Run-In with Cop

It's good for you to forward this to media outlets. Even if they don't follow up on your story specifically, the more letters they receive from people with similar viewpoints, the most they'll feel inclined to give the issue attention.

See:
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/506278

And then there was what happened at Critical Mass on Friday. I brought my kids out for what should have been an enjoyable evening group ride. Instead we spent the evening waiting for one of our own to get out of the police station. The Toronto Star called this waiting period a "protest", see http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/507714

I don't expect sympathy or empathy from the cops. Their attitude is displayed quite well by what their horses leave behind in the bike lanes on Queens Quay and Strachan.

...about the obstruction charge the cyclist involved in the Critical Mass ride faces. Was it for corking the intersection? Was it for taking up more of the lane due to the volume of cyclists than the police thought appropriate (many cops think cyclists are supposed to be close to the curb and in single-file)?

I hope the cyclist seeks a trial. According to the HTA, cyclists are to ride as far to the right as PRACTICABLE, meaning that if the volume of cycling traffic is heavy, he does not need to be in single-file nor near the curb as he is entitled to use as much of the right lane as necessary.

Any and every downtown intersection sees thousands of instances of vehicles stranded in intersections when they fail to safely reach the other side before the light changes, yet the vast majority are not charged even though some targeted intersections have cameras and a painted grid. One could argue the precedent has been set by the hundreds upon hundreds of such instances that happen each hour that effectively block crossing right-of-way traffic during rush hour(s). Corking an intersection after hours on a Friday evening is of little consequence or inconvenience compared against the safety issue the cyclists would face if they were separated.

Is a criminal charge, not an HTA charge. Nothing to do with riding.

How did the obstruction charge come about? Were the cops being heavy-handed and the cyclist objected?

I did not see what happened. I arrived about 30 seconds after they put the cuffs on him. I am not sure that he was the original target they were after. In the past the charge has been used as a pretty much catch all for any interference with police.

Too bad there was no video of this.

Cops are just on a power trip. I was confronted with the Critical Mass ride while I was heading down Beverly towards Queen this past Friday. They were passing though a crosswalk with their armed motorcade of police in tow. SO i got off my bike waited for them all to pass some cops started tailing the end of the Critical Mass so it appeared as though it was clear for me to go.

A cop then stopped me and berated me for not obeying their signals and waiting for the one remaining cyclist to ride through the crosswalk a good 30 seconds after the pack had gone through.

I should have blazed through the pack and told them to fuck off, I was on my road bike and they would have eaten my dust.

Shows what respect for the law will get you. In trouble.

Ridiculous, I was so confused! I've had a perfect driving record for more than 10 years without even so much as a ticket and been an urban cyclist for 3 and i've never been confronted with such jackassery.

actually he the cyclist was released later that night and an officer came over and told us that the obstruction charge had been dropped and i beleive he was ticketed for going through a red light not sure if thats completely correct but all he got was an HTA ticket which he stated he was going to fight at the time

If Critical Mass is about protest
then participants should expect to be perceived as a threat
and get escorted by police, treated heavy handedly
because protest is an expression or declaration of
objection, disapproval, or dissent,
often in opposition to something a person is powerless to prevent or avoid

If Critical Mass is about celebration
then participants should expect to cooperate and communicate positively
so authorities will not percieve them as a threat.
Because celebration is to praise widely or
to present to widespread and favorable public notice.

Since Critical Mass is disorganized and fragmented in its nature
(as is Toronto's generally stupid bicycling community!)
each participant needs to make a conscious choice about what their intent is
and be prepared to reap the rewards or consequences as such.

Now Jaymo, there are many details and nuances to the incident that occurred
perhaps just politely discussing the matter with Officer Clayton
and offering an apology (there's nothing wrong with saying sorry when you're in the right)
could right the wrong as you percieve it, and help officer Clayton be a better cop.
Maybe he was having a bad morning. Maybe he had just been threatened by a motorist.
Maybe his daughter was sick in bed. Maybe he was behind on his rent. There are a myriad of reasons for why he might have reacted in the way he did. The point is, police aren't perfect, they try to do their best, but can't always.

Likewise, there may have been something in your actions that provoked him, that you unintentionally did. Discussing it is the only way you'll find out. Rather than wasting time in the courts having this conversation, go to him, approach peacefully, and discuss it rationally.

So few cyclists do that in this city; they instead take the ridiculous (and wrong) stance that the police are out to get them. Whateverman rides the streets in what some might construe as super-cyclist-hero costume every day, but has never recieved negative attention from the police; because he behaves like every cyclist should, like a responsible road user that takes accountibility into his own hands.

Things will change for the better when we take the initiative to make it better ourselves.