For Cyclists Everywhere, Another Slap in the Face

For some reason, cops like to beat up on cyclists. Not all cops of course — especially bicycle cops, who develop sensitivity to the constant assaults cyclists face in everyday life. But it’s a documented fact that cops don’t like cyclists.

When cops do beat up on cyclists, it seldom gets documented. Witnesses are not believed, and the justice system seldom acts.

So when actual documentation of a police assault on a cyclist happens in terms of video placed on YouTube, and when a jury convicts a cop of lying and covering up, cyclists have reason to expect that justice will be served.

That’s what happened in the case of New York police officer Patrick Pogan, who shoved cyclist Christopher Long off his bike during a Critical Mass rally.

So when a New York judge, acting against the recommendations of the prosecutor, ignoring the sentiment of the jury, hands out a sentence that is less than what the police officer’s own attorney asked for, basically letting the guy off scot-free …

When all this happens, you can understand why cyclists are bitter.