General Cycling Discussion - Run off the road by a punk kid

Last night my girlfriend and I were on our way back from a trip to the store, on our bikes of course, when she was run off the road by some jack@$$ in a newer silver Grand Prix with really dark tinted windows. The best part is, he had to run a stop sign to do it. I'm not talking a rolling stop either, I think he actually sped up. I'm taking her front wheel in to get trued today because she had to hop a curb to get out of the way. She's fine, no injuries.

The story gets better though.

After nearly hitting my girlfriend, he proceeded to run through another stop sign, presumably because he saw me trying to ID his plate. Then, like the dumbs*** he is, he stops about one block up, to pick up two passengers who were waiting outside. I think he underestimated how fast I can accelerate from a standstill on my bike. I raced up, quickly memorized his license plate number, got a quick look at his face and gave him the one finger solute as I went back to check on my girlfriend.

He probably thought he got away with something. After dropping off my girlfriend, and on the way back to my house, I stopped by the police station where the officer on duty told me that he'd had to deal with the little troublemaker before. Rather than fill out a report and then have to ID him later in court just for a misdemeanor (reckless driving), we agreed that he would just stop by the kid's house where he lives with his parents. His parents appeared to be really strict last time the he was there, he told me, and would hopefully beat some sense into the kid. The cop told me he'd tell a little more dramatic story than what actually happened too, just to make the parents a little angrier him.

coolest.cop.ever.

That's a great story, I hope the kid gets it. If the wheel is damaged, your gf deserves compensation.

Where do you live? Mayberry? This cop needs to be reminded that he is on the executive side of the law and not the legislative. It is his job to enforce the law. I think you should be able to file a complaint and that should wind up costing him some money hopefully. That will "talk" to his parents pretty clearly.

Reckless driving ain't exactly littering. There will be stiff penalties if convicted not to mention a huge jump in auto insurance, especially since he is a presumably a young male.


Under Michigan’s point system, each traffic violation has a point value, which is set by law in the Michigan Vehicle Code. Points are placed on your driver record only after you have been convicted or found guilty of or responsible for a civil infraction. Points placed on your driver record remain there for two years from the date of conviction. If you believe there are extenuating circumstances for the ticket you received, these must be submitted when you appear in court. The Secretary of State cannot set aside a court conviction or the points for it. The following shows the points for some traffic violations:



Points For Some Traffic Convictions

(Reprinted with Permission from Michigan Secretary of State)

Six Points:

Manslaughter, negligent homicide, or other felony involving use of a motor vehicle.
Operating under the influence of liquor or drugs.
Failing to stop and give identification at the scene of a crash.
Reckless driving.
Unlawful bodily alcohol content of 0.10 or more.
Refusal to take a chemical test.
Fleeing or eluding a police officer.


Four Points:

Drag racing.
Impaired driving.
Under age 21 with any bodily alcohol content.
16 mph or more over the legal speed limit.
Failure to yield/show due caution for emergency vehicles.


Three Points:

Careless driving.
Disobeying a traffic signal or stop sign or improper passing.
11 through 15 mph over the legal speed limit.
Failure to stop at railroad crossing.
Failure to stop for a school bus or for disobeying a school crossing guard.


Two Points:

10 mph or less over the legal speed limit.
Open alcohol container in vehicle.
All other moving violations of traffic laws.
Refusal of Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) by anyone under age 21.

*Please note that snowmobile and off-road vehicle (ORV) alcohol-conviction points are placed on a driver record and may result in licensing action against your driving privileges even though the violation happened while operating a snowmobile or ORV.



Michigan Driving Law

couldn't you charge him with assault with a deadly weapon? and of course attempted murder? you never know... the cop may have been the kids freind or dad or something.

I pretty much told the cop that I didn't want to be a total prick about it. I asked him if he could just maybe talk to his parents. I very well could've filled out the report (I actually started to), but I'd rather he just catch hell from his parents. A little slap on the wrist to let him know that people are watching.

Since he was picking friends up in my girlfriend's sub division, I have no doubt I'll see him around. If he pulls anything funny again I'll definately press charges.

Perhaps I made the situation sound more dangerous than it really was.

I'm taking her front wheel in to get trued today because she had to hop a curb to get out of the way.


Nice story. As long as you were having the parents and a cop read the riot act to the kid, you should have insisted that he pay to true the wheel. If he's going to take responsibility without facing charges, he needs to take responsibility for the damage he caused.

As far as charges, some kids need them. Some kids just need to be yelled at. I hope you were right about this kid.

