I was at the Critical Mass bicycle rally last Friday when a police
van interceded and picked two people to assign fines in the $100 range.
The whole incident reeked of arbitrary and unneccesary use of power.
One officer asked me if I would be angry if I were driving home and
found 60 bicycles in front of me. My response was that I would be
angrier, and more inconvenienced, had there been 60 cars in front of
me. And really, that’s the point: Bicycles are rarely given right of
way, despite the fact that they are far more socially constructive a
means of travel. —Brendan Osberg, Halifax
This article appears in Oct 1-7, 2009.
