Bicycle advocacy attorney Bob Mionske is bringing an end to his long-running “Legally Speaking” column that has appeared in print and online at VeloNews for many years.
[Mionske will continue covering legal issues at Bicycling magazine. See comments below.]
A former bicycle racer and now a bicycling rights attorney in Portland, Mionske's columns regularly reported on legal and judicial shortcomings that created a second-class stature for cyclists versus motorists in the eyes of the law.
In his last column at VeloNews, Mionske looked at the high and low points of bicycle law and how the future looks for bicyclists. I'll touch on the points here, but it's worth your time to check them out in depth at his last Legally Speaking column:
More cyclists on the road — Bicycling is soaring in popularity. Not only are more weekend warriors getting out for rides, but more people are using bicycles for transportation, as in commuting and running errands.
Cycling fatalities — He cites Portland as a city that took an active role to reduce bicycling injuries and fatalities in 2008. In some other places, having more people on the road has meant more injuries and fatalities. He cites a learning curve for bicyclists and motorists.
Prosecutions — In many cases, Mionske said prosecutions are weak against motorists in bicycle fatalities. He says stronger laws are needed, although prosecutors too often make the erroneous claim that the law doesn't allow them to file more serious charges.
Road rage — Cyclists are both victims and perpetrators of road rage incidents.
Scofflaw cyclists — “… Scofflaw cyclists seem to delight in taking it to extremes rarely seen in motorists, behaving as if none of the rules of the road apply to them. Their anti-social behavior is toxic, and it’s hurting cycling.”
Bias — We're persecuted by media bias, law enforcement bias, judicial bias and societal bias.
Bicycle bans — Some counties and cities deem it expedient to ban bicycling, but fortunately usually rescind those measures.
Bicycle laws — Many state and federal laws are being enacted that support bicyclists. He cites the 3-foot laws passed in many states, as well as the bicycle commuter tax relief enacted as part of the $700 billion bank bailout last year.
Even though Mionske is dropping his column, you can still follow updates on bicycling law and his take on it at Mionske's website, BicycleLaw, or his BicycleLaw blog.
Mionske is the author of “Bicycling and the Law.”
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