Weird, I didn't see that in the news. I'll have to watch at 11 tonight (I am in Reno right now...). Wonder if rgj.com has a blurb on it....

I never imagined laughing at those 3 letters. Best response so far.

Wow, is this the Schwartzenager thread? :rolleyes:

Dude, a squirt in the face of the most convenient target from your water bottle, just as they pass you, should be enough to 'train' them after a couple of times. Snot rocket or a loogie works too, but their mommies might call the cops on YOU then, to have you checked for rabies, or gleep, or whatever panics their minds that day. :D

Edit: this reminded me of a story. A friend of mine did just that, squirted some roadies who always passed him too close for comfort and made snide remarks. They confronted him, "hey man, what'd you squirt us with your water for?"

He gave them a smile and laughed "Water? Heck I had to piss in my empty bottle a few miles back, and I didn't want to carry a full bottle of it home with me!"

Time to revive the ancient sport of jousting.

I've encountered something like this on two occasions while driving (a car). Kids walking home from middle school, on a residential street. I made a left turn onto the street, then was barely able to clear the intersection before I would have hit about five or six of them if I didn't stop. The whole street was blocked with a swarm of them, half crossing (leisurely), half just walking straight down the middle of it. I slowed to about 5mph to avoid hitting them, while many of them still didn't move out of my path, acting as if I wasn't there (they were walking away from me).

The first time this happened I just waited patiently, and after about 5-10 seconds the "cool" kids finally got dragged out of the way by their classmates to let me by. The second time I used the horn, which helped a little, though if I'd had a bit more nerve, I would have really laid into it, rather than just tapping it politely.

I'm not sure why stupid = cool in the mind of so many people (is it just the youngest generation, or has it always been this way?). That kind of behavior leaves me speechless. Stupid = stupid. What more can I say?

In my day, that was called the "Board of Education." :D

Just in case a visual is necessary:

Good idea!

I have to agree with the fellow who recommended making videos.

A couple of decades ago, while commuting in downtown L.A. I was climbing a hill and overtaken by a teen on a bmx. (Higher gears were useless) He cut me off and slammed his rear wheel into my front, sending me down. I was pissed. Checking that the bike was okay I pursued him. I saw that we were coming up to a parked truck and passed him, blocking him just as he realized he had to pull out to avoid the truck.

So rather than slow down, he strong armed me into traffic, almost under another truck, pushing the rear end of my bike around 45 degrees and finally my rear wheel tacoed, taking us both down. And of course as I was asking him why he did it, he gave me that mexican shrug that said that he understood what I was saying but he was damned if he would admit it.

Work was very strict about lateness, so I had to settle for locking my bike inside of the Art Center campus and walking the rest of the way to work. I also had to commute that way everyday and figured that calling the cops on him could well be extremely hazardous to me.

Yes, you should assume that they are trying to get you to crash, and don't discount the possibility that when you do crash they will set on you and cause further injury and loss of property. I've had similar happen 7 years before this event.

You have a potentially very serious situation there. Can you find an alternate route till summer's over?

In my limited experience, it's always been that way.

I was that way when I was young. I did it all. My friends and I never carried weapons though. Except for that medieval mase. Hell I drove around with an air horn when I was 16. At the time I was thinking it was the funniest thing ever to see peds and bicyclist jump. Now I am amazed I was never arrested or fined for it. Remember how a 13-18 year old boys mind works and what their world is. If they are late they may get told to be on time. They don't understand that an adult being late could lead to an adult being homeless.

I would call the "whambulance" and have the police clear them off the bridge once or twice. When I was a kid we would stop hanging out anywhere where cops would "babysit" us after about the 2nd or 3rd time. Lets be honest you don't want them to get out of your way you want them off the bridge.

I was a punk kid once, and I had a great time. Whatever you do, recognize the fact that one's ability to be a punk kid diminishes with time, and is to be savored while its still somewhat acceptable. Not that you should let them get in your way. Just don't take it so serious.

I wouldn't be aggressive with them, nor would I let them 'win" (so to speak). Try acknowledging their presence with a nod or a 'hey' a few times. They may get used to you and start giving you a little room. Running into them will only aggrivate them and lead to future trouble. In fact, any 'attack' can provoke them (airhorn, water bottle). If they are indeed being 'punks', they are looking for a negative response from you. If you never give them one, they may give up.

Now, if they go to far, don't hesitate to call the authorities. I wish problems could be settled on the spot like in the past, but these days people carry a grug for a long time. Still, I may still mount a nice stick (tambo for the martial arts crowd) to my ride, just in case. :)

-Dave

I'm sorry...I must have missed the memo. I was unaware that Mexicans had a special shrug. I guess I'll have to ask my family in Guadalajara about it.

