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Bikers versus Range Rover Case Needs More Key Evidence

It's Friday, so you most likely have already heard about the incident in New York. I named this the “Manhattan Brawl” because it sounded neutral as I saw people taking sides very easily when it came to discussing about this rather disturbing event.
Instead of trying to judge in black or white, I strongly believe this case is in need of more evidence. Unfortunately, it looks like the media has skipped quite easily to the sweet part: lawsuits, bikers looking bad and being a menace everywhere they might show up, bikers versus cagers and all this nonsense.

Of course, writing radical news and showing extremist views appeals to those who just sit and wait for the media to serve them pre-digested opinions. But in reality, things are way different and for the sake of moderation, here's my two cents on the Manhattan Brawl case and the ongoing investigation.

The first and most important aspect in this nasty affair is getting past the initial accusations and finding out exactly what happened before Lien tapped into Cruz' bike. The helmet camera recording appears to have been very conveniently edited and only shows Cruz brake-checking Lien.

Whereas the camera rider stops in front of the group and is impossible to see what happened there, hearing one of the bikers saying that he opened Lien's door to take out the key and thus prevent him from driving recklessly... c'mon, this is hilarious!

Allegations of reckless driving coming from a group of riders who caused more than 200 911 calls are silly and not even my cat would buy it dipped in gravy. Having already spent some time among all sorts of riders, I strongly believe that Lien would have been beat up in the very first place. Possibly worse for him and his family, but safer for Mieses, who is now in a coma.

However, prior to all this iffy story, I feel like the police and press have to find out how come Lien got so close to the bikies. Was Lien so reckless and ultimately silly as to tailgate a large group of bikers widely reported to drive erratically? We can't tell until we get the whole recording and I really hope the police has seized the camera.

Idiots who tailgate or attempt to drive their way through a group of motorcycles are reported each day, so we cannot rule this out.

On the other hand, these bikies were anything but driving in an orderly manner. I've ridden in parades 300 bikes large and the key word was order, I've marshaled on similar occasions and it's easy for me to tell an orderly biker group from a bunch of fellows who don't seem to give a flying fudge on other road users.

As far as aggressive driving is concerned, the bikers clearly showed more hazard to all motorists, including members of their own group than what we saw from Lien in the first place.

To some ears, it may sound like I am a biker hater, but trust me, I'm not. It's just the fact that I don't want to take sides, especially as this case is as clear as a puddle of mud and dung.

Even more, judging by the other footage that some internet users managed to save from the video channel that the rider used to run before being shut down, these fellows, aka the Hollywood Stuntz, are not the cool, law-abiding fellows they claim they are.
Of course, we're talking in very wide terms here as I cannot say that all those involved in the Manhattan brawl are the chaps filmed running the red traffic lights, failing to come to a halt at multiple stop signs, riding over curbs and sidewalks. Many of them are in there, doubtlessly, as it would make little to no sense at all for the camera guy to tape other guys he happened to ride with and stress out how cool they were.

Honestly, I perfectly understand the commotion that New Yorkers felt when they saw the reported display of menacing behavior on the streets of their city. As police sources mention an “unauthorized stunt event,” things become even trickier, and adding the habitual traffic offender past of Edwin Mieses does not help these guys at all.

Most likely, other guys in the group share Mieses' traffic offender past at least partially. However, this does not mean I'm happy to see these guys injured. I'd rather see them understand that their stunt and behavior are wrong and will get their bikes impounded, their licensed revoked, their money spent on fines and will also have some of them in hospitals, wheelchairs and graves.

Until things start rolling even faster, I'd say again that we need to see the footage prior to the fender bender which had things spiraling out of control. The key is there. It's either Lien being mindless enough to try and mingle with the bikies, or the riders showing aggressive behavior against him. Or both.

Ride safe, love you all!
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