ldsuttonjr Loc: ShangriLa

A lawmaker in North Dakota sponsored a bill that would reportedly protect drivers who inadvertently hit pedestrians blocking traffic.

The Star Tribune reported Monday that the legislation is a response to protests at Standing Rock Indian Reservation, and sponsored by state Rep. Keith Kempenich, R-Bowman.

“If you stay off the roadway, this would never be an issue,” he told the paper. “Those motorists are going about the lawful, legal exercise of their right to drive down the road….Those people didn’t ask to be in this.”

Kempenich told the paper that the law’s intent is to shift the blame from the driver to the person who was in the road who should not have legally been there. According to the report, Kempenich said he was concerned about panicked drivers who see a mob of protesters coming in their direction and hit the gas instead of the brake.

“You can protest all you want, but you can’t protest up on a roadway. It’s dangerous for everybody,” he told the paper.

The protest at Standing Rock is against a project that will transport North Dakota oil 1,200 miles through South Dakota and Iowa to a shipping point in Illinois. Construction is nearly complete outside of a stretch under Lake Oahe, a Missouri River reservoir in southern North Dakota.

The Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes are fighting the pipeline because the tribes believe it threatens drinking water - both use the lake for that - and cultural sites. ETP disputes that and maintains the pipeline will be safe.

Opponents have protested for months in southern North Dakota, with nearly 600 arrests since August. The protests have cost North Dakota law enforcement an estimated $22 million, the report said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

Oh? What about "stand your ground"? I guess the pedestrians can shoot the drivers trying to run them over. Won't THAT be exciting!

ldsuttonjr Loc: ShangriLa

ipnmajor: Your not thinking again!

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

Oh? And you WERE? Huh, coulda fooled me. Putting protesters in an approved protest site miles from the frontline would be good for the pipeline, pointless for the protesters. In other words, paying lip service to democracy, allows for symbolic protests - as long as they do not impede progress or interfere with the money players. Oligarchs rule #12. Rules #1 is never to appear to pay credence to rules #2 - #35.

ldsuttonjr Loc: ShangriLa

ion: It time for your frontal lobotomy!!!! The majority of these useful and useless idiots were never in an approved protest site on a major US Freeway!!!!

4430 Loc: Little Egypt ** Southern Illinory

Would you feel the same way if one of your loved ones was in a life or death situation in an ambulance on it way to the hospital and died because of idiots blocking the highway ? ? ? ?

Liberty Tree

I live in North Carolina and from now on we will have two kinds of pedestrians, the quick and the dead.

EL Loc: Massachusetts

That's the REAL danger. Emergency vehicles of any kind are blocked along with everyone else. Protestors never think about anyone else. Roadways should never be blocked.

Larry the Legend Loc: Not hiding in Milton

Here's a thought: How about moving the approved protest site to the middle of the interstate? Now that could get interesting...

bestpal38 Loc: Cedar City, Utah

You're an idiot

4430 Loc: Little Egypt ** Southern Illinory

I guess lpnmajor isn't in the mood to reply ! Just Saying

zillaorange

Freedom of Speech !

Docadhoc Loc: Elsewhere

Roadway.

ldsuttonjr Loc: ShangriLa

I guess I meant to say......Your not thinking right!!!!!!