“Dozens of riders took to the streets of South Florida Monday afternoon for their annual ‘Bikes Up, Guns Down’ rally, ” miami.cbslocal.com reports, “some openly ignoring the laws of the road as authorities trailed behind. Chopper4 followed the riders on motorcycles and ATVs as they sped through Miami Gardens, made their way to Broward County – some popping wheelies, others driving in the opposite direction of traffic or driving on the sidewalk and others obeying the laws of the road.” Huh. So let me see if I’ve got this straight . . .
Miami-area motorcyclists demonstrated their desire to reduce “gun violence” by breaking the law. It’s a good thing the police were on hand to enforce the motor vehicle laws, much as they enforce the laws against the drug-dealing gang bangers who are responsible for the majority of Miami’s [non-suicide] firearms-related homicides. Oh wait.
Despite their actions, authorities trailed behind saying they were not stopping the riders because they were not committing any felonies. They are considered traffic violations. They said they would only pull over the riders if they would somehow commit some sort of felony.
“We’re not able to chase these motorcycles,” said Sgt. Mark Wysocky with Florida Highway Patrol. “It’s a very dangerous situation, you know, but we can only do so much and once we start chasing them, it makes a bad situation worse. So at this time, we’re going to continue to monitor the situation.”
Now that’s just silly. And dangerous!
During the ride, one of the bikers, sources said, slammed into a car sending him flying about 50 feet. Authorities said that rider is expected to be okay. He was seen trying to take a selfie as rescue crews worked on him.
Last year, hundreds of people on motorcycles and ATVs took over the streets of South Florida, speeding, stunting, and popping wheelies as well.
So what does all this lawlessness have to do with stopping “gun violence”? Absolutely nothing.
So a major city’s P.D. can be brushed aside by just a few hundred people armed with, exactly? Weapons of Economical Transportation and some uncertain intentions? Interesting.
So much for the “2A is outdated because the citizenry cannot stand up to the government” myth.
Anyone who scoffs at the idea of the armed citizen VS the .gov would do well to remember Chris Dorner and the first Bundy Ranch standoff…
Dorner, one well armed and trained man, had Cali and LE turned upside down for days. And, the Brundy militia, agree with them or not, backed the BLM down, without a shot being fired.
^^^THIS
Seriously. If the local PD’s response to a hundred flash-mobing teenagers is to sit on their hands, and they’re response to serial illegal stunt driving going on right in front of them – imagine what they would do if a group of citizens with rifles marched peacefully on the capital. Nothing. Not unless it turned violent, and even then I’m not so sure they would get involved if they knew why it was happening.
Don’t get me wrong, NO ONE – NOT ONE SANE PERSON wants it to come to that. But if it did, we already have a pretty good idea of what the outcome would be.
They are not brushed aside by the lawbreakers; they are brushed aside by the very real threat of budget-breaking legislation should they do anything to stop the lawbreakers resulting in injury.
Or even criminal time, depending on the narrative that develops.
Do you mean litigation? Meh. Anything’s possible, but your prediction is doubtful. The police have wide latitude. Follow the law and department regulations, use the minimum force necessary, use communication before force, and you’ll be fine, especially if there is abundant evidence like the cameras all over this event.
The police cowered because they faced formidable numbers arrayed against them, the opposite of their usual overwhelming force posture. City political leaders probably ordered a stand down fearing a powder keg and publicity nightmare. I’m not saying the police were wrong or right, just that they made their decision to avoid greater consequences.
They can only play that card so many times. With only about 20-25 officers per 10,000 citizens, a P.D.’s day-to-day power rests on intimidation of the individual. Routinely taking on large crowds, or even a determined asymmetric warfare type adversary, is not what they’re set up to handle. This isn’t about lawsuits.
^^^ Real decisions made by real people in that moment. We should be happy that they made that choice and applaud that this specific choice was made (to monitor for serious crimes but otherwise piss off on the traffic stops for a minute). It may not be something that can happen all the time but it is important that it be able to once in a while.
The methodology of intimidation of the individual is effective but highly corrosive to the dignity of the individual. Build up enough individuals who’ve been exposed to the overwhelming force and intimidation tactics; even those that have only observed them and not been in a negative contact, then add in the psychology of crowds with a police force that’s been militarized in appearance and you have an explosive situation. It’s nothing about who’s right or wrong in this situation. Clearly someone in command had a good understanding of exactly how much of a powder keg that was capable of turning into and made a pretty wise call. After all it was just a crowd of people blowing off a little steam and not hurting anyone or burning anything down. Protesters from the beginning of the country’s history now have routinely committed huge numbers of non-felony offenses which were otherwise ignored. Just because they were on bikes and not carrying signs and banners and they were really quite rowdy doesn’t mean we change the rules. Occupy was pretty darned rowdy and how many of them were prosecuted?
