Altercation with motorist
01-04-14, 05:35 PM
#51
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I understand that, and occasionally will talk about it with a motorist. But, it only seems to be (possibly) productive if I'm calm. If there's any anger showing at all, dialogue is more likely to be unproductive, or maybe even counter-productive. In any case, the one thing A-holes are best at is convincing themselves that anyone pointing it out are in the wrong. A-holes are very committed to their behavior.
01-04-14, 08:23 PM
#52
----
I am sorry hear of incidents like this because they really can get under your skin.
Not having witnessed the incident I am completely reliant on the OP for perspective. I do know that I have occasionally had incidents of this type in places and at times when there was/is no mandatory side path law. The OP claims this incident is rare. But seems to be put an awful lot of weight on the mandatory side path law being responsible. If that were the case, and the OP frequently rides in this manner wouldn't this be a daily or at least a more frequent experience?
And isn't the OP the one who claimed, in another thread, the Portland "bulls" were well tamed?
None of this is meant to cast doubt on the OP's version of the incident nor to place blame on the cyclist, sounds like he was completely in the right, but the side path thing feels a bit of stretch to me.
Not having witnessed the incident I am completely reliant on the OP for perspective. I do know that I have occasionally had incidents of this type in places and at times when there was/is no mandatory side path law. The OP claims this incident is rare. But seems to be put an awful lot of weight on the mandatory side path law being responsible. If that were the case, and the OP frequently rides in this manner wouldn't this be a daily or at least a more frequent experience?
And isn't the OP the one who claimed, in another thread, the Portland "bulls" were well tamed?
None of this is meant to cast doubt on the OP's version of the incident nor to place blame on the cyclist, sounds like he was completely in the right, but the side path thing feels a bit of stretch to me.
01-04-14, 08:26 PM
#53
C*pt*i* Obvious
Seems better they pass on the right than on your left if you're turning left, no?
Continual education and awareness programs on sharing the road with cyclists will help reduce (but certainly not eliminate) incidences like this, IMO. More advocacy money should be spent on this and a bit less on trophy infrastructure projects.
Continual education and awareness programs on sharing the road with cyclists will help reduce (but certainly not eliminate) incidences like this, IMO. More advocacy money should be spent on this and a bit less on trophy infrastructure projects.
01-05-14, 02:21 PM
#54
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Were you west bound on Hawthorne somewhere west of 23rd (since you mentioned it was downhill)?
Sounds like drivers were frustrated at being backed up by the delivery trucks, then one dickhead got especially frustrated at you passing then holding them up, since he obviously intended to drive >25 mph after clearing the truck bottleneck.
I had some guy in a SUV deliberately buzz me while honking and yelling, because he didn't like me sprinting in the lane over the Burnside Bridge at 5 am. At that hour, there isn't any issue of blocking traffic, he and I were the only road users for many blocks in either direction and we each had our own lane. I caught up to him at a light and while he screamed, put my 600 lumen helmet spot in his eyes at 3 feet range, then watched him scream with his eyes closed which was quite funny.
Same as you, I only have these incidents once every few years. Those sorts of drivers are definitely the minority.
Sounds like drivers were frustrated at being backed up by the delivery trucks, then one dickhead got especially frustrated at you passing then holding them up, since he obviously intended to drive >25 mph after clearing the truck bottleneck.
I had some guy in a SUV deliberately buzz me while honking and yelling, because he didn't like me sprinting in the lane over the Burnside Bridge at 5 am. At that hour, there isn't any issue of blocking traffic, he and I were the only road users for many blocks in either direction and we each had our own lane. I caught up to him at a light and while he screamed, put my 600 lumen helmet spot in his eyes at 3 feet range, then watched him scream with his eyes closed which was quite funny.
Same as you, I only have these incidents once every few years. Those sorts of drivers are definitely the minority.
01-06-14, 07:30 AM
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You should have just memorized his plate and reported it, some of these guys travel with guns and could just pop you one if they don't run over you with their car first. Most states won't even go after the guy anyways, California is the only state that I know that could issue a citation, even though a lot of states have the 3 foot law now you have to have proof (witness or camera) they broke that and contacted you. I've gotten pretty aggressive in my younger days myself but it is stupid to that when you really think about it, no matter what they always have the upper hand unless they get caught by the law.
But if you report the plate and the cops do nothing it does go into a data base as a potential person who may be violent toward cyclists and if he does it again then they have a track record.
