Well I feel more human today which is a definite improvement. I forgot to mention the highlight of Sunday’s ride. Met two tall blonde leggy and very fit young females fell running up on Kinder. Good times. Just off the phone to Wiggle, there’s kit on the the way…
Good news from a cyclists legal point-of-view, but bad news for bad drivers:
Source: cyclingnews.com
Subject: Cyclists vote for 14 year penalty for road deathMoves to jail drivers whose actions cause road deaths have been welcomed by National Cyclists’ Organisation in the UK and Ireland, CTC, and have voted for the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving to be raised to 14 years’ imprisonment.
While condoning Lord Chief Justice Woolf’s move in recommending that jail terms of up to ten years be faced by motorists who kill inadvertently, CTC Campaigns and Policy Manager Roger Geffen, said:
“Cyclists have died at the hands of incompetent or careless drivers, yet their lives have been valued at no more than paltry fines or points on their driving licences because they use mobile phones or fall asleep. Killing another road user by dangerous driving is no less a crime than killing by any other means.”
Lord Falconer, Minister of State for the Home Office, agrees with Geffen, and CTC’s push to increase the offence of causing death by dangerous driving from 10 to 14 years’ imprisonment. The Minister intends to legislate this move as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Good to see some progress there, but they still need to work on upping the punishment on drivers who severely injury cyclists in accidents, especially those that are pre-meditated. And this came in from Big Dave yesterday:
From: Big Dave
Subject: Rumours and ImagesNow that I’m “no longer in the loop” of the war action, I rely on rumors and regular media…..just like you guys. Good stuff. I get to see exactly what the military wants you to see. You the voters.
I heard a good rumor yesterday about the burning oil wells. The rumor is that a canadian company (same company that capped a bunch of wells in the first war) offered to cap the 6 or so wells burning right now for free. They offered to do it to help the people of Iraq maintain some of there non-renewable resources. Apparently, the Bush crew said no thanks. Bush apparently is using your tax dollars to pay one of his buddies to cap the wells. Good stuff.
Can you go without oil? Can you reduce your need for it enough to not buy the oil that Bush and his cronies are going to pump out of Iraq? I think all of America can. Lewis and Clarke made it all the way to Oregon without oil. Thousands of Mormon pioneers made it to Utah without oil. No oil at all. If they can do that, I’m sure we can go without having to ship it in from all over the world while wielding our sword in order to buy it at the price we want it.
Anybody got the contact info for Bikes-Not-Bombs? I’d like to start helping them in their cause. I’m sure there will be plenty of Iraqis here that will never be able to afford a car. Maybe I can come back and show these guys how to build a wheel.
I got some coffee from a Lucy in Denver. Thanks. Since I’m no longer working in the office, I gave it to some troopies that were headed to the new frontier. They were pretty stoked.
There are now permanent structures being put to use by our forces in Iraq. We have taken over several warehouses and installed chow halls and other places to make life a little easier for the new police force of the oilnationstate.
I no longer have to wear all my battle gear! Good thing….it’s starting to get hot and my rear wheel was making some crazy noises. I tried truing it up, but 30 out of 32 is just not enough for my 200 lb. ass.
Rumor has it I might ship home on the 15th of May. Just in time for my B-day, too late for Big Bear.
Peace and love from the Kuwait,
Big Dave
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