It seems there is justice after all. The doctor that slammed on his brakes after passing two cyclists will spend some time in the poky (no anal-sex jokes intended).
The streets are full of criminal users. Joggers and kids playing are bad enough, but the worst are cyclists! Well that was probably the thought of a certain ER doc named Christopher Thompson. Seems he needed to get back at all those bikers who have slowed him down one time or another by inflicting great bodily harm on a couple of riders. He told police shortly after the assault that he wanted to "teach them a lesson". That he did, but it seems he has learned his own lesson here. link http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/...
A doctor convicted of assaulting two bicyclists by slamming on his car brakes after a confrontation on a narrow Brentwood road was sentenced today to five years in prison.
Christopher Thompson, wearing dark blue jail scrubs, wept as he apologized to the injured cyclists shortly before he was sentenced.
"I would like to apologize deeply, profoundly from the bottom of my heart," he told them, his right hand cuffed to a court chair.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Scott T. Millington called the case a "wake-up call" to motorists and cyclists and urged local government to provide riders with more bike lanes. He said he believed that Thompson had shown a lack of remorse during the case and that the victims were particularly vulnerable while riding their bicycles.
Look, I know we cyclists, commuters and hammer heads alike, are a pain to deal with when we slow you down while you are trying to get to work, but the amount of time it takes to pass safely is minute in the grand scheme. Granted, some riders don't follow the rules of the road, but I would say a similar percent of motor vehicle operators roll stop signs too. But I ask, are these crimes that warrant the death penalty?
It would be nice if more communities had separate bike lanes. This would reduce the number of incidents of cars verses bikes and I hope it happens someday. Here in the real world we must try to share the limited space resources on the roads. Keeping in mind that in most (all) states bikes are legal vehicles.
Cyclist lose when they get hit, so they should exercise great care, most do. Cars should try and give 5 or more feet when passing a bike.
I have been hit once from behind. I have also been yelled at, threatened, had objects thrown at me, and forced off the road as I commuted to the school where I teach. For what reason?