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Cops Steal Bikes for Obama

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2046

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Omg, they could be bombs!

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. There was no prior notification of the bikes needing to be cleared along the route by NYPD and onlookers were not given information as to what would become of the bikes. Happy Earth Day!

http://www.thisisfyf.com/2010/04/happy-fuc...ama-visit-.html

(Warning: Link might not be safe for work.)

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Omg, they could be bombs!

http://www.thisisfyf.com/2010/04/happy-fuc...ama-visit-.html

(Warning: Link might not be safe for work.)

"People should not be afraid of their governments. The Government should be afraid of their people." - from the movie "V for Vendetta".

"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty." - Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States.

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"People should not be afraid of their governments. The Government should be afraid of their people." - from the movie "V for Vendetta".

"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty." - Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States.

Yes, but this is not tyranny, it's a common sense move on the part of the cops, to not allow an excellent spot to hide bombs in next to the President's route. The fact that a few people who had their bikes on public property got inconvenienced is no big deal.

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Yes, but this is not tyranny, it's a common sense move on the part of the cops, to not allow an excellent spot to hide bombs in next to the President's route. The fact that a few people who had their bikes on public property got inconvenienced is no big deal.

Could a bicylcle pipe bomb penetrate a vehicle that a sniper in one of the buildings lining the same avenue could not?

The quotes just reminded me that perhaps the government does not fear its people enough?

In this case, is 'steal' an inflammatory term for 'impound'?

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Could a bicylcle pipe bomb penetrate a vehicle that a sniper in one of the buildings lining the same avenue could not?

I don't know. What are you getting at, the cops took the bikes as a practical joke?

The quotes just reminded me that perhaps the government does not fear its people enough?

Why would you want the government to fear its people? What would that accomplish?

In this case, is 'steal' an inflammatory term for 'impound'?

If by inflammatory you mean dangerous in any way, no, you can say it all you want. But you're wrong, they didn't steal them, they moved them.

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Yes, but this is not tyranny, it's a common sense move on the part of the cops, to not allow an excellent spot to hide bombs in next to the President's route. The fact that a few people who had their bikes on public property got inconvenienced is no big deal.

Oh come on, Jake. Isn't everything a potential bomb then? People could be bombs, cars could be bombs, buildings could be bombs, there could be poison gas in the air, there could be radiation in the area. Should they clear the entire area of all "potential things that could be bombs or have bombs in them no matter whose property they are and how rational it is to believe it" before the emperor arrives? It was a paranoic and ill-conceived move. They could have shut down the bike parking in advance, or closed the area off, or had the President choppered in or taken a different route, but they didn't. They cut the locks, put the bikes in a truck, and carted them off to the precinct. It was silly.

Edited by 2046
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Oh come on, Jake. Isn't everything a potential bomb then? People could be bombs, cars could be bombs, buildings could be bombs, there could be poison gas in the air, there could be radiation in the area. Should they clear the entire area of all "potential things that could be bombs or have bombs in them no matter whose property they are and how rational it is to believe it" before the emperor arrives?

Straw man. I don't know what procedures the Secret Service uses to determine what is appropriate to achieve the level of security they're aiming for, but if you wish to prove it's irrational, you need to do better than that.

My starting point in that argument would be that people are obviously trying to kill the American president, and they've been failing pretty consistently lately, because of the way the Secret Service is doing its job. Feel free to point out what they're doing wrong and why, but stick to actual facts, try not to claim they're sucking the air out of cities or that they are protecting an emperor.

They could have shut down the bike parking in advance, or closed the area off

And not doing so was probably an oversight, that they had to correct in a hurry.

or had the President choppered in or taken a different route

As far as I know, every step the President takes is planned days in advance, so that the Secret Service has a chance to secure the area. I doubt you can just bring in the President to New York City on a route designed on the fly, because someone missed some bikes, and expect him to be safe.

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I don't know. What are you getting at, the cops took the bikes as a practical joke?

It strikes me as using a sledge hammer to swat at flies.

If the route is undisclosed, why would a pipe bomb be suspected.

If the route was disclosed, what other precautions were not taken to enable this stunt?

How is government being managed, that the swarms of security appear to be so necessary at the various levels it is provided?

Why would you want the government to fear its people? What would that accomplish?

Having government stay within the permissions and parameters established by the constitution might be nice.

If by inflammatory you mean dangerous in any way, no, you can say it all you want. But you're wrong, they didn't steal them, they moved them.

The caption embracing the word 'steal' was in the topic, if observation is any indicator. It did not appear in the article linked.

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If the route is undisclosed, why would a pipe bomb be suspected.

Who said it was suspected?

If the route was disclosed, what other precautions were not taken to enable this stunt?

The bike parking spot wasn't closed in time. Maybe because during the first sweep it was empty, maybe because someone missed it.

How is government being managed, that the swarms of security appear to be so necessary at the various levels it is provided?

America has enemies because of its prosperity and influence, not because the US government is mismanaged.

Having government stay within the permissions and parameters established by the constitution might be nice.

You're wrong, fear won't accomplish that.

The caption embracing the word 'steal' was in the topic, if observation is any indicator. It did not appear in the article linked.

Not sure how that's relevant to your question, or my answer to it.

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Who said it was suspected?

"Citing concerns" . . .

The bike parking spot wasn't closed in time. Maybe because during the first sweep it was empty, maybe because someone missed it.

Maybe, maybe, maybe -

America has enemies because of its prosperity and influence, not because the US government is mismanaged.

Touche'. The hatred of the good for being good.

You're wrong, fear won't accomplish that.

Motivation by fear is not effective, motivation by love is far more conducive.

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I wonder if they took the bike racks away as well. Given that most bike racks are tubular steel of a larger diameter than the bikes themselves, that would seem to be a much more advantageous place to hide a bomb than the bikes.

Sorry, this was a stupid and ill-conceived move by the NYPD/Secret Service/whoever. :lol:

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