Posted on 09/18/2011 7:32:42 AM PDT by Immerito
A few months ago, I received a phone call from a cyclist with an incredible story about an incident in Lawrence County, Ohio. Because the cyclist-a guy named Tony Patrick-was in need of an attorney, I hooked him up with Steve Magas, a contributing author to Bicycling & the Law, and a well-known bicycling attorney in Ohio. After hearing Tony's story, Steve took his case. More about that later; first, let me tell you about Tony.
Weekdays, Tony runs his small construction company in Huntington, West Virginia. Weeknights, and weekends, Tony, a Cat 2 racer, can often be found hanging out at Jeff's Bike Shop-that is, when he's not out on a training ride, or racing. And that's not unusual; Jeff's Bike Shop is the center of a vibrant racing scene in Huntington, the second-largest city in West Virginia, and the home of Marshall University.
That racing scene means regular training rides, all of which start out and end up at Jeff's. There's a ride every other day, each geared to a different set of riders, but the real hammerfest is the Tuesday night ride. That's the ride where the locals try, as Tony puts it, to hurt each other over the course of a 23-34 mile route that takes them across the Ohio River, into the back roads of southern Ohio, before looping back across the river into Huntington.
And that's how Tony found himself just outside of Chesapeake, Ohio, one Tuesday night in August of 2008, heading into town to take the bridge back across to Huntington. Tony was riding with "Ryan," a then-16 year old nationally-ranked racer with a 4.2 GPA. ["Ryan" is a pseudonym; I've concealed his identity because he's a minor.]
(Excerpt) Read more at bicycling.com ...
Be very aware of long winded, wordy explanations of incidents or events such as this.
I suggest all of these people involved in this, “He said, she said”, to find a life.
I submit to you that the solution to that bike problem isn’t profane, violent, ignorant, abusive, and ultimately, unlawful police actions.
I once went 479 miles in a week with one day around 112 miles.
Was in much better shape back in those days.
Better yet, make it mandatory for bicyclist to view photos/images of a typical bicyclist who rides in or along side traffic, to view the photos of a fatal collision between a bicyclist and two ton vehicle, when they've gone under the wheels.
If that don't get their attention, nothing will.
Its been my experience, including the riders on this thread, that they all want to tell you their legal rights but skip the responsibilities part
Add to that the fact that driver pay for the roads with taxes on Gas, registering their cars and carry insurance. Bike riders pay nothing and they cause a lot of trouble. they think they are holier than thou.
One cure I have for really ignorant bike rider is once I am able to pass, give them a spray from the washers. Or hug the parked cars so they cant pass on the inside.
They're helping to save the planet. Doesn't that count for something?
"Team Gravity" works much better on the descent.
LOL! Too right!
I hit 35+ once. Once! That's kinda spooky. I don't know how those guys on the Tour do some of the things they do. Crazy.
What really galls me though is to see a grown man in brightly colored spandex, wearing a pointy helmet and actually thinking he’s cool. They say that they’re trying to keep fit. I say if they really want to keep fit, then they should look up their local Army ROTC unit and do PT with them!
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If they wanted exercise they’d sell the $3,000+ carbon fiber road racer and buy a $70 wide tired cruiser at WalMart, in my experience they break every traffic law around ,,, never stop for lights or signs and impede traffic regularly. I swear the next time I’m at a stop sign and I see a group of “cyclists” heading for an opposite stop sign at warp speed I’m going to pull out right in front of them and exclaim (loudly) But I KNEW you saw YOUR stop sign? May I see your license and insurance cards please?
I think in the least they should have some kind of identifying license (registered with the state) that can identify them in case of any illegality. Now, if they do something like road rage, no one can identify them. Just a guy/gal on a bike.
LOL I agree. I would never ride a bike on a road without a shoulder anyway - me too chicken. Our bikes are three wheelers to ride around in RV parks. Gotta take the dogs (yorkies) for a ride ;)
We have the same truck. We had a dumb@ss guy in a little Chevy truck try to force us off the road coming out of Austin the other day. He was mad because we were in the fast lane (going a tad over the limit) and he needed desperately to get home after 5. From the looks of him for either a joint or a drink. BTW, old fart hubby did not move over and he had to take the left shoulder to keep his junker from having more dents. He underestimated the old gray haired fart driving the dually.
So if you resist the tyrant you are a anarchist and a criminal. If you do as the tyrant says you are a slave.
I am all for the citizen being respectful toward police officers but when they act like thugs with badges then the citizen should be ready to stand up against such tyrannical thuggery and give their risk and give their lives in order to stop such. The citizenry being armed with the knowledge of the law and with firearms make for a government that stays respectful of the citizenry and keeps this kind of thing to an absolute minimum. Bullies tend not to bully those whom they know will stand up to them.
By continuing to ride their bikes legally on a public right of way? Yeah, I’d call that baiting, too.
It was the butt waving I was referring. They shoulda stopped and could have avoided this despite the cop being an ass.
As you said, if you want to bike, find a bike trail.
So bicyclists aren't full citizens. In your world, the only means of transportation is the automobile or public transport, right?
What do you tell the bicycle commuter?
They "believe" they have a right to resources that we, as tax paying drivers PAY for...Until they pay for the road as motor vehicle drivers do, they'll get little sympathy from most people.
Bicyclists "believe" they have a right to those resources because they also pay taxes to use the roads.
In practically all jurisdictions, roads are paid for by sales, property and incomes taxes. The motor fuels taxes go to limited access freeways that by law are not accessible to cyclists and pedestrians.
And while you are shoving some people in to sub-human castes because their choice of exercise or transportation doesn't involve refineries and deep sea drilling are you also going to outlaw joggers who use the roads? Ticket and fine kids who shoot hoops in the cul-de-sac? If you are using the road selfishly to go to the city park (paid for with taxes) to fly a kite, why is using the road for personal recreation with a full-lane consuming car somehow morally superior to a commuter cyclist heading off to work using the same road and applying significantly less wear and tear?
"Me and SoapGirl walked in on a gaggle of them..."
Exactly how are your thoughts and opinions of other human beings somehow different from those who thought a certain ethnicity wasn't worthy to live in 1930s Germany ? So you want to shove them in ovens because they are fat and in Spandex and ride bicycles? (Don't ever go to Walmart while armed you might go postal and slay all of those subhumans who aren't SI swimsuit models.)
These Totalitarian views you hold, condemning your neighbor just because they have a bicycle is sickening. This is America I thought we used to have some measure of freedom here.
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