Higher Standards, Corporate Responsibility, and Motorcycle Awareness Month.
This past month, May, was #MotorcycleAwarenessMonth It didn’t seem like people noticed, or really cared. But, as I reflected, one incident stood out.
It was actually an incident that occurred on April 27, 2023, with the driver of a silver Toyota with a New Mexico Chile plate, driving for Medicare Trans, LLC., vehicle number 361. While the incident occurred at the end of April, I tried to resolve in May. During Motorcycle Awareness Month. I received a single corporate form-response email, and was ghosted.
This post goes to corporate responsibility, a subject that really needs a harder look.
Corporation owners want corporations to shield them, and have their corporations have the same rights as people. Well it is time those corporations start taking responsibility, then. Including for their actions, and for their employees’ actions.
I was almost struck by a Medicare Trans LLC driver (vehicle 361,) on April 27, 2023, while riding my motorcycle with my service dog in her carrier. The driver illegally occupied, blocked, stopped in, and crossed our designated bus only ART lanes, used an emergency crossover, and pulled into my lane effectively cutting me off and forcing me into the next lane to avoid an impact accident. They then drove slow when we got to downtown Albuquerque, to avoid pulling up next to me or stopping next to me, thinking I didn’t have a dash cam?
Of course, after I was struck by a car pulling out of a parking lot illegally in November, I put a dash cam on my bike.
This driver almost caused an accident with my motorcycle. While I was legally riding in my lane. I had to evasively maneuver, I had to avoid a car and bus in the other lane, and make sure I wasn’t rear ended by the car behind me.
Where was I headed? PTSD therapy, to deal with that hit and run accident I am recovering from, that occurred in November.
The company’s response to their driver illegally occupying a bus lane, stopping in a bus lane, using an emergency crossover, illegally occupying and crossing a second bus lane, and cutting off a motorcycle, forcing the motorcycle into another lane?
“Good Morning,
Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us. First of all, I am thankful an accident did not occur and that you are safe. We will be reaching out to the driver and they will be coached on the situation that occured.[SIC]
Best regards,
Gertrude Phillips”
That is not corporate responsibility. That is not taking any ownership. Whether the driver intended to kill my service dog and I or not, their illegal, reckless action could have had fatal consequences. The driver intentionally committed multiple criminal driving infractions, The corporation was presented with evidence. They dismissed it, and left the driver operating a deadly weapon on the streets of Albuquerque. This is unacceptable.
What I would have found to be an “acceptable” response?
Firing the driver. That’s it. Nothing less would have been acceptable. In addition? Giving me the license plate number of the vehicle, so I could have contacted the police with full vehicle information. Cooperating with the police. All would have been appreciated. Actually asking how I was, instead of assuming that I was “all right” after a very close incident, caused by their driver. Their non-response, response was not acceptable.
Why fired? Isn’t it extreme?
No, it’s not extreme! It’s being a responsible corporate citizen. They are employing a person who, while operating as a professional driver for vulnerable people who are medically fragile, broke multiple laws, and placed a motorcycle rider in peril as a result. Terminating the driver is the only safe, the only responsible thing that could have been done. Instead, I was given a typical corporate non-response response. “Nothing will actually happen to the driver.”