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Dear Jeff Schimpff, DNR, You seem to say two things. First you suggest I am provincial. But instead it was I who thought these sorts of things do happen with fast cars capable of 0-25mph in the space of about a hundred feet. That was in response to the woman who wanted the maximum punishment for this inattentive driver. A driver who was trying to escape the law in that he was driving without a license. But I would expect that in his court hearing he will point to the fact he looked at the child in the care of his Dad, said some words, before he sped off. And the child was not taken for medical care. Certainly standing around would not have helped the child. That is not to excuse the "hit and run", though. He would have been responsible for his damages, nonetheless. But Jeff, in your lecture to me, you seem even more violent than Dorothy Krause. Then you turn in your lecture suggesting to me that these things happen in cities. People are "jerks and inattentive." But that WAS my point. And from the police report, it appeared that the Dad and the daughter were crossing the street, much like pedestrians, except they had to figure how to manage an articulated bicycle with a six year old adding to the instability. It is hard to tell where the red control comes in. There was no mention of a light, but rather a "red signal." I might assume then it was a stop sign in the side street, from Arbor Drive? And the accident occurred at the confluence of three streets. Whatever, both parties did not see each other until it was too later. But in your world, it is fine to consider an "Aztec ceremony on jerks and the inattentive?" Eric __________________________ Police report: On July 22nd, at 6:17 p.m., Madison Police were called to a hit-and-run crash in the 3100 block of Monroe Street. A six-year-old girl was on a tag-along bike that was attached to her dad's bicycle. The 37-year-old father was going to cross Monroe Street at Chapman Street with hopes of pedaling onto Arbor Drive. As he and his daughter were heading across the street a car turned left from Arbor Drive on to Monroe Street. The father yelled out, but it was too late, the '98 Ford Taurus struck the tag-along sending his daughter tumbling into the street. She struck the pavement with enough force to knock off her bicycle helmet. At first the little girl could not breathe. Her dad leaped to her aid and could hear from the driver state, "Oh ----!" as he drove off. Nearby witnesses signaled for the motorist to stop, but he did not. Another motorist followed the suspect and got his license plate. Officers took this information and went to the man's residence where he was arrested. Madison Fire Rescue responded and provided medical assistance to the girl. She did not require a trip to the hospital. Ronald Jordan Beyler, age 24, Madison Mr. Beyler was arrested and tentatively charged with Failure to Render Aid of Injured Person, Operating after Revocation, No Passing in Lane of Oncoming Traffic, & a Red Signal Violation. Schimpff, Jeff A - DNR wrote: Eric, you need to get out more. Come and visit a place with some cars and some stop lights.You'll realize that despite taking every precaution, it is impossible to assure self-protection on public streets unless you stand at an intersection all your remaining days. If some jerk driver you can't even see at the time you begin crossing a street is going to run a red light as this driver did, it is fairly impossible to protect oneself against such a driver's actions. We have to develop a sense of trust that people will obey basic safety laws, and a sense that such laws are worthy of our obedience. When drivers don't keep their end of this social bargain and they harm another person, they may run the risk of having an enraged parent rip out their beating heart and throw the useless organ into the shallows of Lake Wingra, as any aggrieved parent widowed spouse may have a right to do. Any more questions? Jeff Schimpff Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Madison, WI 608-267-7853 "Bus, Bike, Carpool to Work for Clean Air for Kids" -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Eric Westhagen Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:37 PM To: BikiesSubmissions Subject: Re: [Bikies] 6 y/o girl on bike vs hit-and-run driver Dear Group, Just a question? How many pedestrians are hit is some way crossing streets in Madison in a year? Is there a correlation with the population over--say a decade? And in the case of pedestrians crossing streets, they usually look both ways before crossing. Eric Krause, Dorothy wrote: |
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