pointyhead

...reading the post below about the idiot truck driver made me think of some of the close calls I've had on my bike. I've had people throw ice, beer, sodas, cans, bottles, a screwdriver! I've had cars blow horms right on my tail, cut me off with inches to spare. Yell every obscenity imaginable. In fact, the last year that I rode, if I was going down to certain parts of the county, I'd carry my little .25 auto in my let side pocket.

Does anyone else arm themselves in like manner?

KevinG

I have been known to carry a Kel-Tec 32 in my pocket on rides here in New Orleans. Especially when I was working graveyards in the Quarter or delivering food by bike at night.

roadfix

Mr. Pointyhead...
Back in my mountain biking days, usually on solo back-country treks, I used to pack my tiny little Barretta in my fanny pack, but not for reasons you mentioned.

pointyhead

Hey, a snake is a snake is a snake....

roadfix

Yeah.....I know, but I have this tremendous fear of snakes....

Aggressor

Its getting really sad when cyclists have to arm themselves. I'm glad I live in Oz sometimes.

Random

What I can’t figure out is the hatred of cyclists. I ride on relatively uncrowded roads through farmland. At first the people around here couldn’t figure out why this guy wearing tight clothes was riding around in public like that 4 times a week. The regulars are used to me now, and even wave once in a while. On Tuesday, this white car coming towards me moved over into my lane to play chicken. I slow and move as close to the edge of pavement as possible. Then to impress his girl, the guy calls me a *** as he drives by

joeprim

I find that waving seems to confuse them so they just wave back. I do sometimes have a Charter Arms Bulldog.

Joe

xunzi

I tend to call people ******s(rhymes with bankers) as they don't seem to understand what it means.

Helps vent my frustration and not get involved in any further rage LOL

The extra adrenaline is always good for getting to your destination

bac

I did this on a few rides last year. However, I quit packing due to the fact that I felt the need to use it on about every ride. I was setting myself up for an anger-related shooting subsequent, and jail term.

chewa

This morning a white van overtook me (I was in the bus/cycle lane - he was in the nearside lane) and as he did he tooted his horn and he and his (male passenger) ended themselves laughing.

Well, revenge is a dish best served cold because a wee bit up the road he was sitting in traffic and as I approached i could see the passenger side window was down.


He obviously has no use for mirrors either because as I slid up the inside of the van he did not see me coming so when, at the top of my voice, I leaned in the passenger window and went "PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP", his passenger and he jumped about a foot in the air.

It was worth the weird looks from nearby pedestrians. And of course, as he was stuck in traffic I made a quick getaway.

spazegun2213

I think i know why people do stupid stuff like this, they have no respect. I mean really, put anyone that did that kind of stuff to you on a bike, do the same to them and i bet my life that they would NEVER ever do it again. I dont even think that they would think about it. I know how scary some of this stuff is, and most people think of it as a joke, well its no joke when you endanger my life pal! luckly i dont have to deal with idiot drivers all the time.

mnppunky

This past sunday while riding two teenagers threw a lit pack of firecrackers at me as they drove by. I was more pi$$ed off than anything, they wouldnt stop like I gestured for them too.I think they knew better.

Inoplanetyanin

So, HOW would you use your gun? You would shoot someone for throwing stuff at you and honking their horns????

Very stupid... , in my opinion.
You make somebody mad, and they will use the gun, and if u have one, by the same logic - they can have one, but it's only going to be the one who uses it first...

Very stupid...

Inoplanetyanin

Dude, even thought this may sound insipring for others or rewarding for yourself, I don't think it's a good idea to play like this.
Why let some people you don' respect put you in a crazy mood and stress you?
Why would you let them control yourself?

Besides, they can be crazy, uncarying, just out of jail people, that could simply hit you a mile later and drive away...
Does all this risk worth protecting your ego, from some animal like people?

We are not getting offended by dogs parking at us, so why do it with people who not much smarter than those dogs?

They do stuff like this because they don't consider it stupid. They are just stupid themselves...

Brennan

After being assaulted by a crazy homeless guy in Los Angeles, I began packing a small can of pepper spray on my commute. Never did use it though.

spazegun2213

on, its the fact that sometime someone my do something that could jepordize his life, and the gun is there for that kind of protection.

pointyhead

No, silly, I wouldn't shoot someone for throwing stuff or honking a horn at me. I could think of dozens of possibilities, though, that would meet the criteria for having to discharge a weapon. One would be if I was hung on a mirror, dragging my bike, and the jerk speeds up to incredible speeds that would guarantee a kill if I get shaken off. That would be a good time to empty the clip into his noggin. Or the individual that thinks you are an easy mark for robbing, or something otherwise distasteful. I'd rather be armed and not need it than to be unarmed and need it.

And I gather from your post, Inoplanetyanin, that I am some stupid redneck, hellbent on "killin somthin". I assure you that I am not, albeit, I am from the "Jeff Foxworthy state". I am a licensed for concealed carry, am a 21-year retired military veteran, whose actually been in a combat situation, and have used weapons in my job. Should the need arise, I am positive that it would be justified.

You, however, sound like one of those wimpy, tree-hugging leftists that eshew weapons with a "Rodney King-why can't we all just get along?" attitude. Let's just give peace a chance. Yeah, right.

Inoplanetyanin

The thing is, all armed people are imagining this horrible stories and possibilities of depending a life on your gun, while people in other countries live their lives a generation after generation and never ever have even a thought that they could need a deadly weapon, and this is especially considering that crime rates in many other countries, are higher that in most US States. Just because people can get the weapon here, they start finding reasons to have it, which is merely imagining and creating illusive emotional reasons rather than logical ones.

Guest

Calm down folks...

Random

That’s one big generalization.

Waxbytes

Personally, I think just tossing a stun grenade in the drivers lap while passing is very effective. Minimal chance of the driver retaliating too. [ironic tone]

KevinG

Uh no! Do you realise how hard it was for me to get 25 I have now. They are not that easy for us "civilians" to get our hands on.
I think I will use mine for something more important than a stupid driver. Tear gas is cheaper and easer to get.

Electricview

semi new here, but on the bike trial a punk rocker kid with a mohawk (probably 15) had this long stick and as i rode by he motioned like he was going to shove it in my spikes, he didnt but he made some noise like BLAH!! as he did it, then kind of looked at me, he's lucky i didnt have my gun or i would have motioned at him and went BAM with my voice and scare that crap out of his disrespectful trashy ass.. I swear some people are just stupid.. dont they know i could be a raging lunatic on a bike with a gun who could blow their heads off?

Electricview

Tell it to the people onboard the flights of 9-11....