[nmlci]

["Jennifer Glee Buntz" <jbuntz at unm dot edu>]

I first got involved in cycling advocacy after Paula 
Higgins was killed by a motor vehicle driver on July 17, 
2006, three years ago today.  I do have some good news - 
something positive that came from, in part, the donations 
made to BikeABQ in Paula?s honor.  A comprehensive course 
in accident investigation has been given here in 
Albuquerque:
Pedestrian/Bicycle Crash Investigation
http://iptm.org/descriptions1.aspx?CourseNumber=021120

BikeABQ, through the many fundraising activities it 
conducts, like the bike swap, raised money to pay for the 
almost $10,000 class.  Not quite $1,000 came from 
donations in Paula?s honor.

Three weeks ago, 29 officers from APD and the Bernalillo 
County Sheriff?s department took this week long class 
traffic investigation class right here it town.  Tom 
Grover, a BikeABQ board member and APD bike patrol officer 
who attended said that all the officers were really 
getting a top notch, eye opening course and that he was 
impressed at the impact the information was making on the 
officers.

?The class 24 APD Officers and 5 BCSO Deputies are taking 
is a specialized course on accident reconstruction 
focusing specifically on bike/ped accidents.  The #1 
biggest challenge facing investigators is determining the 
location of impact.  Unlike with cars where there's lots 
of evidence there is much less so with bike/ped 
victims...all the evidence gets hit and flies off.  Where 
the location of the accident is becomes a major point of 
contention and a typical tactic of the denfese is to say 
the bike/ped was in the lane of traffic thereby rendering 
partial blame on the bike/ped.  Accident investigations 
involving bike/pedestrian deaths are very complicated. 
Because they are so complicated there are lots of 
opportunities for even mildly skilled defense attorneys to 
attack foundation, evidence, and the credibility of all 
involved.

Feel free to let folks know there are many cops 
sympathetic (well as much as cops can be...) to cyclists 
and use me as a point of contact.?

Tom
tom at bikeabq dot org

An upper level investigation course will be given later 
this year, paid for by a UNM Pedestrian Safety group. 
This is the first time NM has ever had these 
courses/training in the state.  It is a big step.

The sense of accomplishment I feel from helping to bring 
this training to NM is tempered however.  Now, these three 
years later after James Quinn, Roy Sekreta, Ronald 
Hargrove and Heather Reu and others have also been denied 
their lives, it is easy to wonder if things will ever be 
safer for cyclists.  Will motorists ever be charged or 
convicted at a level commensurate to their actions?.  Will 
the system ever be there to back-up our rights on the 
road?  Right now what we have on our side sometimes feels 
like only ?The Golden Rule.?  What about the law?

Stay tuned for an announcement about a memorial rally that 
will be held soon to remember New Mexico cyclists that 
have been killed in motor vehicle incidents.  BikeABQ 
wants to have a memorial rally to draw attention to 
cycling safety issues in preparation for future efforts to 
lobby for changes in the law, enforcement and other safe 
cycling issues.  Many good things have been happening but 
there are still many issues we can work on.

Thanks for plowing through this.  And thanks to all of you 
who donated.

Jennifer
Share the Road

PS:  miss you Paula