Advocacy & Safety - Car used as a weapon

Message from the Treasure Valley Cycling Alliance:


On Saturday evening in downtown Boise, a motorist purposely tried to injure a cyclist. Luckily the cyclist wasn't injured too badly, but it could have been much worse. He has started a blog on the Treasure Valley Cycling Alliance website if you are interested in reading the detail of the incident, as well as where the police are in identifying the driver.

Bicyclist Hit and Run (http://www.biketreasurevalley.org/node/397)

We'll keep on top of the situation and will publish additional information on our website. This was a very serious incident that the cycling community needs to be very vocal and visible on. Motorists need to understand that cyclists have the right to the road, and this type of criminal behavior will not be tolerated. We must use this unfortunate incident to bring visibility to the issue.

This incident is also mentioned in the local media (http://www.2news.tv/news/local/45300802.html) and on a local bike blog (http://bikenazi.blogspot.com/).

Thanks for posting this, Bob T. I believe this one will be high on the BPD's priority list. Please keep us updated.

Of course the whole issue about who the driver really is, vice the owner of the car, will likely keep this "unresolved."

The photo line up should help to solve the problem of the owner/driver false statements about who was driving. Does anyone here think that the owner of a Charger loans his car to his girlfriend, for her to give the keys to some other guy so they can go cruising?

So was the broken bike and injuries worth not pulling over for the idiot? He's an idiot, best you can do is avoid him or give him a lobotomy, sadly only one is an option right now.

I mean sometimes you need to weigh your options when dealing with the insane.

Of course hope he gets caught, but again still isn't worth it, he'll probably get a slap on the wrist and you're out thousands in damages.

^^^
I think you would be best off, just going and hiding under your bed for the rest of your life!

^^^
I think you would be best off, just going and hiding under your bed for the rest of your life!
Do tell me about this black and white world you live in, it seems wonderful.

Do tell me about this black and white world you live in, it seems wonderful.Certainly better than your run and hide life.:p

A vehicle used as a weapon is justification for defending ones self with deadly force. No one here carries while bicycling?

Certainly better than your run and hide life.:p

Yeah because I said that you need to run and hide from everything.

Can you read? Or does a broken bike and injuries turn you on?

So was the broken bike and injuries worth not pulling over for the idiot? He's an idiot, best you can do is avoid him or give him a lobotomy, sadly only one is an option right now.

I mean sometimes you need to weigh your options when dealing with the insane.

Of course hope he gets caught, but again still isn't worth it, he'll probably get a slap on the wrist and you're out thousands in damages.

Victim blaming is ALWAYS the way to go. The dude was riding his bike and was assaulted by a guy in a two ton car, and you’re trying to blame him for it? I don't know about you, but when I'm riding my bike and people yell and honk behind me, I don't immediately jump on the sidewalk and clear the way for them. I hold my own.
I try not to cater to aholes, but that's just me


p.s. you’re an idiot

I'm sure that we can all agree that the victim is not a mind reader. He could not have predicted that the actions of the motorist would be any different than the "normal" honking/yelling encounter that every cyclist who rides on the road has probably experienced at least once, if not regularly.

I am wondering if there is any way that a cyclist could both hold his ground and avoid a collision of this nature or is the difference in the braking ability of a car versus a bike too great?

...I am wondering if there is any way that a cyclist could both hold his ground and avoid a collision of this nature or is the difference in the braking ability of a car versus a bike too great?If I have a guy that starts moving back into my lane before they should, I start braking right away. Saved this type of situation a couple of times and frustrated the hell out of the JAM. And the other times that the tactic was not necessary, it only cost me a couple seconds of my time.

A vehicle used as a weapon is justification for defending ones self with deadly force. No one here carries while bicycling?Always :thumb:

It's time to make the owner prove he was in Seattle. It's also time to put the girlfriend under oath and ask who was driving. Since it wasn't her, she's required to answer truthfully.

Cripes - I ride in downtown Boise quite often, and this is the first I've heard of this.

Although I've had "Get on the Sidewalk!" yelled at me more than once. Maybe I should start placing copies of the Idaho Cycling laws under peoples windshield wipers.

Victim blaming is ALWAYS the way to go. The dude was riding his bike and was assaulted by a guy in a two ton car, and you’re trying to blame him for it? I don't know about you, but when I'm riding my bike and people yell and honk behind me, I don't immediately jump on the sidewalk and clear the way for them. I hold my own.
I try not to cater to aholes, but that's just me


p.s. you’re an idiot
I'm not blaming, learn2read.

I'm just saying you need to use some critical thinking, some idiots aren't worth it, maybe you're not above them, I am. So I lose 5 seconds of ride time to an obvious yahoo in a giant truck, so what? I wont be carted off in an ambulance.

