Monday, June 18, 2007

THIS SHIT AIN'T RIGHT! [with comments]

Driver nearly hits officer directing triathlon traffic
[well, fuck me. NEARLY hits?--the rev.]
TOM ALEX
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
June 18, 2007
A Des Moines police officer reports
he had to jump out of the way
[ask collier and sergey if THEY had such a chance!--the rev]
to avoid being hit by a motorist during Sunday's Hy-Vee Triathlon.
[by the way, any charges filed related to the pedestrian
who entered the course and caused a cyclist to crash?--the rev.]
Officer Xavier Barron suffered a bruised right hand.
[what? no broken back?--the rev.]
Jennifer Adkins, 36, of Des Moines,
was arrested on a charge of assault with a motor vehicle.
[where the hell did they find THIS law?
a CAR? well, i'll be damned.--the rev.]
Barron said in a report that Adkins approached the intersection
of Sixth Avenue and Mulberry Street on Sunday afternoon
and was ordered to stop.
Barron told her Mulberry was closed for the triathlon
and she would have to take a different route.
She claimed another officer told her she could drive on Mulberry.
[gee. imagine THAT happening at the triathlon,
right jane, and a 100 other runners?--the rev.]
Barron said he told her twice that it was closed.
"She then accelerated her motor vehicle
attempting to drive around the squad car," the officer said in his report.
"I had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck by the car.
My right hand struck the windshield in the process."
[did the windshield break? did your watch get stuck in the grill?--the rev.]
Two customers of US Bank came to the officer's aid
and provided witness statements.
[and you took their statements?--the rev.]
Other officers stopped Adkins in the 600 block of SW MLK Jr., Parkway
and took her into custody.
[you can DO that for assault with a motor vehicle?
again, i'll be damned.--the rev.]
. . . . .
QUESTIONS:
1--no "charges are pending?"
2--no "officers will be talking to the county attorney?"
3--no "investigation continues?"
4--no "condition of the injured has not been released?"
5--a BRUISED HAND???
and tell me again why it's WRONG that i get pissed off
when this shit happens????
now, don't get me wrong:
i have NO issues with cops telling drivers to take another route,
and i am not condoning disobeying a lawful order.
i am not unsympathetic with the police
and the dangers they encounter on a daily basis.
my son-in-law is a cop, and i am QUITE cognizant of these dangers.
but this charging inconsistency is
blatant, outrageous BULLSHIT!
and the timing is just plained fucked up.
what bothers ME is
the spinelessness of prosecutors
when they are faced with charging MOTORISTS
who hit and/or kill bicyclists.
. . . . .
am i wrong?
am i alone?
can i get an amen?

6 comments:

Brett said...

Kim

What exactly is the law regarding hitting a cyclist?

Anonymous said...

Nicely stated. Absolute bullshit all the way around.

Ryan
Iowa City

mr. f. g. superman said...

Honestly I agree with the inconsistency, however, I would love the idea of "Assault with a motor vehicle" if not already law. Perhaps then "the bastards" (read here individuals who perposely fuck with cyclists or folks who just drive unsafely) wouldn't be so blatantly reckless. I'm tired of the world being padded for the motorist and taking away all accountability.

mr. f. g. superman said...

I meant your observation of inconsistency.

Mistress Julie said...

Again I say fuck me. I just don't get it.

Get your hand smacked = arrested.
Kill a cyclist = slap on the hand.

I can't stand it.

the mostly reverend said...

bart, it seems to be thusly:
hit a cyclist, get a pat on the back.
"oh, we're so sorry they caused you so much grief. those damned cyclists.
i know, let's build them trails, so they can stay the hell off the roads, so as we continue to hit them and kill them, we can get even MORE self-righteous and indignant."

pretty screwy, isn't it?

[does anyone remember when bugs bunny or daffy duck would hold up those words on a sign in the cartoons? THIS is our life, as cyclists.]