mjw16

Tuesday morning, on my way down the ramp to the parking deck at work, I noticed the loud music and revving engine of a car speeding up behind me. I got to the bottom of the ramp and looked over my shoulder as I proceeded to turn and head down the road toward the bike rack. She kept getting closer and closer until she was about 2 to 3 feet from my rear wheel. I looked back and signalled my turn, just then she sped up, yelled something at me, and passed within about 3 feet of me. I made my turn and, being distracted, hit my head on a sprinkler head ruining my helmet and nearly knocking me out. I stopped, got off the bike, and yelled back at her. She then sped off, racing around the deck and made her way back to me. She stopped, got out and and started to get in my face and scream at me, telling me how I was making her late and should have gotten out of her way, and what an @$$hole I was. I told her how I had every right to be where I was and that her driving was putting my life (and other's) in danger, I also mentioned that she was driving recklessly and guard or not I'd call Metro P.D. on her. This is one of our building's security guards!

The parking lot attendant saw all of this and advised me to hit the alarm button and contact security. She continued to blow up, accused me of threatening her and called for backup, things got ugly real fast. I stood near the attendant to be sure he could witness that I never threatened her. The command center then sent 3 guards down to difuse the situation and take a report. As I was telling them my story, she parked and went to work. I had the descretion to continue to press charges or allow for the sgt. to reprimand her (3 days off w/out pay, write up). I decided that if I ever saw her doing this again that it would already have been on record and I would then decide to press charges.

She later called, at the urging of her co-workers I'm sure, and "sincerely" apologized. I had cooled down and figured she was in enough trouble (if they really follow through) and I wasn't necassarily trying to string her up for it. They mentioned that she was on probation and could soon lose her job and is having problems with her "baby's Daddy", etc, etc. I read her the riot act then decided to accept her apology and let it go. The only thing, I jammed my neck when I hit the sprinkler head and my neck/back hurt most of the day. Fortunately it's better now.

jyossarian

So the only reason for her to apologize was the threat of losing her job? Somehow, I don't think she's really sorry, but at least you got a complaint against her on record. Too bad about you hitting your head though.

Artkansas 

I'm glad you are feeling better. She was probably angry from the moment she stepped in her car. The apology was probably a command performance from her supervisor.

So now, forgive her. You've gotten her respect. Treat her nice and she may become a supporter.

I've had ladies who at one point were trying to get the landlord to throw me out, and months later, they were giving me cupcakes and other treats.

Paul L.

man alive. When I was a security guard our number 1 priority was to make the clients or client's clients happy and keep a friendly relationship going (unless they were creating problems of course). She won't be with the company long if she can't control her temper. That is the last thing a security company needs.

ItsJustMe

SHE made her late. Leaving late for work isn't an excuse to endanger people on the road. People who think they can leave at the last possible second, then get all pissy if anything delays them by 2 seconds are one of my top peeves. If you can't get there with 10 minutes to spare AT the speed limit and with the longest delay that you can reasonably expect (or have ever seen) then you need to leave sooner.

It's great that you got the support you did. Unfortunately you know damn well she was insincere as hell. She apologized to keep her job, not because she was sorry.

recursive

Try not to let yourself get rattled by nearby cars. Just keep doing what you're doing, and you can avoid panic mistakes, like running into a sprinkler.

Other than that, when I get JAMs all up on my case, I just smile and wave. I refuse to act based on the implied threat of being run off the road/collided with. One day I may pay for my brashness, but so far, it's been working great.

MIKEnDC

Does this woman carry a gun? She has certainly demonstrated that she will wantonly, or at the very least, recklessly use her automobile as an outlet for her frustrations. It would not enhance my cool knowing that someone with that small a sense of responsibility was walking around packing...

CastIron

So she had a bad day, acted stupid, and then had immediate consequences invoked. I'd let it be, after submitting the receipt for a new new helmet for reimbursement .

Otherwise, I'm with Recursive.
Refuse to be intimidated and refuse to get in 'the game'.

slcbob

I don't know. When she has another bad day, or when she gets fired, be careful where you park your bike.

I hate evil people. And she made herself later than you did.

Everyone has a bad day. But you have more of them when you're an ass.

ChipSeal

Now is the time to turn an enemy to a friend.

Whether her apology was sincere or not, an overt expression of reconciliation could make her a lasting friend to cyclists, rather than an enemy. Bring her a box of donuts and learn her name, and then greet her in a friendly way by name every time you see her. Show her that you have put the conflict behind you by your actions.

15 minutes of effort now could pay big dividends. (You might earn a new friend. How bad is that?) She may reject your overture, but in that case the situation is little different than it is now.

