Rolling coal and restorative justice

On Bicycling, a look at the “rolling coal” case in Texas three years later: https://www.bicycling.com/news/a60747401/waller-texas-coal-rolling-cyclist-crash/

Basically, drivers can do whatever they want and it’s too bad for the pedestrian or cyclist. What a world!

I pulled off the road in 2020 after over twenty years of riding anywhere from 2000–4000 miles/year. We’ve modified where we walk (even in little Red Wing) because of the recklessness and inattentiveness of drivers. It seems like every week more and more drivers run stop signs, sometimes not even looking to see if anyone is coming—especially pedestrians.

Earlier this year, a driver, going over 60 mph by his own admission and without brakes (he knew it, too), no insurance or driver's license, crashed into our neighbor’s house, severing the gas line and requiring the entire neighborhood to evacuate their houses for forty-five minutes.

Our city had a traffic planning meeting earlier this month and they have federal funds to make the roads safer. I’m not terribly hopeful, but we gave our input as pedestrians and residents…

But, more importantly, what would restorative justice look like in these two cases?

I'm not terribly certain, but I can recall a situation when our son, Ryan, was in high school. One day at school, he had a knife pulled on him in class. I don't doubt, knowing Ryan, that he made some wise crack at which the other boy took offense. While Ryan probably shouldn't have said what he said, that certainly doesn't justify pulling a knife!

The other boy had a history of trouble and a case worker. The case worker brought the boy over to our house and had him apologize to Ryan and us for his actions. Not sure how much of an effect that had on the boy, but it had an affect on us. It transformed the way we looked at the kid. He became human rather than an abstract "kid with a troubled background." In other words, he was no longer an "other." He was a person.

So, in the case of the neighbor, perhaps the driver should be required to help the workers who are repairing the foundation. Perhaps he should be required to apologize to our neighbor for the mess he made of her house. I know the neighbor is struggling with bitterness toward the boy. Maybe if he was required to to do that, he might become human to her? I don't know, but I would like to think it would.

In the Texas case, I would require the driver to meet with the six people, to hear the trials and troubles of their lives since getting hit. Maybe do some service work specifically for the victims—not some generic public service, but specifically for the victims. It would probably do both of them some good. They would become human to each other.

Further, I would require him to do public appearances, preferably with one of the disabled victims, warning those who want to "roll coal" about the dangers and the possible long-term ramifications.

Pipe dream? Maybe. But if we want to see a better world, we need to dream. And that dream needs to get beyond retributive justice and into restorative justice. That's the Christian way!

Just an
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