----- Original Message -----
From: "David Mann"
Subject: Re: VeryOT: no anti-bike bias here at all, oh no, absolutely, not
On May 22, 2010, at 5:47 AM, William Robb wrote:
Consequently, we also have a lot of car/ bicycle accidents where the car
driver simply refuses to give up his right of way to an errant cyclist
and takes him out instead.
That is absolutely disgusting. There's no justification for that kind of
behaviour and I hope such drivers are being hauled into court. If they
could have stopped but chose not to then they've committed assault,
regardless of provocation.
There is no justification for refusing to share the road, but that is a two
way street, so to speak. A cyclist who is operating his vehicle in such a
way as to be a danger to others deserves some consequences.
For myself, if I have to make the choice of going up on a sidewalk or
crashing into a building to avoid an adult cyclist who is being an ass, I'll
take the path that does the least damage to my vehicle and puts someone
other than me clearly at fault. I do cut young children a lot of slack, but
about the time they hit puberty I figure they should be showing some sense.
If that means playing Whack-A-Mole with an idiot who wants to be a fatality,
then I'm not going to argue with the dork.
If I run into a parked car to avoid a cyclist, I'm the one who has run into
a parked car, and I'll also be the one who get's nicked for doing it, since
the cyclist is unlikely to wait around to admit fault.
It's easier on my insurance that way.
Our police are taking it pretty seriously though. A few weeks ago a cyclist
ran a stop sign and got knocked over by a truck. The police made the effort
to go to the hospital and ticket him for failing to stop, and I believe
operating a vehicle without due care and attention.
William Robb
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