NYPD Confiscated Hundreds of Bicycles on Earth Day For Obama Visit

By on April 23, 2010 in News 19

Is this just ironic or a necessary security measure? John Del Signore writes in Gothamist:

…”citing security concerns that bikes might be secret pipe bombs, NYPD officers clipped the locks of hundreds of bikes along Houston Street this morning in preparation for President Obama’s speech at Cooper Union. The bikes were unceremoniously put in the back of the truck. Onlookers were not given information as to what would become of the bikes. Happy Earth Day!”

Image Via Twitter by @rafcard

We’re trying to get information on this from the NYPD, and will let you know if they respond. Until then, we can only assume Obama hates cyclists and wants all bike lanes permanently painted over.

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  • http://disinfo.com Majestic

    That's so ridiculous. The filmmakers of “Tapped” had their unique bottle exchange van moved because of Obama's visit too … and I did notice when I visited them at their NYC screening on, yes, Houston Street, that I was able to lock my bike to any street sign I fancied. Didn't think about it at the time, but often it's hard to find a post to chain your bike to downtown – now I know why I had no trouble yesterday!

    More about that Tapped visit to NYC: http://disinfo.com/2010/04/get-off-the-bottle/

  • voxmagi

    Cripes…this as bad as when people attributed state level choices to GW Bush as if he penned the request himself!

    Heightened security measures have been a fact of life for almost a decade now, the people that implement that stuff are from your hometowns. Talk to the NYPD…because you can be sure they'll be chatting with some irate member of Obama's staff after this PR fuckup.

  • mcgibbo

    sniffer dogs?

  • Buck

    is it a coincidence that the cop who brutalized that critical mass rider a while back is on trial right now? Uh yea, this is a not so subtle message from the pigs to NYC bikers…disgusting…

  • tonyviner

    Bikes?

  • Bobbi

    Seriously, that's the assumption you make? Ridiculous. Many bikes are made of pipe and pipe bombs aren't exactly unheard of, so what's the big shock? Sure, the police could have handled it much more gracefully, perhaps by posting signs ahead of time, but to make the leap that Obama hates bicycles is simply ridiculous.

    • BikeLover

      Bobbi, you are the ridiculous person by your own words. Where is anyone implying that Obama hates bikes?

      Wake up and look at the big picture. Try cracking open a book every now and then.

      • Rocketshark

        This article, apparently:
        We’re trying to get information on this from the NYPD, and will let you know if they respond. Until then, we can only assume Obama hates cyclists and wants all bike lanes permanently painted over.

        This, overall, could have been handled much, much more gracefully. I wouldn't be surprised if NYPD has the pants sued off of them, and Obama's PRs are going to be just as angry about it.

      • triptrip

        We’re trying to get information on this from the NYPD, and will let you know if they respond. Until then, we can only assume Obama hates cyclists and wants all bike lanes permanently painted over.

        Its right in the story dumb ass, why dont you read the whole story next time

    • Mark Are

      For a pipe bomb to be effective it would have to be thick enough pipe, such as galvanized pipe. Since bicycles are typically made of very thin pipe to save weight, it would be IDIOTIC to try to make one into a bomb. Unless they are using some really potent ingredients and then ANYTHING could be used for a bomb.

  • Mark Are

    It would be sooooo….nice to see my $8,000 dollar CARBON FIBER bicycle loaded up like a piece of cord wood on the back of a truck like that. Wonder who I'd be SUING? Obama is such a puss to think someone is going to get him with a bicycle bomb. WTF is this country coming too?

    • voxmagi

      You have an 8,000 dollar bicycle…your puss-hood is written in stone.

      Obama doesn't write the NYPD's policies or even the Secret Services policies by hand. Neither did Bush. Anyone who imagines otherwise is either a fanatic with an ax to grind even if they have to bend reality a little to do it, or an uneducated sucker who'll buy into any BS line that comes down the pipe. Which one are you?

      • Stanford

        no, i agree, if anyone touched my bike I'd be pretty livid. Its personal property and yes Obama is a puss

  • Fixies_R_Made_4_Da_Track
  • triptrip

    We’re trying to get information on this from the NYPD, and will let you know if they respond. Until then, we can only assume Obama hates cyclists and wants all bike lanes permanently painted over.

    Its right in the story dumb ass, why dont you read the whole story next time

  • benderama

    so much hostility…. yall calm down. pipe bombs? really? from a BICYCLE? I kinda doubt it, unfortunately it appears the man is more trouble than he’s worth. Bad day to pick the bikes for sure. He’s probable NOT a cyclist ( due to ear related drag); but a hater? I don’t know about that one

  • benderama

    so much hostility…. yall calm down. pipe bombs? really? from a BICYCLE? I kinda doubt it, unfortunately it appears the man is more trouble than he’s worth. Bad day to pick the bikes for sure. He’s probable NOT a cyclist ( due to ear related drag); but a hater? I don’t know about that one

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=586602083 Adelaida Sofia

    OMG this is terrible!
    If they would have taken my Villy Customs beach cruiser bike like that I would of died!
    I love my pretty bike.
    And it was Earth Day! I can’t believe this….

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=586602083 Adelaida Sofia

    OMG this is terrible!
    If they would have taken my Villy Customs beach cruiser bike like that I would of died!
    I love my pretty bike.
    And it was Earth Day! I can’t believe this….