In the United States we have an obesity epidemic that is overwhelming our healthcare system and destabilizing the economy.
And how do we respond? Criminalizing bicycling.
In August it was a Tennessee mom. Now, Detroit police are pursing charges against a father whose uneventful weekend outing with his young sons was considered so deviant, it was apparently deemed worthy of state intervention on behalf of the children.
Todd Scott at M-Bike.org has this report:
On September 2nd, Sean Harrington biked to the Detroit RiverWalk with his twin sons in a bike trailer. On the way home, he took the sidewalk north on Park Avenue, which is a one way side street heading south.
When pedestrians and construction scaffolding blocked the sidewalk, he rode on the road for about four car lengths.
That was apparently too much for Detroit Police who issued Harrington a $110 ticket and now may face charges of child endangerment.
