Commuting - I should have used my U-lock on his vehicle!

!!WARNING RANT FOLLOWS!!

Had a jerk in a F-150 pull out from a parking lot on my left. I had to jump the curb to keep from getting hit. This jerk was also towing a care with a tow rope and that care hit the cub right behind me! I catch up to them at the stop light and tell the guy what he had done. (I'm ahead of him to his left yelling back over the drone of a diesel engine next to us) This guy guns it. I put my hand up just in time to come in contact with his hood when he slams on the brakes.

So, I pull out my handy-dandy cell phone and dial 911. While on the phone with 911 Dispatch Center the light turns green. I'm pedaling my but off to get out of this jerk's way. Dispatch is hearing the horn honks and engine revving over the phone. She just keeps repeating my location. I finally get out of the road and stopped. I give her the location as he drives by. He sees me on the phone.

Well, as it turns out, he broke the tow rope when he had tried to hit me while at the light. This rocket scientist has to do a 3 point turn in the alley right next to where I am stopped. I'm still on the phone with dispatch and give her the plate number, description of the truck, the towed vehicle, and a detailed description of the driver. :D

This guy has to go back to the intersection where the disabled car is setting right in heavy traffic, hook it back up, and take off. He was long gone when the officer showed up.

The officer takes my account of the information. Then asks me what I would like to be done about the incident.?? Asked what the options were. I have never been asked this before. So, he states that he can cite the individual which means we go to court, or when he finds the guy, he can have a "talk" with him. I told the officer that he had endangered my life twice and want him cited!

I asked if what this guy did would constitute assault. The officer stated that is would probably be a traffic violation since he was in a vehicle! I asked the officer if he had come at me with a baseball bat if that would be assault. He stated it would be assault with a weapon. My response was, "So he can hit me with a 2 ton vehicle and get a traffic citation, but would get charged with assault with a weapon if he used a bat! That logic is way wrong!" The office did state that he couldn't say for sure until after he got his side of the incident.

So, I look forward to the court date! I'll be taking my bike, cycling clothes I was wearing today, and as many of the local cycling activists as I can rally!

In hind sight, I wish I would have fallen down and laid there. Then dialed 911. Or let someone else call and report that a truck had just hit me. :mad: This jerk could have had much worse that a traffic citation! Ok, Ok, perhaps not. I'm just really ticked off still.

Bob

Kern:
This was on 7th Street crossing 10th Ave. South north bound. The same intersection I got hit at in March. :mad: I think I'm going to find a different intersection to cross 10th Ave!

Ok, I can't fix my typo in the thread title. vechile should read vehicle!

That was very very foolish of you to escape unharmed. :D
Seriously, I've thought about doing this tons and tons of times, just unclip and "fall" off my bike the report him. People like that deserve to have their stupidity follow them for the rest of their lives if it's going to the endanger the lives of others.

I always find it funny that when a vehicle purposely tries to hit a cyclist they say they can only cite them, but if they try to hit a police officer, deadly force is usually employed by the police.

Is it not wonderful to have all those police officers out there protecting us from this kind of thing.

Just think how protected we will be if real consistent terrorism comes to our shores.

Is it not wonderful to have all those police officers out there protecting us from this kind of thing.

Just think how protected we will be if real consistent terrorism comes to our shores.


A coworker of mine recently went to on a flight halfway across the country with 3 2-ft long tubular motors in his carry on. They're basically 3 sticks about 2 ft long and 2.5" in diameter with a cord coming out of it and if you look on the x-ray, it's got a solid mass of magnets and coil windings and a whole bunch of gears in a drivetrain at the other end.
He said no one said anything, they just waved him through, didn't even ask him to open his bag.

A coworker of mine recently went to on a flight halfway across the country with 3 2-ft long tubular motors in his carry on. They're basically 3 sticks about 2 ft long and 2.5" in diameter with a cord coming out of it and if you look on the x-ray, it's got a solid mass of magnets and coil windings and a whole bunch of gears in a drivetrain at the other end.
He said no one said anything, they just waved him through, didn't even ask him to open his bag.
This may be of interest to Harry Shearer, who has a segment called "Tales of Airport Security" (c) on his radio program "Le Show". He can contact Harry at http://www.harryshearer.com/active/mailHarry.php .

