- EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS –
- CRITICAL MASS –
- JULY 25 -
Over the past several weeks there has been great deal of misunderstanding as to the events of last months Critical mass incident. This flyer is an attempt to spread the truth of what actually happened. Please educate yourself and spread the word.
The following is a composite account from approximately 6 eyewitnesses
to the Critical Mass incident at Aloha Street in Seattle on July 25 2008:
The first interaction site A, was approximately 50 yards off of 14th. The Critical Mass ride is traveling eastbound on Aloha. Cars were parked on both sides of the street on this narrow residential road leaving only one lane available for traffic. The car in question was parked on the North side of the street mid-block facing West. The Car starts to pull forward in the opposite direction as the cyclists. Upon seeing the drivers attempt at entering the bike ride and endangering the group 3 cyclist block him. This method is called “corking” and is common in critical mass in order to keep the group safe and together. The driver then backs up over the curb and up a grassy slope before pulling forward to attempt to exit eastbound. The corkers ask the driver to “wait 3 minutes” for the rest of the cyclists to pass. The driver side window is half open and the driver yells at the corkers. Eventually about 6 cyclists are blocking the car. Throughout this exchange no cyclist has touched the car or threatened the driver. One cyclist commented that had there been any safe exit route for the car, she would have suggested it, but given the conditions the only safe action was for the car driver to wait. This blocking situation lasts about two minutes before the car starts to move again. The car pulls forward and knocks one cyclist to the ground. The body of the car passes over this cyclist. The cyclist and bike remain on the ground in a tangled heap. At this point no one knows how injured this cyclist is. The car driver immediately backs up over the sidewalk and up a grassy slope and does a 3-point turn of about 120 degrees. The car is now aimed slightly back towards 15th still being corked. The driver is visibly agitated. The driver says “Fuck This” as the engine roars and the car lurches forward through two people. A cyclist is hit, and dragged for 6 feet before the car tire runs over his leg. His bike is damaged beyond repair. One person jumps on the hood and rides with the car 150 yards with his feet on the hood and his hands holding onto the roof rack. The car appeared to be accelerating as fast as possible towards site B. The tail end of the ride composed of approximately 10 riders, stops the car at site “B”. After the car is stopped, the cyclist on the hood smashes the front window with his knee. Several of the blocking cyclists from Site “A” then sprinted to Site “B”. One of these cyclists immediately used a pocketknife to slash 3 of the car tires in order to prevent the driver from getting away and then went to pull the driver away from the wheel only to discover that the driver was already out of the car. The driver was saying “I’m so sorry, oh God I’m so sorry”. Another cyclist (who has not been arrested) sprinted up from the rear of the car and hit the driver in the back of the head with a U-lock. During this time a group of cyclists damage the car. Two cyclists were arrested on suspicion of property damage, held, and released without being charged at this time. Two other cyclists as well as the driver were hospitalized. The car driver has not been arrested or charged.
