So, I was on the way to the hospital, our daughter broke her wrist last weekend, and had to have it operated on yesterday, so I decided to pedal there and meet my wife, rather than have her come pick me up. I'm pedaling along, a road that I don't travel much, since the hospital is a route I don't take often, luckily, and this car passes me, as it goes by, something hits my arm.

I was confused at first, the realized the asshat in the back seat of the car threw something out of the car and hit me. Well, I knew there was a light not too far up the road, so I started to chase. They cleared the light just as I was coming up, I missed them by about 5 car lengths, and there aren't any more lights for a while, so I let it go.

I was really shocked at how angry I was though, I was totally agitated. I've got over 15,000 miles here in central PA cycling, and I've never had anyone throw anything at me. It's a total violation of your space, and I didn't take kindly to it at all.

What a day. The good part is the surgery went well, and my daughters arm should heal properly.

Joe

I'm glad to hear your daughter will make a full recovery. Anything less has bad consequences in life that we don't realize.

If you got within 5 car lengths, I'm curious; did you get his license plate number? If not, there's nothing you can do, and that is the irksome thing.

What worries me is the idea that they could hurt me with something thrown out the window, like a rock or brick, and get away with it. Garbage and beverages are annoying, but not threatening in the end.

I have had things including glass beer bottles thrown at me and one hit my helmet hard enough that it broke the helmet. It is one of the reasons I have taken to exercising my Second Amendment rights.

the car behind them was blocking the plate, and when they initially passed me, I was a little stunned, and didn't think about getting the plate. My bad on those counts. I do own a firearm, at this time I don't carry when on the bike, but I do have a Conceal Carry permit. The firearm I currently have is a bit large for carry on the bike (9mm, Smithfield Armory XDm).

Don't get me wrong, in this instance it wouldn't have mattered, it's not like I'd be shooting at someone for doing that. But if they threw something like a brick? Well, I'd def want a few words with them at the red light, and were things to escalate, a firearm might just mean the difference in it escalating further.

Joe

It's more than a violation of space, it's dangerous! I was once water-ballooned in the head on a busy street (almost five years ago to the day). That could have sent me under the wheels of a speeding car or truck. Throwing stuff at cyclists is NOT a laughing matter.

When I get hassled (which almost never happens, same as you), I just do the calculations:

Let's see, you honked at me, first time someone's honked at me for over a year. I'd guess that perhaps 10,000 cars have passed me in that time (not a lot of traffic around here). That means you, mr driver, are a bigger ******* than at least 10,000 other people. It's so sad for you that your are a the biggest ******* out of any random 10000 people.

Even the smallest of objects can be highly detrimental when flung from a vehicle. Last year I got hit with a handful of pocket change. You might think, "Oh, how much can a few nickels really hurt?" But when they're thrown from a vehicle going the opposite direction on a 50mph road, the combined impact speed is over 60mph; I'm lucky none of them hit me in the eye or the mouth.

its funny you posted this today because I was riding into work and felt something hit my shoulder....it was wet pooo... i got shat by a squirrel having stomach problems -_-

**** happens...literally

May I offer my two cents? (no, I'm not going to throw it out the window at you)

I, to, have had objects thrown at me over many years of riding. If I was in your situation, where my daughter is in the hosptial, I would have to think of the priorities. What is important at the moment. Of couse what they are doing is aggrevated assault. It is dangerous. If you could have a witness, or a license plate number, that is great. But,your daughters welfare would be the pritority at the moment.

I believe in the 2nd Amendment and support concealed carry laws also. However would it have done very much good in this situation? People who throw things out the window at bicyclist are cowards. They hit from the back, and then run. Would a person be prepareared to draw your weapon in time, and then shoot at a fleeing vehilce?

I can't find the article right now, but there was a case here in the Carolinas a few years back where a DA charged woman with attempted murder after she threw a drink from her car window into the open window of another driver as they were driving on a major road. The DA (quite rightly, IMO) argued that distracting or injuring a driver traveling 45+ mph endangers the driver's life, as well that of anyone else on the road nearby. I doubt many cyclists who've had things thrown at them (I'm one of them) would have felt he'd over-charged her in the case.

This same thing happened to me a couple of months ago. I got hit on the left buttock by a half-empty water bottle. The redneck who threw it leaned out the passenger window and laughed as they passed me. Then within 500 yards, they came to a red light. He withdrew into the cage. I stopped a couple of car lengths back and studied the license plate. There's another red light a block later, and I caught up to them again there and stared them down like a Neaderthal. At least, I managed to keep my mouth shut.

I called the police with license plate number, vehicle description and description of both driver and passenger. The officer, after promising to keep an eye out for this type of behavior on his regular patrol (as if he's going to witness this happening), asked, "What do you expect me to do?" I said, "Could someone at least knock on their door and tell them not to do that?" He said, "Sure, we can do that." Honestly, I think that's the best you can hope for in a case like this. Sure, you know as a cyclist that an incident like this could kill you in the worst case scenario. There was a case here recently where a man in an SUV intentionally ran down a cyclist after an argument in a parking lot. He was convicted of third degree assault but found not guilty of first and second degree assault. The local cycling community, of course, was ready to string him up from the nearest tree.

