Without faith you have nothing, whether its a belief in a deity or belief that government works. Government is never perfect and sometimes gets fairness mixed up with expediency (or just plain laziness). But, for the most part, most public servents are sincere in doing what is right and they get it right most of the time. I have faith in that.
The court system is in place when government doesn't get it right. However, if all you believe that it is government's job to make life miserable, then you will see evidence of that in the smallest detail wherein the in the greater context evil was never intended at all. I feel that precident and practice prevails over fearful prediction. Liike someone else said, not all bikes and bikers ride at night. So, a "bike light rule" can not be enforced during the day. But if the cyclist should cause a crash at night for lack of visibility, then the cyclist can be cited for lack of night time gear of lights and/or reflectors. My two cents worth Darryl --- Eric Westhagen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Re: [Bikies] Slippery slope > Date: Fri, 06 Jul 2007 01:11:31 -0500 > From: Eric Westhagen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Darryl Jordan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > References: > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Indeed you are right. Common sense does advocate > dim lights rather than > no lights. But your faith in the fairness and > compliance in State > regulated cycling is misdirected. > > Eric > > Darryl Jordan wrote: > > > The issue is being seen. A weak light or even a > > reflector is better than nothing at all. And it > isn't > > a matter of government intervention as it is > public > > safety. As a driver and cyclist, I have been taken > by > > surprise by those cyclists at night who do NOT > have > > any lights or reflectors at all. Once, I nearly > > avoided a head-on collision on a city bike path > with > > some old guy putzing along in what I call "stealth > > mode." > > > > As a driver I have seen approaching cyclists with > weak > > lights. But at least I've seen them. Whether or > not > > they are doing any good for the cyclists' forward > > visability is another issue. In an urban > environment, > > there are usually (not always) enough street > lights to > > see by. > > > > If you are fearing some government crackdown for > > insufficient lighting, common sense will tell you > that > > most police officers won't cite such an ordinance > > unless a crash occured or if they saw other safety > > violations or concerns by the cyclist. However, I > feel > > that public knowledge that there is enforcement > even > > if it's after the fact should be enough to > encourage > > night time visability. And reduction in night > crashes > > leads to less time and tax money spent by public > > servants. In the end, I would lean toward more > safety > > promotion and less tax money expenditures. > > > > Darryl > > > > > > --- Eric Westhagen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > > > Dear Bidget, > > > > > > Since you ask----This is not the same as lights > on > > > cars and trucks. If > > > the motivation by the cyclist is not not enough, > it > > > is doubtful the > > > cyclist will do more damage to others than he > would > > > with lights. > > > Personally, I have an LED tail light and a dandy > new > > > Cateye white > > > light. But these AAA battery lights are hardly > as > > > reliable as > > > automotive lighting. How would you like a fine > if > > > you are caught out > > > with a dim or faulty light. And if a small LED > > > works, maybe there will > > > then be a standards committee that will > determine > > > yours isn't bright > > > enough? etc. etc. Then maybe we should outlaw > > > "fast bikes" which sneak > > > up on people or drop handlebars because a person > is > > > in less > > > control---triathelon bars, sewup > tires------------. > > > > > > Eric > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Bikies mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > > > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
