From ajp at aripollak.com  Fri Dec  1 13:02:30 2006
From: ajp at aripollak.com (Ari Pollak)
Date: Fri Dec  1 13:00:50 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist while
	using cell phone
Message-ID: <1164996150.4833.3.camel@apollak.lab.compete.com>

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2006/11/30/woman_is_sentenced_for_bicyclists_death

URBANA ? Jennifer Stark wiped away tears and nodded that she understood
the maximum sentence a Champaign County judge gave her Wednesday for
improper lane usage.

The 19-year-old Urbana woman appeared in court, flanked by her parents,
to plead guilty to a petty offense and be sentenced for actions that led
to the death of Matthew Wilhelm.

The 25-year-old former Champaign resident, a University of Illinois
mechanical engineering graduate working for Caterpillar in Peoria, died
on Sept. 8 from head injuries he received Sept. 2 when Stark hit him
with her car because she was downloading ring tones to her cell phone
instead of paying attention to driving.

Mr. Wilhelm was bicycling north on Illinois 130 east of Urbana when he
was struck from behind about 7:15 p.m. Stark was so far off the road
that she hit Mr. Wilhelm from behind with the driver's side of her car.
He was wearing a helmet.

"I can only apply the law I have in front of me, not as I wish it would
be," Judge Richard Klaus told Stark and the approximately dozen others
who had gathered to see her sentence. They included the parents of Mr.
Wilhelm and other friends and relatives of the Wilhelm family who have
mobilized forces to try to get the law changed regarding distracted
drivers.

"I am appalled by your conduct and the manner in which you have driven
in the short time you've had a license," Klaus told Stark, who had three
prior convictions since May 2005 one for disregarding a traffic light
and two for speeding. The last speeding conviction came about five weeks
before she hit Mr. Wilhelm.

State's Attorney Julia Rietz made the call not to lodge any more serious
charge than improper lane usage against Stark, saying that the legal
definition of recklessness, to sustain reckless homicide or reckless
driving, did not fit her actions.

But Rietz argued for the maximum sentence of six months of conditional
discharge a form of probation without reporting to an officer a $1,000
fine and traffic safety school.

"This is a tragic case and one which has demonstrated to us there are
many things we can't adequately resolve in this building, unfortunately.
The law doesn't give us an adequate remedy to address the loss to the
Wilhelms and society," she said.

Stark shook her head no when Klaus asked her if she wanted to say
anything before being sentenced.

But Gloria Wilhelm, the mother of the victim, was not reticent. She
calmly read to Klaus a statement in which she chided the system that
allowed Stark to continue driving even though her "irresponsible
behavior continued to worsen."

And she took a diplomatic jab at Rietz for her decision not to prosecute
Stark for more than a petty offense.

"Julia Rietz said it would be hard to prosecute 'willful and
wanton' (behavior) and the driver could have 'no reasonable expectation
of a bike on the side of the road,' yet every single time we visited the
accident site we saw bikers and joggers in the area. The driver took
this path to and from work and had to see others out there. Disregarding
the obvious is a total lack of responsibility.

"In addition to a mere fine, we implore you to recommend community
service and continued education to improve her driving. She needs more
than just to 'live with this the rest of her life.' She can celebrate
holidays and birthdays with her family. We can't do this with Matt."

Stark's mother sobbed as she listened to Mrs. Wilhelm continue:

"We have nightmares of Matt's last moments when he was riding way off to
the side of the road on a clear beautiful day and was hit with no
warning. ... Another person told me they saw the accident scene and it
was something no mother should have to witness all for a cell phone ring
tone. ... All for a self-indulged driver who has her priorities
ridiculously out of order."

After the hearing, Stark went upstairs at the courthouse to make an
appointment with the probation office. Her mother told The News-Gazette
that Stark didn't want to make any public comments because "she's afraid
her words will get twisted."

Stark sent a letter to The News-Gazette that was published in September
in which she apologized to the Wilhelm family for what happened and said
she took full responsibility for her actions.

"I never meant to do anything like this. I know that no matter what I
say or do I can never take back what has happened or undo the hurt and
grief I have caused. However, I still wanted to say that I am very
sorry," she wrote.


From jym at econet.org  Fri Dec  1 13:56:09 2006
From: jym at econet.org (Jym Dyer)
Date: Fri Dec  1 13:36:54 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
	while using cell phone
In-Reply-To: Ari Pollak's message of "Fri, 01 Dec 2006 13:02:30 EST."
References: <1164996150.4833.3.camel@apollak.lab.compete.com> 
Message-ID: <Jym.01Dec2006.45707aab@econet.org>

=v= The driver/killer is so upset and persecuted-feeling that
she can barely find the time to squeal about her dating life
on MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/jenniebob18

But hey, Jesus is on her side.
    <_Jym_>
From andytoomajian at hotmail.com  Fri Dec  1 13:43:08 2006
From: andytoomajian at hotmail.com (Andrew Toomajian)
Date: Fri Dec  1 13:43:15 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] RE:myspace link
Message-ID: <BAY124-W331779EADAA82D0EBE4DA5A9DA0@phx.gbl>

is that really her?  howd ya find her?

> From: jym@econet.org> To: list@bostoncriticalmass.org> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist while using cell phone> Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2006 10:56:09 -0800> > =v= The driver/killer is so upset and persecuted-feeling that> she can barely find the time to squeal about her dating life> on MySpace:> > http://www.myspace.com/jenniebob18> > But hey, Jesus is on her side.> <_Jym_>> _______________________________________________> Boston Critical Mass mailing list> list@bostoncriticalmass.org> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself with gadgets on Windows Live Spaces
http://discoverspaces.live.com?source=hmtag1&loc=us
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From turtle at zworg.com  Fri Dec  1 14:11:12 2006
From: turtle at zworg.com (turtle)
Date: Fri Dec  1 13:59:11 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
Message-ID: <23778.1165000272@zworg.com>

She's a teenager, she has little to no sense of her place in the world. 
Teenagers, for the most part, just don't have the brain development to
be capable of seeing the world through anything but their own eyes, and
haven't yet learned to see beyond their limited life of raging hormones
and the need to figure out what the heck they are supposed to do to be
popular in their friend's eyes.  That's why they send teenagers off to
war, because they will do pretty much anything to feel important, and
can't think very much.

I don't mean to say that teenagers are bad or anything, because it's
just a part of growing up, just like the terrible twos.  We all have to
go through it sometime before we can make it into a mature mindset,
where we honestly care about other people.  To expect teens to behave
maturely is just delusional.  But we give them drivers' licenses and
cars and guns nonetheless.  What does that say about us?

Peace, Love, and Bicycles,
-Turtle


----------------------------------
A human being is a part of the whole, called by us 'universe,' a part
limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and
feelings, as something separate from the rest -- a kind of optical
delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for
us, restricting us to our personal decisions and to affection fo a few
persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this
prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living
creatures and the whole nature in its beauty."

~Albert Einstein
From jym at econet.org  Fri Dec  1 14:22:31 2006
From: jym at econet.org (Jym Dyer)
Date: Fri Dec  1 14:03:10 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] RE:myspace link
References: <BAY124-W331779EADAA82D0EBE4DA5A9DA0@phx.gbl> 
Message-ID: <Jym.01Dec2006.457080d9@econet.org>

> is that really her?  howd ya find her?

=v= Someone else found her, and spread around an URL to the blog
section of her MySpace account.  One needs a MySpace account to
read it, but it's lots of whining about being judged.

=v= She's moved on, and her latest topic is Chevy vs. Ford.
    <_Jym_>

From androidqueen at gmail.com  Fri Dec  1 14:03:41 2006
From: androidqueen at gmail.com (Robotica)
Date: Fri Dec  1 14:03:55 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
In-Reply-To: <23778.1165000272@zworg.com>
References: <23778.1165000272@zworg.com>
Message-ID: <9bde964c0612011103v59f13163wb7681f0d3097d6b@mail.gmail.com>

the fuck?

no.  i'm not far out of my teens, and i learned to take responsibility
for my actions long before i left them.  teenagers are fully capable
of seeing that the outside world exists.

