WE RIDE BIKES ! ALLOW US TO ENJOY THE RIDE IN SAFETY !

WE RIDE BIKES ! ALLOW US TO ENJOY THE RIDE IN SAFETY !
There are NO " RIGHTS "! THERE IS MUTUAL RESPECT !

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

NO DAMAGE ? Doesn't matter then !

Deja Vue ? Another example of " Careless / inconsiderate Driving or worse ? Reaching the point that the B171 an Austrian Road that stretches from the German Border through Tirol to Vorarlberg , is not a safe place to ride a BIKE ! Even when you ride on this route you are subjected to " Subliminal Ads / discarded Red bull Cans " !  No doubt there are some tthat recall my blog post on this matter many months ago ?

Here is my comment to the Seattle Blog , where the 3rd/4th Death of a Vulnerable Road user in a Suburb was reported today :

  "  http://www.seattlebikeblog.com/2014/03/24/kenmore-19-year-old-killed-while-biking-in-crosswalk/#more-263194

Police throughout the World have reached the point where they ask , "Are you hurt , is there property damage "?

Answer NO ?

 " Doesn't matter then " !  They take no notes and show you the door !

Yesterday in Tirol , Austria , just such an occasion :

1045am eastbound on B171 in sunny , dry conditions about 100M inside the 60kph zone , as i was passed by a grey opel 4 door , the wing mirror was folded back by a touch on my body . The driver was so intent on turning into the RHS side street that i had to go around with them , as i beat my closed fist on the passenger window . Wearing a bright green wind jacket with orange parcel on the tri bars , it would be a BLIND driver that was unable to see me !

Having come to a stop , in a way that a person might make a U turn , i went around the front of the opel to speak to the driver . She looked at me , looked to see the road was clear and drove off in the easterly direction . Fortunately she arrived in a traffic queue , so that i was able to catch up and bang the window and indicate to pull over . She ignored this and as the traffic started  , she drove away with the following truck banging on his klaxon indicating his impatience .

Local Polizei Officer ( in 50s thus not taught English at school ) unable to speak precise English , did as i requested , called for English Speaking help . Though i only lost half an hour , it would appear that Austria Law will not allow me driver details and since they took no detail , for them the matter is of NO CONSEQUENCE !

THIS driver will continue to behave in a similar manner until she leaves someone for DEAD ! The Polizei will appeal for " Witnesses / the perpetrator THEN , but what can be expected until the Traffic Laws are reviewed ? Polizei handcuffed by regulation is the NIGHTMARE of the Vulnerable !

Are YOU supposed to call an Ambulance , each time you are touched by /or sent flying off the bike with no apparent damage , by a VEHICLE ? Seems to be the ONLY course left in order to get an OFFICIAL record of an event such as these !

At 68yo , i have ridden more than 7000km this year , including the bulk of the " Tirreno-Adriatico ProWorld Road Race . I am not found riding less than 35kph unless uphill , so there is NO EXCUSE for a following Vehicle to claim iam impeding their progress !

As an advocate for " Physically Challenged Sport " i am known in many Sports , i have NO WISH to join their ranks , nor wear a wooden overcoat !

As a matter of course i try to find those that cause me grief on the road ! I follow them into the Client they are delivering/ collecting , follow to their Depot or House . There i explain in plain language the consequences of their thoughtless behaviour , remind them that since they do not see the front of the Cyclist , it could very well be Members of their FAMILY or their Church , then ask them HOW THEY WOULD FEEL ?

Very few take the " Couldn't care less approach " , some Company Management will ask for the Polizei to be called , thinking that this will result in the matter going away . What many Truck Company Executives need to remember is that their Drivers when involved in a Road death , COULD be considered for a "Corporate Manslaughter Charge " !  When a few of these hit the Headlines , it will be TOO LATE for the Cyclist/Pedestrian involved , but perhaps it may result in a rewrite of the Road Codes allowing for STIFFER Penalties !

Recently i remarked on an anomaly in the UK Road Code ! It allowed for those Cretins who leave a Person for DEAD after a " Coward Pass ( hit & run ) , then " hand themselves in " after Sobering Up/ Drug Use disipating , thus being charged with " Leaving the Scene,etc " with a minimal sentence , rather than risking the 14 years for " Death by Dangerous driving ,etc "!

YES it is " Human Nature " to save your neck , but the " Testing Facilities " are there which can detect and extrapolate the usuage many days later ! YES it costs MONEY and locking up ther perp does not bring back the VICTIM !

Do we have to wait until it is the Family of a Prominaent Politician before there is ACTION ?



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