Bike Club Files First Lawsuit Challenging NYPD “Parade Rules”
Announced on the Five Borough Bicycle Club's website:
On March 27, the 5 Borough Bicycle Club and several other affected parties filed a lawsuit in Federal court, asking a judge to stop the NYPD's new rules that would let the NYPD ticket or arrest any "recognizable group" of 50 or more cyclists that ride together without first obtaining a parade permit from the Police Department.
Suing city government is not one of the ordinary roles of the 5BBC. But organizing group bicycle rides is. The NYPD's parade rules essentially outlaw large bike rides, under the dubious claim that bicycle rides are a danger to public health and safety.
We looked into applying for permits for our rides, but found that it was a bureaucratic nightmare. The rules for parades are totally inappropriate for bicycle rides. For example, 5th Ave. on a Sunday is prohibited, even though most of 5th Ave. is an official NYC bike route. The width of every roadway in the route must be listed in the permit, and the 5BBC would have to appoint a "Chief Officer" for each "parade" who would be "Responsible for the Strict Observance of all Rules and Regulations of Said Permit."
You can download the case files and keep track of the 5BBC's progress on their website.
Photo: Justin Shockley/Flickr
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Who to blaim? Quinn and city council:
http://www.onnyturf.com/citycouncil/freedomzones/
Comment by WIll — March 28, 2007 @ 10:58 am | Link
Good for 5BBC!
Comment by Orcutt — March 28, 2007 @ 12:02 pm | Link
5BBC is my new hero.
Comment by rachael — March 28, 2007 @ 12:53 pm | Link
Read the lawsuit puts the city's actions in perspective! - plenty of compelling reasons for the judge to toss out the new parade rule!!
Thanks 5BBC and supporters!!
Comment by snooper — March 28, 2007 @ 5:32 pm | Link
Just joined the Five Borough Bicycle Club.
http://5bbc.org/join5bbc.shtml
Comment by seth@nybikemaps.com — March 28, 2007 @ 9:03 pm | Link
Thanks, on behalf of the club! Please support us by coming on our day rides: www.5bbc.org/rides.shtml.
Comment by Danny — March 29, 2007 @ 12:07 am | Link
This news is wonderful. Solidarity in the face of more than two years of harassment, is so important. This news comes in addition to the other legal news: The NYPD has quietly dropped their lawsuit against Time's Up! That lawsuit was directed at not just organizing, but promoting/advertising for a bike ride that will have more than 20 (now 50) cyclists. Together we are stronger. Come to Critical Mass tomorrow (FRIDAY MARCH 30) Union Squarfe North at 7pm, Bring headlights, taillights, a bell, and a positive attitude.
Comment by rich — March 29, 2007 @ 9:01 am | Link