The Cycling Silk Blog today reminded me of a blog entry that i posted in February 2010 when i had been annoyed by some dangerous driving. Luckily i was able to avoid a collision and injury on those occasions but in May i was seriously inconvenienced when in collision with a car on the route of the Giro d'Italia. That incident left me with a broken helmet, bent handlebars and unable to walk without pain for nearly a week and thus unable to ride any distance for the days between Novi Liguri and the rest day at Plan Corones. Damiano Cunego had seen me in Piacenza shuffling/limping around the team hotel and was surprised to find me riding alongside him and his team mates up the time trial course on the rest day as they recognoitered the climb.
Below is the comment i made to the posting:
"This posting of yours reminds me of a posting i did on my blog in february 2010.
http://parrabuddy.blogspot.com/2010/02/team-pygmy-ridicule.html
With your legal training and expertise it should be possible to set up a Nationally Known Web site where Cyclists can report incidents that a Coop of interested volunteers can review before publicising specific incidents thus Naming & Shaming the Employers who show a disregard to the vunerable in the community !
Too many people have experienced harassment but do not have the tools to enable them to carry forward a successful prosecution of the offenders. Funding is needed and whilst there are some who are able to Donate their time there are others who should be recompensed by the Courts for the work done in processing the matter.
When miscreants see that they can be successfully prosecuted and not only do they have to pay substantial fines for their actions but also that they have to reimburse their victims justifiable expenses, then perhaps it will dawn on these cowardly bullies that there are consequences for their anti social behaviours.
Those volunteering to work with this website would initially review complaints and their time would have a nominal monetary value attached to any complaint and then it would be passed to experts such as yourself for a decision as to whether further expenses can be justified in carrying it forward towards a successful prosecution. Obviously this scrutiny would sift out suspect and frivilous cases and occasionally there will be victims of traffic incidents who will be disappointed that their case was not strong enough to persue to a satisfactory conclusion. "
As you will appreciate there is little i can do alone, just as you will experience the same difficulty, but when like minded people cooperate with each other then there are many possibilities that can be explored. Those who consider what i am proposing worthwhile should at least leave a comment, maybe even sign on as followers or even volunteer your interest direct to Martin who may be persuaded to take up this idea with his following even if he has little time available himself.
Feel free to contact me on skippi@ausi.com with suggestions and advice.
Best wishes to all for the festive season and i hope Santa is kind to you and safe and incident free cycling in the New Year.
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