Reminders that drivers can be intolerant of cyclists

When I heard the report on CNN a week ago, my worst fear about bicycling on roads was confirmed: The anger of some motorists toward cyclists goes beyond the inconvenience of sharing pavement.

In Arizona, a judge sentenced 27-year-old Melissa Arrington to more than 10 years, actually one shy of the maximum, for negligent homicide and two counts of aggravated DUI for running into and killing cyclist Paul L'Ecuyer on Dec. 1, 2006.

While the minimum sentence is four years, the judge's decision to give her a harsher penalty was due to a telephone conversation she had with a male friend that was taped one week after the accident.

During the conversation, the man told Arrington that an acquaintance believed she should get a medal and a parade because she had "taken out" a "tree hugger, a bicyclist, a Frenchman and a gay guy all in one shot." Instead of showing remorse, Arrington laughed. When the man said he knew it was a terrible thing to say, she responded, "No, it's not."

Alan Hawes
The Post and Courier/File

As long as cars, bikes and pedestrians share the road, there are going to be accidents. But a little courtesy and common sense can help avoid them.

Superior Court Judge Michael Cruikshank says he found her response "breathtaking in its inhumanity."

The outrage over Arrington's attitude spread across the country like wildfire, evident by responses on newspaper Web sites and blogs. Many wondered why this didn't qualify as a hate crime and why Arrington got only a decade of freedom taken away from her.

The story not only brought back memories, some relatively fresh, about cyclists and pedestrians getting killed by drunken drivers and negligence on South Carolina roadways in recent years, but it also was a sobering reminder that intolerance and ignorance cannot be wiped out completely. There will be people reading this column who, silently or otherwise, will relate to Arrington. I may even get a cowardly anonymous call or e-mail saying what she said.

I have experienced the unprovoked curses, obscene gestures and unnecessarily close drive-bys and cutoffs firsthand, and I don't ride nearly as much as some of my best friends. I assume these drivers feel their actions are worth the possibility of killing a cyclist, being locked up with criminals and maybe even having their mug shots published and broadcast in the media.

Granted, as long as cars, bikes and pedestrians share the road, there are going to be fatal accidents. That's life. On every bike ride, I say short, silent prayers of thanks every time I survive a near miss or, preferably, have a ride without incident.

The Arrington case gives many of us a reason to pause and is chilling in another way.

People in Charleston, like most cities, love to party. I was reminded of that after one of last weekend's big festivities. I won't say which one because there's always one. I heard lots of friends and acquaintances literally brag about how much they drank and then how they went out to bars afterward to drink some more. While I assume most drunken driving happens around midnight, this all took place during daylight hours on a sunny weekend afternoon, perfect for a wholesome bike, run or walk.

As someone who is paid partly to be observant, I think there's a real disconnect for people in this town. We know we shouldn't drink and drive. The main concern often becomes the police, not the possibility of killing someone or even yourself. We know we should have a designated driver, but I can't remember the last time I heard someone say they were taking on that role. We need to remind ourselves of the importance of not driving while impaired.

But there's yet another impairment that's increasingly becoming a similar plague to cyclists and pedestrians, and even other motorists, across our nation's roadways. That plague involves motorists who write and read text messages on cell phones, talk to total distraction on cell phones, and women who insist on putting on makeup while driving. I see it every day.

I think all may be just as bad as drunken driving, yet we still have few laws to punish people who do those things at the risk of others. We need the laws, but it's probably going to take some lawmaker's daughter being killed before we get them.

Whether you use roads for reasons other than driving, please vow to be tolerant, patient, alert, drive safely, plan the possibility of not driving and wait until you're parked to read or answer that text message.

If for nothing else, do it for your future freedom.

Reach David Quick at 937-5516 or dquick@postandcourier.com.