roadraccer

Hi All

I’m new here and I have been cycling for years with no conflict. Just yesterday while I was riding, minding my own business in Golden Gate Park here in San Francisco I had some a couple of a-hole kids in a van that came along the side of me and spit on my back for no apparent reason. I was not in their way; I was off on the very edge of the road. They were in a line of traffic which I could have caught up to them. I’m thinking of maybe getting a bottle of pepper spray now when I go on rides now. I could have caught up to them and gave them a shot if that I had a bottle with me. I’m just wondering if anyone had been harassed while they were riding their bike ride and what they have done. Has anyone had this happened to them at all. Tell me some of your experiences with situations like this.

spiderbike

You'll capstone yourself with that stuff...I prefer a taser gun

I had one guy open his passenger side door slam on the brakes trying to get me to smash into the door on a back county road...just remeber don't let these people ruin your day, your riding for enjoyment/hobby/stress relief.

johnny99

Get the license plate number and call 911.

dutret

Wow I wish I lived somewhere where I counted the time between harrassment incidents in years instead of days or weeks.

botto 

sheeyat happens. either do something about it, or move on

Tom Stormcrowe

Google their plate number and sign them up for every free offer on Earth. In addition, got them hooked up on every telemarketers hit list. If you really want revenge, sign them up with a paid subscription for gay p%%nography to their mailing address you got from googling their plate! Address it to them "from their secret love" and watch the fun!
or just accept that some people are Losers and get on with your ride and ignore them, it's up to you!
The loser symbols aren't in reference to you, by the way, but to the arsefardles who harrass us!

SingleSpeeDemon

Does anyone make a pepper-spray "grenade" that you can chuck into an *******'s car? I've thought about a smoke grenade, but they are too heavy to carry.

DrPete 

Yeah, I think it's safe to assume that a teenager who spits on you, if provoked, probably wouldn't hesitate to run you off the road in "self-defense" if you made any efforts to catch up with them and retailiate.

Get the plate and report it to the police. Unfortunately, that's all you can really do. Nothing worth risking your a$$ over.

DrPete

godspiral

Find the biggest heaviest car you can find. Try and pick one that is really old and cheap and so probably has no insurance, driven by young stupid poor people.... and do the most annoying things possible to the passengers or some outside damage to paint and rearview mirrors. Make sure you insult their sexuality and mothers.

Nothing bad could possibly result, and physical confrontation is the only possible solution.

operator

Some of these suggestions are a Bad Idea. If they spit on you, that's assault report it to the police along with their license plate. Under no circumstances are you to do anything illegal yourself unless they physically attack you.

Carrying weapons is a good way to get into trouble.

bccycleguy

If you let them ruin your day they've succeeded, right.

Tom Stormcrowe

[QUOTE=bccycleguy]That's my point, exactly! Nothing is more frustrating to a jerk than when his jerkdom isn't even apparently noticed! Now, if they do honestly endanger you, then definitely call 911!

pigmode

Forget the pepper spray. I can't imagine any cop or judge considering that an appropriate response to spitting. You will therefore no longer be the victim, but the assailant. There's also the possibility of mistakenly impairing the driver's control of the vehicle with potentially disastrous results to not only yourself, but any innocents that may be close by.

Nmbmxer

Pepper spraying someone will most likely get you sued. You will never hear "Sir I am so sorry I said something about your shorts. Your pepper spray to my face has made me realize the error of my ways." What will happen is he will need to glasses and sue you to pay for them.
I just slip a Keltec P3AT in my jersey pocket. Weighs practically nothing and if your going to be in a position to legally use pepper spray your in a postition to use deadly force. OC spray and tasers are not non-lethal, they are less-lethal.

lancewho05

You could start carrying a side arm. One of those two shooters probably don't weigh much. Get the ankle holster for it. Or even better, wear the chest holster on the outside of your jersey visable for everyone to see and carry a glock. I guarantee no one would mess with you if they saw you carrying heat. I kind of like the mase or tear gas grenade idea mentioned above, but i'd be pretty worried about retaliation if one happened to escape the car.

40-Dan

LOL, my P-32 trys to rust just sitting in storage. I simply can't imagine exposing it to a sweatty jersey.

And although I was a gun-nut LONG before getting into cycling (my handle is a carryover from another internet forum and does not reflect my age, but my preference in caliber), I simply can't imagine this being a good idea. If the area you ride in is bad enough that you feel the need to carry, I'd recommend moving. Seriously.

Your first obligation before lethal force is justified is to get away! Note that this is no longer the LAW in some states, including my own, but I don't think I could live with myself if I were to shoot someone unless it was the ABSOLUTE last resort. And unless someone is chasing you with their car, your bike provides a pretty good escape method.

Just imagine a worst case scenario - you pop some redneck (I use the term lovingly, as I am one) who comes after you with a tire iron after a verbal altercation. While you'd be perfectly justified in the eyes of the legal system, and some, including myself might applaud you for helping to clean up the gene pool, what would a wrongful death lawsuit do to you and your family.

Not trying to lecture, I just wanted to inject a little rational thinking into the discussion.

And to the OP, if you get their plate number, spitting IS considered assault. The police may or may not choose to do anything about it, but that's another matter. Either report them, or suck it up and go on, knowing that, in the morning, he'll still be an a$$hole.

Dan

stapfam

If they have caused you a problem- then the betting is that they do it to others aswell. A report to the police may not get any action but supposing you are the 3rd or 4th that has reported this vehicle- Then they start taking action. If only to stop people disturbing their coffee breaks.

Don't get many *******s like this in the UK, and we don't have the gun culture, but it does happen. A report to the Police does not always work- but at least a report means that that number plate has a mark against it.

terrymorse 

Spitting on someone is battery:

https://www.expertlaw.com/library/per...t_battery.html

cyklehike

Here's what happens to some that harass bicyclists. Warning--sorta graphic. This one left a mark.

https://www.fugly.com/videos/3407/bumperhit.html

EGreen

That happens in SF? Sounds like an outer suburban story. Here, A-Hole kids are more inclined to make a profit by stealing the bike, maybe throwing some punches, perhaps some kicking, sometimes stabbing or shooting... come to think of it no spitting incidents that I've heard of. I think some would prefer to simply be spat upon, given the alternatives.

But I can understand the hurt pride involved.

If it's happened once, or very rarely, let it go. If it happens all the time, take a look in the mirror.

nova

Bug bomb?

nova

Heh i dont have a active cell phone but did this once to some dork last year. Had a old cell phone of my dads or brothers hell dont know whos it use to be. I flipped it open and put it to my ear. The guy stopped up ahead and said he was sorry and didnt think there was any need to bring the cops in to it.

I hd my fingure on the send button like i was maybe thinking about what he said. Told him fine but i wanted his lic number and plate number. I got both and said next time i would report him and i had his personal info and would send the cops strait to his house.

I probably still have the paper here some where lol.

grahny

Just carry grenades... they work beautifully in situations like this.

I have a nice OCP bandolier... it blends right in with my jersey.

larue

While there are always hazards on the road while cycling you can't get discouraged. Be the better person and don't let them get you down. Anyways there are *******s everywhere whether you are on the bike or not. You could be walking down the sidewalk and get spit on or mugged. I keep my cameraphone handy so if possible I can snap a pic of the culprit and license plate and report the incident.

40-Dan

That has GOT to be the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. Imagine explaining that one to your parents AND their insurance company.

Dan