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Featured Update on bicycle accident case..

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by evangelist6589, Mar 17, 2012.

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  1. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    I had a thread back in early February about me getting into a accident with a car on my bicycle. Well I went to court on thursday and pleased not guilty and the fine was removed. The judge said that by the letter of the law I was guilty on 2 counts which were riding on the sidewalk and riding against traffic. However the judge agreed with me that riding a bicycle on that part of Pleasantberg drive is not very wise. I had told the judge in my defense of my actions that I would never ride a bike on that drive again because people drive like the freeway on that road. Riding with traffic and on the road with the drivers when there is no bike lane is very very foolish regardless of what the law claims. I was cleared and was free to go paying no fines.
     
    #1 evangelist6589, Mar 17, 2012
  2. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Wait - you were not only on the sidewalk but going against traffic? Wow - no wonder you got in an accident!!! You were very fortunate to get a judge who was kind.
     
    #2 annsni, Mar 17, 2012
  3. HAMel

    HAMel Well-Known Member
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    Good for you! Anytime you can escape paying another "tax" to the state then it was a good day.

    Unlike some who might try to imply your accident was the cause of "Un-confessed Sin" or some other nonsense, a bicycle and/or motorcycles are fair game to those in cars. Gotta watch where you ride.
     
    #3 HAMel, Mar 17, 2012
  4. 12strings

    12strings Active Member

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    I used to ride my bicycle on the roads of downtown Boston nearly every day during rush hour! (I was riding to work)

    I was riding WITH the traffic... :thumbs:
     
    #4 12strings, Mar 17, 2012
  5. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    Yep, most moving violations are just a racket conducted to fill the coffers of local and state agencies who admit they aren't being good managers of the resources given and thus need to find other "legal" ways of getting $$$ out of taxpayers.
     
    #5 preachinjesus, Mar 17, 2012
  6. Jerome

    Jerome Well-Known Member
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    Were you actually found innocent, or did the judge just waive the fine?
     
    #6 Jerome, Mar 17, 2012
  7. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    MASS DRIVERS :eek:....your lucky your not dead!
     
    #7 Earth Wind and Fire, Mar 17, 2012
  8. 12strings

    12strings Active Member

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    Luckily, much of the time rush hour in Boston means my bike can go about as fast as the cars are moving. :)
     
    #8 12strings, Mar 17, 2012
  9. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    One cant get past from that side of the intersection to the other as there is no walking light on that side of the road. People often drive like the freeway on that road. I have yet to see a bicycle rider riding with the traffic on that road. The judge did not just do this in kindness she 100% agreed with me that that road is unsafe to drive on regardless of the law.
     
    #9 evangelist6589, Mar 17, 2012
  10. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    Its 10 times safer to ride on the sidewalk than on the road where people drive like the freeway and there is no bike lane. Even the judge agreed with this one. The law needs to be changed in this regard, but it wont get changed as long as there are no activists around here. There are states and or countries that agree with me about riding on the sidewalk.
     
    #10 evangelist6589, Mar 17, 2012
  11. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    By the letter of the law no. But the judge agreed with my actions for riding on the sidewalk on that road. The letter of the law needs to get changed in this area, but it wont get changed since so few ride bikes here. There are states and or countries that would agree with me on this one.
     
    #11 evangelist6589, Mar 17, 2012
  12. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    As you learned, riding on the sidewalk is never safe. If it is too unsafe to ride your bike in the road (and in over 10,000 miles, I've only had to do this across two bridges), then you walk your bike on the sidewalk. Not only is that the law, it is most courteous to pedestrians and safest for the biker.
     
    #12 annsni, Mar 17, 2012
  13. Arbo

    Arbo Active Member
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    You must feel very justified in breaking the law now.
     
    #13 Arbo, Mar 17, 2012
  14. HAMel

    HAMel Well-Known Member
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    You must feel very justified in breaking the law now.

    That's an amazing thing to say. I mean, he did go before a judge, right? And his case was adjudicated, right? It was decided no harm was committed, right? And somehow he's to feel justified in breaking the law?

    I'll bet you have never driven over the speed limit in all your life, right? Come to a complete stop, always? Never crossed the double line? Never sped up to beat the red light, never?

    So what justifies a need to offer up a guilt trip here?
     
    #14 HAMel, Mar 18, 2012
  15. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Have you read the OPs posts? He feels he was not wrong and he had to break the law and the law is stupid and apparently he says the judge agrees that he did the right thing - breaking the law.
     
    #15 annsni, Mar 18, 2012
  16. HAMel

    HAMel Well-Known Member
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    Have you read the OPs posts? He feels he was not wrong and he had to break the law and the law is stupid and apparently he says the judge agrees that he did the right thing - breaking the law.

    Yes, I read it and obviously, you read the part about him presenting himself in front of the Judge.

    This does not present an opportunity for another to place a guilt trip by asking if he feels justified by breaking the law. As I asked, have any of us ever broken the speed limit? At the time did we feel justified?
     
    #16 HAMel, Mar 18, 2012
  17. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Yes, I broke the speed limit and was caught and admitted I was wrong, paid my penalty and moved on. I would only feel justified if I had an emergency but I would not make excuses. I would still be wrong.
     
    #17 annsni, Mar 18, 2012
  18. HAMel

    HAMel Well-Known Member
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    The OP admitted he was wrong in front of a judge. He explained "his" emergent situation and the Judge agreed.

    The only point I am trying to make here is that we should not sit in judgement of another. That's not Christian. More aptly, criticism would be justified had he refused to go to court and/or refused to pay his fine or assumed some other radical approach in defiance. I see none of that.
     
    #18 HAMel, Mar 18, 2012
  19. Arbo

    Arbo Active Member
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    Disagree. Evangelist opened himself up to criticism by posting about his attitude toward the law.
     
    #19 Arbo, Mar 18, 2012
  20. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    However, he has stated his disagreement of the law and those of us with much greater experiences biking disagree with his statements. I do not speak out of ignorance but as one who has biked over 10,000 miles including biking through New York City and Boston and all kinds of roads. The sidewalk is not the place for a bicycle being ridden and if one cannot ride on the road or a path, they should hand walk their bikes on the sidewalk for their safety and others.
     
    #20 annsni, Mar 18, 2012
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