-m

On 12/1/06, turtle <turtle@zworg.com> wrote:
> She's a teenager, she has little to no sense of her place in the world.
> Teenagers, for the most part, just don't have the brain development to
> be capable of seeing the world through anything but their own eyes, and
> haven't yet learned to see beyond their limited life of raging hormones
> and the need to figure out what the heck they are supposed to do to be
> popular in their friend's eyes.  That's why they send teenagers off to
> war, because they will do pretty much anything to feel important, and
> can't think very much.
>
> I don't mean to say that teenagers are bad or anything, because it's
> just a part of growing up, just like the terrible twos.  We all have to
> go through it sometime before we can make it into a mature mindset,
> where we honestly care about other people.  To expect teens to behave
> maturely is just delusional.  But we give them drivers' licenses and
> cars and guns nonetheless.  What does that say about us?
>
> Peace, Love, and Bicycles,
> -Turtle
>
>
> ----------------------------------
> A human being is a part of the whole, called by us 'universe,' a part
> limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and
> feelings, as something separate from the rest -- a kind of optical
> delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for
> us, restricting us to our personal decisions and to affection fo a few
> persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this
> prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living
> creatures and the whole nature in its beauty."
>
> ~Albert Einstein
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
>


-- 
ninjaneer.  geomancer.  licensed scientician.
From rsarnold at gmail.com  Fri Dec  1 14:04:43 2006
From: rsarnold at gmail.com (Rob Arnold)
Date: Fri Dec  1 14:04:55 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] RE:myspace link
In-Reply-To: <Jym.01Dec2006.457080d9@econet.org>
References: <BAY124-W331779EADAA82D0EBE4DA5A9DA0@phx.gbl>
	<Jym.01Dec2006.457080d9@econet.org>
Message-ID: <dada885c0612011104p2b56e086le4fe36309088342e@mail.gmail.com>

Also, her new favorite movie is "Cars." I shudder for America.

On 12/1/06, Jym Dyer <jym@econet.org> wrote:
>
> > is that really her?  howd ya find her?
>
> =v= Someone else found her, and spread around an URL to the blog
> section of her MySpace account.  One needs a MySpace account to
> read it, but it's lots of whining about being judged.
>
> =v= She's moved on, and her latest topic is Chevy vs. Ford.
>     <_Jym_>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
>
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From TSmith4918 at aol.com  Fri Dec  1 14:07:13 2006
From: TSmith4918 at aol.com (TSmith4918@aol.com)
Date: Fri Dec  1 14:07:27 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] RE:myspace link
Message-ID: <cbe.2add9b0.32a1d761@aol.com>

 
In a message dated 12/1/2006 2:03:29 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
jym@econet.org writes:

She's  moved on, and her latest topic is Chevy vs. Ford.



i guess the dodge must be a little banged up...sad story all  around
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From rogerbwinn at letterboxes.org  Fri Dec  1 14:20:41 2006
From: rogerbwinn at letterboxes.org (rogerbwinn@letterboxes.org)
Date: Fri Dec  1 14:20:49 2006
Subject: OFF-TOPIC Re: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a
	cyclist
In-Reply-To: <23778.1165000272@zworg.com>
References: <23778.1165000272@zworg.com>
Message-ID: <1165000841.28039.278432585@webmail.messagingengine.com>

hey turtle,

i find your characterizations of teenagers unfair and very ageist.  i
feel that claiming that teenagers "just don't have the brain development
to be capable of seeing the world through anything but their own eyes,
and haven't yet learned to see beyond their limited life of raging
hormones" belittles and pigeonholes a lot of teenagers who i've seen put
a lot of of time into social justice work.  they simply don't fit your
bill.  this accident is a horrible tragedy, and i think that jennifer
should have to take full responsibility for it.  but don't blame all
teenagers because of one's ill-chosen actions.

love,
roger

On Fri,  1 Dec 2006 11:11:12 -0800, "turtle" <turtle@zworg.com> said:
> She's a teenager, she has little to no sense of her place in the world. 
> Teenagers, for the most part, just don't have the brain development to
> be capable of seeing the world through anything but their own eyes, and
> haven't yet learned to see beyond their limited life of raging hormones
> and the need to figure out what the heck they are supposed to do to be
> popular in their friend's eyes.  That's why they send teenagers off to
> war, because they will do pretty much anything to feel important, and
> can't think very much.
> 
> I don't mean to say that teenagers are bad or anything, because it's
> just a part of growing up, just like the terrible twos.  We all have to
> go through it sometime before we can make it into a mature mindset,
> where we honestly care about other people.  To expect teens to behave
> maturely is just delusional.  But we give them drivers' licenses and
> cars and guns nonetheless.  What does that say about us?
> 
> Peace, Love, and Bicycles,
> -Turtle
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------
> A human being is a part of the whole, called by us 'universe,' a part
> limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and
> feelings, as something separate from the rest -- a kind of optical
> delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for
> us, restricting us to our personal decisions and to affection fo a few
> persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this
> prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living
> creatures and the whole nature in its beauty."
> 
> ~Albert Einstein
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
-- 
  
  rogerbwinn@letterboxes.org

-- 
http://www.fastmail.fm - Accessible with your email software
                          or over the web

From red at mit.edu  Fri Dec  1 14:22:59 2006
From: red at mit.edu (Rachel Elizabeth Dillon)
Date: Fri Dec  1 14:23:07 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
In-Reply-To: <23778.1165000272@zworg.com>
References: <23778.1165000272@zworg.com>
Message-ID: <20061201192259.GA17636@yiff.mit.edu>

On Fri, Dec 01, 2006 at 11:11:12AM -0800, turtle wrote:
> She's a teenager, she has little to no sense of her place in the world. 
> Teenagers, for the most part, just don't have the brain development to
> be capable of seeing the world through anything but their own eyes, and
> haven't yet learned to see beyond their limited life of raging hormones
> and the need to figure out what the heck they are supposed to do to be
> popular in their friend's eyes.  That's why they send teenagers off to
> war, because they will do pretty much anything to feel important, and
> can't think very much.
> 
> I don't mean to say that teenagers are bad or anything, because it's
> just a part of growing up, just like the terrible twos.  We all have to
> go through it sometime before we can make it into a mature mindset,
> where we honestly care about other people.  To expect teens to behave
> maturely is just delusional.  But we give them drivers' licenses and
> cars and guns nonetheless.  What does that say about us?

It says that we encourage young people to behave irresponsibly by
holding them to lower standards and letting them get away with said
irresponsibilities? Five hundred years ago, teenagers behaved maturely
and worked jobs just fine; it's nurture, not nature. If we allow people
to continue being children older and older, most of them will happily
continue. Then, when things like this happen, you say that "to expect
teens to behave maturely is just delusional." Like, seriously? 

Hormonal or not, limited or not, the vast majority of teenagers are not
_killing people with cars._ Maybe they're not behaving as maturely as
me, and maybe I'm not behaving as maturely as you, and maybe you're not
as mature as an octagenarian, but we're all able to exist peacefully in
society and deal with the responsibilities of our shared environment. That
this girl has failed is damning of her and her upbringing, not of
everyone in her age bracket. 

-r.


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From criticalmass at ianw.org  Fri Dec  1 14:26:38 2006
From: criticalmass at ianw.org (Ian Westcott)
Date: Fri Dec  1 14:27:21 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
In-Reply-To: <20061201192259.GA17636@yiff.mit.edu>
References: <23778.1165000272@zworg.com> <20061201192259.GA17636@yiff.mit.edu>
Message-ID: <BDD024B3-16CE-4A8A-9B18-A034FE098BDA@ianw.org>

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

I see plenty of 30-somethings that drive around while talking on the  
cell phone.  Sure, they're not downloading ringtones, but maybe  
that's just because they're too old to figure out how. :-P

   -Ian Westcott

    developer + information technology manager
    the barbarian group
    338 newbury street, 3rd floor
    boston, ma  02115-2700
    ianw@barbariangroup.com
    617-424-8887



On Dec 1, 2006, at 2:22 PM, Rachel Elizabeth Dillon wrote:

> On Fri, Dec 01, 2006 at 11:11:12AM -0800, turtle wrote:
>> She's a teenager, she has little to no sense of her place in the  
>> world.
>> Teenagers, for the most part, just don't have the brain  
>> development to
>> be capable of seeing the world through anything but their own  
>> eyes, and
>> haven't yet learned to see beyond their limited life of raging  
>> hormones
>> and the need to figure out what the heck they are supposed to do  
>> to be
>> popular in their friend's eyes.  That's why they send teenagers  
>> off to
>> war, because they will do pretty much anything to feel important, and
>> can't think very much.
>>
>> I don't mean to say that teenagers are bad or anything, because it's
>> just a part of growing up, just like the terrible twos.  We all  
>> have to
>> go through it sometime before we can make it into a mature mindset,
>> where we honestly care about other people.  To expect teens to behave
>> maturely is just delusional.  But we give them drivers' licenses and
>> cars and guns nonetheless.  What does that say about us?
>
> It says that we encourage young people to behave irresponsibly by
> holding them to lower standards and letting them get away with said
> irresponsibilities? Five hundred years ago, teenagers behaved maturely
> and worked jobs just fine; it's nurture, not nature. If we allow  
> people
> to continue being children older and older, most of them will happily
> continue. Then, when things like this happen, you say that "to expect
> teens to behave maturely is just delusional." Like, seriously?
>
> Hormonal or not, limited or not, the vast majority of teenagers are  
> not
> _killing people with cars._ Maybe they're not behaving as maturely as
> me, and maybe I'm not behaving as maturely as you, and maybe you're  
> not
> as mature as an octagenarian, but we're all able to exist  
> peacefully in
> society and deal with the responsibilities of our shared  
> environment. That
> this girl has failed is damning of her and her upbringing, not of
> everyone in her age bracket.
>
> -r.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org