I'm really not surprised that the majority of people would stand on ideas rather than critically evaluating every situation.

Yes, to lame brains like you, anyone that thinks is an idiot.


If I have a guy that starts moving back into my lane before they should, I start braking right away. Saved this type of situation a couple of times and frustrated the hell out of the JAM. And the other times that the tactic was not necessary, it only cost me a couple seconds of my time.
It's pretty much standard road operations to avoid idiots like this, quickly give them space to be stupid, but most people don't drive that way, car or bike (the posts here pretty much confirm that the mentality between a motorist and a cyclist only differ in their personal image), so I'm not really surprised it happens.

Though I bet the look on their face when they brake hard and realize you've already created a nice gap is priceless.

I'm not blaming, learn2read. Interesting that YOU think everyone who disagrees with you has problems reading; maybe it is YOU that has a problem writing.:p

To a certain extent, I'm with MW on this one. I'm not going to jump to the curb or sidewalk every time a horn is blown or motorist yells, but once I deem it's safe to move out of the way, I'll do so.

Today, on the way back from our city's bike to work rally I had a motorist start honking their horn, a half block behind me, while I was passing a row of parked cars. Even after I had cleared the parked cars, moved to the right, the motorist was still sounding their horn and gesturing for me to either get against the curb or move onto the sidewalk.
After such incidents, my thoughts always turn to how the same motorist would behave if they were behind a large slow moving piece of machinery.

I like to see them brake check one of these with their car.


http://www.coalcliff.com/equipment/loaders/images/Cat_970F_Front_End_Loader.jpg

I'm not blaming, learn2read.

I'm just saying you need to use some critical thinking, some idiots aren't worth it, maybe you're not above them, I am. So I lose 5 seconds of ride time to an obvious yahoo in a giant truck, so what? I wont be carted off in an ambulance.

I'm really not surprised that the majority of people would stand on ideas rather than critically evaluating every situation.

Yes, to lame brains like you, anyone that thinks is an idiot.


It's pretty much standard road operations to avoid idiots like this, quickly give them space to be stupid, but most people don't drive that way, car or bike (the posts here pretty much confirm that the mentality between a motorist and a cyclist only differ in their personal image), so I'm not really surprised it happens.

Though I bet the look on their face when they brake hard and realize you've already created a nice gap is priceless.

Thanks! I'll get right on that "learn2read" suggestion.
So, let me get this straight, You're riding your bike and someone in a car behind you beeps and yells get on the sidewalk, you now jump up off the road and get out of his way? If I did that in my days of riding around Ohio I would be on the sidewalk all day. My point is just this: the guy was riding his bike and was assaulted by a motorist and could have been killed, pointing fingers at him (the cyclist) and pointing out things he could have done to prevent being attacked is really nonsensical and unhelpful.

It's incidents like this one that make me want to invest in a video camera and record all my commutes.

It's time to make the owner prove he was in Seattle. It's also time to put the girlfriend under oath and ask who was driving. Since it wasn't her, she's required to answer truthfully.

Not without proof that he wasn't, or specifically proof that he was where the bicyclist claims that he was. It is always the state's burden to prove their case first, not the other way around. I'd wonder if the police have done a check on any credit cards he may have and the activity that night?

Not without proof that he wasn't, or specifically proof that he was where the bicyclist claims that he was. It is always the state's burden to prove their case first, not the other way around. I'd wonder if the police have done a check on any credit cards he may have and the activity that night?

I should have worded it better. The police can now demand information from him as to his whereabouts, and investigate that. Get a warrant if they need one. Getting a sworn statement from the girlfriend should still be done, if possible.

No one here carries while bicycling?

A whole new category of cycling gear to shave grams on... "I only carry two bullets, to save weight" Hell, some guns probably weigh more than some of the bikes we ride. Not me though...

And no, I don't carry although I'd like the option available if it ever truly becomes necessary.

A whole new category of cycling gear to shave grams on... "I only carry two bullets, to save weight" Hell, some guns probably weigh more than some of the bikes we ride. Not me though...

And no, I don't carry although I'd like the option available if it ever truly becomes necessary.

I won't carry a gun for two reasons:


I'm not trained to use a firearm.
Even if I was I'd figure that firing from a bicycle would be next to impossible and rather hazardous for my health


I'd figure a good phone/video cam would work a lot more wonders.

Thanks for posting this, Bob T. I believe this one will be high on the BPD's priority list. Please keep us updated.

I have heard from a reliable source that the police have identified the driver.

To prevent possible legal complications the link describing this incident has been removed for now.