No matter which way it goes, she will always see cyclists as people from now on.

robertlinthicum

Me, too. I even smile when I'm using hand signals to advise a harassing motorist that he/she is "number one". My blanket answer for any swearing tirades is, "Thanks, Pat!". Don't get angry, just get inside their loop & enjoy your ride.

Pippa

Man, thats awesome! (and very true) Do you mind if I borrow that?

helloyo

Why would you want to become friends with someone like that? I think it is unnecessary to tolerate dangerous behavior. Report it, press the charges, if they fire her, so be it.

10 Wheels

Second that motion. She should be Fired.
She is an accident ready to happen to someone.
Try to be friends a get Harrasment Charges, Duh.

thirdin77

If it were me, I'd thank the parking lot attendant. So many people these days just want to say "I don't want to get involved" and don't do a damn thing when they could be responsible and act on what they just witnessed.

Get the attendant a gift card or something. Anything as a show of thanks.

Last, I guess I'm reading this through sugar-coated glasses but I think that you were lucky that anyone witnessed this at all. I've read many posts of some road cyclist being out on a backcountry road and being harassed by some fools in a pickup truck. No witnesses of course and the nearest cop being at least several miles away, assuming the cop would do anything about it. At least this time the perpetrator can face a consequence.

jgrant75

find a good lawyer with a doctor and sue for injury... maybe you can get y our hands on some baby daddy's money.

Cyclist0383

Wow. This is the most selfish, greedy, and ignorant thing I've seen on BF in quite a while. The woman was having a bad day and made a few mistakes, just like we all have at some point in our lives. Suing will do nothing but make the life of some poor rent a cop even worse.

To the OP: Sometimes it's just better to let the idiots pass you. There is no reason to try and make a point with an aggressive driver behind you as they aren't in a clear state of mind to begin with.

BlueTrain

chill winston. maybe re-calibrate your sarcasm meter and read that post again.

Cyclist0383

Just where is the sarcasm there?

maddyfish

Then you were the good one. The ones I've met, their main priority is to protect their own jobs at all costs, you happiness and security are only important as a function of protecting themselves and their jobs.

bike2math

+1

If this is how she acts at work, how do you think she treats her baby? She deserves neither mercy nor sympathy. Nothing changes if she gets away with yet another rage outburst without real consequences (and there have been others I can assure you of that these problems don't just appear out of nowhere).

Also I second that you should see a doctor (neck pains can cause problems for years if you don't check them out and miss something) and depending on how quickly the costs add up (helmet and doctors) I would definitely talk to a lawyer. You aren't doing this to get money from her, you are doing it to be reimubrsed for the expenses she caused you.

The security company should be aware that they have a liability on their hands the moment she appears on the job site. Probably things have just been swept away before anyone in management who really understands the danger she puts the company in has found out. It is time to stop that.

Mazaev

For times like that, you need one of THESE!

bizzz111

did you at least report the injury through the proper channels? If you do have long term damage as a result of the injury, you'll be on the hook (or your insurance) for any medical bills instead of worker's comp. And your insurance may deny your claim since it happened at work and it wasn't reported.

Even if you don't have long term damage, it's on the record, and if it happens to anyone again, there will be a good case built to fix the problem (the sprinkler head, not the raving guard).

TRaffic Jammer

As a member of a security detail she should know better about freaking out at people, regardless of what's going on around you. Part of being in a position as such is being able to remain calm. Aside from the forced apology she owes you at least a nice new helmet. It's good you're OK but she's lucky..... damned lucky. Any long term anything should be paid by the security company's insurance. This will keep this incident on record, and seeing that security firms are outsourced to work office buildings, it will keep them on their toes for quite sometime, because a letter to the proper building management could result in the termination of their contract as a whole.

Tex_Arcana

I've worked the security gig myself and as I recall the the job requires looking out for the security and safety of persons and property on your post. Maybe the job my call for you to sit at a desk signing in visitors but if you get up for a break and see a cig butt smoldering in a pile of oily rags you don't just ignore it saying "That's not my job.".

That woman is just like a cig butt smoldering in a bunch of oily rags. If I was her supervisor I would at the very least have to give her a long talk about personal responsibility, safety, and find her the worst crap post the company had where she can work out her family difficulties without bothering the clients, or their employees (something like graveyard shift at a factory location with no employees around). That's just because I'm a nice guy though and understand tough times. If I didn't have the option of moving her to a different post I would fire her, especially if she was already on company probation. Sounds like she was already a "problem" employee. Being a nice guy only goes so far.