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From jefctaylor at hotmail.com  Fri Dec  1 14:32:37 2006
From: jefctaylor at hotmail.com (Jeffrey Taylor)
Date: Fri Dec  1 14:32:48 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] slap on the wrist
Message-ID: <BAY125-F30ADF0002A402AFE9D3A24D8DA0@phx.gbl>

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From TSmith4918 at aol.com  Fri Dec  1 14:49:05 2006
From: TSmith4918 at aol.com (TSmith4918@aol.com)
Date: Fri Dec  1 14:49:16 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] slap on the wrist
Message-ID: <ce8.36e619d.32a1e131@aol.com>

 
In a message dated 12/1/2006 2:33:18 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
jefctaylor@hotmail.com writes:

I don't  understand why motorists like this one aren't permanently stripped 
of their  right to drive.  



this is why: according to the judge...
"This is a tragic case and one which has demonstrated  to us there are
many things we can't adequately resolve in this building,  unfortunately.
The law doesn't give us an adequate remedy to address  the loss to the
Wilhelms and society," she said.
 
she changed lanes and the bike was in the way.   sounds like we need to 
change the law:  it would be the same result in  Mass, no?
 
I think it has less with teenagers and more to do with  freaking cell 
phones...not a mile goes by when I  have to avoid someone who  is distracted on the 
phone...

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From ajp at aripollak.com  Fri Dec  1 14:54:41 2006
From: ajp at aripollak.com (Ari Pollak)
Date: Fri Dec  1 14:52:58 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] slap on the wrist
In-Reply-To: <ce8.36e619d.32a1e131@aol.com>
References: <ce8.36e619d.32a1e131@aol.com>
Message-ID: <1165002881.4833.7.camel@apollak.lab.compete.com>

On Fri, 2006-12-01 at 14:49 -0500, TSmith4918@aol.com wrote:

> she changed lanes and the bike was in the way.  sounds like we need to
> change the law:  it would be the same result in Mass, no?

I find it somewhat hard to believe that there's no law you can charge
someone under if they veer a car onto a sidewalk and kill someone if
they weren't paying attention. The article did say the prosecutor chose
not to charge the defendant with something worse.

From henrythehorrible at gmail.com  Fri Dec  1 14:54:33 2006
From: henrythehorrible at gmail.com (Tripp Hyde)
Date: Fri Dec  1 14:54:40 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] slap on the wrist
In-Reply-To: <ce8.36e619d.32a1e131@aol.com>
References: <ce8.36e619d.32a1e131@aol.com>
Message-ID: <b6ae49230612011154w753928ccx9f563d154fbbae7b@mail.gmail.com>

Is using a cell phone while driving even illegal in MA?  I know it is
in CT and I know people who have been pulled over in CT for it.  I
guess it doesn't really matter though because that would require the
MA police to actually *enforce* a traffic law (besides speeding on the
Mass Pike).

On 12/1/06, TSmith4918@aol.com <TSmith4918@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> In a message dated 12/1/2006 2:33:18 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> jefctaylor@hotmail.com writes:
> I don't understand why motorists like this one aren't permanently stripped
> of their right to drive.
>
>
> this is why: according to the judge...
> "This is a tragic case and one which has demonstrated to us there are
> many things we can't adequately resolve in this building, unfortunately.
> The law doesn't give us an adequate remedy to address the loss to the
> Wilhelms and society," she said.
>
> she changed lanes and the bike was in the way.  sounds like we need to
> change the law:  it would be the same result in Mass, no?
>
> I think it has less with teenagers and more to do with freaking cell
> phones...not a mile goes by when I  have to avoid someone who is distracted
> on the phone...
>
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email
> list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
>
>


-- 
-=t
http://dumbbox.dyndns.org:81
From michaelamcs at gmail.com  Fri Dec  1 14:24:27 2006
From: michaelamcs at gmail.com (michaela)
Date: Fri Dec  1 15:09:11 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
In-Reply-To: <9bde964c0612011103v59f13163wb7681f0d3097d6b@mail.gmail.com>
References: <23778.1165000272@zworg.com>
	<9bde964c0612011103v59f13163wb7681f0d3097d6b@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <f29cb2740612011124m62226d51kd0c0d183d51b15b0@mail.gmail.com>

i never send things to this mailing list, but i do ride cm, and i feel
compelled to say this:
teenagers can certainly be responsible for their own actions, and be trusted
not to kill people because they are doing something thoughtless and stupid.
i both was a teenager about 5 years ago, and work with teenagers now, and
the majority of them (just like only the majority of adults) are responsible
enough to be trusted driving a car.

i doubt very much that this girl's myspace account is a reflection of the
remorse she feels, she may be repressing it or trying not to think about it,
or there may be any number of explanations for it.

more importantly, the "justice" system in our country is not just horrible
because it gives people the wrong kind of sentences, and disproportionally
hurts people of color and the working class. it is also horrible because it
does nothing whatsoever to attempt to rehabilitate people, just basically
gives us a place to keep them away from us (temporarily, and most people
come out in worse shape than they were in going in), and a way for
corporations to make money. i feel fairly confident in saying that there are
better ways to deal with a 19 year old girl who accidentally, although
stupidly, killed someone, than to put them in jail, which is likely what
would have happened had they charged her with a worse offense and actually
won the case.

yes, she should have to take more responsibility for her driving, and yes,
she should, and probably does, feel a huge amount of remorse for her
actions. but i don't understand this country's fascination with revenge and
getting back at people. people who commit crimes, either intentionally or
accidentally, need to be helped, not demonized. i'm not a fan of
jesus-loving 19 year olds who kill cyclists, but they, too, need help, not
to have their lives basically completely ruined by entering into a cyclical,
and positively cruel, judicial system.

it is frustrating that the system favors cars so enormously over cyclists.
it is extremely frustrating. but i don't think the right solution is to
demonize individuals, especially when we don't know them or exactly what
they are going through.
it is the system that is at fault, and it is the entire judicial system, not
just the written law.



On 12/1/06, Robotica <androidqueen@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> the fuck?
>
> no.  i'm not far out of my teens, and i learned to take responsibility
> for my actions long before i left them.  teenagers are fully capable
> of seeing that the outside world exists.
>
> -m
>
> On 12/1/06, turtle <turtle@zworg.com> wrote:
> > She's a teenager, she has little to no sense of her place in the world.
> > Teenagers, for the most part, just don't have the brain development to
> > be capable of seeing the world through anything but their own eyes, and
> > haven't yet learned to see beyond their limited life of raging hormones
> > and the need to figure out what the heck they are supposed to do to be
> > popular in their friend's eyes.  That's why they send teenagers off to
> > war, because they will do pretty much anything to feel important, and
> > can't think very much.
> >
> > I don't mean to say that teenagers are bad or anything, because it's
> > just a part of growing up, just like the terrible twos.  We all have to
> > go through it sometime before we can make it into a mature mindset,
> > where we honestly care about other people.  To expect teens to behave
> > maturely is just delusional.  But we give them drivers' licenses and
> > cars and guns nonetheless.  What does that say about us?
> >
> > Peace, Love, and Bicycles,
> > -Turtle
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------
> > A human being is a part of the whole, called by us 'universe,' a part
> > limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and
> > feelings, as something separate from the rest -- a kind of optical
> > delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for
> > us, restricting us to our personal decisions and to affection fo a few
> > persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this
> > prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living
> > creatures and the whole nature in its beauty."
> >
> > ~Albert Einstein
> > _______________________________________________
> > Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> > list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> > http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> > To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
> >
>
>
> --
> ninjaneer.  geomancer.  licensed scientician.
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
>



