Advocacy & Safety - Cyclists against Carlos G. Bertonatti

Folks.... if there was ever a case we need to get behind, this is it. (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=427253770011&ref=search&sid=637237584.3486217364..1)

Let's get off our Brooks (or carbon Fizik Aliante's), and get something done about repeat offenders behind the wheel.

If a bunch of MADD mothers can get drunk driving on the map, surely we can put a little dent into the reckless Carlos's of the world that put ALL of us in danger (even when we're in a cage ourselves)

A Facebook outrage group isn't enough.

-Kurt

P.S.: Another rider was hit today in Key Biscayne: http://www.miamiherald.com/key-biscayne/story/1436523.html. This one was a ninja sidewalk cyclist though.

No, but it's a place to coordinate.

I've already made a phone call to the local papers in Miami, and sent off a few letters.
But it would be good if we could have something a bit more focused.

A few years back there was significant outrage in Maine when a truck driver caused an accident which killed a woman (Tina Turcotte). It turned out that the driver of the truck was a habitual offender with drivers licenses from multiple states, and several suspended drivers licenses. The result was passage of a law known as 'Tina's Law' which mandated more severe penalties and jail time for habitual offenders - which they define as people convicted three times in five years for such violations as driving after suspension and drunk driving.

I believe that we need to do a better job of harmonizing state license requirements, so that it is harder for someone to have more than one drivers license, and to allow communications across state lines so that it is harder for offenders to evade responsibility. Similarly, we need more enforcement so that the number of drivers who are drunk or driving on suspended licenses approach nil.

A few years back there was significant outrage in Maine when a truck driver caused an accident which killed a woman (Tina Turcotte). It turned out that the driver of the truck was a habitual offender with drivers licenses from multiple states, and several suspended drivers licenses. The result was passage of a law known as 'Tina's Law' which mandated more severe penalties and jail time for habitual offenders - which they define as people convicted three times in five years for such violations as driving after suspension and drunk driving.

I believe that we need to do a better job of harmonizing state license requirements, so that it is harder for someone to have more than one drivers license, and to allow communications across state lines so that it is harder for offenders to evade responsibility. Similarly, we need more enforcement so that the number of drivers who are drunk or driving on suspended licenses approach nil.

Sounds like a good plan. Maybe instead of individual state drivers licenses we should have one Federal license. It could/would look/function like the state issued license but it would be issued by the Federal Government instead. Individual cars would still be licensed by the state.

The result was passage of a law known as 'Tina's Law' which mandated more severe penalties and jail time for habitual offenders - which they define as people convicted three times in five years for such violations as driving after suspension and drunk driving.

Something came to mind when I read this:

When all is said and done, at best, the only thing that will possibly come out of the Bertonatti incident will be stiffer penalties for motorist that kill and/or murder cyclists. Not a single bit of the discussion thus far has suggested that any cyclist that will survives such an accident will gain any additional protection - and that's where it counts the most. Dead men harbor no desire for retribution.

-Kurt

I believe that we need to do a better job of harmonizing state license requirements, so that it is harder for someone to have more than one drivers license, and to allow communications across state lines so that it is harder for offenders to evade responsibility. Similarly, we need more enforcement so that the number of drivers who are drunk or driving on suspended licenses approach nil.

There's already a push to do that baed on federal legislation from a few years ago called "Real ID" or something like that. It's part of anti-terrorist and anti-immigration legislation, and some states oppose it becuase they thinks it's part of a national ID program..

If you actually want to do some good, write a reasonable, respectful letter to the person who will decide how the case will go. That person is the Miami-Dade State Attorney, Catherine Fernandez- Rundle, along with her staff. Send it here:

Hon. Catherine Fernandez-Rundle
State Attorney
1350 NW 12th Ave.
Miami, FL 33136

Ask that the letter be directed to the felony intake division and the prosecutor handling the case against Carlos. Tell them that you are concerned for the safety of all cyclists, and that prosecution of Carlos to the fullest extent of the law would help protect the community. Letters to the judge will not help and will not be read. It's the prosecutor who needs your attention.

P.S.: Another rider was hit today in Key Biscayne: http://www.miamiherald.com/key-biscayne/story/1436523.html. This one was a ninja sidewalk cyclist though.
Well that's OK then. At least he wasn't one of us.

Ask that the letter be directed to the felony intake division and the prosecutor handling the case against Carlos. Tell them that you are concerned for the safety of all cyclists, and that prosecution of Carlos to the fullest extent of the law would help protect the community. Letters to the judge will not help and will not be read. It's the prosecutor who needs your attention.The way it looks now, it's not just cyclists that need protection from this man, it's everyone that might be on or near a road that he's driving on.