Pacific Northwest - Cyclist shot with a flare gun in Seattle?

Bicyclist Shot With Flare Gun During Road Rage Incident
The 24 year old Seattle man says a dispute over a bike lane led to violence.

Darren Dedo Staff reporter

8:03 PM PDT, June 12, 2009
SEATTLE - Seattle Police are investigating a strange case of road rage that happened downtown. A 24 year old bicyclist says a pickup truck driver shot him with a flare gun after a verbal confrontation over a bike lane.

Christian Coomer told his story exclusively to Q13 Fox News. Last weekend Coomer says he found a pickup driver that didn't share his love of sharing the road.

"Basically, the dude stopped at the light right next to me and started screaming at me," said Coomer.

According Christian he was riding his bike near 1st Avenue and Seneca Street when the driver cut into his bike lane and started jawing with him.

"I yelled back at him, there was no contact didn't hit his car, didn't hit me," said Coomer.

Coomer says the heated altercation with the driver last for nearly 13 blocks until it ended in violence at 1st Avenue and Edgar Martinez Drive

"Passed me and reached out the passenger side window and just shot a flare gun at me, grazed my arm and then exploded behind me," said Coomer.

Despite a singed right forearm Coomer stayed on his bike and chased after the truck.

"So, I called 911 and started following the guy with one hand on the phone and one hand on the bike, I lost him when he started running red lights," said Coomer.

Chris says the guy who shot him is white in his late 20's or early 30's with facial hair. He was driving a late 80's model gray Nissan or Toyota pickup truck with a sliver canopy.

Coomer feels lucky to have only suffered a minor injury to his arm.

"Had it been my torso or my face and exploded on me it could have been really bad," said Coomer.

The 24 year old bicyclist is really upset about someone shooting at him over a beef with a bike lane.

"I think he was clearly insane, clearly insane anyone that would shoot a flare gun at someone just because they start an argument is crazy," said Coomer.

If you have any information about this case or the suspect's pickup truck call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Copyright © 2009, KCPQ-TV

There were tacks strew across the road along a section of the Flying Wheels Summer Century yesterday.
I've had coins thrown at me on 2 rides.
Nails and staples were littered around a section of the Daffodil Classic Century course.
A couple riders got harassed and had things thrown at them during the 400k last month...

Is it just me, or is this crap getting worse?

I can't believe people do this sh*t! What a joke.

A while back there was a thread about riding strapped. It was a joke then. Now it wouldn't be so much of a joke...

figures , i get yelled at by ******* all the time , guess i should start toting a gun ....

clipped onto the right most pocket of my jersey for every ride
http://www.midwayusa.com/midwayusa/staticpages/highres/328995.jpg

I hope you got the license number. People can really do stupid things.
Down in Thurston County I had a guy jump out of a truck and threatened me with assault. He pursued me and jumped out again and tried to grab me but my ninja riding skills took over. All because I was riding in the lane, as there was no shoulder (this was on a country road ). I bought a pepper blaster just in case. http://www.competitivecyclist.com/mountain-bikes/product-accessories/2009-kimber-pepperblaster-5838.489.1.html
After 17 years of riding (I've had stuff thrown at me) that was the only time something like that happened. I don't expect it to happen again. But as a randonneur, late night stops by stupid or angry people freak me out a bit. If I ever used it I would be riding for phone/cell phone coverage and protection. It wouldn't stop someone from eventually going after you. However, it would provide escape time, which is all I'm after. It doesn't help when they shoot you with something out a window. There is little to be done in that case except try to get the license. However, when shot with a flare, getting license numbers isn't always first on your mind.

There aren't bike lane on 1st Ave. I think it's only Sharrows in that area, south of Pioneer Square, and there's no sharrows at Seneca at all...and from my experience vehicles (and most non-cyclists) seem to think that sharrows mean "bike lane" and bikes must ride over the Sharrows. FYI: Many sharrows have been placed to the right side of the right lane and the SDOT often iterates that bikes must follow sharrows as if they were a bike lane resulting in some confusion to say the least. I've been yelled at and harrassed for taking a lane as well - but never shot at for doing so.

There were tacks strew across the road along a section of the Flying Wheels Summer Century yesterday.
I've had coins thrown at me on 2 rides.
Nails and staples were littered around a section of the Daffodil Classic Century course.
A couple riders got harassed and had things thrown at them during the 400k last month...

Is it just me, or is this crap getting worse?

I somehow missed the tacks (or they were cleaned up before I got there).
Normally I do ok unless I go around the south end of Lake Washington. Everytime I go through Renton some "event" occurs.

I don't know about more frequent but it certainly has been getting a lot of press recently. Ever since that critical mass thing it seems...

I somehow missed the tacks (or they were cleaned up before I got there).


I'm not sure where they were, but it was on the second stop at Camp Korey rest area that we heard about it. So, sometime after noon, meaning it was on that first half of the course in the morning.

Wow, just wow. All that and he didn't get the license plate?! I'd love to see the driver & passenger mug shots, I bet they're real winners.



clipped onto the right most pocket of my jersey for every ride
http://www.midwayusa.com/midwayusa/staticpages/highres/328995.jpg

Yeah that would be great to fend of a flare gun with..

Out here on the Olympic Pennisula, a bicyclist was killed on a highway with a wide shoulder by a driver with a suspended license. He was ticketed for driving with a suspended license. Isn't that manslaughter? I thought it is manslaughter if you are doing something illegal that results in someone's death. He didn't even get a ticket for killing someone. The local paper said that the bicyclist was wearing a helmet but not a WADOT approved one. Of course, there is no WADOT approved bicycle helmet.

Wow, this is just sick. I live in Seattle, and am just about to start riding again, but this has me worried.