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Thread started by trickmilla at 10.22.09 - 11:53 am
We ride these streets that are hostile to bikes. The city and state do not provide the signage or infrastructure to communicate to cyclists or drivers what our proper place on the road is. This leads to hostility and dangerous confrontations with operators of 1 ton death machines.
Furthermore, as is often noted here. The quality of the streets, roads, infrastructure, etc. often needlessly causes hazardous riding conditions.
The other day I was talking to Roadblock and he said something that had already been on my mind.
on behalf of all teh ridazz that have fallen, been hit, injured, or killed trying to ride in LA:
WE NEED A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES
I don't know if it is legal or possible. But what we really need is a class action suit against the city for for not providing us with safe comparable transportation infrastructure.
Wouldn't be more productive to continue to work with advocacy groups and the city to make things better. Getting Lawyers involved to me seems like a waist of time and money.
Foldie responding to a comment by md2
10.22.09 - 12:05 pm
I've been dreaming of this myself for awhile now. Fuck all the committee meetings and the endless broken promises. It time to get mean with this shitty.
10 years ago the Bus Riders Union sued the MTA.
The judge issued a consent decree that forced the MTA to do several things to improve service for bus riders.
I disagree with some of the BRUs positions and tactics but one thing is undeniable.
The consent decree that they got forced MTA to make MASSIVE improvements in service.
More Busses, More Passes, Better Service, Higher Standards, More Low emissions busses. etc.
The MTA moved faster and more decisively then they ever would have done if they had not been forced to do so by court order.
la dude you may be right
you know way more than me.
the BRU claim went ahead against the MTA because they claimed that MTA spending more per raider on rail than busses was racist. the consent decree was made based on the finding that MTA was racist in policy if not in intent.
trickmilla responding to a comment by la duderina
10.22.09 - 12:15 pm
We could start by sueing on behalf of all pedestrians and cyclist injured or killed because of the lax hit and run law and the incentive to run from an accident to avoid stiffer penalties.
Institutionalized negligence.
If I'm treated as a vehicle and getting a ticket as a vehicle then I expect the roads to serve my vehicle by providing proper infrastructure.
I love it. Love it love. We could totally sue based on racism. I bet More bicycle riders are of color considering the undocumented workers who commute by bicycle. It's classism too.
Sue the LADOT for Racism, negligence and bias in their planning.
Roadblock responding to a comment by trickmilla
10.22.09 - 12:22 pm
I think racism would be a tough call.
If you compare the people who use cars and busses i think we would find that racially it inseparable from the people who use bikes and of course peds are everybody.
I think the racism argument worked in the 90s in the BRUs situation.
I don't think it would work for us.
The MTA's true crime was/is classicism not racism.
But this is america and classism is not illegal. "lower" classes are not protected.
........
I think it is worth exploring our options.
We need to light a flame under the ass of the city.
Imagine.
If we got a consent decree against L.A.
Other cities in CA would be pressured into providing bike infrastructure before they face a consent decree too.
Just to be clear.
I'm not advocating cash pay-outs for victims.
Only to force the City, County, and involved agencies, to make a priority of rectifying the busted, broken, dangerous, and incomplete bicycle infrastructure in L.A.
Take into consideration that if you sue the city, they will tie you up in court for years. While the case makes it's way through the L.A. court system, They will write new bike laws and by the time the case comes to trial they will have addressed everything you're suing about. To top it off, the lawsuit will make it even harder to have the organized rides with 100 plus bikers barelling through red lights and riding in 2 lanes.
trust me when I say, we're better off attending the meetings and saving the money. fight the system but don't buck it. We're just as guilty for half the shit that happens on the street. drivers will always suck and bikers will never get the respect.
Think about how we treat walkers...I know at least half of you wanna run pedestrians over but we can't.
ummmm no, actually I don't want to run over peds cause I'll be going down too. And I'd probably get as fucked up or more fucked up than the ped.
And getting bike laws passed and infrastructure in place by the time our suit comes to trial? What planet are you on? There ain't shit that's going to be done for us. Take a look at the LA bike plan of the 90's and the one today. They're going backwards son. That document just exist so they can qualify for other federal dollars with vehicle projects. There's no interest in building a bicycle infrastructure in this city.
I whole heartedly support a class action lawsuit and feel that's the way to go. I'd like to hear Mr SoapboxLA's and DJ's take on this. You're on to something Patrick.
User1 responding to a comment by ridetime
10.22.09 - 1:59 pm
i had a far fetched idea a long time ago to have a class action law suit by the people of los angeles against the the car companies and goodyear for dismantling the old rail system. or who ever was responsible. could claim they put all our health at risk with pollution. i know, you would probably need prof. but it was just an idea.
i think that has more substance in a sense because im still struggling to understand how much of an argument we have if most of the city is pro-automobiles.
it would be different if everyone rode bikes, and they created infrastructure for cars
but again, im kind of stupid...
md2 responding to a comment by buckchin
10.22.09 - 3:27 pm
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Ridazz Roulette!
