Shoot A Cyclist For Safety
’)
Yesterday outside of Asheville, NC a motorist became so enraged at a cyclist for legally riding on a public road - that he shot him in the head... with the victim's 3-year old son in the bike seat behind him. According to the police, the bullet came within an inch of killing the cyclist.
To repeat: A gunman narrowly missed killing a father in front of his child ... because he was frustrated at him for not being safe enough.
Thank goodness no one was injured, but this incident brings an important point to the fore. When our transportation infrastructure is geared only to automobiles, then anyone choosing to share the road is (1) at risk from drivers; and (2) often perceived as an interloper that has no business on the street.
The unhinged gunman had a valid premise, which I imagine is shared by the victim - It's dangerous for cyclists on our roads. Yesterday's shooting was a dramatic event, but every day cyclists are injured on our roads by careless drivers and by our lack of adequate infrastructure. On my bike I've been cut off, had doors opened into my path, had objects thrown at me, and have several times narrowly missed serious accidents in motion. In my car, I've been diligent about treating bicycles like any other vehicle on the road - giving a wide berth, signaling, and respecting their journey as much as I want them to respect mine.
Among the reasons that cycling is dangerous are a lack of bike lanes, an uneasy relationship between motorists and cyclists, and the inherent hazards of a lot of people trying to get from one place to another quickly. Add the occasional armed hothead, and a dicey situation becomes downright hostile.
Content Source: scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/07/27/shoot-a-cyclist-for-safety
What's New - New Articles, Content and Blogs About Blogs
- Helping Haiti's Homeless by Verbal Kint
- Southeast Mountain Community Extends Help to the Gulf by Explore Asheville
- Ask Bubbi Advice Column - Monday May 24th 2010 by Ask Bubbi
- Ask Bubbi Advice Column - Monday May 17th 2010 by Ask Bubbi
- Ask Bubbi Advice Column - Monday May 10th 2010 by Ask Bubbi
- Ask Bubbi Advice Column - Monday May 3rd 2010 by Ask Bubbi
- Ask Bubbi Advice Column - Monday April 26th 2010 by Ask Bubbi
- Ask Bubbi Advice Column - Monday April 19th 2010 by Ask Bubbi
- Ask Bubbi Advice Column - Monday April 12th 2010 by Ask Bubbi
- Ask Bubbi Advice Column - Monday April 5th 2010 by Ask Bubbi
- Autism Consulting and Training, Inc. now offers visual strategies t... by Jennifer Strauss
- Thoughts On Turning Sixty by Debi Drecksler
- Unique Fall Adventures in Asheville by Explore Asheville
- Fall Travel Packages for Asheville, NC by Explore Asheville
- Fall Color Report - It's Officially the Last Week of Summer by Explore Asheville
- Tourism Officials Award $2.25 Million to Community Projects by Explore Asheville
- Use These Vacation Stress Relief Strategies for Optimum Results by Gail Stein
- Asheville Based AvL Technologies Announces Significant Expansion Plans by Asheville Area Chamber...
- YWCA TWIN Honorees Announced by YWCA Asheville
- Patsy Keever Endorsed By The Women's National Campaign Forum by Asheville Now
- Should a student take the ACT or the SAT? by Brian Caskey
- Have you heard about Blind Pig of Asheville??? by Justin Belleme
- North Carolina Drug Card by Bert Melancon
- Markets Don't Matter, Karma Does by Michele Williams
- Incumbent Reisinger Seeks Election to Buncombe County Register of D... by Justin Belleme
- Asheville named a finalist to host USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National... by Asheville Now
- New Year's Eve with Acoustic Syndicate by Molly Kummerle
- Toubab Krewe Returns to the Orange Peel for New Years Eve by Molly Kummerle
- The Billy Sea at The White Horse Black Mountain 12/10/11 by Molly Kummerle
- Free PSAT Results Analysis at Chyten! by Brian Caskey
Comments
P jones - Tuesday, August 04, 2009 @ 10:49:49 am
Although as you say most are courteous and when long lines of traffic are behind them they will let you around, BUT, in downtown Asheville, they run lights, ride on sidewalks, they do not obey the traffic laws, ALSO what do you do why a bike broadsides a car, forget about the damage and just fix it yourself even though it wasn't your fault? If cars have to have insurance so should bikes and mopeds or stay off of the road.
Post A Comment
About the Author - Scrutiny Hooligans
Contact Scrutiny Hooligans:
Scrutiny Hooligans
www.scrutinyhooligans.us
Bill - Friday, July 31, 2009 @ 11:37:32 am
It was not outside Asheville, it was on Tunnel Road, and the "motorist" was an off-duty firefighter for the City of Asheville.
He is still being paid, despite being remanded on 250k bail and being indicted on attempted 1st degree murder.