Urbana-Champaign Bicycle Commute

News Gazette report on 1000 fine for killing cyclist while downloading ringtones

and for the record, I think the new blogger is a bunbite. Can't preview any more. Far as I can tell, nothing better, just things taken away; I"m sure they had their reasons, but if you're thinking of "going beta" I'd vote against it.




Our State's Attorney's address:
Julia Rietz
States Attorney
101 E Main
Urbana, IL 61801

Just in case anybody else wants to let her know that some people *do* think that killing a cyclist should not be a petty offense, and that drivers SHOULD reasonably expect to see us out there.


Shot of last night's Parade of LIghts through downtown CHampaign.

This morning, I rode the decorated bike to church. On the last block, I passed a family coming out of the hospital, looking... like people do when they're coming out of a hospital. A cloud of sorts hov'ring over them. Then one of the kids saw my silly bike and smiled and said, "Look!" and the "isn't that cute?" was either really good acting, or it wasn't the "isn't that cute?" that you say when your mind is completely occupied and that's all you can think of to say. Seemed the burden was lifted just a little.
Went out and rode a few miles 'cause the roads are pretty clear, even if it only got to 19. (Fahrenheit, folks.) Realized that a: I do need to send another letter to Julia Rietz, and a civil one... perhaps just short and sweet: "You say driver's shouldn't reasonably be expected to find me on the road. I just have to know why not?" Okay, maybe I'll go on "I'm afraid that your statements are exactly what give lawyers a bad name. It's simply, fundamentally immoral to place such a low value on the lives of so many people in your county."
Also realized that I want to change my decorations. Right now they are cute and a tad tacky... which frankly, is not my idea of Christmas. Hmmm.... need to do somethign with a star...

... still ahead of HOward by 150 miles, assuming he does the 25 he says he will, which would mean I gained 5 miles on him today but lost 11 on the two previous days. It's 20 degrees there; 17 here.