jcm

I know the Wise Road. The Higher Moral Ground. But, if that had happened to me I probably would have tried to kill them. Fists, teeth, nails, rocks, a stick, my bike, anything at all. I would seriously have gone berserk, in the Viking sense. I would get the ball sack off one of them at least. The others would wish they had never gotten up that morning, I swear it!

taylor8

Better to be judged by twelve, than carried by six -- go armed!

Joe

bkrownd

The important thing is that they did catch up with them, so that they could be caught and arrested, rather than letting them go on to assault others.

Bikinguy

I have been lucky as I had only a firecracker thrown at me and a couple of teens yelling at me. Something I have not read in this thread is being friendly with motorists by giving them a wave when one of them waits on you to pass rather than cutting in front of you even when they have a safe opening. I try to work with them as opposed to pissing them off. Of course you are still going to have your nut cases out there that will try to hurt or scare you but I have seen so many cyclists that have the opinion that its my road and I will do as I please atitude. I would have to say rude cyclists and rude motorists have been pretty close to even in my exp.

Keep2up,
bikinguy

abarkley

It can work both ways. Here in London, it seems far commoner for drivers to claim to have been assaulted by cyclists. Repeatedly punched thro' open window whilst at traffic light is a common one......sounds a pretty scary and disagreeable experience.

Cyclists here in the metropolis are an aggressive bunch - perhaps they had to be in the past. As a newcomer to city cycling, I have had not had any problems with motorists; all the bad behaviour I have seen originates on 2 wheels.

Pedestrians...that's another matter. Are there really people in the world who have never seen a bike before? You'd think so.

mtnroads

I liked what Bikinguy had to say. I also do my best to "reward" courteous car drivers with a wave when they wait for me to pass, or in other ways offer me the right of way. Sometimes it is almost annoying, especially at intersections, when you just want to be treated as another vehicle, but I still give 'em a big wave to reinforce the behavior. I have very few problems overall here in the Bay Area - most people are very courteous to cyclists, I think because we have so many.

ranger5oh

Im pretty sure waving on a turd isnt going to change their ways. The people who assault you, will not be thwarted by a friendly wave, its ludicrous to think otherwise.

Ive been assaulted only once, last summer I had some apples thrown at me from a speeding car, they missed, but it scared me. I tried catching them, but coudn't, damn legs were tired at the end of my ride. I have since been weighing what weapon I want to carry with me. We do have a concealed carry law here in MO, so I can pack. I very well may. Other options may be a tazer.

Anyone own a tazer? How well do they work?

ozbiker

About 100kms into our Sunday club ride, yesterday, our bunch is buzzed by an airhead in a Commodore - redline, valve bounce, tyre squealing, lotsa smoke, 160kph++ etc. - I'm sure you've seen it, complete with plastic girlfriend in the front and mates in the back.

10k's up the road we get to the main highway - cars backed up for miles, emergency vehicles everywhere, sirens, lights. Seems our airhead has gone down the entrance ramp at "who knows what speed" straight into a stationary line of traffice, held up due to another accident a half a mile up the road. He's hit a car towing a caravan just at the towbar. The car's a total, airhead is lying beside the road under a blanket looking pretty dead, girlfriend running in circles, innocent victims in shock, debris everywhere.

25 not so sympathetic riders continued on their way!!!!
That's one less turkey I have to avoid.

ozbiker

In the State of South Australia new legislation has recently been introduced as a consequence of a Royal Commission Enquiry into the death of a cyclist (father of 2) who was killed in a hit/run. The offender was a VERY high profile barrister who managed to wriggle out of it with a fine and license suspension, despite having backed up to the cyclist to "make sure he was dead" (which, as later became evident, he wasn't at that time).

The Kapunda Park Royal Commission as it is known has yeilded the following changes.

Now. Leaving the scene of an accident in aggravationg circumstances (drunk, doped up, or fleeing police), where there is injury - mandatory 15yrs prison, and where there is death - mandatory life sentence.

Other states are looking at this legislation also. Not too soon either!!!

Oh, and the barrister. Seems he was drunk and hid from the police for a couple of hours to sober up. His brother called him on the mobile after the police had visited his home to give him the all clear - now they are both charged with perverting the course of justice for which they could bothe receive 4 year sentences. Slim justice, but better than nothing.

ozbiker

I believe that mandatory sentincing is a consequence of judges failing to reflect the standards and expectations of society. If the judges clearly and consistently lack the judgement to get it right, then the people will TELL them what to do by way of mandatory sentencing.

chicharron

The point is to survive, and get from point A to point B safely. Back in the '70's I rode a 10 speed Italian bicylce, and rode mostly urban streets to work and school. No helmet, no light at night, and loved to ride fast downhill. If a motorist yelled, ran a stop sign in front of me, or cut me off, or said anything to me, I would always be ready with the middle finger and the F word.

Well, you can imagine how many confrontations I was in, and how many times that I was ran off the road, objects thrown at me, and assulted. I am luck that I was not seriously injured.l
Thirty years later, I have a different philosophy when I ride. I always have a helmet on, front and rear light at night, and carry pepper spray. I always plan my route out in advance, on side streets with less traffic, and preferibly well lit streets. If a motorist runs a stop sign or a red light in front of me, I always let it go. I figure that I am not a police officer, and I am probably at a physical disadvantage if the motorist is armed, or there are more than one person in the car. I do not respond to taunts, verbal abuse, or threats. I always look for an exit, or a store or place where there are witness to go to if I am confronted. If all else fails, and I am cornered, and there is no other alternative, I always have the pepper spray and a folding knife ready, but only as a last resort.

chicharron

If you are cornered, and there is no one to help you, then fight like your life depends on it, and F**K THEM UP!!

Bikinguy

Hi chicharron,

I had to chuckle when I read your post. I was exactly like you about 35 years ago. I was tough and just never backed down. Today with that atitude I would surely be dead. I still if surprised by a motorists bad behavior will sometimes flip them off and am working hard to break that habit.

Keep2up,
Bikinguy

Bikinguy

Hi ozbiker,

I agree 100 percent. BTW caught R&R in OZ and really loved the place. This was years ago and still have fond memories of Brisbane and Sydney. This being a g rated site will leave it at that. *S*

Keep2up,
Bikinguy

Artkansas 

Some years ago, Eleanor Roosevelt wrote in her daily newspaper column, “It might be encouraging to many of us who worry about the state of our world and particularly about our youngsters to remember that today’s problems have existed a long time.”11 Next, she quoted this statement: “Our earth is degenerate in these latter days; bribery and corruption are common; children no longer obey their parents; the end of the world is evidently approaching.”12 Then she revealed that these words came from an Assyrian Stone Tablet, written around 2800 B.C.

https://bibstudies.com/English/en_les..._199802_08.pdf

trackhub

Sometimes it happens, ozbiker. It's just too bad that in your case, this jerk may have injured some innocents. "plastic girlfriend",,, Excellent!! Mind if I use that?

Dchiefransom

Unfortunately, letting people go that injure cyclists DOES seem to meet the standards and expectations of most of the society around us.

jcm

Absolutely. I carry a 23" telescoping baton. I very well might go down but I'll make sure it's no fun for the other guy(s). If there's no way out - make one.