Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed
Big Screen — Movie commentary
Blurt — Music's inside track
Booze News — San Diego spirits
Classical Music — Immortal beauty
Classifieds — Free and easy
Close to Home — What it’s like on the street where you live
Cover Stories — Front-page features
Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes
Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts
Feast! — Food & drink reviews
Feature Stories — Local news & stories
Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives — Spotlight on the past
Golden Dreams — Talk of the town
The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it
Letters — Our inbox
Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans
Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news
News Ticker — News & politics
Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated
Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna
Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry — The old and the new
Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers
Reading — The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT — Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats — Places of worship
Special Issues — The best of
Street Style — San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater — On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week — Daily event picks
Bicyclists and Podiatrists
I called the non-emergency line for the July ride because some of the riders where slapping and banging on my girlfriends car because she was unfortuate enough to get stuck in the middle of the mob and the dispatcher basically told me they have no official stance and they are there to try and keep the peace. I have also wrote letters to the Mayor and the wonderful douche of a city councilman for my neighborhood. I agree that I don't want to stoop to their level but what else can be done to stop a rioting mob on wheels. Sure some of the riders truly believe they are out there to try and raise awareness while another portion of the group is out there to ride and create havoc. Some say its a protest and they have the right to do it, but in protesting you are not allowed to forcefully block and entry to a building or a public sidewalk or street. So the legal protest definition goes out the window when they "cork" streets. If CM wants to have a mass ride and tie up city resources, they should be forced to obtain a permit and pay the fees for the cops to be present otherwise, when they are gathering, the crowd should be dispersed. I know that law enforcement can't ticket everyone of them, but I'm sure they can round up groups that they witness going through red lights and ticket that group. If they get several groups that night, maybe the $400 ticket will sting a few of them and realize that they must obey traffic laws. I know a lot of the riders are trying to raise awareness that cyclists are on the road and are fed up with getting hit, but the majority of news articles that I read, the cyclists were at fault by either running stop signs, or riding and passing a car on the right while the car is making a right turn. I almost hit a guy on the way to work because he didn't stop at a stop sign. Southpark riders need to pay attention to the stop signs and just because you're coasting downhill on 30th, doesn't give you the right to blow through them at will.— September 2, 2009 11:28 a.m.
Movie Pet Peeves
One of my major pet peeves is computers that make the clicks and beeps as words and numbers stream across. Computers realy haven't made much noise in the past 10 years. I remember my old 386 with the 20meg hard drive that sounded like someone was clearing their throat, but these annoying beeps, clicks need to stop. Another is when someone is holding a gun, when they move it, its sounds like a hand fulls of nails on a granite counter top. Guns don't make noise by moving them around, oh and the guys that are constantly pumping their shotgun before they even fire a round. Any movie Paul Walker stars in except Varsity Blues. Cops that drive around with their sirens wailing for no reason. Things blowing up when you shoot them. Wire Fighting, its getting old. Matrix 2 & 3— September 1, 2009 5:45 p.m.
Bicyclists and Podiatrists
Well, with out going into too much detail, I live within a 10 min walk to the Whistle Stop or Hamilton's if anyone wants to find a meeting point somewhere in that area as the Critical mAsholes like to use 30th st quite often.— September 1, 2009 5:23 p.m.
A Day in Traffic Court
Here's the instructions from the court: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/forms/documents/tr200… Here's the form: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/forms/fillable/tr205.… They must have changed it because they now require you to deposit bail and I think you may be S.O.L on this one since you've already been to court.— September 1, 2009 5:16 p.m.
critical mass - villians or just people?
Should I mention the riders who trapped my girlfriend at an intersection riding from behind her and then infront of her slapping her car as they rode on by? Should I mention the handle bar scrape on her car as well? If you want to prove a point with critical mass, do so by demonstrating that large masses of bicycles can obey traffic laws and if you truly want to be "traffic" stop at signs, lights, and crosswalks. Why not ride as the "critical manners" ride?— September 1, 2009 3 p.m.
A Day in Traffic Court
No upfront money needed unless you are found guilty. I know cops love going to court, but they hate paperwork as they do enough of it everyday. "Trial de novo" is your best bet. Just drop it off at the clerk windows before your appearance date and you are done, make sure you get a receipt for dropping it off though.— September 1, 2009 2:51 p.m.
critical mass - villians or just people?
CA VC 21200. (a) Every person riding a bicycle upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this division, including, but not limited to, provisions concerning driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs, and by Division 10 (commencing with Section 20000), Section 27400, Division 16.7 (commencing with Section 39000), Division 17 (commencing with Section 40000.1), and Division 18 (commencing with Section 42000), except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application. So basically you were breaking the law riding in the wrong direction of traffic. The cop was just in stopping you. I have seen in your other posts that you join the riot along with the other critical mass people so it doesn't surprise me that you do not understand traffic laws. I ride as well, the only time I was ever stopped by a cop was 22 years ago when I was eight years old riding with out my hands on the handle bars. Follow the laws of the road and you will be just fine. Bicyclists occasionally get hit by cars, just as pedestrians and other vehicles because of someones neglegence. Its an assumed risk you take when you use public streets.— September 1, 2009 12:44 p.m.
Bicyclists and Podiatrists
Well, if anyone wants to join me in south park, I'm getting a mob together with thumbtacks and broomsticks, seriously. I know a lot of people in my neighborhood that are fed up with these jerkoffs. CA VC 21208. (a) Whenever a bicycle lane has been established on a roadway pursuant to Section 21207, any person operating a bicycle upon the roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride within the bicycle lane, except that the person may move out of the lane under any of the following situations: (1) When overtaking and passing another bicycle, vehicle, or pedestrian within the lane or about to enter the lane if the overtaking and passing cannot be done safely within the lane. (2) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway. (3) When reasonably necessary to leave the bicycle lane to avoid debris or other hazardous conditions. (4) When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized. (b) No person operating a bicycle shall leave a bicycle lane until the movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided in Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 22100) in the event that any vehicle may be affected by the movement. CA VC21200. (a) Every person riding a bicycle upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to ALL THE PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE by this division, including, but not limited to, provisions concerning driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs, and by Division 10 (commencing with Section 20000), Section 27400, Division 16.7 (commencing with Section 39000), Division 17 (commencing with Section 40000.1), and Division 18 (commencing with Section 42000), except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application.— September 1, 2009 12:13 p.m.
A Day in Traffic Court
Next time, plea not guilty through "Trial de Novo" aka written declaration. This is your best chance at beating your ticket. You write out why you're not guilty, draw diagrams include photos, etc. and then the officer is subpoenaed to write out why you are guilty and most of the time the officer doesn't respond cause he has to make time or do it off duty and presto, you are acquitted. Even if you are found guilty through "Trial de Novo" you are given a second chance to go before the judge. Worked for me numerous times in my younger years. This is basically the same advice all of the "Ticket Assassin" websites offer and I just gave it to you free.— September 1, 2009 11:31 a.m.
El Cajon no-smoking law flouted
As a smoker, butts on the ground do bother me. I found a simple solution. Pinch the cigarette filter between your index finger and thumb (like the OK sign) and use your middle finger to flick the cherry on to the ground. You can now throw the cigarette into any trashcan without the risk of a fire. If your car does not have an ashtray (my girls Volvo doesn't have an ash tray, which I found odd for a eurpean car) I bring an empty soda can with me. Which reminds me of cars from the 50's-60's that had ashtrays for every seat in the car and now your lucky to even have an ashtray in your car.— September 1, 2009 10:57 a.m.