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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I commute from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Medford</st1:City></st1:place> to North Station at least 3 to 4
times weekly. The problem as I see it is that some drivers
feel it’s their right to drive and drive fast. Furthermore a good
percentage of them at least on my commute get very upset at the idea that they may
have to slow a bit because I’m making a left turn. Then I get swear
at treatment as they race off.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Furthermore if by accident, they hit a cyclist,
they really have no consequence. So what, there insurance goes up. The
insurance company gets stuck with a 50k dollar bill and the driver gets back in
his car because “it’s his right” and drive too fast again.
And the people who do drive carefully also get stuck with higher insurance
rates. But the many drivers who just go too fast with no regard to
pedestrians or cyclists have no consequences to them and this is the big
problem here.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>The fix as I see it is to make the driver
who hits someone personally liable. If it’s determined the
guy was reckless, then some consequences should apply. If the guy
owns a house or has any assets, the insurance company doesn’t have to get
stuck with the bill. If he has nothing, a percentage should be taken out
of his paycheck for a very long time to cover damages. In this case the
insurance would cover some as well. He also would loose his license
either forever or a long time. Now a driver might think before he
speeds on a city street near pedestrians and cyclists. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I’ve ridden my bike in parts of <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region> and other parts of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>
where cars do slow for cyclist and give them plenty of room. They pass
and instead of speeding and swearing they smile and give a friendly toot on the
horn. I wonder if it’s the laws. I would hazard a guess that
these drivers have a different mindset to the guy who swore at me this morning.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I own a car too, so the guy who swore and
drove to fast and recklessly too potentially makes my car insurance go up too
if he his me. So now I pay by getting hurt, my car insurance may go
up. And the insurance company who wasn’t even there gets stuck with
a bill. Meanwhile the state police usually side with driver and then let
the guy drive home!!! BTW I have proof or this statement, I witnessed an
accident last year involving a car and a cyclist. I know what happened
and I also witnessed the policeman and how he acted and that isn’t the
first time, I’ve seen this.) <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Crazy<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>But there may be a fix. End this notion in
Massachusetts that as a driver hey “ it’s my right to drive and get
out of my way; the roads are mine and I can do what I like with my car because
if I hit you, I’ll just say it was your fault and get away with it; I pay
nothing and get to drive and do it all again.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>End this with consequences. But how?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
bostoncriticalmass-bounces@bostoncriticalmass.org
[mailto:bostoncriticalmass-bounces@bostoncriticalmass.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Jameson Bull<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, January 30, 2008
11:49 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> Boston Critical Mass<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [*BCM*] Motorist
kills cyclist, sues for car damages</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Not that I'm suggesting
we ignore stories like this, but I think I'm going to start a trend of sending
around <i><span style='font-style:italic'>happy</span></i> cycling stories. <br>
<br>
-Jamie<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>On Jan 30, 2008 10:44 AM, Eric Mearns <<a
href="mailto:ericmearns@gmail.com">ericmearns@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><a
href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/01/30/spain.luxury.car/index.html"
target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/01/30/spain.luxury.car/index.html</a><br>
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