Update on bicycle accident case..

[evangelist6589]

I had a thread back in early February about me getting into a accident with a car on my bicycle. Well I went to court on thursday and pleased not guilty and the fine was removed. The judge said that by the letter of the law I was guilty on 2 counts which were riding on the sidewalk and riding against traffic. However the judge agreed with me that riding a bicycle on that part of Pleasantberg drive is not very wise. I had told the judge in my defense of my actions that I would never ride a bike on that drive again because people drive like the freeway on that road. Riding with traffic and on the road with the drivers when there is no bike lane is very very foolish regardless of what the law claims. I was cleared and was free to go paying no fines.

 

[annsni]

Wait - you were not only on the sidewalk but going against traffic? Wow - no wonder you got in an accident!!! You were very fortunate to get a judge who was kind.

 

[HAMel]

Good for you! Anytime you can escape paying another "tax" to the state then it was a good day.

Unlike some who might try to imply your accident was the cause of "Un-confessed Sin" or some other nonsense, a bicycle and/or motorcycles are fair game to those in cars. Gotta watch where you ride.

 

[12strings]

I used to ride my bicycle on the roads of downtown Boston nearly every day during rush hour! (I was riding to work)

I was riding WITH the traffic... :thumbs:

 

[preachinjesus]

Good for you! Anytime you can escape paying another "tax" to the state then it was a good day.

Yep, most moving violations are just a racket conducted to fill the coffers of local and state agencies who admit they aren't being good managers of the resources given and thus need to find other "legal" ways of getting $$$ out of taxpayers.

 

[Jerome]

Were you actually found innocent, or did the judge just waive the fine?

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I used to ride my bicycle on the roads of downtown Boston nearly every day during rush hour! (I was riding to work)

I was riding WITH the traffic... :thumbs:

MASS DRIVERS ....your lucky your not dead!

 

[12strings]

Luckily, much of the time rush hour in Boston means my bike can go about as fast as the cars are moving.

 

[evangelist6589]

Wait - you were not only on the sidewalk but going against traffic? Wow - no wonder you got in an accident!!! You were very fortunate to get a judge who was kind.

One cant get past from that side of the intersection to the other as there is no walking light on that side of the road. People often drive like the freeway on that road. I have yet to see a bicycle rider riding with the traffic on that road. The judge did not just do this in kindness she 100% agreed with me that that road is unsafe to drive on regardless of the law.

 

[evangelist6589]

Good for you! Anytime you can escape paying another "tax" to the state then it was a good day.

Unlike some who might try to imply your accident was the cause of "Un-confessed Sin" or some other nonsense, a bicycle and/or motorcycles are fair game to those in cars. Gotta watch where you ride.

Its 10 times safer to ride on the sidewalk than on the road where people drive like the freeway and there is no bike lane. Even the judge agreed with this one. The law needs to be changed in this regard, but it wont get changed as long as there are no activists around here. There are states and or countries that agree with me about riding on the sidewalk.

 

[evangelist6589]

Were you actually found innocent, or did the judge just waive the fine?

By the letter of the law no. But the judge agreed with my actions for riding on the sidewalk on that road. The letter of the law needs to get changed in this area, but it wont get changed since so few ride bikes here. There are states and or countries that would agree with me on this one.

 

[annsni]

As you learned, riding on the sidewalk is never safe. If it is too unsafe to ride your bike in the road (and in over 10,000 miles, I've only had to do this across two bridges), then you walk your bike on the sidewalk. Not only is that the law, it is most courteous to pedestrians and safest for the biker.

 

[Arbo]

You must feel very justified in breaking the law now.

 

[HAMel]

You must feel very justified in breaking the law now.

That's an amazing thing to say. I mean, he did go before a judge, right? And his case was adjudicated, right? It was decided no harm was committed, right? And somehow he's to feel justified in breaking the law?

I'll bet you have never driven over the speed limit in all your life, right? Come to a complete stop, always? Never crossed the double line? Never sped up to beat the red light, never?

So what justifies a need to offer up a guilt trip here?

 

[annsni]

You must feel very justified in breaking the law now.

That's an amazing thing to say. I mean, he did go before a judge, right? And his case was adjudicated, right? It was decided no harm was committed, right? And somehow he's to feel justified in breaking the law?

I'll bet you have never driven over the speed limit in all your life, right? Come to a complete stop, always? Never crossed the double line? Never sped up to beat the red light, never?

So what justifies a need to offer up a guilt trip here?

Have you read the OPs posts? He feels he was not wrong and he had to break the law and the law is stupid and apparently he says the judge agrees that he did the right thing - breaking the law.

 

[HAMel]

Have you read the OPs posts? He feels he was not wrong and he had to break the law and the law is stupid and apparently he says the judge agrees that he did the right thing - breaking the law.

Yes, I read it and obviously, you read the part about him presenting himself in front of the Judge.

This does not present an opportunity for another to place a guilt trip by asking if he feels justified by breaking the law. As I asked, have any of us ever broken the speed limit? At the time did we feel justified?

 

[annsni]

Have you read the OPs posts? He feels he was not wrong and he had to break the law and the law is stupid and apparently he says the judge agrees that he did the right thing - breaking the law.

Yes, I read it and obviously, you read the part about him presenting himself in front of the Judge.

This does not present an opportunity for another to place a guilt trip by asking if he feels justified by breaking the law. As I asked, have any of us ever broken the speed limit? At the time did we feel justified?

Yes, I broke the speed limit and was caught and admitted I was wrong, paid my penalty and moved on. I would only feel justified if I had an emergency but I would not make excuses. I would still be wrong.

 

[HAMel]

The OP admitted he was wrong in front of a judge. He explained "his" emergent situation and the Judge agreed.

The only point I am trying to make here is that we should not sit in judgement of another. That's not Christian. More aptly, criticism would be justified had he refused to go to court and/or refused to pay his fine or assumed some other radical approach in defiance. I see none of that.

 

[Arbo]

The only point I am trying to make here is that we should not sit in judgement of another.

Disagree. Evangelist opened himself up to criticism by posting about his attitude toward the law.

 

[annsni]

The OP admitted he was wrong in front of a judge. He explained "his" emergent situation and the Judge agreed.

The only point I am trying to make here is that we should not sit in judgement of another. That's not Christian. More aptly, criticism would be justified had he refused to go to court and/or refused to pay his fine or assumed some other radical approach in defiance. I see none of that.

However, he has stated his disagreement of the law and those of us with much greater experiences biking disagree with his statements. I do not speak out of ignorance but as one who has biked over 10,000 miles including biking through New York City and Boston and all kinds of roads. The sidewalk is not the place for a bicycle being ridden and if one cannot ride on the road or a path, they should hand walk their bikes on the sidewalk for their safety and others.