Protect and Serve or Protect and Ridicule
From the Mayor all the way down to this cop. If we dont have the city on board nothing will happen. BASC please start representing us!!!!!
Riding north on Whitesburg at 4.10pm on Saturday a car barely made it past me from behind. I think it must have cut in front of a pickup to get by me because the individuals in the pickup yelled at me as they passed by, then the pickup got in front of me in the right lane and slowed down and started braking in front of me. Another vehicle got inbetween the pickup and myself and the pickup and other vehicle turned right onto Lily Flagg.
I continued north on Whitesburg and just before reaching the light at Sherwood the same pickup came speeding up from behind me and swerved towards me then continued north on Whitesburg. I noted the time (4.20pm) and pulled over to the sidewalk and called the accident report number at HSV police department (722-7100) to give them the description of the vehicle (blue pickup with tinted windows, appeared to have 3 persons in vehicle) and tag number (Alabama 52A8255). When I asked to get a case number to file report I was given 427-7114 where I was told they could file the report. I continued to bike to my destination at the Lowe Mill and called the police report number given to me. When I called this number I was told to call the 722-7100 number and see if they would send someone out to my location to take the report. I called the number back and the individual that answered the phone seemed puzzled why I was told to call that number back, and when I asked if I was getting the runaround being told to call the different numbers, he said 'no, you're not getting the runaround', and put me on hold then told me to call 427-2009 and they would take the report there. When I called this number and said I wanted to file a report I was told that 'due to no contact involved, they could not file a police report.' I asked for the name of the officer who told me he was Officer Tucker and hung up.
5 comments:
wow, so at that last basc meeting Rodney Baker said that any incident, contact or road rage, should be reported - what on earth are we supposed to do when we try and follow their procedures and no one will even take a report? it seems like the cops haven't gotten this information, despite Baker's assertions that we can file reports for these types of situations. maybe basc needs to step up somehow and advocate on behalf of this person - help walk them through this process and make the cops pay attention and do their jobs. educate the law enforcement as well as the general public that this kind of harassment and recklessness is dangerous and unacceptable instead of turning a blind eye and assuming its the fault of the person on the bike.
I was told the same thing like a couple of years ago when a bottle was thrown at me.
This was my email to Rodney Baker last month...
On September 14, I called to follow up on a incident that involved a motorist throwing a beer bottle at me on August 1, 2009. I had originally filed a report on August 3, 2009. When I called the 256-427-7009 I spoke with a officer Mark Matthews. He could not find any record of my report. The officer was very rude and told me that it was futile to make a report sense it would never lead to a warrant. I argued with the officer saying I just would like to file a report like I tried to do last month. I have been met with nothing but obstacles when trying to deal with police on this issue.
This was my email to Rodney Baker last month...
On September 14, I called to follow up on a incident that involved a motorist throwing a beer bottle at me on August 1, 2009. I had originally filed a report on August 3, 2009. When I called the 256-427-7009 I spoke with a officer Mark Matthews. He could not find any record of my report. The officer was very rude and told me that it was futile to make a report sense it would never lead to a warrant. I argued with the officer saying I just would like to file a report like I tried to do last month. I have been met with nothing but obstacles when trying to deal with police on this issue.
So I received a call today from Officer McCutchen(?) who told me he did contact the driver, who admitted he was driving on Whitesburg Saturday afternoon and had a different version of the story, but did not incriminate himself. He is 20 years old and thought I was violating the law by not riding on the sidewalk, but the officer educated him that cyclists are not allowed to ride on the sidewalks and by law have a right to ride on the road. The officer told me that since the driver did not incriminate himself and since there were no witnesses that it would be a difficult case to prosecute as 'reckless endangerment' and a judge would probably not find him guilty. I asked if I did want to follow through later and prosecute could I, which he said yes up to a year, although the closer to the incident is better.
I don't think I will prosecute since the driver was riding with his girlfriend who could be a witness for him and against me. I'm glad they at least talked to the driver and informed him of the law regarding cyclists on the road.
-chris
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