″I′ll be more OK…

A 49-year-old Chesterfield Township man disgruntled over a traffic ticket and crash with a Roseville Police car admitted he’s been dumping screws and nails in the Roseville city hall and police department parking lots once or twice a week since late February, blowing out tires, according to investigators.
Detroit Free Press, March 24th, 2010

…with bikes sharing the roads with cars…

About 10 minutes after a Westland mother drove drunk and broadsided another vehicle in Ferndale, then fled with her 4-year-old in the backseat, police said, Jean Timlin’s Honda CRV was pulled over.
Detroit Free Press, March 5th, 2010

…when the bikers start following…

Six preschoolers were injured Tuesday after they were struck by flying glass and debris when their teacher accidentally backed her SUV through a side window wall of their Franklin village school, police said.
Detroit Free Press, March 10th, 2010

…the same rules of the road.”

Charges have been filed against the Dearborn Heights man accused of running over a corporal in the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office with the officer’s own car.

Jeffery Lamar Jones, 32, was charged with two counts of assault with intent to commit murder; two counts of felonious assault; carjacking; two counts of fleeing and eluding; felonious driving; resisting and obstructing a police officer causing serious impairment; failure to stop at a personal injury accident; operating with a suspended license; and marijuana possession, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
Detroit Free Press, March 16th, 2010

The italicized quote shown above is from a Royal Oak web forum, but it’s not an uncommon statement. Some consider it okay to consider cyclists as a collective group — a group that bears responsibility for everyones individual actions. This is perpetuated by cyclists who say we all need to uphold the collective reputation of cycling.

It’s nonsense.

Do individual motorists accept responsibility for all motorists? Do motorists feel compelled to uphold their collective reputation every time they get behind the wheel?Are motorists at risk of losing access to all public roads because of the egregious behaviors listed above? Of course not.

Michigan law grants roads access to individuals riding bicyclists just as it does for motorists.

The bottom line is there’s no double-standard.

WashCycle’s The Myth of the Scofflaw Cyclist does an admiral job discussing this issue in greater detail.

Tags: Fundamental Attribution Error, Law

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 25th, 2010 at 6:06 am and is filed under General bike news, Law. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.