Fifty Plus (50+) - ****ing bicyclist, you little **** I'm going to come over and kick your ****ing butt

Taking a pleasant ride on a calm street that hugs the shores of Lake Washington, edge of Seattle.

I come through an intersection, and a driver in a pickup truck shouts at me, "F***ing bicycles, get off the X*&^%$ road."

Since there is no other car traffic, I pull a U-turn on my bike and start to pursue him. I get close enough to him that I hope I can get good pictures of his truck. I pull over to the side, and hold my cell phone up high -- high enough that I hope he can see me -- while I take pictures of his truck.

Apparently the driver notices what I am doing, pulls to over to the side, and starts shouting and swearing at me: "What the **** are you doing you little ****. I'm going to come over and kick your f***** butt. Get over here so I can kick your ass."

I continue standing on the shoulder while I take a number of photos. I then slowly turn back around and continue on my way. Some pedestrians who saw the whole thing happen shout over to me and tell me that the guy had nearly brushed a girl on a bike who had pulled out of her driveway a few yards away. Then he started shouting at the girl, and, a few moments when I came along, he started shouting at me.

Unfortunately, can't read the license plate on the photos. Next time I'll get closer. My new "friend" was driving the white truck.

http://i55.tinypic.com/9pqgsw.jpg

I would report it to police even without the plate number. The guy may be known to them.... or soon will be. (A good reason to carry a camera with zoom lens, eh?)

Too bad you did not get the plate. You, peds and the girl all making a police report might just be enough for the police to actually give the guy a warning. Maybe during the stop, they could find the meth he is on.

Must be something about white pickup trucks; a few months back there was a white PU truck hassling riders on a very popular route in the hills. Hey, maybe he moved up to the PNW. ;) 'Glad you're OK, though.

I would report it to police even without the plate number. The guy may be known to them.... or soon will be...

There was a fellow in northwest Arkansas who was known to be harassing cyclists on the road. The county sheriff got several reports over a period of time, found his domicile, and hauled him off to jail.

Dang!!!

How odd. This happened to me yesterday, too, only the truck was red and the driver said "Get off the road, you (insert feminine hygiene product here)! I decided to have a chat with him about whether his mother would approve of calling middle-aged women on bicycles (insert feminine hygiene product here), but by the time I got turned around, he'd disappeared into a dorm parking lot.

It upset me for a bit, especially since I was, until then, having a banner day on the bike. But then I figured that probably less than 10% of the world is comprised of true jerks, and that I should focus on the other 90%.

If I ever run across him again, however (and it's possible, since this was on the campus where I both ride and work), we'll have a little talk about his mother.

Sorry to read about your encounter, though, BengeBoy. Please stay safe.

I suspect he was high on something--I always worry about these ignorant idiots--they can unfortunately do a lot of damage!
Wishing I was more efficient at staying away from them but somehow they seem to find me!
Can't be that many?

Taking a pleasant ride on a calm street that hugs the shores of Lake Washington, edge of Seattle.

I come through an intersection, and a driver in a pickup truck shouts at me, "F***ing bicycles, get off the X*&^%$ road."

Since there is no other car traffic, I pull a U-turn on my bike and start to pursue him. I get close enough to him that I hope I can get good pictures of his truck. I pull over to the side, and hold my cell phone up high -- high enough that I hope he can see me -- while I take pictures of his truck.

Apparently the driver notices what I am doing, pulls to over to the side, and starts shouting and swearing at me: "What the **** are you doing you little ****. I'm going to come over and kick your f***** butt. Get over here so I can kick your ass."

I continue standing on the shoulder while I take a number of photos. I then slowly turn back around and continue on my way. Some pedestrians who saw the whole thing happen shout over to me and tell me that the guy had nearly brushed a girl on a bike who had pulled out of her driveway a few yards away. Then he started shouting at the girl, and, a few moments when I came along, he started shouting at me.

Unfortunately, can't read the license plate on the photos. Next time I'll get closer. My new "friend" was driving the white truck.

http://i55.tinypic.com/9pqgsw.jpg

Is that the origional size of the picture, 640x480? If you have the origional and it is bigger you can edit it with several Photo programs free for down load. With the edit function cut to the bumper and zoon in to see if it gets any clearer.

