Don, I was woefully ignorant of that legal fine point of needing a witness to see someone assault me. I hope that my experience will serve as a warning to some other ignorant cyclist so that they may be better prepared should such an incident, God forbid, happen to them.

As far as escalating the violence, I believe that would have compounded the problem further. I am grateful that I have learned from the Master and His Spirit was with me to keep me from responding with physical force. Other than my pride there is no significant damage to me or the bicycle, so I am chalking this up to lesson learned.

I admit to a moment of temptation to escalate the violence (pepper spray the man) but I am glad now that I refrained. I will wisely avoid the area both by car and bicycle for a while to allow for things to cool down. I'd hate to be a moving target for a dogowner who it appears may also be part of the boys in blue and who knows the intricacies of the law thereby allowing him to get away with uncivilized behavior.