to the dome.
I fully support any police department that supports SJBP. After all, I’m not doing anything wrong so I’ve got nothing to be worried about.
Gabe
August 22, 2009
It was my first ride and I really enjoyed it! Seemed very organized and other then a headache from the billows of weed-smoke in the regroup points, I had a great time. See you next month!
Ernest
August 22, 2009
No, the two people I saw get stopped went left at a green light along with a whole crowd – they weren’t even the first ones to cross. It was the first light we went left at. The cops were just waiting at the corner trying to flag people down, and those two bicyclists just happened to listen to the cop and stop. They should’ve kept riding because they didn’t break any laws. They didn’t have booze or drugs on them either.
So in this case, the two bicyclists did not do “something to deserve it” – which is exactly why I’m on here posting about it.
I don’t have a problem with cops or the police department. I have a problem with cops stopping people so they can make an example out of them at the first left turn of the route.
I also have a problem with undercovers in bike party, because I don’t think it’s worth using San Jose’s tax money on.
Not to mention the first cop I encountered was being totally rude to me. And the last cop I encountered at SJSU, who I just asked, “Do you guys get a lot of complaints about BP?” – and he was like”YEAH ‘CAUSE YOU ALL COME HERE AND LEAVE YOUR BEER CANS AND SMOKE POT!” and was being all aggressive in my face, even though I greeted him nicely too.
Anyway, I agree that people breaking the law can’t get upset about being cited. But it’s when people are not breaking the law get cited, just so police can make example out of people, that I think is wrong.
Sam
August 22, 2009
I stayed in front of the pack this time and it was a pleasant ride.
I still heard some DB’s cussin’ out cops in the beginning as we departed from the starting location. The police like all of us are people, I know its hard to believe. And like all people, they have emotions. With these emotions, when they hear DB’s like this guy shouting “F YOU” when the make announcements to stay to the right, they won’t respond well to the negative vibe. Nonetheless, SJPD in the downtown area are NOTORIOUS for being a-holes. I’m surprised that they didn’t have a paddy-wagon ready to take random people to the county jail for the night.
But I digress, last night was definitely a better ride with a better route. Less residential area and more open main roads that do not have heavy traffic. It was good for the people who love their silent neighborhood…. well stay silent. There was a good mix of BIRDS and the police to help keep the safety level up. I was glad that the law enforcement gave a helping hand, in spite of people getting tickets.
I wasn’t a “BIRD” but I helped my fellow bikers with the directions in the beginning as I studied the map earlier during the day. There were a few people who took the wrong turn at Lafayette and Laurelwood, not sure if they got to the next stop okay or not. Hope to see more rides like this one… this will definitely put a good mark on San Jose’s image because we’re known as the town with “nothing to do”
-s
mike g
August 22, 2009
not to argue but theres what you saw and what the police saw. if they truly got pulled over for nothing i would encourage these people to post on here with there story so they can get people to back up their story and contest what ever citations they received in court.
when it comes down to it the cops can get almost every cyclist on bike party for one thing or another. how many fixed gear rides do you see riding with brakes? almost none. thats a ticket. riding with both headphones covering your ears, ticket. how many people actualy ride with reflectors on there wheels and peddles? riding no handed, ticket. ape hanger handle bars, ticket.
bike code
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21201.htm