A coworker of mine recently went to on a flight halfway across the country with 3 2-ft long tubular motors in his carry on. They're basically 3 sticks about 2 ft long and 2.5" in diameter with a cord coming out of it and if you look on the x-ray, it's got a solid mass of magnets and coil windings and a whole bunch of gears in a drivetrain at the other end.
He said no one said anything, they just waved him through, didn't even ask him to open his bag.


/*
* Extreme Tangent
*/
Try bringing a digital bathroom scale through security. What they see is a solid mass of metal (the load-coil), a bunch of wires going to it from a logic board where there's attached a digital display and a battery pack and then there are the coil springs from each corner leading to it. That'll get their attention really quick.

I once sat next to an engineer on a flight from Frankfurt to Detroit who had just been hired into TRW. he was developing a new airbag system and the labs in Frankfurt were all booked up so he was heading to the test facilities in Detroit. He told me he packed his test units in his checked baggage. I told him he would be lucky if he was able to retrieve his bags in baggage claim.

A friend of mine was late for a business trip so he grabbed the closest duffel bag he could find and started throwing cloths into it before scrambling for the airport. He wasn't thinking and hadn't noticed that he had grabbed the bag he normally uses to bring his shooting gear to the target range. There was of course gunpowder residue all over the thing. The excitement at airport security was impressive.

Want to really bring an airport to a screeching halt? Simply sprinkle some gun powder or fertilizer at the entrance to the terminal from the parking garage. As it gets tracked into the security area and random people get their baggage residue-checked, you'll have security alarms going off everywhere and a total shutdown/lockdown situation in progress. Of course if they're really paying attention to the security cams then they'll catch you and all sorts of feces will be impacting the rotating blades.

Terrorism can be accomplished in many ways and you don't have to actually kill anyone to get the effect across. You only have to make people afraid. It's really a battle we can't win because we've already lost.

Note - now that I've just posted this, I fully expect the guys clad in the ninja suits dropping out of black helicopters to come through my skylights in the middle of the night and start popping flash-bang grenades right before they zip-tie my hands, throw a hood over my head and stuff me into the back of a non-descript van.

/*
* Extreme Tangent
*/


Even more extreme tangent - bikes would make perfect bombs... load the tubes with explosives and lock it to one of the support beams in the basement parking garages in a large city... I saw a BMX bike the other week with a sticker that said 'this bike is a bomb'...

NCZinMT- I hope you get that guy. MT is pretty good for idiot drivers, from what I remember. I lived in Missoula, and it was LEGAL to get pulled over out of the city limits in a F-150, with an open beer in hand, a loaded rifle behind your head. If you weren't over the limit (or probably if you turned your head towards the rifle enough and told the cop you only had 20-30 miles home) then it wasn't an issue...

I think as far as biking goes, I was probably lucky to be in MyZoo - it's a freakin hippy town, and they like bikes. I don't think I ever had any 'bad' experiences with the drivers there...

It was assault all the way - if the cops won't push it, then get your lawyer to push it. If they won't push it, get your state legislature to push it... The action he was displaying was using his vehicle as a weapon, not a traffic violation. If he were to do that to a pedestrian, it would be assault...

I saw a BMX bike the other week with a sticker that said 'this bike is a bomb'...

Are you sure it didn't say, "This bike is da bomb"? :D

Can you imagine what TSA would do nowadays if they opened up your Ironcase and saw one of these laced up to your rims?

http://www.lexlog.de/images/nuke_proof_ti_hr.jpg

I guess I should add something on-topic here...

N7CZinMT, it wasn't clear from what happened if you incurred any injury or if your bike incurred any damage. I'm seriously bummed to find out that they can't file more severe charges against the driver. Maybe after reviewing the case and any evidence, they can uprade the charges. Good luck on the court case and please keep us updated.

