All I know is that the officer told me that my attack would have been a felony, if I'd have gotten the plate #. I think we (bikies) need to be more vigilant than ever & just take over the bloody road if cars are going to treat us that way. Anyone who owns a white pickup truck better watch out because I'm now on the prowl... -Aaron
Cathy Van Maren <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Eric writes that the Vernon County incident should be left as an accident and that's that. I'm sorry to clog up the list with non-Madison bike stuff. I just think it's too easy for drivers to be let off. This has happened in La Crosse - a bicyclist killed from behind and no charges - and in Dane Co. and all over the place. In rural Wisconsin there is often a culture of us (real red meat eatin' Americans) and them (hippie bicyclists in their silly tight shorts). This seems to be strong in Vernon, where Organic Valley and the Waldorf schools have brought many new "different thinking" residents to the county. Some older residents are afraid of the change. I think the whole biking community needs to make a big deal out of all of these, accidents or not. Drivers of giant heavy dangerous machines have the duty to watch out for pedestrians, bicyclists, Amish buggies and other slower moving vehicles. But unless they're made to be held responsible, sometimes they are not. Disturbing in the VC incident is the sheriff's obvious, to me, siding with the driver and ready to move along. I'd still like to know whether or not alcohol was involved, was there damage to the vehicle and whether or not there will even be a ticket for passing an a no pass zone, following too closely, unsafe driving, etc. But as long as these "accidents" are allowed to happen and that's that, I think it emboldens the attack drivers (and passengers) we've all had experiences with. Drunk drivers are still a major menace but thanks to MADD and others, at least culturally it's not taken as lightly as it used to be. Maybe there needs to be an organization called BADD (Bicyclists Against Dangerous Drivers), as angry and active as ACT Up was about AIDS, to make a big deal every time. I saw SICKO (at home - it's not in any theaters here) last night. In one segment, Moore interviews Tony Benn, a veteran Old Labour politician. Benn notes that people don't take and use the power they have when they are afraid and hopeless. And people in power just take more of it as long as they can. He was speaking economically, but it's also true Bike-onomically. Is this a 'new direction" for BFW? I stopped paying in when I heard about the Dar Dump. So, no more on this incident unless some charges are brought or a real investigation turns up some criminal activity. - cathy in la crosse _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies Please visit www.active.com/donate/act5/crandall to sponsor my bicycle ride in Aug to benefit the AIDS Network. --------------------------------- Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links.
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