Correct. I was running ahead of schedule, and I persued only till it was my turn to go to the Hospital (although, had I known they were running behind, I might have considered further persuit). And as to the conceal carry, in this particular scenario, I was angry enough to have a physical confrontation, but nowhere near angry enough to consider using deadly force. I escaped injury, however the act itself could have caused serious injury. I don't think that warrants a shot fired, but I do think a little face to face time would have been in order had I caught them at the light.

Joe

As someone with a CC permit, I hope you know that your anger has absolutely no place in the decision-making process concerning the use of deadly force, discharging your firearm, or even drawing your firearm.

There was no excuse for what that passenger did and he deserves a good public butt-whipping, but as a lifetime advocate of our right to bear arms and an ex-LEO, I want to make something perfectly clear...if you think that carrying a firearm on your bike is the answer...especially in the context of having it "just in case" a situation that YOU escalate gets out of control, I would have no problem throwing you under the jail and throwing away the key - after I shoved your XD up your okole. If you can't have "face to face time" with someone without the crutch of being armed, perhaps you should just let it go and let the proper authorities deal with the offense.

Not trying to pick on you, but I see and have seen way too many idiots who have abused their right to bear arms and not only put those rights in jeopardy for the rest of us, but got people (including themselves and innocent bystanders) killed and hurt for no good reason. I'm sure that you are just upset over what happened and blowing off steam, but I had to chime in, just in case.

Be careful out there...and please don't let the stupidity of some drive you to rash actions that you will regret later.

I rarely ever have confrontations, but I recently had the first real one (I don't count horns), and I was pretty shocked, too. It was entirely verbal, but I discovered that my instinctive reaction is to give the finger and start swearing. I did both before I was even aware of it. I don't like that.

I still go over it in my head, and have concluded that if I'd called him a moron instead of a jacka$$, I would have been much more content with the outcome.

MAny years ago I was riding home when I saw something come hurtling towards my head/torso. I ducked/braced but knew I'd catch the brunt of force in my chest. It hit me, softly and spread into a bunch of pieces and fluttered away.

I got hit with a half-loaf of bread!


So, I suppose I was more shocked than anything, I mean, bread? Who throws a loaf or bread? Who HAS a loaf of bread handy? What was the intent? Was it malicious or were they doing a good deed? Strange.

excellent attitude

I've had people throw lit cigarettes, beer cans, and spit at me while I was riding my bike, fortunately , so far, the only thing to hit me while I was riding has been some bird poo.

I think you misunderstood. My biggest fear of going up and giving a driver a little what for is that he will think it's a good idea to shoot me for it. I would never personally escalate to a gun, face time is just that, I'll tell you how stupid I think what you did is, and if you deem that a good reason to take a swing, I'll kick you ass, or get mine kicked trying. Had both happen enough times to know I can deal with either.

Joe

If you got the plates go ahead and report them to the police, people like that are likely known to the police or they should be.

Secondly, just be happy you never caught up, what you think you would have done and how it would have happened is just nonsense. Maybe they all get out and beat you to death with a tire iron. Maybe they just roll up their windows and ignore you. There is a certain percentage of people out there who "just ain't right in the head" and when you're on a bicycle you are more exposed to them so you'll be forced to deal with them. However today, you made it to the hospital in once piece and no extra drama except a little venting on bikeforums and a kid with a healing up wrist.

You're not alone either, even the pros have to deal with them.

I agree. Chasing someone down to shoot them ,, shoot at them,, scare them by drawing your firearm,,, will very likely get YOU killed or jail time. BUT, I do HATE JERKS that do such things.
When I was a teen, someone thru a beer bottle at me & just barely missed me. Nobody had helmets back then. Too bad for them that I had a " photographic memory." One good look at the plate & I had memorized it. Got to a phone, reported it, & small town cops made an arrest !!

Good, cuz I hate cleaning a perfectly good firearm after it's been shoved up someone's okole.

I understand your frustration. I had someone throw a cup of something at me and drive off. However after calling the police (twice) and waiting an hour or so for them to show up then ask "well what do you want us to do about it," is extremely frustrating. I gave them the plate number plus make and model of the car but nothing came about from it.

They said since there was more than one person in the car it came down to my word versus theirs and I never saw the person who did it. Yet the cup is sitting in the middle of the road, my jacket still damp. The driver had turned off their lights and slowed down to give the person throwing something enough time to aim and throw, then turned on their lights and attempted to speed away (in a 95 Ford Escort). I think I was as angry with the police as with the people who did it.

The sad thing is that as a minimum, it is littering... and the cop didn't even think to go after the driver for that.

report the incident to the cops - next time memorize the plate