Bikers may be a protected species after that police “conspiracy” to shoot them down in Waco? There is a new definition of “Criminal”, it means anybody that owns a firearm, all others get a pass.
Anybody that legally owns a firearm and has no other criminal intentions. See: ccw holder.
Those idiots aren’t bikers. Bunch of fools on 4 wheelers and dirt bikes. I didn’t see a single cruiser. Bikers don’t do stupid shit like that.
There are other types of bikers outside of ‘cruiser’ riders.
Lets actually tell the truth, they get a pass because they are black or hispanic.
And if the police actually pulled some of them over, I would bet that half would have outstanding warrants.
They were just recreating their favorite Brando film.
Please, please….they’re breaking traffic laws for the children!
It seems to me more than anything, that this demonstrates in a society that increasingly criminalizes every single indulgence, any opportunity that comes along to blow off steam with a little reckless disregard for authority is seized upon with a proportionately increasing vigor.
The more authoritative the State, the more bread and circuses are required to pacify the mob. A Saturnalia once in a while might help as well.
The Purge? Coming soon to a town near you?
You do realize you are talking about Miami, right? I’m sure there were hundreds of outstanding warrants in that mass of bikes. This isn’t an escape from the crippling weight of an authoritarian regime, it’s selfish layabouts having fun at the expense of the people who pay for them.
As a longtime (40 yrs off and on) motorcyclist, and a gun owner for about the same length of time, I can only shake my head. Few motorcyclists I know back in Missouri where I used to live or here in Georgia are even remotely anti-gun, regardless of whether they ride a cruiser, sportbike, stuntbike, dirtbike, racebike, whatever.
The only advice I can offer is that if you are a gun owner but not a motorcyclist YET, is to get a bike anyways. Like guns, most folks either grow up around bikes as I did, or set out to learn how to ride and get one. Pay no attention to the Darwin candidates – there are a lot of them and the supply is nearly endless, so why worry, eh?
Oh, and get a helmet and proper gear too, while you’re at it. Squids are kinda like the IGOTD candidates – you can’t fix stupid, only give them stupid prizes.
Tom 🙂
I ride.
Motorcycles in the past, bikes now.
There are *lots* of areas where it’s simply not safe to ride two-wheelers, helmets and other protective gear be damned.
It’s not nice, but it is cold reality.
“Motorcycles in the past, bikes now” And the difference is?
Anyone who talks about “gun violence” is a fraud. When a motor vehicle driver or passenger is killed in an auto accident, do we say, “He was killed by a car?” No! We say, “He was killed in an accident.” When a drunk driver runs down and kills a pedestrian, do we say, “She was killed by a S.U.V.?” No! We say, “She was killed by a drunk driver.”
So why do say that someone died as a result of by “gun violence”?
Actually there was a good long time when the news had it out for SUVs and did that same thing. Not sure if they are still onto that absolutely asinine bull plot because I no longer watch the news. But it’s worth pointing out that this is not a one off malady. Stigmatize the things you don’t like “for the greater good”. The ends justify the means, baby!
This is an MLK Day event – I’m sure he’s up in heaven proud of this crap!!!
This is a classic example of “safety in numbers”. If I got on my bike and tried this mess, by myself, the cops would run me down, beat the crap out of me and give me some alone time in a cell.
Oh, and the next time I get pulled over I’m gonna say to the cop, “Why’d you pull me over? I was just breaking some traffic laws.”
Correction:
What you should say instead is, “Why’d you pull me over? I did not commit any felonies.”
This speaks to the heart of the matter without incriminating yourself.
Even better
Anyone remember this ride?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2438620/Shocking-video-Range-Rover-crashing-bikers-surround-vehicle-annual-street-ride.html
One of the most hilarious things I’ve ever seen was a wanna be thug type dropping his brand new bike trying to see how fast he could go on this tiny little street in SacTo. Luckily he slid into grass so he wasn’t hurt. But he earned some nice scratches on that pretty new bike. Not to mention his pride. Ha!
I’m a motorcyclist, and I’d applaud anyone who started ramming these fucktards off the road.
Criminals for gun control.
I am pretty sure that these idiots are on film and tape. I can see them being pulled into court and fined. Just because the police did not want to end up in high speed pursuits(dangerous for the 2 wheelers) doesn’t mean some will not be in court.