Clearly there was enough evidence to convict on, based in large part on the filtering aspect, otherwise an HTA172 conviction would not have been registered on Dec 22 2009. This ruling provides cops with the necessary guidance to lay HTA172 charges for filtering, as well as offering guidance to other courts hearing HTA172 charges based on filtering.
Justices and cops are never wrong eh? Because of the conviction you determine there WAS sufficient evidence to find this rider guilty do you? You might as well pay evey ticket up front my friend....cause the cop's evidence is clearly enough for you!
As I said the Justice grossly misrepresented the facts in his / her conclusion!
Officer Morrow testified that he observed the motorcycles from a distance of
approximately 50 to 70 metres, as they proceeded on Lancaster. It was only once they stopped
behind the cars at the traffic light that he was able to catch up with them. He described that the
motorcycles were extremely close together. He noted in Exhibit 1 that the front wheel of Mr Bunda’s
motorcycle (second motorcycle but first on right side of the group) was only about 2 feet to the right
of the rear wheel of the first motorcycle. The officer then testified that when the motorcycles passed
to the right of the stopped cars they had to weave to get past the mirrors of the cars.
Therefore, I accept Officer’s Morrow testimony that Mr Bunda’s front wheel was within 2
feet of the lead motorcycle, as he travelled down Lancaster Street. I further accept the officer’s
testimony that Mr Bunda was in such close proximity to the cars he passed on the right that he had to
weave to manoeuvre around their mirrors.
The Justice has made a gross miscalculation and falsely accused the rider of something he did not commit, nor did the cop provide as evidence and indicates the "eroded credibility" of the Justice!
In my view, the actions of Mr Bunda were not consistent with a mere error in judgment.
His pattern both of driving in close proximity to the lead motorcycle on Lancaster Street coupled
with his passing the cars on the right was consistent with a lack of due care and attention and without
reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway. He departed from the standard of care
which a reasonable and prudent driver would follow.
There is noooooooo evidence he was too close on lancaster street at all!!! Secondly, how do we go from "prudent" to "stunter"?!?!?! Nothing in between?!?!?! That's simply insane to make that leap! So what is drunk driving or actually causing an accident? --> death penatly?!?!?!
The cop was 50 to 70 meters away, which is way to far to judge the depth of the riders positions. he then states he was able to catch up to them (no distance) is given. He says the front tire was 2 feet to the right of the rear tire of the other bike but again, from a rear view how could he guage depth? He again does not even state the depth of distance between the bikes. He also does not state the distance the bikes were apart from each other as they filtered. There is no evidence that the bikes could not respond at 5 to 15kph!!!!! to a suddenly opened door, which is also an illegal manouver on the part of any car if at first a safety check is not performed!
I repeat the Justice puts all the onus of an opening door on the rider!!! which is incorrect. Secondly the speed that the rider is describing is idle speeds!!!! Are you all seriously telling me, at your idle speeds you are incapable of responding to a door opening? This isn't the door prize here people! You can even completely lock up your front break in a completely ham fisted panic brake and still keep it upright at those speeds!!! And if he was directly beside a door with a kid inside (who wasn't stopped by child locks on some late model car or due to a negligent parent), then the door would simply bump the bikers leg as happens in many a parking lot with minor scratches at best.
Furthermore the justice has an obsurb go at him by stating he broke under the cross and that his distance of 1 second was not maintained and that at some points the physical distance to the rider in front was greater. This DOES NOT IMPLY SPEEDING OR THAT HE LIED!!! The rider said he maintained a 1 second distance, which is 13.5m @ 50kph. If at any point that distance stretched out to 20m+ this DOES NOT IMPLY AN INCREASE IN SPEED. It could imply the 1 second distance stretched to 1.8 second distance WHICH IS ACTUALLY SAFER!!!!
The exact wording of what the rider testisfied to is not recorded, so he may have been stupid enough to say he was never more or less than a second apart. Or he may have said he was at a minimum of 1 second distance. Again, the Justice owes it to the rider to give him the benifit of the doubt as the officer has no proof of speeding and / or unsafe distances, especially from a 70m rear vantage point!
The Justice merely assumes the rider is lying and ALWAYS MAINTED 1 SECOND GAP, therefore at greater than 13.5m physical distance....he must have been speeding. This assumption is unfair on the part of the Justice and is not based on evidence.
There is no thought on the part of the Justice in this case.
172 is entirely unapplicable to what this rider did. Passing "too close" to a vehicle at slow speeds happens every damn day, in normal parking situations (ever make a turn into a parking spot? ever notice the corner of your car comes pretty close to the other car next to you in the spot? Ever park within inches, bumper to bumper, of another car? Oh man throw 172 at everyone in all those cases!), parallel parking on busy streets (when all types of doors can open and pedestrians can pop into the mix). It is absurd to level this charge at the rider.
Might as well nail every car that comes close to a begger at a stop light. The Justice cannot find an unsafe situation but instead imagines one and assumes the fault onto the rider which is a poor rationale to form a verdict.
Might as well charge women in rape cases because they walked somewhere "unsafe" where a rapist could be. Yep strip women of their potential livelihood too (their vehicle, or job) in such matters, and make sure their health insurance screws them for the next 3+ years.
All that being said, how does this stand as precedent?
I was once told that if you win a case it doesn't count as precedent for these reasons:
1) you may have pled not guilty, which means you're not arguing the validity of the law but that it doesn't apply to you in this specific case. meaning that if this rider beat the 172 charge it would not be precedent to stop it from being thrown at any other person again in a similar situation.
2) often when you "win", you haven't actually "won", but rather the case is dropped and the transcripts are not provided. You technically didn't win in this case and you have no proof to use as precedent! Sneaky twats!
So with that in mind it is good to keep a copy of this transcript to highlight the differences between this rider's actions and what you may be involved in when it comes to filtering. Some key points about his case, was
1) his proximity to other riders throughout the observation.
2) his believed (though not convicted) high speeds.
3) having to weave (his handle bars I assume, though the rider denies this. Doesn't matter...Justice thinks he is a liar anyways) to wiggle past the mirrors of the cars (but at what speed???) [ I would argue if he was walking it at that stage it wasn't a safety issue at all, but that seems to have been over looked as a defence]
4) single lane (less space than between 2 lanes)
5) not checking the indicators of all cars to his left (while in a single lane situation)
6) his aggressive or frustrated attitude under examination
7) I'm surprised no mention of elevated exhaust levels substantially minimizes the "surprise" of a car that is being filtered past by a bike. Again the Justice either seems to have excluded certain "norms" or the defendant did a poor job of assuming what the Justice accepts as "norms".
BTW check out this case and tell me if this rider wasn't raped in the 172 case!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/glob...rash-causes-100000-in-damages/article2060004/