So far the worst that has happened to me was having gum spit on me. It hit and I was definatly annoyed but in hindsight I am thankful that it was attacked with something squishy.

I'm sorry that it happened, and I would gladly punch the person who spit it at you, but the "getting attacked by something squishy" part made me laugh.

One of my son's bone headed friends threw a can at a cyclist and hit him. My son was driving, and he just pulled over and waited on the cyclist to get there. He waited around for the cop top get there too, and gave him the guys name and address since the thrower decided he was going to leave on foot.

I don't think they've spoken since.

Something is inherently wrong when the fine for the endangerment aspect is less than the fine for littering. (for some reason Arlo Guthrie's Alice's Restaurant just started playing in my mind)

+1 on the fine disparity

Also, love the Good Bad and the Ugly references!!! One of my all-time favorites.

I had a 20 oz plastic mountain dew bottle filled with tobacco spit thrown at me. The car was going 55 MPH I was going 15. It hit dead center on the back of my left calf. The impact tore my soleus muscle. When I got off the bike I could not put any weight on my leg. thank god I was wearing winter weight compression tights or who knows what damage would have been done. I was on crutches for 2 weeks, and 3 years later I still have a scar from the impact on the back of my leg.

When I was able to go to the police station later that week I reported it (I was riding 40 miles from home) I was not the first report of attacks on cyclists on that stretch of highway so the police were actively seeking the culprits; I just added fuel to the fire. They finally caught them about a month later. They threw a baseball bat into the spokes of a rider causing him to get seriously hurt. The car behind witnessed it, called the cops and followed them until the police intercepted them. 16 and 17 year olds.

:twitchy: Sick...

Just wear proper cycling attire:

http://www.smith-wesson.com/wcsstore/SmWesson/upload/images/products/36633_large.jpg

Had a raw egg thrown at me once. It hit me on my upper arm.

Odd thing is it bounced off and only broke when it hit the ground. It did leave an egg shaped bruise though, with the darker part of the bruise being circular where the yolk was.

Sounds like an interesting experiment for The Mythbusters.

I haven't had anything thrown at me, yet. I live in a smallish town, and if someone did throw something at me, I would most likely be able to track them down. Not that I would ever have the balls to do anything about it, but if I did, I'd be afraid that my bike would be the weapon, breaking it.

An idea for those of you who would want to give the info to the police; try and figure a way to get a note pad strapped to your handlebar stem with a pen/pencil. That way, you can quickly write down the plate number and vehicle description and what was thrown. I might try it.

haha owned

just kidding. what were two cyclists doing Sunday morning (im assuming in the early hours, 1-5am) riding the streets? thats just asking to get merked by a drunk driver


I commute home anytime between 1130pm tp 100am. It shouldnt matter what time of the day it is. We have just as much of a right to the road as a car. In this case since the guy was drunk I would venture to say more.

Since we moved to Colorado from the east coast about 10 years ago, I haven't had anything at all thrown at me. I've been deliberately brushed off the road by a few drivers each year, especially when I'm out in the country-side. A couple of 18-wheel truck drivers were looking right into my eyes in the side-view mirror so that I knew that they meant to do it, and that they did not think that I belonged "out there".

Back on the east coast, I got hit with lots of stuff. The list includes lots of cigarettes (lit ones and buts), countless empty beverage containers of the paper/plastic/aluminum varieties, lots of liquids sloshed onto me, chewed chewing gum, some not-so-empty drinks, etc. I can't name it all.

Once, I got hit square in the back with a full quart/liter fountain drink, by a car going somewhere around 35 mph. Luckily, the paper cup exploded, and all that it did was knock my breath out, leave a big bruise on my back, and some minor road rash from doing a face-plant after it hit me. I felt lucky. But I also avoided that side of town like the plague from then on when I was on my bike. There is a big difference between making fun of someone you find dorky, and trying to kill them...stupid rednecks.

Well thank goodness you are safe and OK. People are idiots and just chalk it up to the fact there is alot of inbreeding out there.

I've never had physical things thrown at me but I have had people honk, or shout or say something rude... I just tell myself someone's mom forgot to teach them manners!