But if you report the plate and the cops do nothing it does go into a data base as a potential person who may be violent toward cyclists and if he does it again then they have a track record.
01-06-14, 04:55 PM
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I'm thinking you didn't yell loud enough/curse enough. Maybe try that next time. 
01-06-14, 05:05 PM
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Ok, after thinking about this more, if you would had flashed a gun and scream like a maniac strung out on meth then I think the guy would have left quickly without hesitation. We need to show motorists who are more crazy and wacked out, them or us? Let it be us.
01-06-14, 08:08 PM
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01-11-14, 12:32 PM
#63
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01-12-14, 04:51 PM
#65
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Interesting....when I call in a report, usually within an hour of the incident since I have to download my videos for detailed info, I generally get berated by the dispatchers for not reporting the incident within a minute or so of it's taking place.
01-12-14, 05:13 PM
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Maybe it's their way of saying they're not interested?
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01-12-14, 05:33 PM
#67
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01-13-14, 01:06 AM
#68
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You wanna bear bait some dude, I really lose interest if your 'stupid cyclist trick'. You are responsible for you own safety and co-existing with all others on the road.
This is not a war. Portland won't 'become a world-class bike city' as you put it if the bicyclists don't join in.
This is not a war. Portland won't 'become a world-class bike city' as you put it if the bicyclists don't join in.
My first shouting match in at least two years.
I was tooling down Hawthorne at or above the speed limit and passed a long line of cars (backed up due to delivery trucks) on the left. I pull out in front at the light and when the light changes I spin up to 25+ very quickly riding in the middle of the lane. Some ******bag passes on the right so close that his mirror actually grazes my jacket. I lose my cool and take off after him. I greatly exceed the 25 mph speed limit and we end up parked right next to each other at the next red light. He immediately rolls down the window and starts screaming at me about the bike street a few blocks over. I respond by informing him that I am a human being just like him and that he could have killed me. He continues to scream that I should not be riding on the road. At this point I significantly raise my voice and I tell him that he is driving like a sociopath and that he should treat his vehicle like it's a potential weapon, not a toy. (It's possible that he is a sociopath, of course.) He just kept on screaming so I just shouted "whatever" and ignored the rest of his tantrum.
Pure old-school "bike ambassador" fun.
It also shows why Portland will never become a world class bike city until we end the mandatory sidepath law.
I was tooling down Hawthorne at or above the speed limit and passed a long line of cars (backed up due to delivery trucks) on the left. I pull out in front at the light and when the light changes I spin up to 25+ very quickly riding in the middle of the lane. Some ******bag passes on the right so close that his mirror actually grazes my jacket. I lose my cool and take off after him. I greatly exceed the 25 mph speed limit and we end up parked right next to each other at the next red light. He immediately rolls down the window and starts screaming at me about the bike street a few blocks over. I respond by informing him that I am a human being just like him and that he could have killed me. He continues to scream that I should not be riding on the road. At this point I significantly raise my voice and I tell him that he is driving like a sociopath and that he should treat his vehicle like it's a potential weapon, not a toy. (It's possible that he is a sociopath, of course.) He just kept on screaming so I just shouted "whatever" and ignored the rest of his tantrum.
Pure old-school "bike ambassador" fun.
It also shows why Portland will never become a world class bike city until we end the mandatory sidepath law.
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01-13-14, 01:20 AM
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"Available" for police officers to do what? What are they supposed to do with your report if another "incident" occurs? How will the availability of your "report" affect anybody or anything?
01-13-14, 01:22 AM
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Barney Fife was always well-known for his photographic memory.
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01-13-14, 02:00 AM
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If this motorist gets pulled over or arrested for similar behavior my report will likely be taken into consideration by LE when it comes to assessing a citation.
Last edited by spare_wheel; 01-13-14 at 02:10 AM.
01-13-14, 02:07 AM
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Cyclists do need to join in. We need to stop acting like passive victims and challenge discriminatory laws (e.g. ORS 814.20 and ORS 814.30) and aggressive motorists.
Last edited by spare_wheel; 01-13-14 at 02:10 AM.
01-13-14, 03:03 AM
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You need to stop picking fights and learn from that which doesn't kill you. This entire thread has been about ROAD RAGE.
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01-13-14, 08:26 AM
#75
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The "Good Doctor" in California almost got away with his road rage incident, if it had not been for a previous complaint that was filed against him for the same driving behavior. The bad part, is that law enforcement were not the ones to bring the report to light, it was only brought to law enforcement's attention by a cycling advocate who had remembered it being filed.
