By Ron Prosky Santa Monica
The rebuttal by the chief of police regarding the Friday evening ride of Santa Monica Critical Mass is right on (“Police chief makes a Mass appeal,” Sept. 19).
For the record, I have my own share of issues with SMPD, so please don’t view this as an editorial by McGruff the Crime Dog, but facts are facts, and Mr. Jackman nailed it. Looking back at Alex Thompson’s column a few days ago (“Cops’ chain reaction is bad for our city,” Sept. 18), I kept envisioning a rat pack of teenage skate thugs (and I use the term “thug” quite loosely) thinking they’re fighting for their right to party, when in fact, they are grown adults who, essentially, want to take civil procedures into their own hands during the ride; no permits, no plans, no formalities of any kind, just a free-flow ride through the busy Friday night streets of Santa Monica, thinking they can change the tide of traffic and weekend congestion at their own leisure.
C’mon folks, this is Santa Monica — the permit and ordinance capital of the western world. You can’t legally breathe in this town without a permit (which is probably why Santa Monica is so beautiful and inviting to outsiders), and (Critical Mass wants) to nonchalantly create its own Tour de France on a Friday night without any type of prior formal arrangements? Then, (the riders) have the audacity to condemn the SMPD when things don’t their your way?
I know it would seem as if the riders are taking precautions, riding carefully, signaling, etc., but what is considered “reasonable and safe” by (their) definition probably is not by those around them, and since safety and “appearance of safety” is foremost for the PD, I stand with the chief on this one, as does much of the town, I’m sure.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 21, 2007. Read the original PDF.