-- 
"Is cognac waning Papa? The C's hump is to the east!"
"Waxing and waning have nothing to do with that: it's a sign the Spaak
company has put up there."
"What company put up the moon then?"
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From jasminebikesnotbombs at yahoo.com  Fri Dec  1 16:40:52 2006
From: jasminebikesnotbombs at yahoo.com (Jasmine Laietmark)
Date: Fri Dec  1 16:42:42 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Bikes Not Bombs' Opening Bash! 12/8
Message-ID: <23333.18272.qm@web37805.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

OPENING PARTY:
Celebrate Bikes Not Bombs? New Home
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2006 - 6:30-10:30 pm
Brewery Bldg K ? 284 Amory St. ? Jamaica Plain, MA

Bikes Not Bombs invites you to a celebration on Friday, December Eighth in honor of the opening of the new Bikes Not Bombs Hub. In its 22nd year as a grassroots organization, BNB is moving its bicycle recycling and education facility to Jamaica Plain?s Brewery Complex at 284 Amory St. Please join BNB?s teens and their families, bicycle enthusiasts, long-time supporters, and new neighbors as we push workbenches aside to make room for a party! Crafts will be for sale by our Girls In Action youth group, a raffle of crafts and bike paraphernalia will entice you, a local Ethiopian band and a steel drum band will warm you up, and teen spoken word performance poetry will keep it cool. Face painting and fun for younger folks will be offered. Laria Foods will generously provide delicious vegetarian Middle Eastern cuisine, and more treats TBA. 

We have a lot to celebrate; this long-term home will provide a larger, more energy efficient base for most of BNB?s youth development and community building programs, our offices, and our international development work. The new Hub is the culmination of hundreds of hours of volunteer construction work, and the party is a chance to show appreciation for our dedicated volunteers and supporters who made an extra stretch this year during an epic capital campaign (still not over). All are welcome: friends, guests, and community members!

Bikes Not Bombs now diverts about 4,500 bikes annually from the Boston-area waste stream and puts them to good use by providing programs for local youth and aid to international bicycle projects, including pedal-powered technology development endeavors. Over 1,600 local young people have been empowered by programs in BNB?s bike center, and BNB has shipped donations of over 25,000 bikes to eight counties over the past 22 years. Almost 3,000 recycled bikes have already been sent in 2006 to New Orleans, El Salvador, Ghana, and South Africa - our greatest quantity ever in one year. More growth: The BNB Bike Shop, offering full-scale bicycle retail services and vocational training will be expanding into a separate building from the Hub. The new shop will re-open in their new Jamaica Plain storefront at the corner of Amory St. and Green St. this December! 

Visit www.bikesnotbombs.org for more information.


 
---------------------------------
Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.
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From list at moz.geek.nz  Sat Dec  2 06:39:31 2006
From: list at moz.geek.nz (Moz)
Date: Sat Dec  2 06:39:56 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
In-Reply-To: <f29cb2740612011124m62226d51kd0c0d183d51b15b0@mail.gmail.com>
References: <23778.1165000272@zworg.com>
	<9bde964c0612011103v59f13163wb7681f0d3097d6b@mail.gmail.com>
	<f29cb2740612011124m62226d51kd0c0d183d51b15b0@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <785904694.20061202223931@moz.geek.nz>

michaela said:
> yes, she should have to take more responsibility for her driving,
> ... the "justice" system ... need help, not to have their lives
> basically completely ruined by entering into a cyclical, and
> positively cruel, judicial system... it is the system that is at
> fault, and it is the entire judicial system, not just the written
> law.

I'm interested that you call it a justice system, even in scare
quotes. It's a legal system, or more accurately in the US, it's part
of the political system.

The question I have is: given that this is the system we have, what
better outcome could we get? I'm all for campaigning for a better
legal system, necessarily starting with a reformed political system,
but until there's consensus in the country that the system needs to
change I don't see any real hope for reform. Is it then better for us
to campaign against enforcement of the laws, perhaps against use of
the legal system altogether?

> it is frustrating that the system favors cars so enormously over
> cyclists. it is extremely frustrating. but i don't think the right
> solution is to demonize individuals, especially when we don't know
> them or exactly what they are going through.

In this case I don't think she's willing to accept responsibility for
her actions. So the very least she should get is a criminal
conviction. It would be far, far better if she was willing to front up
and say she's sorry, and that she won't re-offend. But since she
hasn't, and she definitely hasn't offered to give up her car, or even
stop using her phone while driving, what option do we have? Sorry, but
I don't see an alternative.

There is no justice, just us.
Moz

From turtle at zworg.com  Sat Dec  2 08:37:54 2006
From: turtle at zworg.com (turtle)
Date: Sat Dec  2 08:26:02 2006
Subject: OFF-TOPIC Re: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing
	a
Message-ID: <6170.1165066674@zworg.com>

My comments may have seemed a little harsh but they were not meant to
be.  I'm absolutely not "blaming" teenagers.  I'm explaining them.  As
I said: teenagers aren't bad.  It's the adults who expect teenagers to
act like adults who are bad, in my opinion.  Sure, some teens and even
young kids do caring and compassionate things all the time, but it's
fairly rare in the grand scheme of teens, and it's mostly done out of
either rebellion against (uncaring) authority or out of the need to
feel good about themselves.  It's not in the least bit wrong.  It's
completely healthy to rebel and to develop a healthy self esteem. 
Which is why we adults need to provide a safe environment for these
young folks to do what they need to do, so that they can develop into
healthy, mature adults.

It's possible that a driver's test could include some sort of
psychological development analysis, which would help keep egocentric
folks (again, egocentric behavior is healthy and normal for the teenage
brain) out of cars.  Though I'm guessing many folks would see that as
invasive or creepy.  But is it really any worse than the arbitrary age
cutoff and memorization test that we have now?

And I just want to reiterate that I'm not ageist, I'm simply trying to
be realistic about human development.  You wouldn't let a 3 year old
drive a car would you?  So clearly there is some development level
where we believe it's ok to prohibit access to dangerous things.  It's
not about discrimination, it's about ability and safety.  And while
teens and kids are absolutely capable of doing some things, they are
not yet capable of others.  And that's ok.

Peace, Love, and Bicycles,
Turtle


Boston Critical Mass <list@bostoncriticalmass.org> wrote:
> 
> hey turtle,
> 
> i find your characterizations of teenagers unfair and very ageist.  i
> feel that claiming that teenagers "just don't have the brain development
> to be capable of seeing the world through anything but their own eyes,
> and haven't yet learned to see beyond their limited life of raging
> hormones" belittles and pigeonholes a lot of teenagers who i've seen put
> a lot of of time into social justice work.  they simply don't fit your
> bill.  this accident is a horrible tragedy, and i think that jennifer
> should have to take full responsibility for it.  but don't blame all
> teenagers because of one's ill-chosen actions.
> 
> love,
> roger
> 
> On Fri,  1 Dec 2006 11:11:12 -0800, "turtle" <turtle@zworg.com> said:
> > She's a teenager, she has little to no sense of her place in the world. 
> > Teenagers, for the most part, just don't have the brain development to
> > be capable of seeing the world through anything but their own eyes, and
> > haven't yet learned to see beyond their limited life of raging hormones
> > and the need to figure out what the heck they are supposed to do to be
> > popular in their friend's eyes.  That's why they send teenagers off to
> > war, because they will do pretty much anything to feel important, and
> > can't think very much.
> > 
> > I don't mean to say that teenagers are bad or anything, because it's
> > just a part of growing up, just like the terrible twos.  We all have to
> > go through it sometime before we can make it into a mature mindset,
> > where we honestly care about other people.  To expect teens to behave
> > maturely is just delusional.  But we give them drivers' licenses and
> > cars and guns nonetheless.  What does that say about us?
> > 
> > Peace, Love, and Bicycles,
> > -Turtle
> > 
> > 
> > ----------------------------------
> > A human being is a part of the whole, called by us 'universe,' a part
> > limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and
> > feelings, as something separate from the rest -- a kind of optical
> > delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for
> > us, restricting us to our personal decisions and to affection fo a few
> > persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this
> > prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living
> > creatures and the whole nature in its beauty."
> > 
> > ~Albert Einstein
> > _______________________________________________
> > Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> > list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> > http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> > To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
> -- 
>   
>   rogerbwinn@letterboxes.org
> 
> -- 
> http://www.fastmail.fm - Accessible with your email software
>                           or over the web
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
> 

----------------------------------
A human being is a part of the whole, called by us 'universe,' a part
limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and
feelings, as something separate from the rest -- a kind of optical
delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for
us, restricting us to our personal decisions and to affection fo a few
persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this
prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living
creatures and the whole nature in its beauty."

