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Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Yet another pending bicycle helmet trial


I got my trial date!!! ... that's something hey! 

So yes I will get yet another opportunity to defend my Australian criminal behaviour of riding a bicycle without a helmet and to highlight the complete nuttiness of this silly regulation.

The Adelaide Magistrate was incredulous when she realised that I had only flown to Adelaide for this pre-trial and nothing else, and she was none too impressed with my brief arguments on discrimination and self-defence. 

She tried hard to dissuade me from pursuing my defence quest any further with a spirited spiel on regulations and how they work and just because I didn't like this one did not mean that I could expect to win.

She also raised the sad spectre of me being an 'out-on-your-own-eo' protestor, and that she couldn't see any media in court, so I must be a lone voice, with no groups or individuals supporting me, spending a lot of money on flights and accommodation basically on a lost cause. 

In my head I was thinking what dinosaurs the legal establishment are clinging to a media concept of real live 'Murdoch' (this is Adelaide) journalists sitting in court rooms with pad and pencils at the ready, but out loud I mentioned that I have a fairly significant online presence, run a blog and do have quite wide community support across the country. 

She sighed, gave me a date in September to which I asked if we could change that given that I have our daughter's wedding then. She enthusiastically put the trial date back to October saying that a wedding was way more important, and then she helpfully suggested I come back to Adelaide on a Friday or a Monday so I could make a weekend of it!!!! Giving me a new date now at the end of October she then said she hoped something was actually on in Adelaide that particular weekend!!!

Such a funny place this country of mine! 

And after I was all done and dusted in the Adelaide Magistrates Court,  I enjoyed morning tea with a real live Adelaide supporter before my flight back to New South Wales!!!


13 comments:

  1. I do admire how you combine your wonderful fighting spirit with a generous sense of humour!

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  2. As ever I admire you, while wondering about magistrates who see nothing wrong with punishing citizen cyclists, whistling in the dark as we travel towards climate disaster while expecting generous public support for the health and injury costs of a sedentary driving population.

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  3. Civil disobedience works best when lots of people do it, but it always starts with a lone rebel.

    Rest assured, you are not alone and others are making their own little statements of disobedience.

    https://thisbicyclelife.net/2015/12/20/dinky-double-up-double-the-fun/

    When the time is right and support is high enough, I'd be happy to go on a mass helmetless ride to try and push for actual change in our laws.

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    1. Gorgeous clip, David! ... have shared it on Facebook!

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  4. Sue, You could always ask to have her substituted since she is exhibiting an attitude that has pre-judged the outcome......

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  5. congokid@congokid.comJune 29, 2016 at 7:50 AM

    I have to applaud your patience and tireless determination.

    And the hypocrisy Alan refers to above is overwhelming. The recent instance of photos of Dutch cyclists being photoshopped to make them appear to be wearing helmets is just one such example. I posted a response on the blinkered Australian national and local governments attitude to cycling safety under the story as reported on the Executive Style website (as CJ @ Buzz).

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  6. congokid@congokid.comJune 29, 2016 at 8:10 AM

    Here's a link to the story I mentioned above:
    http://www.executivestyle.com.au/cycling-helmet-added-to-image-in-emirates-ad-gpowsx

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  7. yes, here too: https://momentummag.com/australian-ad-shows-helmet-photoshopped-onto-dutch-cyclists/

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  8. My second comment under the Executive Style article seems to have disappeared. Not sure why - I only criticised the Aussie government...

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