Robin Calver
Although you say that someone who is negligent in operating their
car/bike/whatever will "have to live with that weight [of killing someone]
on them for the rest of their lives", not everyone will feel remorse and
some will still say it was an "accident" and duck responsibility. "But I
FEEL really bad..." bfd. Locking them up ensures that you don't have to
depend on things as unquantifiable as emotion and feelings in order for
justice to be served.
People who kill with cars get the biggest pass because most people drive but
don't want to accept the responsibilty that goes along with it, hence the
grand juries who just see themselves reflected in the negligent driver.
The woman you used as an example serving time for killing a pedestrian is
one of the few incidents where justice has been served, or would you prefer
that we honor the dead pedestrian by having the woman express how bad she
feels?
As for your PSAs: Let's let other murderers make PSAs instead of doing time
as well, maybe even a sing-along of Kumbaya.
>From: "Keith A. Prior"
>To:
>Subject: [OBRA Chat] Cars, cycling, war and death
>Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2006 16:17:02 -0700
>
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>
>I have been thinking quite a bit about this subject especially as I pedal
>to
>and from work daily.
>
>If I may I'd like to have an opening rant then I will launch into the more
>'useful' part of this post.
>
>My BIGGEST gripe right now is this 'war' the media has fabricated between
>cyclists and cars.
>I almost tossed my bowl of cheerios in the air in an absolute rage this
>morning when I saw the
>graphic CARS VS BIKES behind the talking head as she talked about bicycles
>on freeways on the local news channel.
>
>Many people might not even consider cyclists on the road a problem or that
>there was a 'car vs bikes issue' until
>someone told them OVER AND FREAKING OVER that there was one!! Now people
>may, who may have not considered cyclists
>to be a 'problem' before, see us as a problem because THE FREAKING NEWS
>SAYS
>THERE IS A PROBLEM!!!
>
>Is anyone as frustrated about this as I am? Does anyone else actually see
>this happening in the media?
>
>It's amazing how you don't realize how the media fabricates and skews
>things
>UNTIL they do it to something you are knowledgeable
>about or are passionate about?!
>
>We need to write to the media and tell them to stop referring to this is a
>WAR or an US VS. THEM thing!!!
>They are just making it worse!
>
>
>Okay..now that I have once again made an ass of myself I'd like to talk
>about something I would actually like to see happen
>and actually lead in the creation of.
>
>It is so easy for us to damn all those motorists who hit cyclists to hell
>and have them locked up in San Quentin, I know I have expressed
>such sentiment especially for those who find it sporting to actually run us
>off the road but that's something for another rant!
>
>All I can say is that we live in a inherently dangerous world. Riding a
>bicycle with cars in traffic especially rush hour traffic
>is quite dangerous. No one person has to do much of anything to cause
>contact or collision resulting in serious injury or death.
>
>How many times have you operated a car (for those who own them) when you
>were tired, I have, when the sun was in your eyes, I have,
>when you were distracted by a cellphone, radio, cd player, screaming kids,
>I
>can say yes to all of those things. How ironic would it
>be if one of us cyclists was operating a car in any of the ways described
>above and hit one of our own people?!!
>
>Kind of like a fire at the firehouse eh?!
>
>I cannot help but feel for anyone who causes the death of another human
>being. Other than someone who is a deranged muderous animal most ordinary
>people have to live with that weight on them for the rest of their lives. A
>woman who I used to be in a band with played a solo gig at a
>women's prison and got to sit and talk with a few of the women there. She
>heard this one woman's story how she was a upper middle class woman,
>mother of three, college grad with a good job who had a glass or two of
>wine
>with her friends and on the way home killed a pedestrian with her car.
>
>Now she is serving several years in prison. That could be any one of us and
>we dont even have to be drinking!
>
>Now for the 'do something about it' part of my posting.....
>
>What I propose is contacting people who have killed a cyclist or pedestrian
>with their automobile who would be willing to do a series of 'public
>service' type commercials on TV or print or radio to put a human face on
>this whole thing. This would be an incredible way for those people who
>carry
>such a burden to somehow make something good come of what they did. People
>just don't realize that we are not just annoying bikers or inconveniences
>but someone's father, daughter, brother, sister, friend. It might make them
>think when they hear it from someone who has taken a life with their car.
>
>If anyone feels like this is a good idea I would be willing to lead a group
>to make this happen. I have thought about doing this for two years and the
>time has come.
>
>-K
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