Cyclists protest against driver who ploughed into Critical Mass ride in Brazil
SAO PAULO (BNO NEWS) -- About 100 cyclists gathered late on Monday in Sao Paulo to protest against an incident on Friday in which a driver ran over a group of cyclists in the Brazilian southern city of Porto Alegre, O Globo newspaper reported.
Protesters carried white roses and lay down on one of the main avenues of the largest city in Brazil. They traveled the streets of Sao Paulo and called for more tolerance and a peaceful coexistence between bicycles and cars.
Ricardo Neis drove his car at high speed through a crowd of cyclists who were participating in a Critical Mass ride in Porto Alegre late on Friday, injuring at least 20 cyclists. The Critical Mass movement holds mass bike rides to call for respect for cyclists around the world.
Neis, who initially fled the scene of the incident, said he acted in self-defense to ensure his physical integrity and that of his 15-year-old son. While being questioned by police, he said that cyclists were banging on his car and he just hoped to get out of there as fast as possible to prevent a lynching.
The suspect is not arrested, but police said he could face a charge of attempted homicide, the newspaper reported.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 11,600 pedestrians and cyclists are killed each year in Brazil.
(Copyright 2011 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)
noone kept score on how many points the guy has? Isn’t it an average of 1000 points per cyclist that we usually award ourselves driving? All jokes aside, since there is really no jokes to this story accept the fact the guy is still free, and MIGHT face charges. The laws over there must be relaxed, or he has some friends in high places. If it was me racking up so many points I would be in prison waiting trial. That was horrific, and wakes a lot to the reality that is bicyclists vs automobiles. here in Boston we have a lot of anti-cyclists, but not to the point of running them all down. This was a calculated decision. he could have gone in reverse and done the 3 point turn he should have been taught to go the other way and flee whatever dangers he felt while cooped up safe inside an automobile, in a safe manner. He panicked, and will pay the price for his lack of consideration for human life. this goes beyond the issues of cyclists vs automobiles. We all get angry behind the wheel, and if our first reaction s to just slam on the as and mow everyone down as if it’s in our right, then we are all in sorry shape. He should be made to walk that very street himself with bicyclists to jeer at him. How no one was killed is beyond me. Maybe we should just walk away form this and be glad f that, and realize what an important issue it is to find out how bicycles and automobiles can coexist in a system that favors automobiles over human life.
hhH1Tz fdpdvxsfrxox
Leave your response!
Weather
Recent Stories