Thread by @mateosfo

This a thread about values and priorities.

Last week, Berkeley Mayor @JesseArreguin ordered police to give $300 tickets to cyclists who failed to come to complete stop on the primary "bike boulevard."

Bike boulevards are supposed to allow bike through-traffic without stops.

Meanwhile, Berkeley is up to almost one violent driver assault on pedestrians/cyclists per day: berkeleyside.com/2019/09/03/cra…

(Interestingly, there's been no reports of cyclists or pedestrians attacking or injuring drivers in the 7 years I've lived here - but surely the Mayor and the cops know something we don't)

Across town, on Saturday, I was on my evening ride through Tilden Park - an actual park, for recreation - when the craziest thing happened. I was topping a hill near the golf course and heard a hideous sound, steel grinding on concrete. A BMW passed *rolling on its front rotors.*

I caught up to them and watched as they all stumbled out of the car to figure out what was going on. (I have a video but Twitter is refusing to let me upload it - tips welcome).

After strongly encouraging them not to drive anymore, I rolled down the hill and called the cops.

@oaklandpoliceca: "Oh you're in Berkeley, that's not for us, will transfer you"
@berkeleypolice: "Oh that's the Parks, will transfer you"
@ebrpd: "Oh that's Oakland, we might be able to get someone up there but maybe not"

Finally convinced dispatcher to at least take my number.

@oaklandpoliceca @berkeleypolice @EBRPD Dispatcher: "Yeah sorry, we might be able to send someone later, we're just totally maxxed tonight."

Probably tired out from giving cyclists crushing, $300 tickets on a bike boulevard.

These are the priorities of our elected leaders (cops work for the Mayor)

@oaklandpoliceca @berkeleypolice @EBRPD So, to recap:

Cops ticket cyclists, who've harmed basically no one in Berkeley history; cops can't be bothered to send someone for a drunk driver who has *already crashed into something/someone and is continuing down the road in a broken car*

This is a broken value system.

This isn't a clash of facts or data or even political ideology. It's a clash of values. Our current leaders - those who prioritize ticketing cyclists while lacking resources to stop drunk drivers - have the wrong values.

To fix this, we need new leaders who share our values.

And if anyone knows how to upload an MPEG-4 to Twitter this whole thread got busted because they won't let me.

figured it out (I think)

"I might have crashed into someone's yard accidentally"

oh don't worry dude, you weren't on a bicycle so it's all good