Please leave racism out of your posts. I expected more from you based on your past posts.

Yeah, can we get off of the racism thing and go back to the ageism thing where we assume that all young people are inconsiderate as*holes? That was much better.

:eek:

Actually, that's what I would do ... come at 'em at speed with a stone cold expression on your face ... "COMMING THROUGH PUNKS". I wouldn't swerve in their direction, just go through like they aren't there (leaving an escape route for yourself).

Of course, the bigger you are, the more effective this is. ;)

jw

That's a very good point, and one that's often overlooked. We were all punk kids once I suppose.

Wait til you get about 30 feet from them and yell "WATCH OUT!! I HAVE NO BRAKES!"

He was not being racist. What he is talking about is a real thing. I have seen it 1000 times. There is no way to verify it case by case at the time. What he is talking about is the "no speak English when its not a positive time for me shrug” If he had said "the guy shrugged” I would think he was saying "I don't know why I shoved your bike over” by saying the "Mexican Shrug” I know he meant to say the guy "suddenly decided to not understand English when he had to justify his actions” My friends who are 5th generation Americans with a blood line to Mexico, who have never spoken a word of Spanish in their life do the "Mexican shrug". I guess since you are Mexican they don't do it to you. If you ask you family in Mexico about the "Mexico shrug" they will say "you mean the "green grow shrug? The one where tourist suddenly forget every ounce of Spanish even though they have lived or spent the winter here for the past 3 years?"

Stop looking for racist comments and you will stop seeing them. Sometimes things happen and there is only one way to explain them. This is a forum where you must write and you cant exactly tell the story orally. By writing the "mexican shrug" he painted a very clear mental picture. If he was to say the "european tourist stammering I don't understand" would that be racist? Or just paint a clear picture?

I wasn't going to say anything... but.... I agree. It might not be politically correct to say "the mexican shrug" but having experienced this a number of times I know exactly what they're talking about. Its not racist, its a fact. And if we're going to get agism in the mix too, then I can tell you that 90% of the kids on bmx bikes down at the skate/freeride park by my house ARE punks. I've watched them. The other 10% are awesome riders who I really enjoy watching because they are good at what they do.

20 years ago, I had a mohawk. Now I have no hair.....

Kids will be kids. However, there's a serious lack of creativity/effort in simply trying to intimidate people. I should probably be glad they're not stringing wires to pull me off my bike as I ride by, but I suspect they're too stupid to come up with anything that clever.

Oh! So you mean he meant to say "the I don't want to admit I did anything wrong" shrug, or perhaps the "I don't speak the language" shrug?

I would have understood just fine if he said "The guy just shrugged and blew me off." Throwing "Mexican" in there makes it a racist comment.

EDIT: It's "gringo," not "green grow" just for future reference. :)

Why does saying Mexican make it racist? He didn't say "He gave me the Mexican shrug because his small brain and lack of early childhood education has left his brain lacking any chance of grasping the word "why"" What he was saying is he gave the "I don't understand the language and please don't notice that I was reading the news paper shrug " It is not racist to describe something in a matter of fact way. It would be racist if everyone did the shrug. I just don't remember the last time anyone other than a Hispanic didn't even try to speak English. Is it more acceptable to write "the Hispanic shrug"? Yeah I figured I was spelling it wrong so I went with the root of the word. I will stick with calling myself a cracker. I know how to spell that.

Too funny. I just registered, all of five minutes ago. The nick is what I use on every board I join, if it's available.

Its all BMX culture man. BMX'rs are like skateboarders.. just like you said "Punks" The day will come when somone gets hurt. When 2 riders collide. Or, if the crime frenzy gets worse as time goes on (if they are white kids) Prison will not be a fun experience- Prison is not a place for white folk. Trust me.
I ride at skateparks on 2 diffrent types of bikes- A trials and a Urban Assult MTN bike; The whole culture is a mess. Wanna be tough kids that have no clue. I watch these guys at the skatepark and just laugh it off. Talkin trash to people, and mostly trien to be somthing their not- tough guys.
BMX'rs and skaters bother me all the time. Makes me wanna kick some arse. But, I've spent too much time behind locked doors, and will never go back.

Spork? Is that anything like a foon?

Short of homicide, try going real fast at them while yelling, "NO BRAKES!!" They might move then, especially if you set yourself on fire first.

hahaha.. thats good sh-t i dont care who you are.

Ride right at 'em swinging a bat around your head yelling, "I love blood!". They should scatter.

I agree with the older flabby looking guy who suggested snot rockets. You have to be assertive with these punks or they will keep on doing it.