Need advice...
Not too long ago on a ride at a local park (Stone Mountain), I had an unpleasant encounter with a car. I was passing another cyclist on his left, and was at the same time passed by a car in the next lane over (to my left). As I finished passing the other cyclist, the car began to turn across my lane in an attempt to turn into a parking lot on the right of all of us. The car entered the lane I was traveling in, and as I came to a stop with my bike and I leaning against the front end of the car, I banged my hand on the windshield of the car--breaking the windshield. The other cyclist was there with me through the following hour it took the "police" to sort everything out. Somehow though, I got a ticket for disorderly conduct, while the driver of the car did not receive a ticket at all. I was also told by one of the officers that I "should just find someplace else to ride." Nice... no wonder I got a ticket...the guy eats donuts for a living (he literally probably weighed around 300lbs) and has the brain of an ant...
Anyways...
I was under the impression that 1. it is illegal to attempt to turn right from a left lane across traffic (it certainly would have been their fault if I hit them with my car, right?), and 2. that in the state of GA, if you life is being threatened you can act in pretty much any way you want to keep from being killed.
My court date is set for June 8, and I plan on being there with any sources I can to help back me up. Anyone with any info to contribute, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks...
Jeff