We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
This July 4th, we as a nation will celibate these words that shook humanity, and are the foundation of our fledgling Nation and its Declaration of Independence 235 years ago. Nothing is more American than Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. I believe that these “inalienable Rights” that we are all “endowed by our Creator” cannot note be infringed upon no matter what the peaceful endeavor one so chooses.
However as someone who regularly walks and rides a bike, I cannot help but wonder if these rights, that form the foundation of our uniquely American form of freedom, does not apply to me when I travel using these modes. As a free American, I hereby declare that I demand my rights of “Life Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” no matter what legal form of travel I so choose.
Life – I demand the right to walk or ride my bicycle on the public right-of-way without the constant fear that my life is in imminent danger due to:
- roadway engineering that continues to ignore the practical needs of bicyclists and pedestrians.
- the poor driving skills of the operators of motor vehicles and the government agencies that continue to allow these incompetent persons to legally operate said motor vehicles with impunity.