draxine

sorry guys, just need to vent

On the way home about 10 mins ago, some stupid teenagers in a bmw pulled up along side me and threw a beer can at me. unfortunately, i didn't get a good look at them since it was dark and i stupidly didn't think to read the number plate.

This or something similar has probably happened to some of you guys, but apart from the odd abuse i've never had something thrown at me! The best word to describe my feeling now is rage, and frustration because i can't do anything to stop those guys from doing it again to some other cyclist.

From now on shall try to remember the number plate when anything like this happens. But tell me, even if you report it, does it ever get anywhere? Would you go so far as to pick up the can as evidence?? So maybe i should htfu, but it's not right, and we shouldn't accept it as the norm.

Thanks for listening

Matt Gaunt

Yeah that sucks but you have to get used to it, tragically. Where did it happen? It used to happen to us quite a lot in the North but SW London is pretty good.

mackerel

Once kids threw rocks at me while riding through Stepney.
London is a fun place.

SushiJoe

The traffic in London prevents me from ever wanting to ride there.

triplebutted

Move to the South (The American South). You'll have more things thrown at you you'll need to ride with a baseball glove.

draxine

i'm in NW London, was coming through Burnt Oak, the *****hole that it is.


To be honest it's not that bad if you avoid rush hour and busy roads. In this case it was nearly midnight, on an empty road in a residential area. Those kids were just trouble makers and probably drunk at the wheel as well, which isn't exactly rare around here.

zonatandem

Move to the USA . . .
Have had cup of ice thrown at us; milk container; various liquids and someone tried to spray paint us (heard enfgne slowing way down behind us and saw them coming in my rearview mirror with arm out of car window holding spray can and yanked our tandem out of harms way . . . yup, they missed!). Also had someone swing open car door; and have been hit by car/truck 3 times. Each time driver was ticketed. One driver was drunk and had license suspended for 30 days; another had his restricted driver's license taken away.
The kids that threw a milk container were spotted by a woman driving a car near us; utilizing her cellphone she contacted local police. Ten minutes after incident, police car pulled us over and questioned us. Said woman had seen the incident and provided the license plate number and description of school kids and car. Police asked us if we wanted to press charges.
We said 'yes!' Police said we will go to their home or school and scare the hell out of them.
Have had friends on tandem (2 women) that rear rider was getting tired of getting her butt 'patted' . . . no fun when car speeds by. Solution: rear rider (stoker and a grandma) wore a pisol on her hip . . . very visible and very legal in the state state of Arizona (this is after all the 'wild west!'). No more ifs and or 'butts' for her!
Seems some drivers are just jealous and want to call attention to themselves!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem/USA

Matt Gaunt

Depends on what sort of riding you do. For many in London, it's their primary method of commuting, which is great, but not if you want to train as well. There are too many foolish drivers to be riding hard and fast in the centre.

Which is why I train in the suburbs.

mackerel

I've been to Tucson.
Unpleasant place.
I would rather ride in Rwanda.

ted ward

Yesterday some teens in a new civic Si threw a full soda cup at me. I managed to get their license plate so the cops came out and we talked. They said they would go to the address and talk to the assumed parents. I don't know if he really went out but it made me feel a lot better

eddymerckx#1

here in the USA I had teen stick out the window & tried to really hit me hard with an egg ,1st missed ,2nd grazed my butt& then they took off ,young girls came along side me & screamed as loud as possible, had a lunch bag thrown at me,a father & son playin cut me off the road then took off, now i carry a piece

ted ward

OP: are you sure it wasn't this?

mackerel

So tell me, would you actually shoot the next group of teens that harass you, or would you fire at their tires to cause a blowout and possible accident?
Or would you merely wave the gun around in a threatening manner like a madman?

draxine

wow that's crazy zonatandem. I'm as impressed with the fact that you haven't been put off cycling as hearing how there are genuinely helpful people out there.

we can't carry weapons and guns over here in the UK, but even if we could i'm not sure i'd want to carry around a gun. there must be a way to educate people about the dangers of cycling without resorting to threats and violence!

umd

What's the difference between a BMW and a porcupine?

draxine

you can't easily lift either up with your bare hands?

umd

On a porcupine, the pricks are on the outside.

draxine

hehe very true! =P

Impulse666

I thought about holstering a fake or airsoft (BB) gun on my left thigh, visible to passing cars. I'd never use a real one, but it'd make them think twice.

CrimsonKarter21

On a porcupine, the pricks are on the outside.
I take offense to that

markyore

I know some guys I ride with got in a heated argumnt with a motorist once. While the argument was going on one of them walked up to his pickup, ripped the reg plate off folded it in half and stuffed it into this rear jersey pocket.....then he rode to the local cop shop and handed it over

mattm

lol - i got hit by a BMW a few months ago, so i feel even more entitled to laugh a that

and to all those that carry a "piece" on the bike: what will you do when confronted with a driver who also carries? sounds like a bad idea...

unless someone actually hurts you, i don't think it's worth wasting the cops' time by calling them. if you want to "scare" some kids, just find their house somehow and toss a brick through their window!

umd

I have one too, but it's still funny...

ridethecliche

On the note of remembering license plates.

I carry my cell with me 90% of the times when I ride, and 100% of the time when I ride solo. If I see the license plate of someone who did something, I start repeating it to myself out loud till I find a place to stop, then I save it as text message draft on my cell phone. That way, I won't forget it.

If necessary, I then call the police right there, or when I get back.

BeeDee

I wish I could have gotten the plate of the kids who drove by and got off three shots from a BB gun.. the first two missed, but as the passed me the third shot hit me in the arm... I called the cops and gave them a description of the car.. but without a plate that was pretty much a dead end..