Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Someone threw something at me!

:mad:
I was out doing my 25 today and enjoying the beautiful weather we had today in sunny Mesquite, TX when I hear someone behind me start to gun their engine and a Big Gulp type drink comes flying out of the window of the car. They missed me in front but the ice from the drink went everywhere causing me to dodge that. They were going so fast that I didn't get a license plate number. I sure would have pressed charges if I could've seen that number.

Does anyone know the laws in Texas concerning motorist throwing things at cyclists?

If your fast enough to shoot the tires out of the vehicle, you can cleat then a few times. Yet to know why people friggin do this. I had a beer bottle thrown at me once, lucky a miss. I feel your anger. Glad your ok.

I know you can have a gun in a car in texas, don't know so much if that law extends to bikes.

I've had french fries thrown at me, although to give them the benefit of the doubt they may have simply been littering.

It's a rather obvious case of assault (attempted at least) when you wantonly commit an act that likely endangers someone. You don't need a car or bike involved for that!

:mad:
I was out doing my 25 today and enjoying the beautiful weather we had today in sunny Mesquite, TX when I hear someone behind me start to gun their engine and a Big Gulp type drink comes flying out of the window of the car. They missed me in front but the ice from the drink went everywhere causing me to dodge that. They were going so fast that I didn't get a license plate number. I sure would have pressed charges if I could've seen that number.

Does anyone know the laws in Texas concerning motorist throwing things at cyclists?

I am not a lawyer, and I don't play one on TV either. Typically most places throwing something at another person, would be considered assault, or at least attempted assault (if they miss). Some day, someone will throw an object at a cyclist, the cyclist will then lose control, crash. The cyclist will have a darn good lawyer and know how to use it. The cyclist will sue for an insanely large amount of money, and get it.

Sometimes they are not aiming for the cyclist, they finish with something and toss it out the car window, without even looking, they don't care if they hit someone or some thing, as long as they don't have to pull over near a garbage receptacle, open the car door and move their lazy good for nothing a## far enough to place their waste in said receptacle. This is why so much of our oceans has plastics debris floating on it....

Of course filing gives to proving, which would be difficult to do. Even if they got the cup and got prints from it, can they show intent?

I've had french fries thrown at me, although to give them the benefit of the doubt they may have simply been littering.

littering--or sharing!

Well, one reason I have ride video is because I have a video camera slung under my aerobars.It's helped me out a time or 2, by the way. ;)

littering--or sharing!

Assault with a deadly weapon is more like it. I shudder at the transfat in those things.....

Assault is the threatening act. Battery is the physical harm caused. So in this case the person throwing the big gulp would be guilty of assault, without battery.

Chances are if it is a regular ride route for you, you will see the car again. Next time be ready to get their plate number or at least have a camera, gun, RPG... ready.

Glad your okay. I have been riding for 3 years without anything but words thrown at me. Unfortunately, it happens quite often to some of my friends. I have just been lucky I guess.

Sometimes they are not aiming for the cyclist, they finish with something and toss it out the car window, without even looking, they don't care if they hit someone or some thing, as long as they don't have to pull over near a garbage receptacle, open the car door and move their lazy good for nothing a## far enough to place their waste in said receptacle. ..
While I agree with this in theory, it has happened to me often enough that I now watch loud pickup trucks with large (noisy) tires on them. An inordinately large number of flying objects have come at me from vehicles that meet that description, and I know that most of them are too lazy to even throw the trash out the window except for a purpose:eek:

My experience with cops in that part of Texas is, they don't give a damn about cyclists. Your on your own.

I also live in Mesquite Texas and completely understand your dilema. I can ride ALL day in Dallas and never have any problems (and Dallas is not what I consider "Bike Friendly"),. But even in my neighborhood which is supposed to be a "nice" one, I can't seem to get 2 blocks without someone yelling or even swerving at me. Welcome to Hicksville, Gooberland or whatever other redneck stereotype name you wish to use. I don't know where you were riding, but Galloway and Beltline and anywhere near Town East are areas loaded with trouble. I am pretty sure the law would call that an attempted assault, but you might want to check. My suggestion is just forget it and try to enjoy your ride, you might also get the license plate and call the Mesquite Police, but don't get your expectations too high.

