Anti-Roadrage Slips
Thread started by
outerspace at 02.23.12 - 12:44 pm
This morning my friend said he got into a shouting match with a driver. The driver was really pissed to see a bicycle taking a lane and REALLY needed to be first in line at the next red light, where my friend caught up to the driver and asked if there was a problem. The driver started yelling and my friend recited the CVC code allowing bicycles to use a full lane if it is of substandard width. But the light turned green before my friend finished and he was bummed and asked, "what should I be saying to these people?"
So I came up with the following, to be printed on tiny cheap business cards or simple slips of paper:
--
CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE
as outlined by the
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES
and upheld by the
LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT
21200. (a) A person riding a bicycle upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle.
21202. (a)(3) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway is entitled to the full use of the right-most traffic lane if that lane is not sufficiently wide to safely accommodate the bicycle, a passing motor vehicle, and a safe passing distance between them.
CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE
190. (a) Every person guilty of murder in the second degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for a term of 15 years to life.
193. (a) Voluntary manslaughter is punishable by imprisonment in
the state prison for 3, 6, or 11 years.
193. (c)(3) Vehicular manslaughter is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 4, 6, or 10 years.
--
Thoughts?
I'm thinking of printing out a few of these to keep in my pocket for the next time someone honks and yells. That way I don't have to say anything or yell anything or be tempted to get into a fight. Just hand them a slip of paper that outlines the law and consequences of breaking it, and that should be all you need to do.
Kind of a joke though, since the courts don't ACTUALLY uphold the law. But drivers don't need to know that.
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I've been talking about crafting just such a card - with even more info/bullet-points about our rights, safety, who funds our roads (not automobile taxes), and how *everyone* benefits from more bikes on the road. We could politely hand them out to less-than-informed drivers, improperly parked vehicles and even curious passers-by.
I brought this up @ the first Bike Summit, but have been overwhelmed by work, Occupy, creative endeavors, romantic pursuits (ha!), bicycle rides, yoga, gardening, and so on. Perhaps we can partner up to get this done in March?
~MamaCat
cat(at)catherinecampion(dot)com
CatCampion02.23.12 - 10:37 pm
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Ridazz Roulette!
