Who would have thought that one accident could generate this much press? I wonder how many people were killed by cars in Boston while this debate raged. I wonder how much press those deaths received.
 
See the note below reporting the Boston Globe's documented problem with reporters falsifying fictious quotes and plagerism.

Background- Jonathan Gladstone's account from massbike@cycling.org, (that no Boston paper has printed)

Reckless pedestrians in Boston "walk this way"? -  Boston Globe, November 10, 1999
Quick license all Bank V.P.'s! (2 years too late)

Bicycle Backlash in Boston and Unionization

Press Release and Boston Messenger News - The latest developments and the press release from the International Messenger Community that no Boston media published.

Boston Courier Regulations encourage drunk drivers!

The Boston Crash Controversy: Hypocrisy Made Paramount - Auto Free Times, September 1998

Can Boston Handle the Truth? - My thoughts on the controversy.

Perspective on Traffic Safety - The real threat to all of our safety.

Thoughts on Gladstone- Spring Incident - by Paul Schimek, from massbike@cycling.org, November 11, 1997

Jaywalking law in Boston - by Andrew M. Fischer, from massbike@cycling.org, December 10, 1997

Outcry over bicycle couriers - Boston Globe, November 7, 1997

A Message on Bicycles - Boston Globe Editorial, November 8, 1997

Stricter rules mulled for bike couriers - Boston Globe, November 12, 1997

Leaders seek curbs on couriers after accident -Boston Globe, November 13, 1997

Chamber campaigns for bike courier crackdown - businesstoday.com, November 13, 1997

Chamber urges firms to use licensed bike couriers only - Boston Globe, November 14, 1997

Sending a bad Message - Philladelphia Inquirer, November 14, 1997

City Cracks Down on Bike Couriers - Associated Press, November 14, 1997

Chamber to Boycott Outlaw Bicycle Couriers - Boston Herald, November 14, 1997

Letters to the Editor - Boston Herald, November 14-17, 1997

Boston Couriers - National Public Radio, November 1997

Curtailing Couriers - Boston Business Journal, November 17, 1997

Moving Targets - Boston Pheonix, November 20, 1997

Bicycle couriers face tougher laws, penalties - Boston University Daily Free Press, November 1997

How did bicycle accident escalate into debate over newspaper's honesty? - Boston Globe, December 8, 1997

Response to Globe Ombudsman - by David B. Lewis, massbike@cycling.org, December 9, 1997

Wild in the Streets - Back Bay Courant, December 16, 1997

New bike courier rules are proposed - Boston Globe, January 17, 1998

Pushing for the Courier Ordinance - WCVB, Boston (ABC Affiliate), May 4, 1998

Courier's victim fights back, supports controls for bike messengers - Boston Herald, Tuesday, May 12, 1998

Council hears debate on bike courier regs - Boston Herald, May 13, 1998

Council OK's Plan On Bike Couriers - Boston Globe, May 13, 1998

Crackdown Likely on Bicycle Messengers - Channel 5, Boston, May 13, 1998

Downtown Bikes - Back Bay Courant, May 26, 1998

Menino balks at signing new bike messenger regs - Boston Herald, June 19, 1998

Agreement Reached on Bill to Regulate Bike Messengers - Boston Globe, June 20, 1998

Council to end fiscal year on compromising note - Boston Globe, June 23, 1998

Almost Perfect - San Francisco Bike Messengers Association, June 26, 1998

Mayor Signs Bill to Regulate Bike Messengers - Associated Press, June 29 ,1998

Menino Signs Bike Courier Rules - Boston Globe, June 30 1998

Moving the Courier Ordinance the Next Step - WCVB, Boston (ABC Affiliate), July 6, 1998

Bike Messenger Regulations Advance - Associated Press, July 21 1998

Don't Kill the Messenger - Auto Free Times, September 1998

Bike messengers soon will have new rules of road - Boston Herald, December 11, 1998

New ordinance to regulate bicycle couriers takes effect -(AP)Boston Herald, January 5, 1999

Pedestrian badly hurt when hit by bicycle - Boston Globe, January 5,1999

Police mull charges in messenger's bike crash - Boston Globe, January 6, 1999

Man struck by cyclist in serious condition -Boston Herald, January 6, 1999

Messenger service registers with city - Boston Globe Staff, January 7,1999

Bike courier crash behind him, Spring still suffers - Boston Globe, January 9, 1999

More bicycle messenger laws in Boston? - February 2000

House, No. 5682 - The bills progress through the State Legislature

The Old Boston Courier Ordinance

The New Boston Courier Regualtions 1998 - this is only for bikes, cars still kill at will.

Note: One of the media outlets to receive major criticism for its biased coverage of this accident has been the Boston Globe. The Globe's credibility is further represented by the fact that in the last year it was forced to get rid of two of its reporters for falsifying quotes and plagerism.

One of those dismissed was Mike Barnicle who was at the Globe for over 20 years despite many complaints about the truthfulness of his writing. As reported in the Boston Phoenix Barnicle once fanatsized about (couriers):
 

"what one of these morons would look and sound like if I was able to thrust a stick into the spokes of their speeding front wheel. In my mind, the guy . . . would land, screaming, in the park at Copley Square, preferably on cement."

Although they may share standards I don't think the Boston Globe is the same paper as the national tabloid -The Globe. But I could be wrong. And I'm sure the Globe's coverage is not affected by the fact that one of the largest sponsors of its web site is John Hamill's Fleet Bank.

Since much of the reporting in this accident is selective when it comes to the facts, Messengerville has included some. These types of serious accidents involving bike couriers are extremely rare. The Gladstone/Spring accident occurred when a pedestrian (Spring) ran across the street against a red light and collided with the cyclist (Gladstone) who was proceeding through a green light.

The bicycle messenger ordinance in effect at the time already required bicycle couriers to have licenses, wear visible identification numbers, and have license plates on their bikes. It also required messenger companies to register with the city. Much to the dismay of the anti-bike types, the only new requirement is insurance. Automobile couriers face no similar requirements.

Since the accident took place at an intersection crosswalk we were told that Gladstone was ticketed because, under the law vehicles must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk - even if the pedestrian is jaywalking. The fines he received were: "$100 for not wearing the vest required under a city ordinance; $100 for not being licensed, and $20 under the state law mandating deference to pedestrians in crosswalks (wrong - check here). In other words $200 for bureaucratic violations and $20 for traffic violations.

However now we learn that no such law exists and there was no legal basis for the traffic ticket that he received. In other words - Mr Spring was the dangerous one.