Was on a group ride this labor day along the same Lake Washington. We stoped at a three way took our turn then what looks like the same pickup truck started flipping us s***. I was at the end of group and got the full force. My first thought was to get off and have a little heart to heart but with age come wisdom. Cant help but wonder if it was the same guy???

Wow, what a jerk.

Have to wonder if these same people ever rode a bike even as a kid.

I'm a fairly new rider (3 months) and had a few encounters with impolite drivers; honking horns, yelling "get off the rode" and one driver even ran me into the curb then flipped me off. I didn't know some drivers really hate cyclist until I started riding. Maybe it's the spandex.... :)

Is that the origional size of the picture, 640x480? If you have the origional and it is bigger you can edit it with several Photo programs free for down load. With the edit function cut to the bumper and zoon in to see if it gets any clearer.

I have a higher-res version of the photo that I ran through a couple of pretty good photo editing packages -- when I zoomed in on the license it was too pixelated to read.

As the political rhetoric escalates with the coming election, I think you will also notice an increase in hostility toward anyone using less gas, plastic or hairspray. I have also noticed a big increase in budweiser cans and mc donalds trash on the side of the road in support of the movement.

I would report it to police even without the plate number. The guy may be known to them.... or soon will be. (A good reason to carry a camera with zoom lens, eh?)

+1 They may even recognize the truck.

F him, I would have done over to his truck and ask him to repeat himself. Of course I bigger than your average bear :) and a bit crazy.

I guess riding on trails I miss all this excitement.

As the political rhetoric escalates with the coming election, I think you will also notice an increase in hostility toward anyone using less gas, plastic or hairspray.

Evidence to support your claim?

as the political rhetoric escalates with the coming election, i think you will also notice an increase in hostility toward anyone using less gas, plastic or hairspray. I have also noticed a big increase in budweiser cans and mc donalds trash on the side of the road in support of the movement.

lol

F him, I would have done over to his truck and ask him to repeat himself. Of course I bigger than your average bear :) and a bit crazy.

I guess riding on trails I miss all this excitement.

You never know which of these morons is carrying a weapon, so be careful when opening up a can of whoop-ass.
A psycho got out of his car here and hit a member of my club with a cane as he rode by. Unfortunately for the psycho the guy he whacked is a martial artist who, shall we say, "detained" the idiot until police arrived.

By all means report this butt wipe to the local police and file a complaint for assault. (cursing you out in public is verbal assault)

How would you feel if this butt wipe killed or injured a cyclist and you could have helped get him off the street before he did??

Taking a pleasant ride on a calm street that hugs the shores of Lake Washington, edge of Seattle.

I come through an intersection, and a driver in a pickup truck shouts at me, "F***ing bicycles, get off the X*&^%$ road."



Alternative Ending:

I just rode on with exactly zero fuss.

Wow, I've heard about people in the PNW being passive aggressive, not active aggressive! :P

As the political rhetoric escalates with the coming election, I think you will also notice an increase in hostility toward anyone using less gas, plastic or hairspray. I have also noticed a big increase in budweiser cans and mc donalds trash on the side of the road in support of the movement.

Or ecoterrorists bombing places that aren't "green" and the media ignoring it. Or "scientists" planting evidence of animals on the "endangered species list" on scratch posts, so they can close riding areas to mountain bikers. Or the "granola" that gave me the finger as she walked in front of me at a stopight because my mode of transportation that day was a street-legal dirt bike. Or the equestrian that brandished a pistol as I rode another street-legal dirt bike in a parking lot where equestrians park(that had Harleys in it already). There are nut cases everywhere and they come in all political persuasions.
Get a camera with higher megapixels and you can zoom in and read the license number. My cell phone will do that (8 megapixel).

I'm guessing dude doesn't know many bicyclists carry pepper spray, mace, and some of us carry pistols.

Alternative Ending:

I just rode on with exactly zero fuss.

Actually, in my book, I don't count being shouted at on a Sunday afternoon as "zero fuss."

Thanks for the suggestions above - I'm emailing the photos to the police tonight.

I get a kick out of people who are surrounded by two tons of steel and thinking they are the baddest thing on the road while also thinking someone who is only protected by a thin layer of Lycra (and mixing it up with cars) is the timid one in the equation. Who are they kidding.

As the political rhetoric escalates with the coming election, I think you will also notice an increase in hostility toward anyone using less gas, plastic or hairspray. .
Paranoid?

I have also noticed a big increase in budweiser cans and mc donalds trash on the side of the road in support of the movement.

