Daughter's death gives Cheverly mother new direction


By Natalie McGill - The Gazette

When Natasha Pettigrew, a Green Party candidate for the U.S. Senate, was killed while riding her bicycle two months ago, her mother, Kenniss Henry, filled in, campaigning throughout Maryland.
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Her new focus is advocating in Annapolis and on Capitol Hill for bicycle safety laws and tougher penalties for drivers who strike and kill bicyclists.

Pettigrew, 30, was bicycling about 5:30 a.m. Sept. 19 near Campus Way and Route 202 when she was struck by a sport-utility vehicle driven by Christy Littleford, 41, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland State Police said. Littleford said she thought she had hit a deer and found Pettigrew's bicycle beneath her vehicle when she arrived home, police said.

Pettigrew, who had been training for a half-triathlon, died Sept. 20 from injuries she received in the accident. No charges have been filed against Littleford; police said the investigation is ongoing. Littleford could not be reached for comment.

Henry said she is working on building contacts with state officials and she will lobby the Maryland General Assembly next year for stronger state vehicular manslaughter laws aimed at drivers who hit and kill bicyclists.

Under state bicycle safety law, drivers must yield the right of way to cyclists "when these vehicle operators are entering or crossing occupied bike lanes and shoulders," according to the Maryland State Highway Administration Web site. Drivers can face a $1,000 fine and three points on their driving record if the failure to yield results in a crash in which the cyclist is "seriously injured," the Web site says.

According to Maryland law, a person who commits vehicular manslaughter is driving in a "grossly negligent manner." Anyone convicted of vehicular manslaughter, which is a felony, can be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and fined as much as $5,000.

A Senate bill proposed during this year's Maryland General Assembly session would have added to the existing vehicular manslaughter law language stating that a driver is considered to be criminally negligent when he or she "should be aware, but fails to perceive, that the person's conduct creates a substantial risk that such a result will occur" and that the failure creates a "substantial deviation from the standard of care that would be exercised by a reasonable person."

The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Larry E. Haines (R-Carroll) of Westminster, was in the Judiciary Proceedings Committee as of March 31, but the legislative session ended April 12. Haines, who did not seek reelection, did not return calls by press time.

Henry said she wants drivers who strike and seriously injure or kill cyclists to receive more than just a slap on the wrist and a fine.

Prosecutors must meet a high burden of proof for vehicular manslaughter, said spokesman Ramon Korionoff, speaking on behalf of Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey. Korionoff added that Ivey joined forces with AAA during this year's Maryland General Assembly session to testify before the Judicial Proceedings Committee for tougher laws.

"For example, drunk driving alone does not necessarily constitute sufficient grounds for a vehicular manslaughter charge," Korionoff said. "You'd have to have excessive speed, impairment of the driver, weather conditions. There are various factors that play into this."

Henry said she plans to lobby state and federal lawmakers to ensure that money is earmarked for infrastructure projects, such as widening bicycle lanes.

Wider lanes would help cyclists and drivers, she said. According to a state law that took effect last month, drivers must maintain a minimum 3-foot buffer between their vehicles and bicycles and yield the right of way to cyclists.
... <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/18/AR2010111807032.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/18/AR2010111807032.html</a>;

by B' Spokes

Like most people I live a hectic life and who has the time for much exercise? Thanks to xtracycle now I do. By using my bike for daily activities I can get things done and get an hour plus work out in 15 minutes extra of my time, not a bad deal and beats taking the extra time going to the gym. In case you are still having trouble being motivated; the National Center of Disease Control says that inactivity is the #2 killer in the United States just behind smoking. ( http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/bb_nutrition/ ) Get out there and start living life! I can carry home a full shopping cart of groceries, car pool two kids or just get lost in the great outdoors camping for a week. Well I got go, another outing this weekend.
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