Comments on: To Serve And Protect…Two Open Letters http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/ A community for cyclists in Boston Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:01:58 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Karen http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/comment-page-1/#comment-1060 Karen Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:30:02 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/#comment-1060 hilarious, and sadly accurate hilarious, and sadly accurate

]]> By: Callie Durbrow http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/comment-page-1/#comment-1050 Callie Durbrow Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:49:54 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/#comment-1050 Wow sounds like a scary situation! Too bad the cop didn't help you out more, it's not often they actually see something like that with such a plain view. I agree with you all though; driving, biking, walking in Boston..it's all dangerous!! Wow sounds like a scary situation! Too bad the cop didn’t help you out more, it’s not often they actually see something like that with such a plain view. I agree with you all though; driving, biking, walking in Boston..it’s all dangerous!!

]]> By: mostbutnotall http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/comment-page-1/#comment-1049 mostbutnotall Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:53:08 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/#comment-1049 I often quip about the viability of a commuting-cycler's jersey with a giant middle finger on the back and the front. There are so many occasions when I need to use it and can't (because i am trying to obey the traffic laws) that the shirt would help. It would be more efficient since the times when I feel neutral or happy about a driver's behavior are so rare, I could more easily rescind the gesture for those drivers. Seriously, though, there is something culturally ingrained with driver's attitudes toward cyclists on the road. We just don't seem like real people with any similarities to automobile drivers. I want to say we get treated almost as if we are out recreating - maybe its due to the connection between bikes and "play". Its definitely time to take cycling seriously as a means of transportation. The research community certainly has... I often quip about the viability of a commuting-cycler’s jersey with a giant middle finger on the back and the front. There are so many occasions when I need to use it and can’t (because i am trying to obey the traffic laws) that the shirt would help. It would be more efficient since the times when I feel neutral or happy about a driver’s behavior are so rare, I could more easily rescind the gesture for those drivers. Seriously, though, there is something culturally ingrained with driver’s attitudes toward cyclists on the road. We just don’t seem like real people with any similarities to automobile drivers. I want to say we get treated almost as if we are out recreating – maybe its due to the connection between bikes and “play”. Its definitely time to take cycling seriously as a means of transportation. The research community certainly has…

]]> By: Streetsblog Los Angeles » New Jersey Needs to Face Its Pedestrian Fatality Problem http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/comment-page-1/#comment-1047 Streetsblog Los Angeles » New Jersey Needs to Face Its Pedestrian Fatality Problem Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:06:24 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/#comment-1047 [...] Tucson Bike Lawyer laments the hate-filled nature of online bike vs. pedestrian discourse. And Boston Biker has two open letters: One to the driver who swerved across three lanes of traffic to cut him off, [...] [...] Tucson Bike Lawyer laments the hate-filled nature of online bike vs. pedestrian discourse. And Boston Biker has two open letters: One to the driver who swerved across three lanes of traffic to cut him off, [...]

]]> By: Charmaine http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/comment-page-1/#comment-1046 Charmaine Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:48:59 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/#comment-1046 I had this similar situation happen to me...and I didn't fare as well. I couldn't stop in time (I was going downhill at about 25 mph), and I slammed sideways into the side of the lady's pick-up truck. :( I got knocked out, and when I came to, I had to be transported to the hospital, with busted muscles on my shoulder. Had to have surgery (a pin was inserted) and had to have physical therapy. Was off my bike for a year. :( I got a good settlement from it (court action), but I wouldn't recommend making money like this. :) I had this similar situation happen to me…and I didn’t fare as well. I couldn’t stop in time (I was going downhill at about 25 mph), and I slammed sideways into the side of the lady’s pick-up truck. :( I got knocked out, and when I came to, I had to be transported to the hospital, with busted muscles on my shoulder. Had to have surgery (a pin was inserted) and had to have physical therapy. Was off my bike for a year. :( I got a good settlement from it (court action), but I wouldn’t recommend making money like this. :)

