flythebike

Just finished playing softball, rolling back to the car a few steps ahead of my wife and toddler. I just wanted to get the bike on the car, get everyone and everything in the car and go home. Was super tired, sore from three days of hard training including 2 hours with 4x20-30 minute intervals on the tt bike the day before.

Wait for the walk signal. Go. Dude starts coming at me real fast turning right. I yell "Hey" to get him to not effing kill me with his Pontiac Grand Am. He stops like three feet from hitting me. Gets out of his car and says "Hey what?" He is like 6' 4" 220. I say "Hey I just want to get home in one piece." So he pulls his car out of the traffic lane and gets out of the car and begins approaching me. I ride away. He sprints after me. When it becomes evident he cannot catch me on foot, he gets back in his car. I reverse course and get behind his car (one way street) and start riding against traffic. He gives up and drives away. I commend this tactic to you. It has worked before.

People are on a short fuse out there. The best defense is to hold to your intentions. I just wanted to get home, not get into a stupid fight.

The guy committed (at least) assualt. Well, he keeps that kind of behavior up, he'll meet somebody with a gun, or a cop, and he'll be in jail (probably again).

Just avoid the wackos people. That is all.

DrPete 

What's going on in Virginia? Folks getting legs shattered, road rage, what next?

I'll stay on this side of the Potomac, thanks.

Glad you're OK, though.

cydewaze

So you rode the wrong way up a 1-way street to get away from him? Not a jab, just trying to understand what you are describing.

DonChuwish

Yeah, people are getting pretty sick of us taking up the road around here too. I'm starting to avoid the larger group rides cuz the cars just get too nuts when they're stuck behind us. Kinda funny when the SUVs burn a quick gallon of gas just to accelerate past us tho.

-D

C_Heath

Down here in Hickville, the proper thing to do would have been to wait till he got approx 20 inches from you and then lay his ass out like the freaking wind. Then say "thats what beeotch!" and presume home to rest and relax.

FunkyTang

Sounds like a typical Texas story, but swap the GrandAm out for a pickup or SUV.

Lithuania

va is crazy but so am i so we get a long pretty good

the beef

To the best of my knowledge, stuff like that never goes on up here.. but that's still an interesting story. I can't quite picture what happened from the description you gave though, draw us like a map of the street with stick figures and arrows on MSpaint or something.

2Tired2Shift

Chasing does not constitute assault. Assault generally requires some type of physical contact.

Which intersection was this? Did you get the guy's license tag?

You rode away, being chased by the guy, and left your wife/kid**********

2Tired2Shift

You anywhere near Mt. Airy??

pinkrobe

Whenever I walk my bike across the street and wave at somebody not to run me down in their car, they usually wave back and smile as they stop 6" from my knee. It's friendlier, but not really less dangerous. I've never been chased, mostly becasue I'm usually dressed like a messenger, and people assume I'm armed or highly infectious.

kingsfan4life

you got it

WithanF

Actually, assault does not require physical contact - battery requires contact. Assault is simply the act of causing someone to fear they will be battered.

2Tired2Shift

I stand corrected.

CrimsonKarter21

I've noticed this recent mass-roadrage too, just last night I was about to pass a slow moving couple in the bike lane and a 50ish woman with granny-glasses and driving a Saturn comes up behind me and lays ont he horn even there was no traffic in the other lane, so I get pissed and sprint her down. I was doing 32mph at one point int he 25mph zone, and caught up to her at a traffic light a half-mile down the road to show her my mind.

shakeNbake

Again, always wear some sort of a flag on your body.

Rednecks hate cyclists, but they'll never ran over the red, white, and blue.

UmneyDurak

So what happened to your wife and toddler as you were running away?

Doid23

I don't know, but I'm glad I'm not there anymore (in terms of riding, anyway). Amazing the difference riding in Westchester/ Fairfield County area, ride on main roads with not much problem at all, drivers are in general pretty courteous. Meanwhile, I would be taking my life in my hands to ride one mile on Georgetown Pike in Fairfax County, tried it once, wouldn't try it twice. Not bad as you get farther out West, but in and around the Beltway? I don't miss it at all.

KrisPistofferson

Seriously, it's part of a slimy continuum:
Between inflation, wages not keeping up with inflation, not to mention basic maintenance and gasoline to keep up with an urban sprawl lifestyle, and Right Wing talk radio focusing everyone's hate on those who do try to conserve, (commuting cyclists, cyclists in general.) your average American, (who apparently also believes the world was created in 6 days,) doesn't stand a chance. Sorry, that's just how it is.

Chucklehead

someting similar happened to me a few nights ago when i was walking my dog. dude comes speeding down the street and starts making a left turn without signaling and almost hitting me and my dog. it looked like he didn't notice me, so i yelled "f'kn slow down!" as he rolled past. he stomps on his brakes and looks back at me which, i assume is when he noticed the german shepherd and the 15" maglite and drove away.

voltman

I thought people were supposed to be laid back in SD.

Chucklehead

i'm pretty laid back, but not when it comes to dealing with stupid people. stuff like that just pi$$es me off to no end. you make such an effort looking out for other people, making sure you don't do something stupid that ends-up hurting someone, then it seems like most people are oblivious to what's around them. if that guy had hit me or my dog, he'd be in the hospital right with me, trying to explain how he got such a big flashlight stuck up his a$$.

voltman

No, I meant the tough guy in the car.

Chucklehead

voltman

I ended up stealing your jersey.