uke

https://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2009/06/16/b/

Interesting?

Note the power of showing up:

Some details...

Hopefully more communities start taking back their streets from four-wheeled terrorists!

Incidentally, the fun part, as is often the case, in reading articles like these is the comment section, teething with raging drivers demanding the oft-executed right to execute cyclists.

uke

I should also add that the legislation is scheduled for amendment in July; the goal is to add protection for pedestrians and joggers, which is great. They're as vulnerable to vehicles as we are, and bike-friendly and ped-friendly cities go hand-in-hand.

bellweatherman

FANTASTIC LAW! Finally, getting some respect from the people in legislature.

joejack951

Fantastic until you realize it's about as enforceable as the 3 foot law. Unless a cop actually sees it happen (in which case regardless of the presence of this particular law he'd be able to cite them for something), nothing will happen. The city threw a bone to the cyclists who as usual get all excited about nothing.

ChipSeal

This is just another silly and unnecessary law, and a waste of time and effort. All it will accomplish is to make politicians feel good.

Most of the things cited are already illegal- they are simply not being enforced. Throwing objects at cyclists is an offense of assault and littering. (A littering charge could be a larger fine, no doubt!) We need the police and DA to pursue offending behavior. That is where pressure should be applied. More useless, redundant laws are not going to accomplish anything of substance for cyclists.

enine

I thought it didn't make sense either since harrassment is already illegal, but after reading the rest it looks like they have increased the charge "Before the ordinance passed, the only charge for a cyclist to file against a motorist exhibiting these behaviors was third-degree assault." So while it was illegal before it just didn't hve much of a punishment.

Ngchen

Stupid question: in Missouri, are localities allowed to even create laws making something a misdemeanor? Typically such items are taken care of at the state level.

CommuterRun

Throwing something at a cyclist in FL can be charged as a second degree felony, but I've never heard of anybody going down for doing this.

High Roller

Yes, we don't seem to have the resources or the will to enforce the laws already on the books, so let's dream up some new feel-good legislation that is inherently unenforceable.

rideabike

People can talk about how additional laws are not necessary all they want. In the real, not theoretical, world, laws like this cause prosecutors to take the actions prohibited by the law more seriously. When prosecutors take the law more seriously, so do police.

It is a good first step.

alicestrong

My thought, also.

Da Tinker

We have a winner! This thread is now closed.

Commando303

I hate to B-I-T-C-H (really, I can't write that...?) when something seemingly productive has been done, but, I think, this really does just "seem" productive. This ordinance will punish people for throwing objects at bicyclists? Wasn't throwing things at others illegal, already ("assault")? Even if there was no $1,000 fine deterrent previously in place, people will have to know about it for it to be consequential, and I wonder if news of this legislation will spread to ears beyond those in this forum. Those signs that tell people assaulting a bus-driver is a felony punishable by up to seven years (?) in prison work (if they do) because they're placed right by the driver you might be thinking of knocking over. Maybe bikers need to wear posters emphasizing why, now, more than ever, they shouldn't be harassed...

tadawdy

it's a good sign for general respect for cyclists. good luck enforcing it, though.

I'm of the opinion that we're way too soft on crime not involving death and drugs in this country. Why shouldn't people who use their cars as weapons or accessories in crimes lose their licenses? Why shouldn't repeat offenders lose the right to drive for a very extended period of time? Like, forever? How many times can you forgive someone for being scum?

Fines are a slap on the wrist, as the long-term repercussions of losing $1000 are non-existent.

Commando303

I somewhat disagree, but, then, I also somewhat agree. Our culture isn't very strict when it comes to many sorts of crimes (of course, certain jurisdictions may be), and is insanely aggressive against some very silly things (such as drugs — you might disagree).

ThatWhichRolls

Feel-good wankery which results mostly self-congrulatory behavior on the part of activits and legislators while a handful of the literate reflexive contrarians get their hackles raised and spew accusations of nanny statery or dirty hippie favoritism.

I'd much rather see laws of comparatively unilateral benefit enforced before legislators put on the tunics and play Moore's Utopia. That speed limit dealy they had in the olden days, for instance...

ThatWhichRolls

It's a good first step in that it's a nice idea. I'm much less thrilled by the notion that a prosecutor taking this seriously will only be necessitated by some poor cyclist pressing charges against some aggressive moron for having harrassed or threatened. The expected "what a crybaby!" backlash in editorials in media local to the area aren't going to help public opinion on the matter. Enforcement will, as always, remain at the discretion (and probably personal biases) of specific police officers. Unless there's a pretty serious application of the law which pertains to an incident that has next to zero room for interpretation - and believe me, I'm not salivating for it - this is going to remain a gesture.

Paul Barnard

While I agree that aggressive enforcement of existing laws would be useful, I think this law will go a long way toward raising awareness. The more people who are aware of bicyclists rights under the law, the better off we all are.

cyclezealot

Wow.. Columbia a big, bicycle town.?>.. Maybe a university town.. Exactly what America needs to enhance cycling.. Is this a first for all of the USA>?>

joejack951

This law doesn't give cyclists any special rights. Perhaps if more effort was put towards educating cyclists about their own rights, rather than fighting for unenforceable laws such as this one and three foot passing laws, we'd be getting somewhere.

bellweatherman

I don't think that this law would catch many people harassing cyclists, but I still think it is a good law. It's in the books now. And if it is a good law, then there is no need to take it out of the books.

TRaffic Jammer

Wake me when the first guy gets convicted. Otherwise....lip service.

Paul Barnard

I understand that much better things can be done, but anything that gets the word out is a good thing. For bicyclists to be accepted as legitimate road users a profound cultural shift has to take place. Anything that contributes to that shift is good thing.

joejack951

Here's the thing, when I ride, the vast majority (over 99%) of drivers on the road treat me as a legitimate road user. That means no honking, no close passing, no tailgating. The other <1% are almost noise (I say almost because I have had some bad run-ins with whackjobs, one of which was handed a ticket for harassment after following me to work ).

In my opinion, laws like this make cyclists seem like some endangered species that needs special protection as compared to other road users. I mean, what about pedestrians, motorcyclists, farmers, street sweepers, mail carriers, etc.? All of those groups have something in common with cyclists yet you don't see the same types of fluff laws protecting them.

noisebeam

Definitely way over 99%. Several hundred drivers interact with me every day on my commute. It can be months between negative encounters.