[BCM] UAV accosts biker in Brookline

Tue May 27 09:29:59 EDT 2008

For what it is worth, I think you did the right thing as well.  You're
guessing at a lot of what went on, and who knows whom and what the
background was.  But the cops took you seriously enough to turn up and
talk to the kid, which is not unimpressive when the only thing they've
got to base the complaint on is "this kid turned quickly and swore at
me."  You say he did, the kid says he didn't, at that point without
film, incident or injury I'm not entirely sure what you expected the
cops to do, but at the same time there's now something on file and if
God forbid this kid gets a ticket, etc for reckless driving at some
point, the "I've never had a problem before" plea of mitigation isn't
going to wash.  

Besides, you never know what might happen or who's watching.  I
witnessed some shocking driving by a driving instructor the other day on
my drive home.  In a fully marked up licensed car.  I'm sure he thought
that since there wasn't a passenger/learner driver in the car, it didn't
matter.

Which is probably why he didn't pay attention when while waiting behind
him at the stoplight, what turned out to be legal counsel for his
employer used her (meaning: my) cell phone to record the time, place and
his license plate details and then came in Monday morning and made sure
he lost his employment with us for gross misconduct.  It would have been
easy to do nothing.  But when you do nothing, you become a part of the
problem instead of part of the solution.  

The cops may have been limited in terms of what they could do, and it is
always smart to be friendly to the police (not acquiesce, just polite
and friendly) if they're talking to you about any incident as antagonism
doesn't get you anywhere helpful, which obviously this guy knew but it
is on all the people concerned's radar now.  

________________________________

From: bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org
[mailto:bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org] On Behalf Of
Lee Peters
Sent: 27 May 2008 14:21
To: Boston Critical Mass
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] UAV accosts biker in Brookline

B

I think you did the right thing and appreciate your doing so.  You may
have run into nepotism, but think of it in a different way....  You may
have witnessed 'community policing' where the cop allied himself with
the adults to unify their front to deal with the kid.

You put the bicyclists back on the radar screen....

L

	----- Original Message ----- 

	From: Basil Sharpe <mailto:bsharpe at redcoatpublishing.com>  

	To: Boston Critical Mass <mailto:list at bostoncriticalmass.org>  

	Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2008 9:04 AM

	Subject: Re: [*BCM*] UAV accosts biker in Brookline

	Thanks E O for your words.

	       I'm still trying to figure out if I did the right thing
last night.  I don't think so.   I was riding on a Sanders road in
Medford when an SUV came very quickly around the corner without any
regard to if someone might be there or not, swore at me to get the f out
of his way.   I noticed he turned and parked on Scott St just a block
away so I called Medford Police.  A cruiser showed up.   I watched the
whole thing as some guy came out shook the officers hand; obviously they
were buddies.  Next the kid who was driving the SUV comes out and the
officer has some words with him.  The kid has a sorta smirk on his face.
Turns out the kid was 17 years old and the officer said he spoke to the
kid and that these things work against the kid -whatever that means.
The thing is I got the distict feeling that this cop just saw me as a
nuisance and the Kid thought the whole thing was pretty funny.  Here's a
kid who has this attitude driving a brand new 200 plus horsepower tank
and his parents and other adults see it as perfectly fine.  I think I
may have just wasted my time by calling the cops.   The cop obviously
know the adults in the house but told me they were not the kids parents.
The cop then said to me "well no one was hurt".   As you say stay calm
and the odds ARE stacked against us.  Awful but true.  In retrospect, I
should have just rode on and ignored it.  I will always do that now.

	B

________________________________

	From: bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org
[mailto:bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org] On Behalf Of
E O Altman
	Sent: Sunday, May 25, 2008 1:10 PM
	To: list at bostoncriticalmass.org
	Subject: [*BCM*] UAV accosts biker in Brookline

	I do not condone bad or aggressive driving, by UAVs (urban
assault vehicles) or pedalcyclists.

	When will we, as a community of cyclists, get together on this?

	It stands to reason that every time a cyclist pulls a BS move in
traffic or aggresses a vehicular driver or a pedestrian that that
cyclist is creating a wave of negativity that may well take down another
hapless, law-abiding, careful, courteous cyclist later on.

	I empathize with the cyclist in Brookline.  There are plenty of
drivers out there who navigate carelessly, even with hostility in their
hearts, around cyclists.  Quell the urge to hit back.  Stay calm and be
vigilant.  The odds ARE stacked against us cyclists in more ways than
you may realize.

	Some years ago I was hit by a car.  I was hurt pretty badly:
coma, back and neck injuries, wrecked bike and bike clothing (thousands
of dollars).  Even so, several lawyers told me that it would not be
worth my while to seek compensation for my losses, that it would cost me
thousands (investigative costs) on the front end, to try to get damages
from the offending driver. By the time a trial could be scheduled, I
would walk into the courtroom, tall, healthy-looking, etc. (even though
I still have to take pain-killers and have adjustments seven years after
the accident).  The jury, most of whom would be licensed drivers, would
quite likely not see it my way.  All the defense needed was a single
juror who had an issue with cyclists.  Every day drivers are put out by
cyclists in this city.  Ultimately, we lose; and, when we do, we lose
big time!

	According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,

	In 2002, 662 pedalcyclists were killed and an additional 48,000
were

	injured in traffic crashes.  [Forty-eight thousand!]

	The number of pedalcyclist fatalities in 2002 was 8 percent
lower than the

	723 fatalities reported in 1992. The highest number of
pedalcyclist fatalities

	ever recorded in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)
was 1,003

	in 1975.

	These numbers are staggering.  Even so, statistics seem to be
improving for pedalcyclists.  There are many reasons for this, e.g.:
there are more pedalcyclists (when they get behind the wheel of a car
they tend to empathize with those who are biking and exercise greater
care); cities are working to improve bicycle safety with improved street
designs and signs, safety awareness programs and laws; there are more
biking clubs, with ever increasing memberships, dedicated to getting
people out on bicycles and riding safely.

	Critical Mass Boston riders really need to re-evaluate why they
come together to ride through Boston.

	The aggressors who ride in Critical Mass think they are cool.
They are not doing any of us any favors.  When the safe cyclist ignors
the hooligan on a bicycle, he is contributing to growing hostilities
directed at cyclists.  

	Thi year' May Day, I rode (for 2 blocks, before I pulled up - I
did not want to be part of the negative energy being created) with the
Boston Critical Mass Ride.  My vocal requests for fairness, to share the
road, were met with sophomoric sneers.  On their way to protest the
"unfair treatment of immigrants", to sing about peace and gentle
diplomacy, to celebrate the working man (and woman) who is the
foundation of America, the May Day Critical Mass cyclists went out to
attack Boston.  Even though it was a small crowd of bikers, they still
managed to harass drivers, enter and block intersections when they did
not have the right of way, whoop and holler and disrupt the peace.

	Do not get drawn into the mob fray.   Be a role model of safe,
courteous, law-abiding cycling.  If you are going to ride in traffic,
ride accordingly: refrain from dawdling and disrupting the flow of
traffic, signal your intentions and move accordingly, obey traffic
rules, yield to pedestrians (do not weave through those walking when
they have the right of way and do not block crosswalks), smile, have fun
and pay attention.

	I know we can make Boston a more bike-friendly town.  Every time
a cyclist pulls a BS move in traffic or aggresses a vehicular driver or
a pedestrian we make our town less friendly and our streets more
dangerous for all. 

	e o altman

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