An analogy with the helmet law would be to allow councils to have dangerous dips in the road so long as there was a barrier of lamp-posts between that road and a more busy one.
I often went down there to service Zeiss measuring machines and I have heard many tales of motoring mayhem on and around the A127.
The locals are well know speed merchants!
A worker at Ford’s development plant nearby told of a couple of Policemen who were let drive an experimental high powered car – sold later as the RS200 rally car? They eventually ended up wrapped around a lamppost, 15 feet on the air! So it isn’t only the public there that are mad…
btw I just took a look with Google Earth and found at a shopping centre next to the A127 there is a roundabout with links on/off the A127 etc. Looking at the road there you can see a join in the Tarmac/Asphalt which has a small depression. Not big but if taking the curve at high speed (racing?) it would be enough to lose traction and slide into the kerb resulting in a roll, or even be thrown into the air if moving fast enough. 40mph would be enough. The article doesn’t describe the weather or location accurately enough. My experience of the Essex racers both personal and on TV is that sounds like a possible scenario. Just looking at the kid in the photo tends to reinforce this theory. Not putting any accusations out, I am just describing a possible explanation for the event…
I live in Essex. It’s nothing like what is portrayed on TV and in the media. But lazy journos love an Essex story and will fill it with as many stereotypes as posiible.
Okay, sorry for any offence. I was just recounting my experiences and making suggestions based on what I had, apparently, observed. I can’t help it if those few incidents support the image portrayed on TV etc.
No offence taken. Just saying don’t believe the stereotypes. The behaviour you describe is common right acroos the UK, but the media would have you believe it’s solely an ‘Essex thing’.
While I don’t know how the jail situation is in the Cleveland area, I have spent periods of time (more than just overnight) as a guest of the county in our local lockup.
First of all, it’s rare when non-payment of a civil forfeiture results in jail time, although it can and does occur — and Yehuda strikes me as the kind of guy who would push back enough so as to make it happen. However, as a non-violent first offender and an employed person, he will likely be eligible for work-release privileges, and would not be spending all that much time in the hoosegow.
Secondly, this is a local ordinance, not a state law, and at most would result in Yehuda’s being confined in the municipal or county jail. While these facilities will never be mistaken for Boy Scout camp, neither are they the hell-holes that Pops is alluding to.
Thirdly, I don’t see it ever going that far. Yehuda would probably be able to rally some organization like the League of American Wheelmen (sorry, League of American Bicyclists; as a member myself dating back to 1973 I still tend to use the original name) or an attorney like Bob Mionske who would be willing take on a challenge to this helmet law on a pro bono basis and help Yehuda get it overturned.
Sorry, Bicycle Bill, the League wouldn’t fight for Yehuda or anyone else. Reed Bates (= “Chip Seal”) is a Texan who got arrested & worse for riding in a highway lane instead of on the shoulder. Google it. Texas law allows using the lane and doesn’t make you ride shoulders. Lots of people tried to get LAB to help. LAB refused. LAB abandoned him. And LAB won’t speak out against helmet laws anyway. LAB is worse than useless.
Completely off topic, but speaking of jail, we had a motorist yesterday who swerved twice at the Tuesday morning group ride to “teach them a lesson”, and “accidentally” clipped a cyclist. Too bad for him that there were two off duty police officers in the group when he got out of his car to finish the job.
He went to jail — no protection. The cyclist is ok, he wobbled but didn’t fall. How many times do we call police and it’s our word against the motorist? What are the odds of harassing a group with not one, but two cops in the peleton?
I had a car try to “teach me a lesson” in much the same way a few months ago while I was in Philly. I was in the bike lane passing the cars and a driver behind me got pissed that I was in the way of him passing cars using the bike lane. After he nearly clipped my front wheel a taxi (whose driver I regularly saw on my commute) boxed him in blocking both lanes and wouldn’t let him pass. I thanked the taxi and continued on my way.
LOL! That’s PERFECT! Yehuda’s right; a trip to jail would be the ultimate in free publicity for both his cause AND the shop!
A courtroom would make a better soap box than a cell.
In other news driver says ‘Lamppost saved my life…’ Campaign starts to issue all drivers with compulsory lampposts…
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/9957709.Driver_says_lamp_post_saved_his_life/?ref=mr
An analogy with the helmet law would be to allow councils to have dangerous dips in the road so long as there was a barrier of lamp-posts between that road and a more busy one.
I often went down there to service Zeiss measuring machines and I have heard many tales of motoring mayhem on and around the A127.
The locals are well know speed merchants!