I pretty much told the cop that I didn't want to be a total prick about it.


This is what makes cars so deadly to cyclists. Nobody seems to take this seriously. The coroner could have just as easily been coming to scrape you off of the street but since you are OK, you don't want to be a "prick about it."

I know this may seem overly dramatic but it isn't. A car weighing a couple thousand pounds hitting a bike and rider weighing maybe 200 is dramatic, very dramatic. As long as cyclists and motorists continue to view this as a minor matter than people will keep getting run over and killed.

Most state and local laws state that a bicycle has the same rights on the road as a car. The funny thing is that if a car runs another car into the ditch, it is a BIG DEAL, even though the occupants are probably in little danger if the speed is slow enough and seat belts are worn.

But run an innocent unprotected cyclist off the road and it is no big deal. I am amazed at the contradiction. :rolleyes:

Perhaps I made the situation sound more dangerous than it really was.

You said he nearly ran over your girlfriend and he ran at least one stop sign. That isn't dangerous? I am beginning to question the actual threat you faced myself, because it is very easy to tell when you were nearly ran over or off of the road.

It is also very easy to tell how serious this is when it happens.

fry his ass! dammit! what's wrong with ya! fry him! c'mon! do it! it'll feel good! :) (seriously)

Last night my girlfriend and I were on our way back from a trip to the store, on our bikes of course, when she was run off the road by some jack@$$ in a newer silver Grand Prix with really dark tinted windows. The best part is, he had to run a stop sign to do it. I'm not talking a rolling stop either, I think he actually sped up. I'm taking her front wheel in to get trued today because she had to hop a curb to get out of the way. She's fine, no injuries.

The story gets better though.

After nearly hitting my girlfriend, he proceeded to run through another stop sign, presumably because he saw me trying to ID his plate. Then, like the dumbs*** he is, he stops about one block up, to pick up two passengers who were waiting outside. I think he underestimated how fast I can accelerate from a standstill on my bike. I raced up, quickly memorized his license plate number, got a quick look at his face and gave him the one finger solute as I went back to check on my girlfriend.

He probably thought he got away with something. After dropping off my girlfriend, and on the way back to my house, I stopped by the police station where the officer on duty told me that he'd had to deal with the little troublemaker before. Rather than fill out a report and then have to ID him later in court just for a misdemeanor (reckless driving), we agreed that he would just stop by the kid's house where he lives with his parents. His parents appeared to be really strict last time the he was there, he told me, and would hopefully beat some sense into the kid. The cop told me he'd tell a little more dramatic story than what actually happened too, just to make the parents a little angrier him.

coolest.cop.ever.
If it was me, I'd rather take him to court to get the moving violation on his record!!...That way, at least his parents will be paying out the wazoo for his insurance!!
Maybe when it hits them in the wallet they'll start taking "li'l Johnny's" reckless behavior more seriously....... :rolleyes:

I would have gone with the cop to drop the citation off with his parents.

Are you sure it wasn't the cops kid? If he had dealings with the kid before and he is still being a little moron, then I'd pressed the charges and gone after repair costs as well.

It would have been one thing if it happened to just me, but if it was a family memeber I'd of gone for blood. You see, you don't mess with a man's family. (your girlfriend in this case)

I stopped by the police station where the officer on duty told me that he'd had to deal with the little troublemaker before. Rather than fill out a report and then have to ID him later in court just for a misdemeanor (reckless driving), we agreed that he would just stop by the kid's house where he lives with his parents. His parents appeared to be really strict last time the he was there, he told me, and would hopefully beat some sense into the kid. The cop told me he'd tell a little more dramatic story than what actually happened too, just to make the parents a little angrier him.

I would have pressed formal charges. Regardless of how "strict" his parents were last time, he obviously didn't learn his lesson.

I would have pressed formal charges. Regardless of how "strict" his parents were last time, he obviously didn't learn his lesson. Exactly! How strict can they be if he's trying to run cyclists off the road in a new car?

I think his license should be removed for 5 years.

There's definite intent here. This is no longer just a traffic matter, it's a criminal matter. Go to the DA.

Another thing that the cop overlooked is that in MI (from your handle, I assume that's where this happened), window tinting on the front door windows that's dark enough to obscure the identity of the driver is an equipment violation. If they've "dealt with him before", they shoulda gotten him on that a long time ago.

Aw, man, the ad-bot is creating "Fight your ticket/DUI" and "Beat a speeding ticket" links.