[*BCM*] Parades vs. travelling on a bike

[turtle]

Ok, I'd like to ask the folks who seem to be parade experts a few
questions:

1. How many vehicles/pedestrians must be travelling together (communally
agreeing to travel in the same direction, and going the same place)
before a permit is necessary?  2, 4, 10, 50, 100?

2. Is it the act of agreeing to travel together that makes it a parade?

3. Should all group bike/car/pedestrian trips have to get permits to
travel on public roads?

4. Is arrest of non-permitted group travellers an appropriate punishment
for the "crime"?  

5. Is arrest of those violating traffic laws appropriate?  (Seperately
from the parade issue.)

If you can tell me the legal answers to these questions, I'll come up
with a plan.  If not then I guess we just have to keep riding our bikes
the way we believe is best, and see what happens.

-Turtle
who was arrested for trying to get a bis driver's name after he
assaulted her, and was then told by the judge to stop riding in the
road, and get on the sidewalk (In Boston, where sidewalk biking is
illegal).