It pays to advertise one would think rather than putting a political bent to it.

I get a kick out of people who are surrounded by two tons of steel and thinking they are the baddest thing on the road while also thinking someone who is only protected by a thin layer of Lycra (and mixing it up with cars) is the timid one in the equation. Who are they kidding.

Themselves.

Just because you are paranoid, that doesn't mean that others are not out to get you.

I get a kick out of people who are surrounded by two tons of steel and thinking they are the baddest thing on the road while also thinking someone who is only protected by a thin layer of Lycra (and mixing it up with cars) is the timid one in the equation. Who are they kidding.

Nobody, if the guy in Lycra is carrying a Luger.... :eek:

Rather than collect all the quotes on both sides, may I observe that recently, in various threads, including this one, there seems to be a movement toward toward "politicizing" while expressing opinions. Kinda wears me out. In this instance, stupidity against the OP isn't the single province of any one political bent, anyone is free to lay claim to it via their behavior.

Sick of the political campaigning already. Time to stomp it out here.

In discussing this tale w/someone at work today, I realized that this story completely confirms my "Sunday afternoon driver" hypothesis -- most of my run-ins with "nasty" driver behavior occurs on Sunday afternoons.

During the week -- when I commute to work by bike -- the roads are crowded and busy, and certainly I've had my share of close calls during the week. But during the week folks are purposeful and just trying to get to or from work for the most part. Early on weekend mornings as well -- there are early risers trying to get somewhere, and cyclists out for fitness.

But to me, Sunday afternoons are *the worst.* People are in a hurry to finish up their weekend recreation, or out showing off in sports cars or big trucks, or are well-lubricated after an afternoon of drinking.

This is another reminder to myself to get off the roads by 2 p.m. on Sundays or face the consequences.

This is another reminder to myself to get off the roads by 2 p.m. on Sundays or face the consequences.

That's when you encounter folks on the way home from church.

Actually, in my book, I don't count being shouted at on a Sunday afternoon as "zero fuss."

The choice yours. The story reads to me as if you have allowed the shouter to take control of at least a few minutes of your time. A few years ago he could also have done that to me. Today, I have an approximately zero level of caring about loud expressions of ignorance so would just ride on and let him stew in his own pathetic life.

The choice yours. The story reads to me as if you have allowed the shouter to take control of at least a few minutes of your time. A few years ago he could also have done that to me. Today, I have an approximately zero level of caring about loud expressions of ignorance so would just ride on and let him stew in his own pathetic life.

I kinda like that perspective, or at least a much cooler approach. Did you have any suggestions as to how to attain this level of unflappability?

I'm disturbed by what seems to be an increase in people who want to shove their particular miserableness down some stranger's throat. It's best to not react to the twisted - whatever got them there - drugs or abusive parents or just being a well practiced hater - but becoming involved with these folks does bring you down.

But I also think that someone who has the means to take a good photo of the offender to present to the authorities, that it would be doing a service to society... so I guess it's not so easy to avoid being involved at some level. Sure this is just a little creep, but he could hurt someone... or am I not supposed to care? It's an ethical dilemma.

I mean no offense - I've managed to survive encounters with a few psychos in my life and looking back remembering being drawn into the sickness of another person however briefly makes you wish not to go there again.

One more reason I pack 38 when I go riding.Never know if you will need it or not.

That's when you encounter folks on the way home from church.

That must be a late service. Most of them are over by noon around here. Or earlier.

That must be a late service. Most of them are over by noon around here. Or earlier.

The traditional church start time of 11AM, started to wane about 30 years ago, and many churches now start earlier in the morning, some as early as 9AM. Some also use double services, to save the cost of replacing a church building that has been outgrown (replacing a church building that cost $25,000 in 1900 can cost $2.5 Million now). What many do is use alternative processes for the earlier service, for example a different style of service or music, then a more traditional style at 11AM. Generally though, the yahoos that are out at 2PM on Sunday are the ones that started drinking at 2PM on Saturday and have yet to stop....

Rather than collect all the quotes on both sides, may I observe that recently, in various threads, including this one, there seems to be a movement toward toward "politicizing" while expressing opinions. Kinda wears me out. In this instance, stupidity against the OP isn't the single province of any one political bent, anyone is free to lay claim to it via their behavior.

A "movement?" And "recently?" It's been a drumbeat for a few years now.