Just think how protected we will be if real consistent terrorism comes to our shores.

Try cycling around here and you'll see what real consistent terrorism is. The guy in the truck sounds like a classic terrorist to me, even if he used a different (but still just as deadly) weapon.

N7- It really amazes me that that could only be a trafic violation. He reved his engine at you, I'd say that is intent to harm with a deadly weapon.

One day I'm going to become a cyclist vigilante. I'll be like the main character on that show Renegade, except I'll be on bike.

Good luck man. Tell us how it goes.

You should ask the cop if the driver went over one of the cop's family members if he should be charged the same way. I guarantee the answer is no. Lazy ass cops...

(BTW: You don't want anything with a radiation symbol on you, if you get into an accident, they'll probably quarantine your accident scene and wait till hazmat gets to you before treating you)

Well let us know what happens. You have moral support, and a few activists that might enjoy bringing Critical Mass to that dude's neighborhood. I suppose that would be terroristic threats.

bob, sorry to hear about your run in with that jerk.....10th ave south must be one of the most dangerous roads in montana on a bike or in a car...I cross by bison ford at 5th street i believe...i then get on the side streets as asap and make my way down to the trail by mitchell pool...its nice to get on the trail with no fear of traffic...you know bob I've been finding riding in town more and more dangerous....on the weekends i ride out to belt and back and I'll tell you what people on the highway wave and smile...the truckers honk there horns and wave....I will still continue to commute tho....hey keep the rubber side down and be carefull.


kern

I cross by bison ford at 5th street i believe...i then get on the side streets as asap and make my way down to the trail by mitchell pool...its nice to get on the trail with no fear of traffic...you know bob I've been finding riding in town more and more dangerous....

Hi Kern.
My office is in the "mall." I cross 10th Ave at 7th since 9th is normall such a zoo! I hit the River's Edge Trail next to Applebee's then head south. I only have 1 mile in town. The rest is on Lower River Road. I've had more trouble with wildlife and water foul on LRR than with vehicles. :rolleyes: It does seem, however, that once cagers pass the "City Limits" sign, the "MORON MOTOR" gets turned on!

I'll try 5th street next. Do you take the center lane to cross there?


To everyone else, thanks for your comments and for putting up with my rant. Its better to vent then to keep it all in. :p

I think one might want to just get the cop to get down all the facts possible, give the guy any kind of ticket/warning whatever and then talk to the prosecutor about what charges could be made based on the facts. It clearly sounds like an assault even if the police aren't used to seeing it that way. This is how domestic violence used to be ... the cops only saw the domestic and it was the courts who were first to see the violence (with lots of education)and eventually the cops were convinced about handling the situations. There's no reason that charges can't be filed against someone 5, 10 or 20 hours later when everything is sorted out.

Hi Bob,

It's good to have a place to vent. I think you are right in bringing charges. A 4000lb truck is certainly more deadly than a gun and it sounds like he pointed it at you and pulled the hammer back. Just keep your eyes out for this guy, sounds like he might be the type that gets upset after the cops visit him. Don't let him try to take the frustrations of his world out on you again--or if he does, be prepared.

chuck

Hi Kern.
My office is in the "mall." I cross 10th Ave at 7th since 9th is normall such a zoo! I hit the River's Edge Trail next to Applebee's then head south. I only have 1 mile in town. The rest is on Lower River Road. I've had more trouble with wildlife and water foul on LRR than with vehicles. :rolleyes: It does seem, however, that once cagers pass the "City Limits" sign, the "MORON MOTOR" gets turned on!

I'll try 5th street next. Do you take the center lane to cross there?


