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An Anonymous Coward writes:
Velonews has this story, http://www.velonews.com/2017/05/news/legally-speaking-brought-justice_437651 which describes an incident of road rage against a bicyclist. Turns out, this was the wrong cyclist to buzz, he was a lawyer and eventually settled with the cager's insurance company for USD $4500 -- setting a price for cyclist harassment in Louisiana.
The road-raging driver had just endangered the life of the cyclist and his toddler, and now he was spoiling for a fight. It began on a calm Sunday morning in New Orleans. Charlie Thomas had gone for a ride with his young daughter Colette, towing her in a Burley trailer, enjoying the ride and time together. But on the edge of the iconic French Quarter, their peaceful Sunday morning was violently interrupted when a speeding car buzzed them, passing within a foot of Charlie and Colette.
[...] "I'm not trying to start anything," Charlie said, "but you passed way too close to my daughter and me."
And that's when the driver, motioning that he was about to get out of his car, responded with his tough-guy threat: "How about I get out and f—k you up in front of your kid?" Charlie's emotions surged, but he knew that any further engagement would be unproductive, and with his daughter there, unsafe. So he broke off the encounter, and the driver sped away.
[...] Although the incident didn't involve a physical impact, Louisiana has both a three-foot passing law and a non-harassment law on the books. Charlie filed suit seeking damages for the driver's harassment. There had never been a case setting the value of damages for a harassed bicyclist under Louisiana's law, so Charlie and the driver's insurance company were in uncharted negotiating territory.
Eventually, Charlie negotiated a settlement that established a value of $4,500 damages in a civil case for cyclist harassment in Louisiana; the proceeds were donated to Bike Easy, the New Orleans-area bike advocacy group. The official case on the books is Thomas v. Arbona, Case No. 16-03127; First City Court for the City of New Orleans. Now, any other cyclist who sues a driver for harassment in Louisiana can use the value for damages established in this case.
(Score: 2) by Snotnose on Tuesday May 09 2017, @11:15PM
NY State roads have (for at least the last 25 years) been rebuilt to new standards that include a wide walk/bike shoulder.
Wish we had that here. I do aerobics 3 times a week, driving a 2.5 mile trip takes 5-15 minutes depending on traffic lights (not traffic, the lights make the traffic). For half of that, if I rode my bike, I would consider it a combat tour in Afghanistan without the perks.
That said, I don't see how the city can help things. Widen the road? Take out buildings/widen bridges. Take out parking? The apartments were built assuming street parking was available, plus in some cases you flat out can't widen the road without destroying parts of strip malls.
I like to ride my bike but I'm a realist, sometimes the cost isn't worth the benefit. I will never be able to ride my bike safely to my local YMCA.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.