1-29-1999

Recently the City of Chicago erected fences along Lower Wacker ostensibly to curtail illegal parking. It has also displaced a number of homeless that had been living there because it is out of the elements and close to good pan handling.

January's ride was punctuated by a constant nearly always hostile police presence. As soon as we left the Daley Plaza we were followed by a squad car conveniently provided by the 18th Precinct.

This ride, I never got a map though it was designed to press against the 18th. I know that when we ride along Wacker we have some impact on the traffic across the river.

This ride went south through the loop until we got to the south end of Lower Wacker at which point we hit the pedals and headed to a demonstration that had been planned by a homeless advocacy group.

When we got there we found every local media outlet in full interview with Rep. Bobby Rush. Rep. Rush is the only candidate to challenge the incumbent Richard Daley and has been using every media event he can find to ensure a bit of ink. For those of you that do not know Rep. Rush was a member of the Black Panthers in the 1960s.

Even though we were accompanied by a squad from the Eighteenth we still had a couple of run ins with impatient drivers trying to zoom through the Mass. Of course the officers did nothing to protect us or hinder us from following our appointed rounds.

Daniel, Corey and I stopped at a light in front of the squad car and Officer Roberts jumped the curb and went through the red light. The three of us had been slowly falling back from the mass and once we stopped at a light. The squad car waited a few moments and then made this crazy move.

It was at this point that I pointed out to the officer that was driving that his vehicle was not made for that type of abuse and suggested that they would have been better off if they were on their bikes. I also welcomed them to join us any time they wanted. To this the reply was "We don't ride with you." I must state for the very public record that I was thrilled with the evasive moves that we made very naturally with almost no discussion.

This is one of the reasons that I really liked this mass. I will keep repeating what I heard in San Francisco. Turn every three blocks. If we add in the alleys we can have real fun!

I feel that these officers were recording every violation that was made. When it come to the running of the red lights. I want to relate this story again. After the Officers from the 18th disappeared we were approached by two officers from the 13th. The way I knew that these were different Officers was that they pulled into the mass and did not just follow. I could not see the squad from the 18th anywhere. The officer in the passenger seat asked me if we would ride in the right hand lane? I said sure. Then he looked at me as if I had some influence over the mass. So I went up the left lane and as politely as he asked me I asked everyone to yield the left lane to traffic. And we did. Major thanks to everyone who recognized that we are part of traffic and that we could make room for others. I do not know where the 18th was at this point. After we went north on Ashland they pulled back up to me, now at the front of the mass and asked if we were a club. I said "Something like that!", he asked where were going. Then he asked me if we rode every week. I tried to act as if I thought that was a crazy idea and said "No just once a month." Polar opposites the 13th and the 18th. And just five digits away! We also got waves from officer in the 14th. Back the the officers from the 18th. They were witness to many auto infractions that they decided not to respond to. I am sure that they will say that they are there for our protection so filing a harassment complaint will no doubt have little effect. If my beat officers were pulling overtime, putting a heavier load on my taxes (actually they are) AND leaving my beat I would complain. Maybe we all should. Oh by the way as we approached upper Wacker on Franklin I found a photographer standing in the street taking the picture of the people in the front of the pack. I got his picture. Once again flirt with the media. The homeless cause is a good one to support. It is no fun to live outside. But I did hear Travis headline channel two's 10 show with "The homeless have rights and bikes have rights." Travis sounded every bit the intelligent bike rider that he is. BUT I do agree with Peter. We should have avoided referencing bikes rights. It would have been classier. I was proud to be there. Many folks said thanks for showing support, homeless and housed alike. Daniel