Still Pedaling

As time moves forward, more and more a$$holes are born into this world.

Mark Stone

An egg. In 40+ years of bicycling, one guy hit me with an egg in around 1983? 1984? Right on the side of the head

The B

Just insults.

Man.... I'd be REALLY pissed if someone threw something at me. I would definitely try to chase them down, and I have no doubt IF I caught 'em, I'd be getting off my bike.

nymtber

Just words. Meaningless words, I don't even hear usually (helmet strap turbulence means I don't hear some white trash yelling something).

One time, however, it was words of encouragement. Going up a short but steepish hill "Keep going, your doing great!" I got a second wind right then and up the hill I went.

Thankfully nothing actually thrown at me. But I also yield as far right as safely possible (NYS law says I HAVE TO), and just because I can take the lane, usually I will not. I live in a very rural farming area, people already have to deal with tractors taking the road. I'd rather play it safe than try to prove a point and end up injured by some jerk. The WORST here is old people. Rarely do they move over to give you a little more room, and through the village they swing their doors open fast without worry who is coming (parked along main st)

Stay safe out there, folks!

Pukeskywalker

I've never had anything thrown at me, just shouting matches with Italian mafioso wannabes in South Philly, one of which made a good attempt at door-ing me. Kool Stops saved me there

prooftheory

I've been hit by a golf ball while riding by a country club. If it was deliberate it was a hell of a shot.

Garfield Cat

Still waiting for a kiss thrown from that pretty girl in that white TBird.

shipwreck

The most problems in the last few years have been from someone in a group of motorcycles throwing a beer bottle. The tourist town I live in is attracting more and more of them, though it does seem to have peaked(I really hope). I have decided not to ride at all when there is a big motorcycle rally in the area. Tens of thousands of midlife crises roaring around in an "Im tough" outfit, wobbling their bikes from bar to bar, its to dangerous. Out on the road I have had at least two I know of and one possible bottles thrown. Its not the one D-bag throwing it that bothers me, its the fact that it comes from the middle of a pack of thirty or so, and some of their fellow riders have to have seen it.

no motor?

The brand of motorcycle that is made for riding from bar to bar does attract those kind of cretins, and they rarely do much on their own. I think you're making the right decision not to ride when they're around.

rumrunn6

had some clowns squirt me w water from a water ****** this summer, shud have had my camera on hi-res mode. it's a popular route for cyclists in Carlisle so these guys were obviously premeditated. the vehicle would be easy to ID cuz look at the right rear bumper dent

Murray Missile 

Had a Pabst Blue Ribbon bottle thrown at my head in 1973 by two rednecks in a pickup truck. Not sure if it was because I was on a 10 speed or because I had hair half way down my back, probably some of both. They missed but not by much, got yelled at a few times in the 80's but nothing too serious. The last 20 years have been fairly uneventful.

Corben

Well it seems to happen a lot. Thanks for sharing all. Since a few mentioned insulting shouts and such I got a good pay back story.
I was cruzin down Douglas blvd on my way to Folsom Lake when a car full of teens pulled up along side of me. One of the lassies inside let out a high pitch scream which scared the beejeezus out of me. They laugh and drove on.
Bikes are allowed to Cruz through the gates at folsom without having to stop and pay at the gate. And I saw the car there in line waiting to pay. So I peddle up to it and stuck my head in halfway through a window and just politely said "Boo!"
Well the girl who screamed, screamed again, but this time it was out of fear. Her screamed scared the hell out of everyone else in the car also. Then they all stared laughing, except the screamer. And as I rode on I heard one of them say.." Right on!"
They passed again later that day but that time I was saluted with a thumbs up.

JReade

A bag of leftover taco bell got me once, and a 1/2 empty drink one time came flying past me.

spoiledrotten

I haven't been hit with anything, but I still cringe every time a vehicle passes, knowing it very well could happen.

The B

Wow.. maybe try riding some busy roads? I get passed by a couple thousand cars, on some rides - couldn't possibly worry about them, not enough time.

dr_lha

There's a bike path that goes alongside a golf course where I live. One time I was riding up it and something flew past my face and landed with a crack, looking back, I saw it was a golf ball, which continued to bounce down the golf path. Don't think it was deliberate though, as the guy who hit it looked extremely sheepish when I rode past him. It was just an extraordinarily poor tee-off.

Other than that the only thing I've been hit by is car doors, which I think tends to be far less pleasant than being hit by a taco (I have the scars to prove it).

Corben

hopefully a soft shell?

KraneXL

This. Along with Slurpee, eggs, and the ubiquitous cigarette butt.

When I got hit with the egg in the back it felt like glass shards Of course when it hit, it hit with the force of the throw plus the speed of the moving vehicle which must have been 60 mph. I reached back to feel an oozing liquid that I though was blood. It was egg yolk.

They were laughing but I maintained my composure and didn't react at all (I wasn't going to give the that satisfaction). Unfortunately, it was at night and I couldn't make-out the license plate of the pickup.

Phil_gretz

I don't recall ever having something thrown at me while on my bike. It may have happened 40 years ago, but I don't remember it.

I did have a pickup truck pass me on a country road, slow to pace me, with the passenger saying "on your left" as they passed. That was funny.

indyfabz

Zombie Thread--Thanksgiving Week edition.

MoAlpha

Yes: drinks, cups, bottles, cans, cigs, assorted other trash, punches.

Maybe this is a zombie thread because that sort of harassment has tapered off as a delayed effect of the removal of lead from gasoline and social pressure not to drink during pregnancy.

KraneXL

No, this thread is perpetual. As long as their are cyclist and motorist that have to share the road.

digger

Spit on once, they got pretty close to be able to do it. Nothing else, other than run off the road one time.


Another situation was the reverse. This was late 80s, I was cycling in a subdivision, passing a stopped car, and my front tire grazed a grape-sized piece of asphalt, that was ejected up into the air and landed PLONK on the vehicles bonnet. I turned around and went back to see the damage. It so happened the owner was walking down the walkway, from the front door, to get into the car. I apologized but he said "naw, don't worry about it, you came back."

burnthesheep

This topic screams “camera” and assault charges. Imagine how fast a perp would be in jail for the night if they hit a cop with something.

Litespud

Full unopened can of soda hit me in the back once while riding outside Boston. That's the only time I can recall. Guy in the car behind the thrower's flagged me down at the next intersection and gave me the throwers plate #, which was decent of him, but I never followed up on it.