]]> By: Boston Biker http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/comment-page-1/#comment-1045 Boston Biker Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:24:34 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/#comment-1045 Microzen: The thing that really tricked me with this lady was that we were not at an intersection, I was going up Cambridge street towards the state house and she was in the far left lane, and then just WHAM she was going up one of those little side streets (the ones with the big hills), no signal, no motion, just crazy go nuts driving. She nearly hit me, the cab behind me, and in general caused a mess. Thanks for the tips though. Microzen: The thing that really tricked me with this lady was that we were not at an intersection, I was going up Cambridge street towards the state house and she was in the far left lane, and then just WHAM she was going up one of those little side streets (the ones with the big hills), no signal, no motion, just crazy go nuts driving. She nearly hit me, the cab behind me, and in general caused a mess.

Thanks for the tips though.

]]> By: microzen http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/comment-page-1/#comment-1044 microzen Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:17:26 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/#comment-1044 You've got to remember that when biking in Boston, no matter what the law is you are dealing with Boston drivers. I have always felt safer biking in Boston than driving because I can always jump out of the road on a bike. In a car, you are a sitting target. I have yet to meet someone who learned to drive in Boston who doesn't carry on long conversations facing the people in the back seat of their vehicle. When biking in that city, I usual take the no-turn to mean the car is turning at the intersection. I've often felt like yelling at a car going straight through an intersection as misleading me as I thought their intention was to turn by the fact the signal was not in use. You’ve got to remember that when biking in Boston, no matter what the law is you are dealing with Boston drivers.

I have always felt safer biking in Boston than driving because I can always jump out of the road on a bike. In a car, you are a sitting target. I have yet to meet someone who learned to drive in Boston who doesn’t carry on long conversations facing the people in the back seat of their vehicle.

When biking in that city, I usual take the no-turn to mean the car is turning at the intersection. I’ve often felt like yelling at a car going straight through an intersection as misleading me as I thought their intention was to turn by the fact the signal was not in use.

]]> By: m2mayer http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/comment-page-1/#comment-1043 m2mayer Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:28:38 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/#comment-1043 That sucks, man. Especially the response from the cop. Growing up I thought all cops were good, smart men that commanded respect as they protected us from harm. Here in Boston, however, I've found them to be no different than any other lazy moron in the city. That sucks, man. Especially the response from the cop. Growing up I thought all cops were good, smart men that commanded respect as they protected us from harm. Here in Boston, however, I’ve found them to be no different than any other lazy moron in the city.

]]> By: Streetsblog San Francisco » New Jersey Needs to Face Its Pedestrian Fatality Problem http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/comment-page-1/#comment-1042 Streetsblog San Francisco » New Jersey Needs to Face Its Pedestrian Fatality Problem Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:32:31 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/#comment-1042 [...] Tucson Bike Lawyer laments the hate-filled nature of online bike vs. pedestrian discourse. And Boston Biker has two open letters: One to the driver who swerved across three lanes of traffic to cut him off, [...] [...] Tucson Bike Lawyer laments the hate-filled nature of online bike vs. pedestrian discourse. And Boston Biker has two open letters: One to the driver who swerved across three lanes of traffic to cut him off, [...]

]]> By: Boston Biker http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/comment-page-1/#comment-1041 Boston Biker Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:26:31 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/2009/07/28/to-serve-and-protecttwo-open-letters/#comment-1041 Wolftone: As far as I know it has always been illegal to make a right hand turn across three lanes of traffic while smashing into a cyclist...the new law is meant to make it clear that you also can not turn in front a cyclist while turning right from the far right lane. But yea...even though I was doing everything correct and following the law, if the cop is going to be a jerk...well what can you do? Wolftone: As far as I know it has always been illegal to make a right hand turn across three lanes of traffic while smashing into a cyclist…the new law is meant to make it clear that you also can not turn in front a cyclist while turning right from the far right lane.

But yea…even though I was doing everything correct and following the law, if the cop is going to be a jerk…well what can you do?

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