While I agree with this in theory, it has happened to me often enough that I now watch loud pickup trucks with large (noisy) tires on them. An inordinately large number of flying objects have come at me from vehicles that meet that description, and I know that most of them are too lazy to even throw the trash out the window except for a purpose:eek:

Ever notice these folks who toss stuff out of windows don't have an arm to save their life?

It hasn't happened in awhile, but I've had things thrown at me a couple of times - once it was an orange. I've also been squirted with a supersoaker. I think it's the vandal, criminal nuisance mentality - like the guys who drove around shooting people with painballs, laughing and videotaping the whole thing (which helped convict the morons.)

I just hope it doesn't happen much; the chances of doing anything about it seem pretty slim.

I also have people shout at me out of their windows a lot - woo hoo! I think they're trying to encourage me, but I wish they wouldn't. It usually startles me - like when a dog in a passing car barks at me. I hate that! (and I love dogs!)

I need to temper my earlier comments a bit. Although every "incident" that has happened to me has been in Mesquite, in reality, they are few and far between. The norm is for people to be courteous and wave or simply do nothing. It is the exception that someone does something rude or dangerous, but of course those are the ones that stick out.
Hope your rides are all good safe ones. :)

Last time I got squirted by a super soaker was on a REALLY hot 98º day. I hollered thank you! The guy that did it was disappointed ;) I caught up at the next light and asked them to do it again please ;)

Well, one reason I have ride video is because I have a video camera slung under my aerobars.It's helped me out a time or 2, by the way. ;)

This is something I have started to think about a lot lately Tom. Here in Iowa it is pretty safe to cycle but as I am planning on getting a job out of state I wonder. I have lurked through the advocacy section of the forum and from reading some the the stuff there I think doing this may start to become a necessity for some cyclist to protect themselves in a court of law.

Trolley Guy, I ride mostly in the Creek Crossing area. There are some nice roads out here to ride. I have been riding a while and this was my first time something like this has happened. I think most are used to the number of riders in this area of town. Maybe we'll see each other riding out here soon. Look for the yellow Trek 1000.

Hi Tabnlu, I live in Opal Lawrence Estates (used to be Parkview) just off Kearney over by Mesquite High. I ride around City Lake park and my neighborhood but haven't ridden over to Creek Crossing yet, although it is very close. I will have to venture up there sometime. I ride a white Trek 7.3 FX and a Trek 1000 Discovery Channel edition. Maybe we can go on a ride together sometime.

I hate riding in Texas.

Reminds me of the Dead Kennedys b-side "night of the living rednecks". lol. seriously though i'd try and forget about it asap. i've never had anything thrown at me but have gotten the beeping and the shouting and it doesn't make you feel too good. makes me feel pretty awful if i'm honest. but happy then after i'm home that i did actually go out cycling and these morons aren't worth a second thought!

on my ride yesterday i saw a pink ***** on the side of the road.

my first thought, i wonder if someone threw it at those cyclists up ahead of me.

I hate riding in Texas.

listen to v1k1ing. he knows exactly what the facts is.

I haven't had anything thrown at me but a I haven't ridden on the road that much. Last year I posted and I regret it but after a ride I had put my comfort bike on it's kickstand in outside of my front door. I came in to swill some water and turned around and there was a punk getting on my bike!

I ran out of the kitchen, busted the screen door off the hinge and pounded the living Christ out of the punk.

End result was a small fee of court cost and an 'anger management' class.

Would I do it again? Yep!

Folks in cars......What CAN you do? Take the license plate down and see what happens, hopefully something.

Nothing thrown at me that I can recall. Must have been someone who was pissy at the price of gas.

All I've ever had was someone shouting at me but all I heard was a single syllable as they sped past. I think they said "nice legs" or at least thats what I'll tell myself. :D

Start wearing jerseys with American flag type stuff on them, like this one:

http://www.velowear.com/products/1010413PRTXSM.aspx

You'll probably get more cheers than jeers with it in TX.