~Albert Einstein
From turtle at zworg.com  Sat Dec  2 08:53:16 2006
From: turtle at zworg.com (turtle)
Date: Sat Dec  2 08:41:07 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
Message-ID: <6273.1165067596@zworg.com>

I completly agree with everything you say Michaela.  Demonizing people
doesn't make the world a better place, it makes more demons :-) 
Meeting them where they are, and working with their abilities to help
them find ways to live their lives heathfully is far more useful for
everyone.

Yes, people should be expected to "behave properly", but if they can't
or won't there's got to be a reason, and it makes more sense to find
that reason and deal with it intelligently than to mark the person as a
failure or even evil.  Because people who believe that they are failures
or evil act like failures and evil.  And if they refuse to believe that
they are failures or evil, then punishment will makes them feel like
victims, and thus not responsible for their actions.  

If we really want to be effective at keeping dangerous drivers off the
roads, we definitely do need to hold people to high standards, and when
they fail to live up to those standards we need to do whatever we can to
help them figure out why they aren't.

Peace, Love, and Bicycles,
Turtle


Boston Critical Mass <list@bostoncriticalmass.org> wrote:
> 
> ------=_Part_9266_12194968.1165001067060
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> Content-Disposition: inline
> 
> i never send things to this mailing list, but i do ride cm, and i feel
> compelled to say this:
> teenagers can certainly be responsible for their own actions, and be trusted
> not to kill people because they are doing something thoughtless and stupid.
> i both was a teenager about 5 years ago, and work with teenagers now, and
> the majority of them (just like only the majority of adults) are responsible
> enough to be trusted driving a car.
> 
> i doubt very much that this girl's myspace account is a reflection of the
> remorse she feels, she may be repressing it or trying not to think about it,
> or there may be any number of explanations for it.
> 
> more importantly, the "justice" system in our country is not just horrible
> because it gives people the wrong kind of sentences, and disproportionally
> hurts people of color and the working class. it is also horrible because it
> does nothing whatsoever to attempt to rehabilitate people, just basically
> gives us a place to keep them away from us (temporarily, and most people
> come out in worse shape than they were in going in), and a way for
> corporations to make money. i feel fairly confident in saying that there are
> better ways to deal with a 19 year old girl who accidentally, although
> stupidly, killed someone, than to put them in jail, which is likely what
> would have happened had they charged her with a worse offense and actually
> won the case.
> 
> yes, she should have to take more responsibility for her driving, and yes,
> she should, and probably does, feel a huge amount of remorse for her
> actions. but i don't understand this country's fascination with revenge and
> getting back at people. people who commit crimes, either intentionally or
> accidentally, need to be helped, not demonized. i'm not a fan of
> jesus-loving 19 year olds who kill cyclists, but they, too, need help, not
> to have their lives basically completely ruined by entering into a cyclical,
> and positively cruel, judicial system.
> 
> it is frustrating that the system favors cars so enormously over cyclists.
> it is extremely frustrating. but i don't think the right solution is to
> demonize individuals, especially when we don't know them or exactly what
> they are going through.
> it is the system that is at fault, and it is the entire judicial system, not
> just the written law.
> 

----------------------------------
A human being is a part of the whole, called by us 'universe,' a part
limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and
feelings, as something separate from the rest -- a kind of optical
delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for
us, restricting us to our personal decisions and to affection fo a few
persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this
prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living
creatures and the whole nature in its beauty."

~Albert Einstein
From turtle at zworg.com  Sat Dec  2 08:56:06 2006
From: turtle at zworg.com (turtle)
Date: Sat Dec  2 08:43:56 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
Message-ID: <5545.1165067766@zworg.com>



Moz <list@moz.geek.nz>,
	
> In this case I don't think she's willing to accept responsibility for
> her actions. So the very least she should get is a criminal
> conviction. It would be far, far better if she was willing to front up
> and say she's sorry, and that she won't re-offend. But since she
> hasn't, and she definitely hasn't offered to give up her car, or even
> stop using her phone while driving, what option do we have? Sorry, but
> I don't see an alternative.

She did apologise.  Quite specifically.  

Peace, Love, and Bicycles,
-Turtle
From dbx at pobox.com  Sat Dec  2 11:28:47 2006
From: dbx at pobox.com (Dan Barrett)
Date: Sat Dec  2 11:29:06 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
In-Reply-To: <785904694.20061202223931@moz.geek.nz>
References: <23778.1165000272@zworg.com>
	<9bde964c0612011103v59f13163wb7681f0d3097d6b@mail.gmail.com>
	<f29cb2740612011124m62226d51kd0c0d183d51b15b0@mail.gmail.com>
	<785904694.20061202223931@moz.geek.nz>
Message-ID: <50496.64.223.117.185.1165076927.squirrel@webmail.offthehill.org>

For anyone interested in the problems caused by plea bargaining, Judge
Young of our very own Federal District Court for the District of
Massachusetts has written some very approachable discussions of the
problem at the federal level.  Although much of his ire is aimed at the
Federal Sentencing Guidelines, his discussion in this sentencing
memorandum is germane to our current thread (esp. the section marked
"Straight Talk About Federal Sentencing," beginning on page six), bearing
in mind that the state courts are entirely separate from the federal
courts:
http://pacer.mad.uscourts.gov/dc/cgi-bin/recentops.pl?filename=young/pdf/supersentencing%20memo.pdf


I suppose the only other thing to note is that the family of our departed
fellow-traveler is, following the driver's conviction, in a much more
advantageous position to extract a considerable civil judgment from the
driver.  Money won't bring the victim back, but it might fulfill the
retributive purpose that the driver's lenient sentence won't.

d.

From lisa at cadence90.com  Sat Dec  2 12:45:45 2006
From: lisa at cadence90.com (Lisa Williams)
Date: Sat Dec  2 12:46:00 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
In-Reply-To: <6273.1165067596@zworg.com>
References: <6273.1165067596@zworg.com>
Message-ID: <4571BBC9.6070201@cadence90.com>

I think prison does have a place here.  It used to be no big thing to 
drive drunk in this country.  Now, if a public official or private 
person gets caught driving drunk, it is, as it should be, a cause for 
shame. 

Why is that?   Because the high penalties for driving drunk underscore 
the stupidity, self-centeredness, and lack of self control of people who 
do it. Only a dummy would take the risk.

We can and should make hitting a pedestrian or cyclist the kind of thing 
that would make it a lot harder to run for public office, hold positions 
of responsibility, or have public respect.  The way to get there is 
through intense enforcement, including loss of license, public release 
of records, and, yes, jail.


turtle wrote:
> I completly agree with everything you say Michaela.  Demonizing people
> doesn't make the world a better place, it makes more demons :-) 
> Meeting them where they are, and working with their abilities to help
> them find ways to live their lives heathfully is far more useful for
> everyone.
>
> Yes, people should be expected to "behave properly", but if they can't
> or won't there's got to be a reason, and it makes more sense to find
> that reason and deal with it intelligently than to mark the person as a
> failure or even evil.  Because people who believe that they are failures
> or evil act like failures and evil.  And if they refuse to believe that
> they are failures or evil, then punishment will makes them feel like
> victims, and thus not responsible for their actions.  
>
> If we really want to be effective at keeping dangerous drivers off the
> roads, we definitely do need to hold people to high standards, and when
> they fail to live up to those standards we need to do whatever we can to
> help them figure out why they aren't.
>
> Peace, Love, and Bicycles,
> Turtle
>
>
> Boston Critical Mass <list@bostoncriticalmass.org> wrote:
>   
>> ------=_Part_9266_12194968.1165001067060
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>> Content-Disposition: inline
>>
>> i never send things to this mailing list, but i do ride cm, and i feel
>> compelled to say this:
>> teenagers can certainly be responsible for their own actions, and be trusted
>> not to kill people because they are doing something thoughtless and stupid.
>> i both was a teenager about 5 years ago, and work with teenagers now, and
>> the majority of them (just like only the majority of adults) are responsible
>> enough to be trusted driving a car.
>>
>> i doubt very much that this girl's myspace account is a reflection of the
>> remorse she feels, she may be repressing it or trying not to think about it,
>> or there may be any number of explanations for it.
>>
>> more importantly, the "justice" system in our country is not just horrible
>> because it gives people the wrong kind of sentences, and disproportionally
>> hurts people of color and the working class. it is also horrible because it
>> does nothing whatsoever to attempt to rehabilitate people, just basically
>> gives us a place to keep them away from us (temporarily, and most people
>> come out in worse shape than they were in going in), and a way for
>> corporations to make money. i feel fairly confident in saying that there are
>> better ways to deal with a 19 year old girl who accidentally, although
>> stupidly, killed someone, than to put them in jail, which is likely what
>> would have happened had they charged her with a worse offense and actually
>> won the case.
>>
>> yes, she should have to take more responsibility for her driving, and yes,
>> she should, and probably does, feel a huge amount of remorse for her
>> actions. but i don't understand this country's fascination with revenge and
>> getting back at people. people who commit crimes, either intentionally or
>> accidentally, need to be helped, not demonized. i'm not a fan of
>> jesus-loving 19 year olds who kill cyclists, but they, too, need help, not
>> to have their lives basically completely ruined by entering into a cyclical,
>> and positively cruel, judicial system.
>>
>> it is frustrating that the system favors cars so enormously over cyclists.
>> it is extremely frustrating. but i don't think the right solution is to
>> demonize individuals, especially when we don't know them or exactly what
>> they are going through.
>> it is the system that is at fault, and it is the entire judicial system, not
>> just the written law.
>>
>>     
>
> ----------------------------------
> A human being is a part of the whole, called by us 'universe,' a part
> limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and
> feelings, as something separate from the rest -- a kind of optical
> delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for
> us, restricting us to our personal decisions and to affection fo a few
> persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this
> prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living
> creatures and the whole nature in its beauty."
>
> ~Albert Einstein
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
>
>
>   

