Interesting discussions going on in <aus.bicycle> at the moment, even though I don’t really have access to a news server to follow it. Seems that police turned out in large numbers for last Saturday’s “Hell Ride” and some of their behaviour bordered on harrassment and entrapment. Multiple police cars and motorbikes followed beside and behind the ride, officers leaning out of car windows taking photos of any and every rider who crossed into the middle lane, motorcycle cops shooting off ahead to push the pedestrian walk button at each set of lights, then trying to catch riders ignoring the red light!

Hell Ride: loosely organised bunch ride that rides every Saturday on Beach road in Melbourne, typically flouting red lights and maximum two-abreast laws as a fast training ride for road racers and others who like the atmosphere and that style of riding. Any motorist trying to use the road at the same time is inconvenienced.

Critical Mass: loosely organised bunch ride that rides the last Friday of the month at various places around Melbourne, typically flouting red lights and maximum two-abreast laws as a friendly protest ride for assorted activists and others who like the atmosphere and that style of riding. Any motorist trying to use the road at the same time is inconvenienced.

Both the above groups seem to view the others as wankers: one as a bunch of lycra-clad tour-de-france wannabes, the other as a bunch of unemployed ferals. The motorists and talk-back hosts of Melbourne — they’re having trouble telling them apart.

Yes, the Hell Ride has probably got out of hand. Yes, there are too many guys with too much testosterone in there. Yes, they ignore some road laws. However, the ride is some form of institution, there are probably better uses of public funds, and the police involved are hardly acting ethically or in a way likely to attract any kind of sympathy!