RAGBRAI route announced; will state close liability loopholes? Will counties fill their potholes?
Posted on January 31, 2008 in Politics by DM
When I read that the list of host communities for this year’s RAGBRAI had been released, I wondered if the county liability issue would come up again - and it has. Since last year’s death and subsequent lawsuit stemming from Crawford County’s failure to fill a major pothole along their part of the route, I’ve wondered whether cities and counties would be as open this year to hosting the event. The lawsuit was settled with Crawford County paying $350,000 to the dead rider’s widow, and recently the Iowa State Association of Counties asked county boards of supervisors across the state to sign a petition calling for state legislation that limits county liability for injuries caused on secondary highways - which are not maintained to standards that are considered safe for bicyclists.
I guess that’s one way to approach the problem, but it also seems to me that all Crawford County had to do was make a pass along the route the day before the ride, and drop some blacktop down into whatever holes they found.
I encourage lawmakers to close any loopholes that make taxpayers liable for injuries sustained by anyone participating in a recreational or sporting activity. But I also encourage this year’s host communities to simply be proactive and haul out the barrel of blacktop for some quick repairs if necessary. It will not only save a lot of money, it will also save some heartache.
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I have to differ with you. Since the Register always proclaims itself to be a part of Iowa–and still calls itself “the newspaper Iowa depends upon”–why can’t it help pay for the roadwork where events such as RAGBRAI are being held?