-- 
Lisa Williams
lisa@cadence90.com
Google Talk: lisatmh

http://www.placeblogger.com
The Journalism & Lived Experience of Real Places on the Web
Get in on the Placeblogger.com alpha: email lisa@cadence90.com

Places I blog:
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H2otown, a citizen journalism site for Watertown
http://h2otown.info

From lisa at cadence90.com  Sat Dec  2 13:01:01 2006
From: lisa at cadence90.com (Lisa Williams)
Date: Sat Dec  2 13:01:23 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
In-Reply-To: <5545.1165067766@zworg.com>
References: <5545.1165067766@zworg.com>
Message-ID: <4571BF5D.20400@cadence90.com>

As an example of  the extreme entitlement of people in cars over people 
on foot or on bikes, I offer this story:

http://www.cadence90.com/wp/?p=4466

A driver in a Lincoln Navigator, talking on a cell phone, exiting a 
fast-food drive through, crushed a mother to death while she was 
carrying her infant.  Her husband and five year old witnessed her 
death.  The infant survived after being dropped to the pavement.

This guy is not going to jail because the local DA's office declined to 
press charges.  To my knowledge he's still driving around.  I guess 
everybody thinks the fact that he was traumatized and has to live with 
the guilt is enough.  I'd send his car to the crusher, and it'd be a 
tossup on whether he'd be in it.

turtle wrote:
> Moz <list@moz.geek.nz>,
> 	
>   
>> In this case I don't think she's willing to accept responsibility for
>> her actions. So the very least she should get is a criminal
>> conviction. It would be far, far better if she was willing to front up
>> and say she's sorry, and that she won't re-offend. But since she
>> hasn't, and she definitely hasn't offered to give up her car, or even
>> stop using her phone while driving, what option do we have? Sorry, but
>> I don't see an alternative.
>>     
>
> She did apologise.  Quite specifically.  
>
> Peace, Love, and Bicycles,
> -Turtle
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
>
>
>   

-- 
Lisa Williams
lisa@cadence90.com
Google Talk: lisatmh

http://www.placeblogger.com
The Journalism & Lived Experience of Real Places on the Web
Get in on the Placeblogger.com alpha: email lisa@cadence90.com

Places I blog:
Lisa Williams' Blog: 
http://www.cadence90.com/wp/

H2otown, a citizen journalism site for Watertown
http://h2otown.info

From list at moz.geek.nz  Sat Dec  2 19:09:58 2006
From: list at moz.geek.nz (Moz)
Date: Sat Dec  2 19:10:16 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
In-Reply-To: <5545.1165067766@zworg.com>
References: <5545.1165067766@zworg.com>
Message-ID: <1128258549.20061203110958@moz.geek.nz>

turtle said:
>> It would be far, far better if she was willing to front up and say
>> she's sorry, and that she won't re-offend. But since she hasn't,
>> and she definitely hasn't offered to give up her car, or even stop
>> using her phone while driving, what option do we have?
> She did apologise.  Quite specifically.  

That's a step in the right direction, but it's not what I am asking
for.

Philosophically, the justice system I would like is one that focuses
less on making people regret getting caught and more on making them
concentrate on not re-offending.

Moz

From goannego at gmail.com  Sat Dec  2 19:18:48 2006
From: goannego at gmail.com (Anne Wolfe)
Date: Sat Dec  2 19:18:56 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
In-Reply-To: <1128258549.20061203110958@moz.geek.nz>
References: <5545.1165067766@zworg.com> <1128258549.20061203110958@moz.geek.nz>
Message-ID: <acbde2650612021618n61640254t913dad6bd8b6d1ef@mail.gmail.com>

Well, if the regret getting caught enough and for the right reasons, they'll
work on not re-offending.  This girl has had speeding tickets, etc, and now
has killed someone.  But she's still got her driving license.  That's
nonsense from a punishment standpoint, in that she has no reason to curb her
behaviour.  Hoping that guilt might work seems far fetched.  But to deny her
the priviliege a bit of what she thinks is so essential to her life might
make her re-think.  Suing the ass of her might also help - the family might
be willing to accept less $$$ in return for a civil agreement that she
relinquish her driving license for a set period of time.  At the very least
a certain kind of economic justice will come into play - her insurance
premiums are going to be sky high, if she can even get any insurance that
is.

For there to be true justice, there needs to be a system in place that walks
a fine line between deterrence, rehabilitation and retribution for those
wrongs by the actions of another.  And still makes sure that only the guilty
are punished.  Tough call in any environment.  But enough of a campaign
behind this sort of incident can at least call for tougher laws when someone
is mowed down.

On 03/12/06, Moz <list@moz.geek.nz> wrote:
>
> turtle said:
> >> It would be far, far better if she was willing to front up and say
> >> she's sorry, and that she won't re-offend. But since she hasn't,
> >> and she definitely hasn't offered to give up her car, or even stop
> >> using her phone while driving, what option do we have?
> > She did apologise.  Quite specifically.
>
> That's a step in the right direction, but it's not what I am asking
> for.
>
> Philosophically, the justice system I would like is one that focuses
> less on making people regret getting caught and more on making them
> concentrate on not re-offending.
>
> Moz
>
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
>



-- 
Anne Wolfe, LL.M.
Mobile: ( 077484) 76599
Nothing can be compared to a faithful friend, and no weight of gold and
silver is able to countervail the goodness of his fidelity.  -
Ecclesiasticus
Certes, Toto, sentio nos in Kansate non iam adesse. - D. Gale
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From symboliceon at hotmail.com  Sat Dec  2 23:26:13 2006
From: symboliceon at hotmail.com (. nevele)
Date: Sat Dec  2 23:26:26 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] RE:myspace link
In-Reply-To: <dada885c0612011104p2b56e086le4fe36309088342e@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <BAY118-F4EFB8ADC3682728E227D3A7D80@phx.gbl>

Speaking of which: http://groups.myspace.com/criticalmassboston

Created it last August. Join at will. :D

Oh, this one's pretty neat as well (if you ride fixie): 
http://groups.myspace.com/fixedgeararmythegroup








>From: "Rob Arnold" <rsarnold@gmail.com>
>Reply-To: Boston Critical Mass <list@bostoncriticalmass.org>
>To: "Boston CM" <list@bostoncriticalmass.org>
>Subject: Re: [*BCM*] RE:myspace link
>Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2006 14:04:43 -0500
>
>Also, her new favorite movie is "Cars." I shudder for America.
>
>On 12/1/06, Jym Dyer <jym@econet.org> wrote:
>>
>> > is that really her?  howd ya find her?
>>
>>=v= Someone else found her, and spread around an URL to the blog
>>section of her MySpace account.  One needs a MySpace account to
>>read it, but it's lots of whining about being judged.
>>
>>=v= She's moved on, and her latest topic is Chevy vs. Ford.
>>     <_Jym_>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Boston Critical Mass mailing list
>>list@bostoncriticalmass.org
>>http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
>>To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
>>


>_______________________________________________
>Boston Critical Mass mailing list
>list@bostoncriticalmass.org
>http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
>To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org

_________________________________________________________________
View Athlete’s Collections with Live Search 
http://sportmaps.live.com/index.html?source=hmemailtaglinenov06&FORM=MGAC01

From jym at econet.org  Sun Dec  3 04:30:15 2006
From: jym at econet.org (Jym Dyer)
Date: Sun Dec  3 04:11:09 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
In-Reply-To: turtle's message of "Sat, 02 Dec 2006 05:56:06 PST."
References: <5545.1165067766@zworg.com> 
Message-ID: <Jym.03Dec2006.45729909@econet.org>

> She did apologise.  Quite specifically.

