It was the fall of '68. Spiro Agnew was speaking at a dinner at the Pioneer
Hotel in downtown Tucson. A demonstration was planned to disrupt his speech.
I had a late class at the U of A, so as soon as it was out, I hauled down
there on my Motobecane-built Astra. I whipped by some coeds in a crosswalk,
and was immediately pulled over by a motorcycle cop. I mouthed off to him
and he hit me with a ticket for failure to yield the right of way at a
crosswalk. I made it to the rally and several weeks later I had to go to
traffic court to deal with the ticket. My case was up.The courtroom was
packed. The bailiff read the charge of failing to yield for pedestrians in a
crosswalk. The judge asked how I plead and if I had a statement. I told him
I was guilty but that I tried to stop, but the brakes on my BICYCLE had
failed. I guess it was one of the first bicycle tickets in Tucson because
the place erupted in cheers. The judge couldn't contain himself. I had to
wheel my beloved Astra into the courtroom and show him my brakes. He bought
it and dismissed the case. I gave a clenched fist power salute as I left the
courtroom wheeling my Astra one-handed, and the judge yellled at me not to
press my luck.
Art Smith
Phoenix