Jim

When I lived in North Carolina, it was a common occurrence to get hit by things. I'd say once every other week, at a minimum, someone would throw something at me. Usually it was lit ciggarettes, or the contents of a cold drink. Other times it was not so...nice or frivilous. I got knocked up and over the handlebars one time after getting hit in the upper back with a full big gulp type drink (1 quart/liter plastic cup with ice - just a big bruise on my back and some road rash). I also had a few beer bottles break in my general direction (don't think they were really trying to hit me). Texas sounds similar. I ended up only riding with the local club when I headed out into the countryside there (they don't mess with 25-50 riders as much as a single).

I never got the whole problem that people in some areas have bicyclists either. They don't throw stuff at canoe and sailboard people at the lake, when they are out on their over-powered ski or bass boats. Why do they get so bent out of shape about cyclists? There are a lot more hobbies out there that can be more annoying or harmful to the local population. It is not as annoying as running woodworking machinery at 2 AM in the morning, taking up chainsaw sculpture in the back yard, running straight pipes on your motorcycle, or using a 300+ AMP on your car stereo (I guess that it is "nice to share"). Riding your bicycle does not harm anyone, either.

Do they throw things, or swerve at runners in Texas too? They left runners alone in North Carolina, but still hated cyclists.

Sunday while out with my club I was in front pulling the group along when a dip sh*t coming the opposite direction decided to play chicken with our club. It was a wonder we didnt wreck pulling to the right and slamming on the brakes. The passenger was on the phone and the driver was smiling as she went by. I could not believe it....

I never got the whole problem that people in some areas have bicyclists either. They don't throw stuff at canoe and sailboard people at the lake, when they are out on their over-powered ski or bass boats. Why do they get so bent out of shape about cyclists? There are a lot more hobbies out there that can be more annoying or harmful to the local population. It is not as annoying as running woodworking machinery at 2 AM in the morning, taking up chainsaw sculpture in the back yard, running straight pipes on your motorcycle, or using a 300+ AMP on your car stereo (I guess that it is "nice to share"). Riding your bicycle does not harm anyone, either.


I think it has a lot to do with people thinking that their car is their house and they think you are on their property. I drove professionally for over a decade and it was the only rationalization for why I could figure that people would cut off a vehicle with air brakes. When you start to look at how the car is the first thing you see when you go over to someone's house you can understand that attitude.

[I never got the whole problem that people in some areas have bicyclists either. They don't throw stuff at canoe and sailboard people at the lake, when they are out on their over-powered ski or bass boats. Why do they get so bent out of shape about cyclists? There are a lot more hobbies out there that can be more annoying or harmful to the local population. It is not as annoying as running woodworking machinery at 2 AM in the morning, taking up chainsaw sculpture in the back yard, running straight pipes on your motorcycle, or using a 300+ AMP on your car stereo (I guess that it is "nice to share"). Riding your bicycle does not harm anyone, either.

I think what happens is that drivers think that the gas taxes they pay are what pays entirely for the roads, and that means the bicycle is taking up some of the road their gas tax is paying for. There are solutions, proper one, whip out your camera phone, get a picture of the car's donkey, then stop at the local constabulary to file a formal complaint. Your picture should include a clear view of the tag, and contain a time and date stamp, another photo of the next street sign would provide the location. If they hit you, it's assault......

Cycling through my hometown of Hollywood California a package of firecrackers were thrown from a fire-escape. The exploding bundle landed about five feet in front of me and did no damage- except to my nerves. :eek: On another occasion, a young man attempted to hand me a "Big Gulp" soda as I rode past which I declined. He then chased me throwing the whole thing at me. Again, no damage even though there were a number of ice cubes in my path. In Hollywood, you just have to expect the unexpected and ..... be careful!

I was tempted to report the fire-cracker incident but it would have taken hours to go through the whole process and caused even more trouble if the police had arrested the young men responsible. :(