Daily crap,different person.

People can yell,cuss,throw a hissy fit, until they pass out or start foaming at the mouth,I don't give a rats ass...Have a Nice Day and may the flees of a 1000 camels infest your armpits......

If they confront me directly,I'll deal with it.

I dunno, Seems to me people who yell stuff like that are wanting a reaction and you gave it to him. You pulled a u-turn and went out of your way.
If you were not doing anything thing wrong why confront someone like that?
Me....I would have have just kept on riding an thinking what an ass he was and enjoyed the rest of my ride.

Although.......having said that.......... last weekend a young lady flipped me off for no reason and I yelled F-u back at her and then kept riding as she made a turn and flipped me off again.. Felt bad about it for a few minutes but soon got back into the nice ride I was on.

I'm with you. To turn around and chase a truck is kinda asking for it. Poster is fortunate that things did not escalate. If you were in a car and something similar happened, would you pull a uhey and give chase? I'd have given a wave and ridden on. BTW, a white GMC Pickup, single cab 2wd, 6cyl. is hot.

I live in Los Angeles and I was an alternate juror on the "Mandeville Canyon" trial where the jury convicted an ER doctor and sent him to prison for 6+ years for pulling in front of a couple of cyclists on Mandeville Canyon road and jamming on his brakes. Turns out this wasn't the first time he pulled that kind of stunt and testimony and reports from other cyclists helped set the tone for the trial. Make a report. Give copies of the pictures to the police as part of that report. Trust me, when he crosses the line (and he will) the prosecutor will find that report and those pictures and it will help keep this guy from doing this for a while (no bikes in prison).

Dougyfish

But to me, Sunday afternoons are *the worst.* People are in a hurry to finish up their weekend recreation, or out showing off in sports cars or big trucks, or are well-lubricated after an afternoon of drinking.

This is another reminder to myself to get off the roads by 2 p.m. on Sundays or face the consequences.
In England, back in the day when pub opening time was 10:30 to 2 p.m. on Sundays, you definitely didn't want to be wheeling along a country road at around 2:30 p.m. The combination of "Sunday driving" and types who'd just downed their last two pints in the space of 30 min (including the second during the brief "drinking up time" after the first bell) could be lethal.

I live in Los Angeles and I was an alternate juror on the "Mandeville Canyon" trial where the jury convicted an ER doctor and sent him to prison for 6+ years for pulling in front of a couple of cyclists on Mandeville Canyon road and jamming on his brakes. Turns out this wasn't the first time he pulled that kind of stunt and testimony and reports from other cyclists helped set the tone for the trial. Make a report. Give copies of the pictures to the police as part of that report. Trust me, when he crosses the line (and he will) the prosecutor will find that report and those pictures and it will help keep this guy from doing this for a while (no bikes in prison).

Dougyfish
All well and good for you, but in the PNW my experience is most cops won't take a report unless there is $1000 damage or an ambulance ride. I kind of miss living amongst more professional police forces.

F him, I would have done over to his truck and ask him to repeat himself. Of course I bigger than your average bear :) and a bit crazy.

I guess riding on trails I miss all this excitement.

Beat me to it.

Evidence to support your claim?

Um.... he said, "I think." It's just conjecture, and I took it as tongue-in-cheek.


Rather than collect all the quotes on both sides, may I observe that recently, in various threads, including this one, there seems to be a movement toward toward "politicizing" while expressing opinions. Kinda wears me out. In this instance, stupidity against the OP isn't the single province of any one political bent, anyone is free to lay claim to it via their behavior.

Good point. Is there any way to know what this guy's political leanings are? Maybe he just belongs to his own Ass Hole Party Of One.


That must be a late service. Most of them are over by noon around here. Or earlier.

Over by noon, then 15-30 minutes of gab in the narthex, then lunch... yeah, 2 pm is about right.

Two words: helmet cam.

Or is that one word?

Good point. Is there any way to know what this guy's political leanings are? Maybe he just belongs to his own Ass Hole Party Of One.I am pretty sure only democrats use meth.

Rather than collect all the quotes on both sides, may I observe that recently, in various threads, including this one, there seems to be a movement toward toward "politicizing" while expressing opinions. Kinda wears me out. In this instance, stupidity against the OP isn't the single province of any one political bent, anyone is free to lay claim to it via their behavior.

Thank you... I totally agree.