Originally Posted by
KonAaron Snake
1. You aren't allowed to set traps in any state that I'm aware of, so even if this was a trail that in some way prohibited cyclists, you don't get to do what she did.
2. My reading is that she owns a property along a MUP and has decided that she is somehow entitled to a perfect world where she is more important than everyone else. I'd wager/speculate that she lived on the property prior to the trail and has decided that she has a right to live there without a trail. Because she's more important than everyone else.
There are a lot of people on this crazy rock, and some of them are going to do things that annoy you. You're going to do things that annoy others as well. Life is a balancing act...and most of the time you have to accept these things and try to get along in the smurf colony. This woman doesn't sound like she belongs in the colony...and there are consequences to behavior like this.
Edit -
It's a new trail and is a cycling/hiking trail. I think my speculation is accurate. I went to college in Sarasota - it's a wealthy area with a lot of entitled lords of the manor. There is also a definite age gap/class warfare thing with some of the younger folks. She bought her property and she'll be damned if any pot smoking hippies will inconvenience her!
Agree with all that. And I suspect that part of the 'lack of response' by the police department was due to the way the situation was handled by the cyclists. If the police had to deal with and answer to an individual complaint filed by each cyclist rather than just a single complaint by a group or a phone call from the odd person - I'd bet things would escalate pretty quickly. Retaliation? Naaaaaw .... I'd go for broke. With enough solid evidence, apparently a conviction could seriously impact her job - which could result in a forced sale of the house and hopefully - an end to her personal little soap opera.
What really annoys me is the possibility that TWO people are involved in this. Some cyclists can be a little rude, but none of her 'complaints' even hinted at any behavior that was deliberately offensive, or threatning, or illegal.
Dirt bikes, gas powered scooters,ATVs and homeless people aren't cyclists.