They Tried, But . . .

As civil disobedience goes, the event resembled more a caper put on by the Merry Pranksters than a protest staged by Gandhi. About a dozen people, some clad in festive costumes, climbed on a ragtag armada of rusty English three-speeds, new mountain bikes, and even an aging tandem at Marine Park on Friday night to challenge the village prohibition against bicycle riding on Main Street.

The group's first pass up Main Street went off without a hitch as it met no resistance from the village's youthful summer traffic control officers. But when the group made a second pass, the officers radioed to police, who swooped down on the protesters in two cruisers.

While one policeman drove his car with lights flashing at the rear, another placed his car across the street's center line - impeding traffic more than the bicyclists had, said one observer - and back in front of the riders in an effort to cut them off.

Police succeeded in corraling the group in front of the Apple Bank, where they gave them tickets.

The scene drew a steady stream of curious onlookers, many of whom offered the riders support. But one motorist, apparently caught up in the hostility that has been seen on occasion this summer, called from his car window, "That's illegal!"

"That's the idea," answered a pedestrian.

"Well, then does that mean I can back my car into them?" the motorist responded.