Share the road … or go to jail
Columbia, Mo., has been trying to transform into a bicycle-friendly city, but not all motorists are willing to share the road with their fellow pedal-powered commuters. In response to a case of cyclist harassment by a driver in February, the city has passed an ordinance making such harassment a Class A misdemeanor, according to the Columbia Daily Tribune. Drivers who knowingly throw objects at, threaten, honk or shout at passing cyclists can face a $1,000 fine or a year in jail. Before voting on the ordinance in June, the city council heard testimony from cyclists like Mike Bowman, who said he used to commute by bicycle regularly, but harassment from drivers “wore me down.” “I am now literally afraid to go out there on the city streets of Columbia [on a bike],” Bowman said.