To everyone else, thanks for your comments and for putting up with my rant. Its better to vent then to keep it all in. :p
Bob....the 5th st crossing give you a green arrow and I cross in the center lane...I just line up behind the traffic...I leave between 4:30 and 5:00 so there is alot of traffic but I've yet to have a problem....don't you love riding by abblebees and smelling those steaks cooking.....I'm starving at that time of day and it makes it worse....have a great day and see ya on the road.



kern

(BTW: You don't want anything with a radiation symbol on you, if you get into an accident, they'll probably quarantine your accident scene and wait till hazmat gets to you before treating you)

That's a Nuke Proof hub. Nuke Proof went out of business I believe back in the mid-90s. I used to lust after their components. They generally made high end carbon fibre and titanium stuff. I do know they made an aluminum XC frame a while back too. Imagine the stir that would cause riding around on a Nuke Proof frame with Nuke Proof handlebar attached to Nuke Proof stem, spinning Nuke Proof hubs and sitting on a Nuke Proof seatpost... all repleat with radiation symbols.

I once made the mistake of thinking that it would be amusing to stick a bunch of radiation labels on my drawing tube and some leftover pizza from lunch while I was working at Fermilab as an intern during college. As I was leaving the lab, I got stopped and my stuff was confiscated and sent through the hazmat unit. I also got a nice lecture from my boss and lab officials.

So, I look forward to the court date! I'll be taking my bike, cycling clothes I was wearing today, and as many of the local cycling activists as I can rally!

Good luck, Bob. Get the jerk!!!!!!

I think a lot of us have a false sense of security when it comes to law enforcement. I have never had that happen to me, but I alway think...."well I've got my cellphone.." Probably the same thing would happen here. We all invision that the cops are going to hunt this guy down, cuff him and stuff him.

I would bet what you found with the "cops" is the more likely outcome. I suppose there is the burden of proof which does deserve some respect but why can't anyone figure out how vulnerable a cyclist is on the street? I suspect it is because a lot of society thinks that if you are dumb enough to share the road with 2000 lb cars then you get what you deserve.

Nobody ever says this but how else can we interpret it??? :mad:

I saw a BMX bike the other week with a sticker that said 'this bike is a bomb'... Actually, it's a band, called "This bike is a pipe bomb". People like to put their promo stickers on (what else?) their bikes.

Even more extreme tangent - bikes would make perfect bombs... load the tubes with explosives




been done. many decades ago in war.

Actually, it's a band, called "This bike is a pipe bomb". People like to put their promo stickers on (what else?) their bikes.

a very fun band with a great live show, if i might add. punk rock-country.

Should've grabbed a witness first :P

Had a jerk in a F-150 pull out from a parking lot on my left. I had to jump the curb to keep from getting hit. This jerk was also towing a care with a tow rope and that care hit the cub right behind me! I catch


I'm tell'n ya they're out in full force this week. Must be the upcoming 4th of July weekend. Glad you weren't hurt.

I'm tell'n ya they're out in full force this week. Must be the upcoming 4th of July weekend. Glad you weren't hurt.

Good point. Don't worry November 7. They will all soon be locked in there houses once the winter hits. :D

been done. many decades ago in war.

I wonder if I could get away with a helmet sticker that reads: "I'm a suicide bomber" or something similar.

I wonder if I could get away with a helmet sticker that reads: "I'm a suicide bomber" or something similar.
At least you wouldn't have Ashcroft breathing doen your neck.

I wonder if I could get away with a helmet sticker that reads: "I'm a suicide bomber" or something similar.

"Helmet Bomb"

<snip>NCZinMT- I hope you get that guy. MT is pretty good for idiot drivers, from what I remember. I lived in Missoula, and it was LEGAL to get pulled over out of the city limits in a F-150, with an open beer in hand, a loaded rifle behind your head...<snip>

Yep. We still don't have an open container law in Montana. We loose millions a year in Federal Highway funds each year because we don't! We also have one of the highest DUI related fatality rates in the nation. (per capita)

We are always years behind the rest of the country in most aspects.

I saw a BMX bike the other week with a sticker that said 'this bike is a bomb'...
This Bike is a Pipe Bomb is a goofy punk band from Pensacola, Florida... you can hear one of their mp3s here:
http://www.noidearecords.com/mp3.html