Commuting - Encounter w/ cab

So here in Chicago the cabs are plentiful and could pretty much care less about bikes. While commuting to work today I was cruising down the right side of the street. A guy was trying to hail a cab about 50 yds ahead of me. A cab in the left lane behind me sped up, cut into the right lane, and proceeded to veer toward the curd while cutting me off (causing me to have to make an emergency stop). Really dangerous. Really obvious that he saw me and knew what he was doing. All for what, a $7 fare? Anyway, that got me to thinking. This may be really bad, but I want to tape a wrench or screwdriver on my handlebar or frame. When someone consciously endangers my life, I want to grab it and leave a nice little mark in their car.

I endo'd after rear-ending a cab when he cut me off and hard-braked into a right turn. I went down right in traffic.. and the cab didn't even stop. I didn't have time to do anything except hammer down on my brakes. I was going the same speed as traffic, too. Good thing the only thing I hurt was my rear tire, which was fixed for $20.

What about those pointed hammers they sell for breaking the windows if your car is submerged. I think they would best be used while doing a controlled crash into his car. Ow, you cut me off and I crashed through your window.

That's perfect. I wonder if Nashbar sells a quick release window smasher? If not, look for my new website: ismashcabwindows.com. It could have easily been done today. Note - I'm not some crazy dude out there wanting to mess up everyone's car. I can handle honest mistakes. But this freaking dude knew exactly what he was doing. He deserved a smashed window.

I commute into the loop on Jackson Street every day. Unfortunately, this kind of crap with cabs is becoming increasingly common place. I carry a mini ulock, and have been tempted more than once to pull it out and smash it against their trunk.

If someone is purposely endangering your life, use the wrench or screwdriver on his skull. If you're not prepared to do that, then just take his license and make a complaint. Or do nothing. Damaging a car isn't going to solve anything except show the world that you're immature.

I doubt the cabbie had it in for bicycles specifically, the same thing's happened to me both while driving and biking. That guy don't care about anything other than his next fare, period. I've been cut-off by and had enough close-calls with cabbies that they get little to no slack from me now.

If you feel it necessary to mark the car up, go for it. Be sure you're ready to accept the possible risks of that action: legal (misdemeanor/felony arrest), physical (car retaliates and hits you from behind), moral (might feel guilty later?), and the smith & wesson varieties (not explaining this one further).

I'm older and more risk-adverse than I once was, I think the worst now is to get in the cabbies face and inform him of exactly how close he came to hitting/maiming/killing me. Make sure the fare hears it too. If its egregious enough, I'd call the cab company. With private cars, there's an aggressive driver hotline in my area that I use on occasion.

If someone is purposely endangering your life, use the wrench or screwdriver on his skull. If you're not prepared to do that, then just take his license and make a complaint. Or do nothing. Damaging a car isn't going to solve anything except show the world that you're immature.

So my only options are to try and kill the guy (seems a tad bit extreme), report him to the Chicago police or cab licensing commission who will do absolutely nothing, or do nothing and take it. I don't buy that. I'm not advocating violence or damage to property lightly, but in certain situations denting a cab would accomplish two things. First, it would let them know you are not going to put up with that s**t, and second, it would hopefully erase the profit he was going to make when he is forced to pay back the cab company for the dent I created. Immature, maybe. Effective, hopefully. Just wish I had the balls to do it.

Don't even get me started on Chicago cab drivers. :mad:
Almost all the close calls and nasty incidents I've had have been with them. I yelled watchout at one as he nearly killed me and he tells me "Shut up." It nearly gets to the point where I want a helmet camera and start reporting them.

I decided to settle for never using a cab [boycott] and laugh at them when they cry to city hall about how much they are hurting from gas prices and constant citations and need a fare hike.

At least the cops are w/ us on this one. They may hate the cabbies more than cyclists. Had a fun incident 2 months ago where I actually smashed into the side of one when he turned left directly in front of me.

I don't think smashing a skull is appropriate. A little financial damage to help the collective cause is enough for me. I have the suspicion that 99% of Chicago cops would turn the other way while a cab was getting a little retribution for being an *****.

My brother is a Chicago Police officer and he really hates cabies. I think I may give him the number of the next one that F's with me.

http://petermiller.info/yellowcard.html

nuff said

How 'bout carrying around a water bottle filled w/ piss and spraying it through their windows? It's environmentally friendly. ;)

Mr. Jim - I really wish that would work. I think that it actually may help for some of the ridiculous soccer moms driving Range Rovers (you know, just in case all the roads turn to dirt) throughout the city streets. Most of their stupidity is thoughtlessness, being on the cell phone, and a genuine lack of ability to drive a large SUV on a city street. They are generally not aggressive, just dumb. I'm pissed at the ones, often cabbies, who know that they are endangering you and still go ahead and do it. A magnet isn't gonna change that behavior.

I just came up w/ another good idea....paint. A little vial of model paint or the like on the hood could be a semi-costly thing to fix. Easy to carry around to boot.

That's perfect. I wonder if Nashbar sells a quick release window smasher? If not, look for my new website: ismashcabwindows.com. It could have easily been done today. Note - I'm not some crazy dude out there wanting to mess up everyone's car. I can handle honest mistakes. But this freaking dude knew exactly what he was doing. He deserved a smashed window.

Oh man - the best would be a U-lock that has the window smasher built in to the non-key side of the bar. Just grab the handle and swing for maximum damage.

Somebody needs to make that.

A couple years back I was in the back of a Chicago cab because I had to get my newly rescued shelter cat home quickly. Now I'm all for not liking jerk***** cabs, but as we were rolling along a messenger passed by on the right side and spit on the driver through his open window! unprovoked. The driver instantly flared up but then calmed down because I was in the back and he was too busy to deal with it. It was way nasty and I felt bad for the driver...that messenger is just making it hard on us out there who don't do lousy things to people without reason.

How 'bout carrying around a water bottle filled w/ piss and spraying it through their windows? It's environmentally friendly. ;)

I think most cabies are used and immune to offensive biological odors. :rolleyes:

This is so typical in NYC that I've learned to look for cab-hailers, no joke.

What you're thinking of doing, BTW, is called "U-lock justice" b/c often the only tool at hand for smashing the offending vehicle is a cyclist's U-lock. I don't know that I'd ever do it myself but I more than understand the motivation. Heck, I once slapped a cabbie's window for emphasis I was so pissed-off at his homicidal ***** of a move to beat me to a red light.