Advocacy & Safety - Any links to cases of ridiculous bias?

I mentioned that bicyclists were discriminated against in the legal system, with drivers being hit with small fines for killing cyclists. The person I mentioned it to is a lawyer and wanted to see some of those cases. Anyone have any links?

how about buying your lawyer a copy of Bob Mionske's book "Bicycling and the Law'?

also, a quick google search for Bob Mionske should lead to some of his columns illustrating police and court bias against cyclists.

I mentioned that bicyclists were discriminated against in the legal system, with drivers being hit with small fines for killing cyclists. The person I mentioned it to is a lawyer and wanted to see some of those cases. Anyone have any links?

Here you go. http://bicycleaustin.info/justice/

http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/03/05/the-vicious-cycle-of-anti-cyclist-bias/

Our police department has created a training document entitled "Common Enforcement Errors involving Bicyclists":

http://www.ddot.dc.gov/ddot/frames.asp?doc=/ddot/lib/ddot/information/bicycle/laws/bicycleenforcementscenarios.pdf

Some of these are pretty ridiculous.

Some of these are pretty ridiculous.

Boy is that an understatement... :rolleyes:

I would have to wonder if those officers ever read the book they are throwing... SIGH.

Bicyclist riding on the right side of the road is struck by overtaking vehicle in the same lane
MPD Response: Officer cites bicyclist

Er.....:bang:

http://www.tucsonbikelawyer.com/2008/02/do-you-know-anyone-in-tucson-who-is.html

Our police department has created a training document entitled "Common Enforcement Errors involving Bicyclists":

http://www.ddot.dc.gov/ddot/frames.asp?doc=/ddot/lib/ddot/information/bicycle/laws/bicycleenforcementscenarios.pdf

Some of these are pretty ridiculous.

The only complaint I have about that PDF is defining a lane too narrow to share as simply "11 feet." First, I'm certainly not even entertaining the idea of sharing until the lane is 13 feet or more. Second, it all depends on the width of the vehicle behind me and my speed as to when I make the decision that I want to share the lane. I don't care how wide a lane is if I'm going 25+mph. I'm not sharing.

I could go on but I'm sure you get my point.

The only complaint I have about that PDF is defining a lane too narrow to share as simply "11 feet." First, I'm certainly not even entertaining the idea of sharing until the lane is 13 feet or more. Second, it all depends on the width of the vehicle behind me and my speed as to when I make the decision that I want to share the lane. I don't care how wide a lane is if I'm going 25+mph. I'm not sharing.

I could go on but I'm sure you get my point.

FWIW the 11' is in DC law and unique only to DC (I believe.)

I know this is not a "link" per se... but it just seems that this story belongs here... This is regarding Helmet Head and his recent run in with the law:


I worked from home this morning and then rode in to work right before noon. At about 11:45 I was eastbound on La Jolla Village Drive going over the I-5 interchange. Traffic was pretty light. Before I reached the interchange I started out in the far right lane. As I approached the entrance to the S/B I-5 onramp, I noticed in my mirror that someone behind me had slowed, so I signaled and changed lanes to the left, leaving the rightmost lane free for traffic that is headed across the interchange and onto the N/B I-5 onramp. I've been doing this route for almost eight years now, and this is basically what I do every day. Getting stuck to the right of traffic in that rightmost lane sucks.

Anyway, at the other end of the interchange is a traffic light at the intersection with traffic coming off of N/B I-5 for which I had to slow and stop because it was red. I noticed the SD police car behind me in my mirror, and that the officer changed lanes and pulled alongside me at the light. The passenger side window rolled down and the officer on the passenger side said:

Officer: "You need to be in the bike lane".
Helmet Head: "That's not a bike lane, sir."
Officer: (glances at the paint demarcated rubble-filled shoulder and then back at me) "You need to be further over"
Helmet Head: (gesturing at the onramp split behind us) "There is a right turn back there - I want to avoid being right hooked"
Officer: "Then how is everyone going to get around you?"

I didn't get to answer because the light turned green and we had to go, but I think my shrug and facial expression might have effectively conveyed, "not my problem". In retrospect, I should have said: "Same way you just got around me". Why is so unacceptable for motorists to have to change lanes to pass a cyclist?

What was interesting is that the emphasis was on staying out of the way of motorists and not on safety. Never mind that he was effectively suggesting, I think, that I ride the white line between streams of 45+ mph traffic in relatively narrow lanes such that they don't even need to slow down because of me, much less (God forbid) change lanes, and that after the split I continue riding far right despite the curbside parking that starts after crossing that intersection. If you ride far right you get stuck having to negotiate for right of way to move left of the parked cars (and door zone), and are more prone that far over to be overlooked by a right-on-red driver turning right from the N/B I-5 onramp onto eastbound LJVD (been there, done that, years ago). It's much better to establish right of way near the center of the rightmost lane before the intersection, and maintain it as you cross it, than any other alternative.

I think they just assumed, perhaps unconsciously, they could easily intimidate me into riding "out of the way", and were befuddled when it didn't work.

This was posted on the local advocacy group email list... I couldn't help but think "gee, how poignant."

BTW John Forester does promote riding on the lanes between streams of traffic... Go figure. :rolleyes:

The Only Good Cyclist (http://www.cars-suck.org/research/cyclists.pdf)

i think john forestor's proclamations on 'riding like a road sneak' between two faster lanes of traffic showcases a case of CYCLIST bias against cycling! (I wonder what JF's advice to HH would be? ;) )

http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=8

BTW John Forester does promote riding on the lanes between streams of traffic... Go figure. :rolleyes:

I don't know how wide the lanes HH was using were but JF has described his technique as working well with two twelve foot lanes. I know from experience that the technique does not work well in my area with one 12 foot lane and one 10.5 foot lane but I have never had the chance to try it with two twelve foot lanes.

FWIW the 11' is in DC law and unique only to DC (I believe.)

Thanks for the clarification.

Not bike related, but I love this website:
http://www.overcomingbias.com/