Attacking Cyclists
 

Has this ever happened to you: You are riding home after 40+ mile ride and a person honks at you then speeds up, takes a Cell Phone camera and says "Smile Your Candid Camera/You Tube" and to get a better shot runs into you forcing into the road shoulder first. Then for added headaches he skips the scene. One person told me yesterday that lucky that it was Cell Phone Camera It could have been a "GUN". Has this ever happen to you or is it very rare incident ?:crash::crash::mad::mad:

extremely rare, even for NE Ohio

1. start monitoring youtube. if you choose to go the legal route that will be some nice evidence.
2. this is a&s. guns are good, not bad.

today on my ride home I got buzzed by a white sedan.. and some kid screamming out the window.

about a mile later i catch up to the car. 20ish girl in the driver seat and her boyfiend in the passenbger seat with a window partially open.

I look at him and say " You got something to say to me.?!!!???!!!"

"I dont know what you are talking about man. "

I wonder how many cool points he lost when he is cowing in the passenger seat with a guy that is 20 years olders then him about ready to come down like a ton of bricks..


Light turns green and off they go.

No one has ever taken my picture but I always flip them off if they think they were in the right. I know it is easier said than done to but make sure to unclip so you can kick the car panel and or bail easier.

Cycling is my mental freedom, but it also has a tendency to make me highly aggressive toward drivers who are rude and inconsiderate.

+1.......well said.

Rarely can you come out ahead confronting motorists.

Call the cops. I have always had good responses from police when I complain about dangerous or aggressive drivers who harass or endanger me when bicycling.

^^ get a license plate number and a description of both the driver and vehicle prior to calling the cops

^^^and saying they were weaving over the yellow line, you think they may be DUI, is also good :)

whoi am i to call trhe cops on?
and for what?
this is a 40 mph road before i knew waht was happening there wehre too far goen to get a plate.

Words of wisdom. :thumb:

Didn't you say that you caught up to the car and had time to have a conversation with the driver? At that point, your time and energy would probably be better spent getting the license number than starting an altercation.

and do what with that information?

I wasnt hit. since i jst heard a scream flash of paint was there even an attempt to threaten me? if you ask him i am ure that would be a no.

The natural tendency of drivers, especially inebriated drivers, is to drift toward things they upon which (or whom) they are focusing. The drift in your direction could have been a natural yet unintentional act, or could have been on purpose. Either way, the effect is the same, and either way, the best course of action is to get out of the way of the car. This is true whether riding a bicycle, motorcycle, or driving a larger vehicle.

The only way to prove that there was intent to cause harm is for the driver or other occupants of the car to 'fess up. If they are indeed stupid enough to post their intent on Youtube, you have a case, and it could possibly be a felony. Down here in Texas, some girls who posted an online video of an intoxicated young child caused quite a stir among law enforcement and child protective services.

Without indication of intent to harm, you probably have nothing on the driver from a criminal law standpoint. If you suffered no physical or property damage, you may have no civil claim against the driver.

Speak for yourself.

Perhaps they threw something at you, too.

Exactly.

"I think they threw something, too, but I was pretty rattled about being forced off the road and don't know for sure. They sure were weaving back and forth, though, but I still got their plate number -- it's..." etc etc.

About it showing up on Youtube --

There was a case recently that went to juvenile court about a couple of guys who would go through fast food drive-thru windows, throw a cup of soda at the hapless food worker, then drive off, recording the whole thing to post online later. Their sentence included a video apology along with paying restitution and doing community service.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3njSrIa2PVU

I'm not saying that what they did is anywhere near as dangerous as what happened to the OP; what I'm saying is that it's become fairly common to pull pranks, video them, and post them online. Frankly, and sadly, I'm really not surprised.

Hate to say it, but I don't think they felt uncool at all. They were probably laughing about it as soon as they got out of earshot. "Man, did you see how pissed that guy was? Bwa-ha-ha-ha!!..."

Just because the driver wasn't the one yelling doesn't mean that she didn't encourage or endorse it.

You forgot to hock a loogie on the windshield.

Or, better yet, video them back. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfRa9mHiK4s

If it wasn't for the 'age of AIDS' making spitting on another person a felony, I'd land the loogie in their laps! So I guess the windshield will have to do....

I haven't gotten attacked yet (yet... like I should expect it?)
But I was riding on a bike trail in my area and a group of kids were hiding under a bridge and one
popped out and acted like he was going to throw a brick at me.

Hope you acted like you were going to put your front wheel between his legs!

He was safely protected behind a big cement wall...
That little twirp!