1. I really like reading the stories on cbc.ca like this one and more than anything, I really love/hate reading the comments that follow.
2. I think it's kind of silly that this is turning into a bicycle safety piece. Bicycle safety is clearly not the issue here. (Anyone who thinks Toronto is a hard city to bike in should come join me for a Winnipeg ride. This city sucks for bikes).
3. Also- I like how everyone is very quick to point out that Sheppard was a bicycle courier and "ALL BICYCLE COURIERS ARE CRAZY!!". This is absurd. I've met lots of bicycle couriers and they've all been super friendly nice people.
4. I've personally been in a situation where someone has tapped my bicycle with their car. It takes a lot to really get me upset, and even though there was no damage to my bicycle, I was enraged. When -I- was in that situation I (mis-?) interpreted a motorist coming into contact with my bike as a serious threat. I completely understand how this could start a fight. (That said, I certainly don't know the half of what actually happened, so maybe I shouldn't take sides.)
5. I was thinking about the charges that are being laid against Bryant- and as someone who has yet to take a single law class, but at least owns a criminal law textbook: Lets assume that Bryant once or twice bumped Sheppard and then attempted to drive off before the altercation began. Now, pretending that we are somewhere with a felony murder rule- could the hit-and-run be considered a felony? Would Sheppards death be a felony-murder?
Okay, okay, that's an absurd stretch. But I don't really understand why the charges that are being laid are being laid. Bryant is charged with Criminal negligence causing death and Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death. I don't think anyone here is suggesting that Bryant doesn't know how to drive. If his poor driving skills are responsible for anything it would be the initial bump(s) which started the fight (sorry, altercation). It strikes me that this should be a 2nd degree murder charge, and Bryant should be able to plea self-defense. Is self-defense a legit defense to criminal negligence?
6. The more I read about this on cbc.ca the more annoyed I am that they try to make it very clear that Bryant is an upstanding citizen whereas Sheppard is a bicycle courier. Can they not wait for the police toxicology report to come back before talking about Sheppard being drunk? Is his earlier domestic dispute really relevant to the situation at hand? Do they have to mention that the woman involved in that domestic dispute was the mother of only one of his four children?
7. I can't believe i just wrote so much on a topic which i know so little about. I'm going to end it with this gem from the Small Dead Animals Blog referring to Bill 132, a bill banning pit bulls from toronto: "Since the law's enactment in 2005, pitbulls have killed fewer Ontarians than former attorney general Michael Bryant"
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