Comments on: Victims Arrested, Assailants Walk Free: Dark Days for Traffic Justice http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/18/victims-arrested-assailants-walk-free-dark-days-for-traffic-justice/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Adam http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/18/victims-arrested-assailants-walk-free-dark-days-for-traffic-justice/comment-page-1/#comment-104351 Adam Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:55:14 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=31181#comment-104351 ^Is this true? I'd like to see some proof. If it's true we have all the proof we need to discredit a lot of these people. ^Is this true? I’d like to see some proof. If it’s true we have all the proof we need to discredit a lot of these people.

]]> By: MrManhattan http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/18/victims-arrested-assailants-walk-free-dark-days-for-traffic-justice/comment-page-1/#comment-103291 MrManhattan Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:58:47 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=31181#comment-103291 The real problem is that the majority of police and prosecutors aren't city residents, and therefore don't regard anything without a car wrapped around it as human. Time for home rule. Where's our "teabag" party ??? The real problem is that the majority of police and prosecutors aren’t city residents, and therefore don’t regard anything without a car wrapped around it as human.

Time for home rule. Where’s our “teabag” party ???

]]> By: xxx http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/18/victims-arrested-assailants-walk-free-dark-days-for-traffic-justice/comment-page-1/#comment-103231 xxx Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:36:46 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=31181#comment-103231 There are two factors: vehicular assault and the right to defend oneself. If you are on a bike and a car passes you close enough that you can reach it, the car is dangerously close. In many jurisdictions it is illegally close. If you feel that your life or safety is threatened, you have a right to defend yourself. In this type of case a person on a bicycle punching, hitting or kicking an SUV would be a perfectly justified as this is a form of fending off an attacker that poses an immediate threat. If the driver makes any statement that a cyclist struck the vehicle while being passed, the driver has made a de facto admission of unsafe passing, and should be ticketed. Also, I don't see how criminal mischief would apply if no damage was done. This charge is typically applied in cases of vandalism, breaking windows, etc. I've got a friend who works on the railroad. He was flagging a crossing (without gates or lights) and a driver decided to race the train, and almost run over my friend while doing it. My friend kicked the car as it passed and put a good dent in it. The driver called the cops to complain about the damage done to his car, and the cops wrote him a ticket for not stopping for the train. No ticket for my friend, who was almost run over. As it should be. There are two factors: vehicular assault and the right to defend oneself. If you are on a bike and a car passes you close enough that you can reach it, the car is dangerously close. In many jurisdictions it is illegally close. If you feel that your life or safety is threatened, you have a right to defend yourself. In this type of case a person on a bicycle punching, hitting or kicking an SUV would be a perfectly justified as this is a form of fending off an attacker that poses an immediate threat. If the driver makes any statement that a cyclist struck the vehicle while being passed, the driver has made a de facto admission of unsafe passing, and should be ticketed.

Also, I don’t see how criminal mischief would apply if no damage was done. This charge is typically applied in cases of vandalism, breaking windows, etc.

I’ve got a friend who works on the railroad. He was flagging a crossing (without gates or lights) and a driver decided to race the train, and almost run over my friend while doing it. My friend kicked the car as it passed and put a good dent in it. The driver called the cops to complain about the damage done to his car, and the cops wrote him a ticket for not stopping for the train. No ticket for my friend, who was almost run over. As it should be.

]]> By: Andy B from Jersey http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/18/victims-arrested-assailants-walk-free-dark-days-for-traffic-justice/comment-page-1/#comment-103041 Andy B from Jersey Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:23:49 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=31181#comment-103041 Makes me think twice about coming into the city this weekend to enjoy the last of the Summer Streets weekends. Maybe I should go for a ride out in the Somerset Hills instead and spend my money out there on my post ride sit-down lunch. Also remind me to be teleported to Walk 21 in October. Don't want to run the risk of leaning against someones car, requiring a call to the SWAT Team. Makes me think twice about coming into the city this weekend to enjoy the last of the Summer Streets weekends. Maybe I should go for a ride out in the Somerset Hills instead and spend my money out there on my post ride sit-down lunch.

Also remind me to be teleported to Walk 21 in October. Don’t want to run the risk of leaning against someones car, requiring a call to the SWAT Team.

]]> By: Mark Walker http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/18/victims-arrested-assailants-walk-free-dark-days-for-traffic-justice/comment-page-1/#comment-102971 Mark Walker Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:39:53 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=31181#comment-102971 Kaja's most thrilling post ever. Kaja’s most thrilling post ever.

]]> By: Kaja http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/08/18/victims-arrested-assailants-walk-free-dark-days-for-traffic-justice/comment-page-1/#comment-102931 Kaja Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:08:08 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=31181#comment-102931 Eventually, the law will be enforced even if people have to do it themselves. Authorities would do well to realize this. Eventually, the law will be enforced even if people have to do it themselves. Authorities would do well to realize this.

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