A worker at Ford’s development plant nearby told of a couple of Policemen who were let drive an experimental high powered car – sold later as the RS200 rally car? They eventually ended up wrapped around a lamppost, 15 feet on the air! So it isn’t only the public there that are mad…
btw I just took a look with Google Earth and found at a shopping centre next to the A127 there is a roundabout with links on/off the A127 etc. Looking at the road there you can see a join in the Tarmac/Asphalt which has a small depression. Not big but if taking the curve at high speed (racing?) it would be enough to lose traction and slide into the kerb resulting in a roll, or even be thrown into the air if moving fast enough. 40mph would be enough. The article doesn’t describe the weather or location accurately enough. My experience of the Essex racers both personal and on TV is that sounds like a possible scenario. Just looking at the kid in the photo tends to reinforce this theory. Not putting any accusations out, I am just describing a possible explanation for the event…
I live in Essex. It’s nothing like what is portrayed on TV and in the media. But lazy journos love an Essex story and will fill it with as many stereotypes as posiible.
Okay, sorry for any offence. I was just recounting my experiences and making suggestions based on what I had, apparently, observed. I can’t help it if those few incidents support the image portrayed on TV etc.
No offence taken. Just saying don’t believe the stereotypes. The behaviour you describe is common right acroos the UK, but the media would have you believe it’s solely an ‘Essex thing’.
I love lamp.
ordered a Walz Cap + Defeet sock combo today via the banner ad, seemed like an awesome deal!
ps on reading that article I think that the guy who flipped his car due to a dip in the road might be a bit of a dip himself… how fast was he going??
Too fast for conditions, but I somehow doubt he was cited for it.
Is it going to match that reddit jersey?
Go to jail and Yehuda will need more than a helmet for protection…
Like — Miss those like buttons.
So do I. Typing words is hard for a Dyslexic Zombie
While I don’t know how the jail situation is in the Cleveland area, I have spent periods of time (more than just overnight) as a guest of the county in our local lockup.
First of all, it’s rare when non-payment of a civil forfeiture results in jail time, although it can and does occur — and Yehuda strikes me as the kind of guy who would push back enough so as to make it happen. However, as a non-violent first offender and an employed person, he will likely be eligible for work-release privileges, and would not be spending all that much time in the hoosegow.
Secondly, this is a local ordinance, not a state law, and at most would result in Yehuda’s being confined in the municipal or county jail. While these facilities will never be mistaken for Boy Scout camp, neither are they the hell-holes that Pops is alluding to.
Thirdly, I don’t see it ever going that far. Yehuda would probably be able to rally some organization like the League of American Wheelmen (sorry, League of American Bicyclists; as a member myself dating back to 1973 I still tend to use the original name) or an attorney like Bob Mionske who would be willing take on a challenge to this helmet law on a pro bono basis and help Yehuda get it overturned.
-”BB”-
Sorry, Bicycle Bill, the League wouldn’t fight for Yehuda or anyone else. Reed Bates (= “Chip Seal”) is a Texan who got arrested & worse for riding in a highway lane instead of on the shoulder. Google it. Texas law allows using the lane and doesn’t make you ride shoulders. Lots of people tried to get LAB to help. LAB refused. LAB abandoned him. And LAB won’t speak out against helmet laws anyway. LAB is worse than useless.
Completely off topic, but speaking of jail, we had a motorist yesterday who swerved twice at the Tuesday morning group ride to “teach them a lesson”, and “accidentally” clipped a cyclist. Too bad for him that there were two off duty police officers in the group when he got out of his car to finish the job.
He went to jail — no protection. The cyclist is ok, he wobbled but didn’t fall. How many times do we call police and it’s our word against the motorist? What are the odds of harassing a group with not one, but two cops in the peleton?
I had a car try to “teach me a lesson” in much the same way a few months ago while I was in Philly. I was in the bike lane passing the cars and a driver behind me got pissed that I was in the way of him passing cars using the bike lane. After he nearly clipped my front wheel a taxi (whose driver I regularly saw on my commute) boxed him in blocking both lanes and wouldn’t let him pass. I thanked the taxi and continued on my way.
At least Yehuda wasn’t texting. At least Bobby was wearing a helmet (obligatory last line of the article)
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/2012/10/03/bobby-valentine-crashes-bike-central-park/WrQHSXY9uaKwSKDesfgy9N/story.html
Going to jail for unpaid fines over a helmet bylaw? LOVE IT! Frankly it’s exactly what I’d do!
you won’t fight unnecessary wars but you will go to jail over wearing something that protects you? folks these days have different priorities
Check out Vimeo.com. search for “invisible bicycle helmet” and be amazed. This is so tech!