duke_of_hazard

Has a car ever intentionally hit you from behind to get you out of their way? What leap of evil does it take to go from honking, close passing, engine revving to actually intentionally hitting you?

lineinthewater

No. Geez. Did this happen to you? Personally, I wouldn't move until I had the license plate # (if at all), meanwhile taking out my cell phone to call the police. But that's me - probably ill-advised when the person has already shown they are depraved enough to actually hit you.

Closest I've had (while stopped) is when someone behind me, in a double left turn lane, laid on their horn right when the light changed green. It was absolutely pathetic. I already knew the light was turning for our lane, and I had already started off a second before the light turned. By the time he hit the horn, I was almost halfway along my arc to the new road. Let's just say I let him pass me, chased him down, and gave him a PIECE of my mind. He spent the whole time claiming "you bikers think you own the road - you can't be in the lane like that". Some people.

Catgrrl70

Yes, years ago (2001 or 2002). I was the first in line at a red light waiting to turn left (one lane each way). A cabbie rolled up behind me. He yelled at me to move. I didn't, pointing to red light. He then rolled forward and "bumped" my rear wheel with his vehicle. This was when I was first riding and I didn't call the cops (today I would). Rather I planted myself even more firmly to the spot and let him yell at me (that I wouldn't change even today). Note that although this was crazy he didn't "seem crazy" and didn't feel in immediate danger. Each situation could be different. Any contact now with me or my bike would equal a call to the police.

Digital_Cowboy

I think that it's safe to say that most of us when we first started riding accepted things that today we wouldn't.

Calling the police and filing a report is the best thing to do after a confrontation with a driver.

keesue

The best thing to do is get the license plate number to file a police report and to file a complaint in court for damages. Most observers will be most happy to testify for you. Get their name and number and tell them you intend to file suit to stop this harassment of cyclists. You can allege intentional infliction of emotional distress and the cost of a new wheel. A modest amount for damages to serve notice would be the right thing to do. Avoiding the confrontation is best as well. Legal aide can advise.

mondaycurse

I've been bumped by one of those "creep forward at a red because it changes the light faster" people. I pulled out some paper, wrote the plate number down, then proceeded to give her my meanest stare. When I got home I realized my back wheel was bent out of true. One of my riding friends is a police officer and helped me find her info through her license plate so I could get the money to fix my wheel. When she opened the door, she was a bit scared to see me. I told her she bent my wheel. Before I could even ask for the $15 to get the wheel trued at the LBS, she gave me $100
Yay for looking evil?

lineinthewater

Good for you for following-through - lucky you had a friend that worked for the police. These type of people will never learn unless you call them on their ridiculous behavior. That said, I personally wouldn't go alone (without an officer) because you never know with whom you are dealing.

UmneyDurak

A bit off topic, but I never understood that behavior. I see it frequently enough: "stop, slowly move forward, stop, etc". When the light does turn green they usually the slowest to accelerate and make the turn.

UD

duke_of_hazard

I am confused, was it intentional? If it had enough force to bend your wheel, why didn't you get mad at them right then? I would be furious...

Digital_Cowboy

That also applies when we flip 'em off and cuss 'em out on the street. Which sadly it's pretty safe to say that we've all been guilty of at one time or another. And if we were smart we wouldn't because we don't know what their reaction is going to be.

lineinthewater

Yeah, but at least in the street there are usually enough people around to prevent an escalation, other than the usual exchange of pleasantries.

ItsJustMe

My theory is that they like to wear out their brakes faster, and also they like to creep so far forwards that they can't actually see the light very well so that when it DOES turn green, they actually wind up getting going SLOWER than if they'd stayed back where they were.

OK, that's probably not the intention, but that's what generally happens.

mondaycurse

I'm pretty sure it was intentional. I didn't realize my wheel was out of true right away, but I was more annoyed by her behavior/logic that gaining another foot at a red light is going to get her home faster. While I visited her house to collect my $15(+85), I asked if she ever tries to nudge other cars forwards. No reply.

Also, I think a long, angry stare scares people more than my voice would. She was about 30, 5'4", and 120 pounds (all guesses), so I didn't want the small-town local media reporting "Vicious cyclist berates helpless woman" and skewing all the facts.

Digital_Cowboy

Hopefully

lineinthewater

lineinthewater

I would never push it in the boonies - and yes, similar things have happened in the boonies. Thar guns out in thar woods!

cudak888 

That reminds me - I have seen one case wherein an irate driver - "unhappy" with the speed at which someone was backing out of an alley in front of him - T-boned said vehicle on purpose, from a standing stop. Fellow drove off.

-Kurt

Digital_Cowboy

Sadly, that doesn't surprise me.

cudak888 

Didn't surprise me either when he did it either. There was an overwhelming aura of impending aggressive conflict just before it happened - you could literally sense it was imminent.

-Kurt

Digital_Cowboy

I hate to think what he would have done to a cyclist that was in his way.

SweetLou

I see cars do this at long lights that end up in the intersection. No possible way they can see the traffic light any more. When I used to drive, I refused to move up when they do this. I drove an manual and would take the car out of gear at lights. I didn't want to keep my foot on the clutch. Slowly moving up was even a more of a pain. By the time the light turns to green, there would usually be a 1 to 2 car length extra between me and the car ahead.

genec

Let's not forget the SMU lawyer instructor in Dallas years ago that both hit the cyclist from behind and then tried to deny it in court.

https://www.lawschool.com/texasprofindicted.htm

ItsJustMe

I do that too, even with an automatic. I just let them creep up, and leave the car length between my nose and the white "stop here" line. I've had up to maybe 25 feet between me and the creeper. When the light turns green, I still wind up on their bumper because they can't see the light from up there.

lineinthewater

I always worry about these type of people (in the back of my mind) - you never know.

The other day, I was waiting at a left-turn lane - the lane was larger than normal - I was smack dab in the middle, just straddling the crosswalk. A car pulls up and decides to edge up on the right side until he was actually ahead of me. This guy was trying to cut me off on the turn. To preempt any possible accident, I went out into the intersection (a large intersection) and went right in-front of his car. He was pissed ... but that is better than what was about to happen ... trust me (I saw his face when he pulled up side of me). Some people are just outright hostile to bikers, whether they are in a rush or not.

genec

I had an idiot pull into the oncoming lane when I was positioned in the middle at the left turn. I had strong reason for being there... right after the left, I had to stay in the left and make another left turn.

This idiot decided I was in the wrong place and he stopped his car half over the double yellow to prove his point.

I just let him go first and then did my thing. No point arguing with idiots with dangerous weapons.