Originally Posted by JoeyBike

Did I say that? I am merely stating that sharks reside in the oceans, and drunk drivers reside on our streets and highways. It does not matter if it's OK or not, those are the cold, hard FACTS. THEY are OUT THERE. I choose to interact with them riding a slow, hard to see bunch of twisted pipe cleaners without an exoskeleton. Personally I think repeat drunk driving offenders should be shot in the head curbside. But I am the one in wheelchair or a coffin if I get clipped, I am the one hanging my own arse out there in a relatively helpless position. No one is making me. It is 100% my choice to take the risk.



I am not claiming legal responsibility for being a victim of a crime. But the criminals are out there running into things. I am swimming in the ocean with a bloody piece of meat strapped to me. How do I get off scott-free in MY OWN MIND as my wife spoon feeds me the rest of my life? Especially since she thinks it is too dangerous for me to commute on a bike on our city? Do you think she would put some blame on me? I certainly will be wishing I had used a less risky form of transportation that day.



There are two mistakes being made. One legal mistake, and one situational mistake. I have zero control over the legions of drunks out there. I have total control over my choice of "weapons" to engage them.



"But Daddy...why were you riding your bike in the road?"



If I were a totalitarian leader there would be a lot less drunk drivers and a lot more fatherless (or motherless) children in the world. 'Nuff said.



Except for not thinking at all and not taking a grain of responsibility for our marginally dangerous life choices.



It is even unacceptable when a call girl gets molested or beaten up. I think we all agree that being a prostitute puts a woman (or man) in a fairly helpless and potentially dangerous situation - more so than some college girl going to a night club. It's just about how big of a piece of bloody meat do you WANT hanging around your neck while swimming in the ocean.



Obviously we are in disagreement on this point.



What if they were walking legally in the street at 2am wearing all black clothing? Would that raise their chances of becoming a victim even though they are technically not at fault for getting struck by the drunk driver? Would any of that be their fault? What if they lay down across the center line and a drunk runs them over? Shouldn't they shoulder one or two molecules of blame?



I argue that "the cyclist" takes a calculated risk every time they mix it up with cars. I argue that riding a bicycle on many streets and roads substantially increases the chances of getting hit by a car, and subsequently suffering physical injury. How many cyclists and pedestrians are DEAD RIGHT every year? We make our own life choices and we live or die (or get crippled) with those decisions. We build our houses on unstable hillsides and cry when they crash into the valley. Is it the HILL'S fault? We also unnecessarily place ourselves DIRECTLY on the path that we know fully well is frequented by drunk, distracted, unskilled, elderly, legally blind motorists. Yet, because it is legal to take this ridiculously risky position we somehow feel like the catastrophic results are 100% some other person's fault.

Now there is some Black and White thinking.