=v= Where do you see this?  I realize the media account was
second-hand, but it seemed awfully perfunctory.

=v= Her MySpace account had a portrait of motorist entitlement,
cemented by pseudo-Xtian rationalizations.  Her remarks on the
tragedy were frankly appalling:  she showed no remorse, no
introspection, and was on this offensive with Evangelicalish 
babble about people (as opposed to God) judging her.  Followups
from her friends were more or less about how she did no wrong
for Jesus-based reasons.

=v= Not to sound unGodfully judgemental or anything, but I think
someone who'd had 4 motor vehicle-related brushes with the law,
one resulting in a fatality, ought to have something on her mind
other than Ford-vs.-Chevy jokes.

=v= Alas, that thread was locked to friends-only by the time the
link reached this listserv.
    <_Jym_>
From turtle at zworg.com  Sun Dec  3 09:01:48 2006
From: turtle at zworg.com (turtle)
Date: Sun Dec  3 09:02:05 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Motorist gets slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist
Message-ID: <13142.1165154508@zworg.com>



Boston CM <list@bostoncriticalmass.org>,
	Boston Critical Mass <list@bostoncriticalmass.org> wrote:
> 
> > She did apologise.  Quite specifically.
> 
> =v= Where do you see this?  I realize the media account was
> second-hand, but it seemed awfully perfunctory.

I saw it in the original article posted here, at the bottom, where it
says:

"Stark sent a letter to The News-Gazette that was published in September
in which she apologized to the Wilhelm family for what happened and said
she took full responsibility for her actions.

"I never meant to do anything like this. I know that no matter what I
say or do I can never take back what has happened or undo the hurt and
grief I have caused. However, I still wanted to say that I am very
sorry," she wrote."

Between this apology and her MySpace site, it sounds like she's pretty
confused and doesnt' really have any clue what to do with herself.  I
hope she gets so really good therapy to deal with it all.

Peace, Love, and Bicycles,
Turtle
From ifmanis5 at hotmail.com  Tue Dec  5 12:06:55 2006
From: ifmanis5 at hotmail.com (Robin Kimball)
Date: Tue Dec  5 12:07:05 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Urbana bike death update
Message-ID: <BAY108-F5BAEBD9B151D927A13E348DDE0@phx.gbl>

Hi all,

My news feed from Chicago posted this today:

"Following the recent sentencing of an Urbana woman who killed a cyclist 
while driving and downloading a ringtone to her cellphone, the parents of 
Matt Wilhelm, the deceased, have started a coalition to lobby for a law and 
education to reduce distracted driving. Looks like that cellphone ban hasn't 
been working out too well..."

The coalition website can be found at http://www.prairienet.org/mattslaw/

Best,
Robin..

_________________________________________________________________
Stay up-to-date with your friends through the Windows Live Spaces friends 
list. 
http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwsp0070000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://spaces.live.com/spacesapi.aspx?wx_action=create&wx_url=/friends.aspx&mk

From vicki at nyu.edu  Mon Dec 11 15:31:21 2006
From: vicki at nyu.edu (Vicki Siolos)
Date: Mon Dec 11 15:31:44 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Your Bike Is Hot.
Message-ID: <d5ced4804340.457d79c9@mail.nyu.edu>

This is awesome.

http://www.yourbikeishot.com

Who's going to shove their cards in my spokes?

:-P
From vleonard at infinet.com  Mon Dec 11 16:34:14 2006
From: vleonard at infinet.com (Jim Leonard)
Date: Mon Dec 11 16:34:22 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Your Bike Is Hot.
In-Reply-To: <d5ced4804340.457d79c9@mail.nyu.edu>
References: <d5ced4804340.457d79c9@mail.nyu.edu>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.58L0.0612111633270.15108@shell.core.com>



On Mon, 11 Dec 2006, Vicki Siolos wrote:

> This is awesome.
>
> http://www.yourbikeishot.com

when I first saw the URL I saw
	"your bike I shot" .com

From vicki at nyu.edu  Tue Dec 12 12:12:12 2006
From: vicki at nyu.edu (Vicki Siolos)
Date: Tue Dec 12 12:12:30 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] Re: Your Bike Is Hot.
In-Reply-To: <20061212170004.1AEE9A013F@bostoncoop.net>
References: <20061212170004.1AEE9A013F@bostoncoop.net>
Message-ID: <d4e59a4e3c0d.457e9c9c@mail.nyu.edu>

Yeah, likewise.

There's an all-black fixie that sits on Davis Ave. in Brookline that I went past again today on 
my way to the 
dentist that is the perfect target for such a flier. I almost took a photo of it once - it brings 
joy to my little ex-
goth heart.

-V

----- Original Message -----
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 16:34:14 -0500 (EST)
> From: Jim Leonard <vleonard@infinet.com>
> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Your Bike Is Hot.
> 
> 
> On Mon, 11 Dec 2006, Vicki Siolos wrote:
> 
> > This is awesome.
> >
> > http://www.yourbikeishot.com
> 
> when I first saw the URL I saw
> 	"your bike I shot" .com
From lfpeters at gis.net  Mon Dec 18 21:31:23 2006
From: lfpeters at gis.net (Lee Peters)
Date: Mon Dec 18 21:30:18 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] City Rack
Message-ID: <00b701c72315$c6c8c400$0201000a@Unit2>

Today I was running errands around the city using routes less taken.  During rush hour there were mini-masses emerging on Comm Ave and Longwood.  I loved it, felt safe, and empowered.  There is hope.

Then I get down to the building department at 1010 Mass Ave.  Menino happened to be leaving and jumping into a large, natural gas powered, SUV.  I gave him a look as I was locking my bike to a railing (no racks), like a diner who was waiting 25 minutes for a cup of joe.  There are no racks at 1010, so use the rails up against the building - the mayor doesn't seem to care.
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From TSmith4918 at aol.com  Tue Dec 19 09:58:55 2006
From: TSmith4918 at aol.com (TSmith4918@aol.com)
Date: Tue Dec 19 09:59:12 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] City Rack
Message-ID: <bd2.b70a33b.32b9582f@aol.com>

 
Lee,  
 
I doubt the long look at Tommy will get you the new City Hall design  
contract but maybe he was considering it...
 
-----------------------------------------------------------
 
In a message dated 12/18/2006 9:30:33 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
lfpeters@gis.net writes:

Today I was running errands around the city using  routes less taken.  During 
rush hour there were mini-masses emerging on  Comm Ave and Longwood.  I loved 
it, felt safe, and empowered.  There  is hope.
 
Then I get down to the building department at  1010 Mass Ave.  Menino 
happened to be leaving and jumping into a large,  natural gas powered, SUV.  I gave 
him a look as I was locking my bike to  a railing (no racks), like a diner who 
was waiting 25 minutes for a cup of  joe.  There are no racks at 1010, so use 
the rails up against the  building - the mayor doesn't seem to  care.



 
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From lfpeters at gis.net  Sat Dec 23 10:46:00 2006
From: lfpeters at gis.net (Lee Peters)
Date: Sat Dec 23 10:45:06 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] News?
Message-ID: <001c01c726a9$720817d0$0201000a@Unit2>

Did anyone catch the report on wbur about Romney signing a bike bill this week?  Is there a written version of the story?  I can't find it in the Globe or wbur.org.
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From ajp at aripollak.com  Sat Dec 23 16:13:59 2006
From: ajp at aripollak.com (Ari Pollak)
Date: Sat Dec 23 16:14:07 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] News?
In-Reply-To: <001c01c726a9$720817d0$0201000a@Unit2>
References: <001c01c726a9$720817d0$0201000a@Unit2>
Message-ID: <42984.24.218.224.170.1166908439.squirrel@secure.alienhosting.com>

MassBike has information about it (which they probably would have sent to
this list if people hadn't been so hostile towards them):
http://massbike.org/news/index.htm
Romney hasn't signed the bill yet, but he's probably going to.

Lee Peters wrote:
> Did anyone catch the report on wbur about Romney signing a bike bill this
> week?  Is there a written version of the story?  I can't find it in the
> Globe or wbur.org.

