3:01 PM, Dec 12, 2006
My Roommate Got Owned
My roommate, who stubbornly refuses to burn gasoline and enclose himself in steel, was
struck down today for his obstinate insistence on riding a bicycle. With little else to do, the civil servants of Prairie Village, KS converged on the spot within a couple dozen seconds in their shiny new trucks, cars, and ambulances. I think an industrious person could have looted the police station while this was happening.
In all seriousness though, I doubt that the clueless careless thoughtless woman that turned left into him will get a ticket. Only a few days ago, a cyclist was put in the hospital for getting
jacked by a reckless driver in Brookside. In the Brookside case, the clearly-at-fault offender received no ticket, because they, "couldn't see," the rider.
I think the case with my roommate will be similar. It seems that despite all the forward strides that KC is making for people on bicycles, the police still view bicycles, which are legal street vehicles, as a bothersome bunch of flies, whose culpability in accidents is beyond argument. They seem to be people that are intentionally stirring up trouble by invisibly hurling themselves against moving automobiles.
My roommate could have been killed this morning, and I don't think the woman that struck him to the ground will see any criminal penalty whatsoever.
Jeff offered:
aka The Roommate
Two things:
1) Yay for the PV EMS people! Super nice and really fast.
2) I have no ill-will towards the person who hit me--it was an accident. She felt horrible--she was out of her car so fast that it started to roll away and she had to go back to set the brake. If a ticket isn't issued then I'll be upset. But that's an issue with the PV police department and not her. PV is a really great place to ride (and to be in an accident--they were fast!) but if the police don't enforce the law then that's terrible.
But, even though I'll have to drive one to work tomorrow, cars are still stupid. I dislike them even more now. :p
6:34 PM, Dec 12, 2006
anonymous (erik) blurted:
glad you are fine.
however, guns don't kill people; people kill people. point is that drivers are stupid, not cars.
besides, if people rode bikes instead of drove cars, then you'd prob say bikes are dumb and they should walk.
just making light of the situation.
9:38 AM, Dec 13, 2006
R.A. Heller responded:
Well if I was on the scene I would have ticketed the woman. Being that a bike is a legal street vehicle, not seeing you is not an excuse. I am glad to hear that you are okay. Although you should have not refused treatment, her insurance would have covered the expenses. Even if they did not being that you took the ambulance you would bolster your case in court if it ever came to that. As for cars being bad......remember according to the UN cars are not the danger to destroying the earth it is cattle who fart that are causing global warming.
11:44 AM, Dec 14, 2006