I was on eBay looking at helmet cams. They have some very light ones with a wide angle lens that could be pointed towards the rear, catching the approaching car and the persons face that threw the object. the portable DVR weighs less than a pound and rechargeable batteries can give 4 hours of record time, long enough for any ride. Present the police with a tag number and a video of the event. Then sue the S.O.B for pain and suffering, What do you think?

All the varieties of things thrown have led me to thinking of the next great bike jersey:

Simple black jersey with big white lettering:

"Go ahead, throw stuff: as long as its gatorade and cliff bars!"

srsly though, sorry to hear about the incident.

haha owned

just kidding. what were two cyclists doing Sunday morning (im assuming in the early hours, 1-5am) riding the streets? thats just asking to get merked by a drunk driver

Nice... way to blame the victim. How about "Why aren't drunk driving laws a LOT stricter than they are in the U.S.?" Say something along the lines of permanent license suspension, a hefty fine, and a few years in jail? Considering how many people depend on their cars to either get to their jobs or to do their jobs I think you'd see a lot more people thinking twice before getting behind the wheel.


The concept of karma holds simply that actions have consequences. It's not some mystical woo-woo that people make it out to be. You do evil and evil comes back to you -- sometimes right away.

I've never had anything thrown at me, and never seen or heard of it in Boston. I can't imagine it would be a healthy situation for the driver. Rule 3, don't start...

I think maybe a lot of Bostonians understand that the cyclist is likely going to be able to catch up to them at the next light...

Most of my experiences with bad Boston drivers seem to be of the motorist ignores your existence/pretends you aren't there/they didn't see you, even though they JUST passed you to make that hard right hand turn with no signal.

All the varieties of things thrown have led me to thinking of the next great bike jersey:

Simple black jersey with big white lettering:

"Go ahead, throw stuff: as long as its gatorade and cliff bars!"

srsly though, sorry to hear about the incident.

I'd rather have someone throw "quiet money", much nicer here in Canada, where the smallest is a fiver:D.. (The $1 and $2 have been coins for over 10 years now).

several years ago i was riding my new schwinn, my second ride and a truck load of folks going about 30 mph threw a full, unopened can of coke, hit me in the back of the head, knocked me off the bike down a 20ish foot embankment, destroyed the front wheel, I had to walk 5 or so miles back home draging the bike, bleeding from various parts of my body. Most fun I've had awake. Nothing broken, but hurt like hell for a while.

several years ago i was riding my new schwinn, my second ride and a truck load of folks going about 30 mph threw a full, unopened can of coke, hit me in the back of the head, knocked me off the bike down a 20ish foot embankment, destroyed the front wheel, I had to walk 5 or so miles back home draging the bike, bleeding from various parts of my body. Most fun I've had awake. Nothing broken, but hurt like hell for a while.


Wow, I really hope you were wearing your helmet when that happened.

that was in 1976. I had no idea what a helmet was

Nice... way to blame the victim. How about "Why aren't drunk driving laws a LOT stricter than they are in the U.S.?" Say something along the lines of permanent license suspension, a hefty fine, and a few years in jail? Considering how many people depend on their cars to either get to their jobs or to do their jobs I think you'd see a lot more people thinking twice before getting behind the wheel.




I think maybe a lot of Bostonians understand that the cyclist is likely going to be able to catch up to them at the next light...

Most of my experiences with bad Boston drivers seem to be of the motorist ignores your existence/pretends you aren't there/they didn't see you, even though they JUST passed you to make that hard right hand turn with no signal.

My personal take on drunk driving is this: On the first offence, your licence is suspended, for 5 years, then your licence is erased. Meaning you don't have a licence, but you are welcome to apply for a learners permit and go through the whole process of getting a licence. As part of the law, insurance companies would be unable to hold the DUI against you, but can charge you new driver rates,:D

Persons caught driving under such a suspension, would get to spend the rest of their suspension at Her Majesties Pleasure (read jail).

that was in 1976. I had no idea what a helmet was

s**t, you took one to the head w/o a lid? Man, you're lucky you didn't injured worse.

Cigarette, still burning...that's been the worse, fortunately it didn't stick anywhere on me or my bags.
And of course the usual fingers coming out the passenger window pointing to the sidewalk.

I'd like to design something I could hang on those fingers with some cyclist eduction information. Secured with a crazy glue type adhesive.