Cyclist: Tired of All the Grief

A passionate discussion by Patch blogger and cyclist Christine Barton stems from how quickly opinions about sharing the road turn into rants.

“I’m really tired of the whole dispute between motorists and cyclists,” wrote Barton in her blog called Tired of All the Grief. “I see the same arguments over and over.”

It was recently announced that criminal charges would not be filed against a motorist in a cyclist’s death in Anne Arundel County. The case received statewide attention after a motorist struck and killed cyclist Trish Cunningham in August.

"Two years ago Maryland created a new crime of vehicular negligent homicide ..., which allows prosecutors to seek criminal penalties when a sober-but-aggressive driver causes an accident that kills someone," Jim Titus wrote in a Patch blog post.

Patch reported that the state's attorney's office said the grand jury declined to indict the motorist on criminal charges because it did not find probable cause. The motorist received several citations from the Anne Arundel County police with up to $2,000 in fines.

When it comes to pitting motorists against cyclists, Barton acknowledges the influence of this case and the formation of a new cycling advocacy group in Maryland.

“Either it’s been in the news more and more lately, or it’s come to my attention more since Trish Cunningham was killed, SpokesPeople was formed … There’s a lot of bitterness right now.”

Barton started her blog as “The Elkridgean Cyclist” as a way to write about the joy of cycling and wants to continue to write about what she loves without backlash from other cyclists or motorists.

“Maybe it’s selfish of me, but I want my joy back.”

• Making Maryland Safe for Bicycles: What Needs to Improve?
• Cyclists Ride in Memory of Trish Cunningham
• 'Because the Driver Didn't Want to Wait 15 Seconds, My Kids Don’t Have a Mother’
• Cyclist to Drivers: 'Try Not To Kill Us With Your Vehicles'
• What's it Like to Be a Cyclist on the Road in Maryland?