From lfpeters at gis.net  Sat Dec 23 16:50:20 2006
From: lfpeters at gis.net (Lee Peters)
Date: Sat Dec 23 16:49:05 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] News?
References: <001c01c726a9$720817d0$0201000a@Unit2>
	<42984.24.218.224.170.1166908439.squirrel@secure.alienhosting.com>
Message-ID: <002001c726dc$58ad9520$0201000a@Unit2>

Thanks Ari,

If signed, Critical Mass, using our present mode of spreading out through 
the width of the roadway, will be illegal.

I wonder what exactly we do when doored?  Do we track down an officer and 
request a ticket be given to the driver?



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ari Pollak" <ajp@aripollak.com>
To: "Boston Critical Mass" <list@bostoncriticalmass.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 4:13 PM
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] News?


MassBike has information about it (which they probably would have sent to
this list if people hadn't been so hostile towards them):
http://massbike.org/news/index.htm
Romney hasn't signed the bill yet, but he's probably going to.

Lee Peters wrote:
> Did anyone catch the report on wbur about Romney signing a bike bill this
> week?  Is there a written version of the story?  I can't find it in the
> Globe or wbur.org.

_______________________________________________
Boston Critical Mass mailing list
list@bostoncriticalmass.org
http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org


From criticalmass at ianw.org  Sat Dec 23 18:53:21 2006
From: criticalmass at ianw.org (Ian Westcott)
Date: Sat Dec 23 18:53:35 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] News?
In-Reply-To: <002001c726dc$58ad9520$0201000a@Unit2>
References: <001c01c726a9$720817d0$0201000a@Unit2>
	<42984.24.218.224.170.1166908439.squirrel@secure.alienhosting.com>
	<002001c726dc$58ad9520$0201000a@Unit2>
Message-ID: <014B710E-AC2F-4EEF-8EBB-7B8BC680E4E2@ianw.org>

> If signed, Critical Mass, using our present mode of spreading out  
> through the width of the roadway, will be illegal.

You mean it'll still be illegal.  In fact, it'll be slightly less  
illegal, since cyclists will now be allowed to ride two abreast  
instead of only single file (Section 4; http://www.mass.gov/legis/ 
bills/house/ht05pdf/ht05372.pdf).  Not that 'slightly less illegal'  
is any closer to 'legal'.

   -Ian Westcott

    developer + information technology manager
    the barbarian group
    338 newbury street, 3rd floor
    boston, ma  02115-2700
    ianw@barbariangroup.com
    617-424-8887



On Dec 23, 2006, at 4:50 PM, Lee Peters wrote:

> Thanks Ari,
>
> If signed, Critical Mass, using our present mode of spreading out  
> through the width of the roadway, will be illegal.
>
> I wonder what exactly we do when doored?  Do we track down an  
> officer and request a ticket be given to the driver?
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ari Pollak" <ajp@aripollak.com>
> To: "Boston Critical Mass" <list@bostoncriticalmass.org>
> Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 4:13 PM
> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] News?
>
>
> MassBike has information about it (which they probably would have  
> sent to
> this list if people hadn't been so hostile towards them):
> http://massbike.org/news/index.htm
> Romney hasn't signed the bill yet, but he's probably going to.
>
> Lee Peters wrote:
>> Did anyone catch the report on wbur about Romney signing a bike  
>> bill this
>> week?  Is there a written version of the story?  I can't find it  
>> in the
>> Globe or wbur.org.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org

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From yoyoboy at gmail.com  Sat Dec 23 21:26:11 2006
From: yoyoboy at gmail.com (Brendan Larrabee)
Date: Sat Dec 23 21:26:25 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] News?
In-Reply-To: <014B710E-AC2F-4EEF-8EBB-7B8BC680E4E2@ianw.org>
References: <001c01c726a9$720817d0$0201000a@Unit2>
	<42984.24.218.224.170.1166908439.squirrel@secure.alienhosting.com>
	<002001c726dc$58ad9520$0201000a@Unit2>
	<014B710E-AC2F-4EEF-8EBB-7B8BC680E4E2@ianw.org>
Message-ID: <13e723910612231826oc892486ye9ad07e57a652d72@mail.gmail.com>

How do they define a "Laned Roadway"? Anything with a yellow line? Or
something with a median barrier?

On 12/23/06, Ian Westcott <criticalmass@ianw.org> wrote:
>
> If signed, Critical Mass, using our present mode of spreading out through
> the width of the roadway, will be illegal.
>
>
> You mean it'll *still* be illegal.  In fact, it'll be slightly less
> illegal, since cyclists will now be allowed to ride two abreast instead of
> only single file (Section 4;
> http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/ht05pdf/ht05372.pdf).  Not that
> 'slightly less illegal' is any closer to 'legal'.
>
>   -Ian Westcott
>
>    developer + information technology manager
>    the barbarian group
>    338 newbury street, 3rd floor
>    boston, ma  02115-2700
>    ianw@barbariangroup.com
>    617-424-8887
>
>
>
> On Dec 23, 2006, at 4:50 PM, Lee Peters wrote:
>
> Thanks Ari,
>
> If signed, Critical Mass, using our present mode of spreading out through
> the width of the roadway, will be illegal.
>
> I wonder what exactly we do when doored?  Do we track down an officer and
> request a ticket be given to the driver?
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ari Pollak" <ajp@aripollak.com>
> To: "Boston Critical Mass" <list@bostoncriticalmass.org>
> Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 4:13 PM
> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] News?
>
>
> MassBike has information about it (which they probably would have sent to
> this list if people hadn't been so hostile towards them):
> http://massbike.org/news/index.htm
> Romney hasn't signed the bill yet, but he's probably going to.
>
> Lee Peters wrote:
>
> Did anyone catch the report on wbur about Romney signing a bike bill this
> week?  Is there a written version of the story?  I can't find it in the
> Globe or wbur.org.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list@bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe@bostoncriticalmass.org
>
>


-- 
   Brendan Larrabee
   Owner/Operator BJ Anodizing
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From schimek at alum.mit.edu  Sun Dec 24 20:34:43 2006
From: schimek at alum.mit.edu (Paul Schimek)
Date: Sun Dec 24 20:34:47 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] News?
References: <001c01c726a9$720817d0$0201000a@Unit2><42984.24.218.224.170.1166908439.squirrel@secure.alienhosting.com><002001c726dc$58ad9520$0201000a@Unit2><014B710E-AC2F-4EEF-8EBB-7B8BC680E4E2@ianw.org>
	<13e723910612231826oc892486ye9ad07e57a652d72@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <005901c727c4$db0a5830$6401a8c0@Paul>

  Lee Peters wrote: "If signed, Critical Mass, using our present mode of spreading out through the width of the roadway, will be illegal."

  Yes, still illegal because all drivers (motorists & bicyclists) are supposed to use the right hand lane except when passing or preparing a right turn. http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/89-4b.htm
  The bill will make it legal to ride two abreast in the right lane, although you still need to move over to make it easier for faster traffic to pass (if there is a passing lane, this is not necessary, since there is room to pass).


    and Lee Peters wrote: "I wonder what exactly we do when doored?  Do we track down an officer and request a ticket be given to the driver?"

    Don't get doored. Always ride a door's width away from parked cars. Yes, even if this means you are in the middle of the lane and drivers are honking and screaming. Think of it as your own little Critical Mass. The bill will make it clearer that someone who opens a door suddenly is at fault -- but don't give them the opportunity.

    --Paul Schimek
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From symboliceon at hotmail.com  Mon Dec 25 15:42:46 2006
From: symboliceon at hotmail.com (. nevele)
Date: Mon Dec 25 15:42:55 2006
Subject: [*BCM*] News?
In-Reply-To: <005901c727c4$db0a5830$6401a8c0@Paul>
Message-ID: <BAY118-F2A7B6310973318A53736FA7C20@phx.gbl>

i tend to find myself going a helluva lot faster (mmm.. 48/16t..) than 
auto-traffic. maybe i should get a horn and start beeping at cars who aren't 
going fast enough rather than passing them.. ;D

i doubt this law will have much effect on the way people drive around here, 
but all will be well in 12-15 years when the oil runs out and the bikes once 
again take over the streets.



>     and Lee Peters wrote: "I wonder what exactly we do when doored?  Do we 
>track down an officer and request a ticket be given to the driver?"
>
>     Don't get doored. Always ride a door's width away from parked cars. 
>Yes, even if this means you are in the middle of the lane and drivers are 
>honking and screaming. Think of it as your own little Critical Mass. The 
>bill will make it clearer that someone who opens a door suddenly is at 
>fault -- but don't give them the opportunity.
>
>     --Paul Schimek


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