Riding to work this morning. Heading down Rhode Island Ave. in the Shaw neighborhood of DC--a place that has been described as 'transitional' for about a decade now--when I get sideswiped by an MF in a Nissan Sentra. We are about half a block away from the light and I'm pacing traffic and taking the lane since there is no room and a nasty curb/potholes on my right. I take a peak behind and see the Sentra looking to pass me on the left. He's got no room and I know in five more seconds I'm up to the cars stopped at the light and leaving this a-hole far behind. No such luck. He summons all the power the Nissan hamster engine can muster and performs a semi-successful pass.

A couple more inches to the right and me and s.chivo are in the broken bone club together, as it turns out, his front right bumper catches my foot/crank/rear-wheel and knocks me about three feet to the right. Somehow, I'm able to absorb the impact and keep upright. I slow down in time to find him in the line of cars waiting at the light. Sidle up to the driver side window to have a chat with this punk and he's ready for me. Rolls down his window with his left hand and shows me "The Club" he has at the ready in his right. (Not sure what he can do with it at this point since he can't open the door I'm blocking...maybe he was going to poke me?)

Needless to say a heated debate about where bikes belong ensued, and as his grip on the club tightened I was really tempted to introduce him to my new friend, Mr. Mini-U lock, which I recently purchased after receiving sage advice from Chi-town's own 165. With whatever remnants of rational thought I still had bubbling up from the abyss (and a fear that the next thing he pulled out from under the seat would be a little easier to operate [read:discharge] from such close quarters), I decided the best thing to do was cut my losses and get out of there, which I did after giving his door a hearty kick for good measure. Worst part--as I'm riding away, I look down and notice my rear wheel has about an inch and a half of yaw in it. Granted the wheel is a $36 Bigwheel.com special, but it is only one effing week old. I jump off at McPherson Square, inspect the damage, and think it should be okay with some truing.

Once at work I reviewed my options. I had his license number and could call the police, since he more or less told me it was my fault I got hit because I should have been on the sidewalk. I didn't think this was the best option, because an enemy in the district with my name and address is not something I need. I also have resources that make finding out who this punk is pretty easy, and, in fact, I now have his name, address, and phone number. I also know that he is driving with a suspended license. I'm sure I could find ways to make his life miserable, but again, probably not worth it. Ten years ago I would've just punched the guy. Maybe I've lost the rage. Pity.

Oh yeah, second worst part about the incident--a witness to the whole ordeal was a fixie riding messer who obviously pegged me as a wannabee-poseur-fixie/mess-groupie and didn't want any part of the row. He moseyed on by with nary a word. I'm sure he's having a good laugh recreating the whole ordeal for his buddies in Farragut Square. Ah well. At least, maybe I made somebody's day.

Always arseholes on the road. A little surprised about that messenger though. Glad to hear you walked away from this one.

Word.

As far as being a poseur, ask them where they were in 90. Most were prolly sleeping under mom and dad's roof. Everyone's got a story. Dispose of the BS-messer Glam Clan. Anyone that poses b/c they think they invented fixed street riding can suck it. I have no respect for people who can't nod or stop. I was cruising home a while back and my rear wheel slipped a bit. Stopped to adjust it, and saw some fixie messer pass me slowly, not stopping (my nature - stop no matter what. Always have, most always will). A few minutes later, I was underway and passing him. We stopped at a heavy red and chatted a few minutes. He works for the same company I once did. My only comment, "So, I see they still only hire a--holes." Had a good laugh on that one.
Make your place Schiek, don't really on someone else's.
I am done cheerleading for the day.
Go team...

youre a bigger man than I schiek. i probably would have punched in his windows and attempted his face if it was me... maybe i have a temper problem... its exactly this kind of driver that makes me glad i generally ride the mt vernon trail to work.

ps-glad to hear you were OK, hope the wheel fixes easily

https://www.totse.com/en/bad_ideas/ir.../revenge1.html

where's you sense of adventure gone?

fssb
sparky

I have yet to have one of these experiences. But I am sure time will prey on me sooner or later. Since getting my ss, I have had too near misses, but they were with spaced-out moms in grocery-getting mini-vans which have been cropping up on the north side of Chicago. I will remember this story, so as to keep my cool once it does happen. Bastards!

Thanks for the lesson.

Rubbin' is racin'

glad to hear you escaped that exchange unscathed. I had an incident earlier today too. There must be some weird karma going around so be careful everyone. The only time I've ever really gone off on a driver was when a women called me a *****. It is a lot harder to carve "racist" into a car than I ever thought. good luck with the wheel. jeff

I rubbed 'shoulders' with a rubbish truck once, not much fun. He was sitting in the middle of a double mini-roundabout (evil things them), and I pulled up on his left, thinking I could get ahead of him, but he was too close to the curb, so I just stopped halfway up. As he pulled away he moved towards me, which scared the bejazus out of me, I tried to lift myself out of the way but nearly fell over the curb, but the whole incedent did no more damage than somehow popping the barend out of my bars.

A similar thing happened to me a few years back in Boston when I was delivering.
Guy drove by and pushed me as he passed me. No idea on how I didn't fall but I started screaming the guys plate numbers because I never thought he would stop at the next red light. I ride by with pocket lock and smashed out passenger window and haul ass the wrong way down a one way street

I think we need ImprezaDrvr's expertise on this one....and maybe he could email us some martial arts lessons just in case

Glad you're ok.
I would have punched him.
Hope the wheel comes out for ya'

I commute every day through DC as well and have come across my fair share of a-holes as well. If you are still really steamed after a while then maybe you need to do something about it, just let it simmer a little while before you do something stupid.

I don't condone smashing up someones car (I am a car nut) but it wouldn't hurt too much to inconvenience him by, say, slashing his tires Just don't smash mirrors, or bash his door in.

Informing the police of his license status would be real harsh. If you feel that strongly about it that would probably be the best way to mess him up. But that is opening up another can of worms that is probably best left closed.

It's been over a month. I'm over it. The wheel trued up nicely. One of the reasons the wheel got a-holed in the first place, was because I was careless and didn't check the spoke tension on the cheaply made machine built POS. I like my spokes mashing chords like Bob Stinson, not Yo Yo Ma.

Silver lining: This incident offered enough credit card rationalization power to buy some new hoops and hubs and start building a set of urban assault wheels. Mavic CXP22/DT-Swiss Double Butted/Surly "new" on the rear, and Mavic CXP22/DT-Swiss Double Butted/Campy Veloce on the front.

How bomb proof are they?

I'll let you know once they are built up. If you search the road forum, you get a wide range of reviews for the CXP22s. Some say they are good for a heavier rider who is hard on stuff. I'm 6'5" and about 195, so I fit that bill. Other folks absolutely hate these rims and have supposedly had failures. I got the hoops for $22 each, so from a price/value/risk POV, I think it's worth it. I also plan on putting armadillos on 'em. Too many flats recently.

I'm 6'2, 195, and I'm a masher, so I'm told. I have the Suzue basic hub which I"ll not do again.. But I have an MA3 that was bent by the tail gate of a jeep.
I'm putting together a second FG, and am looking into rims, so I'm just curious what holds up under people like my self who are larger, and perhaps a weee bit aggresive.

What do you know of thier "asphalt" line? Seems to fit the description of what I go through, and I'm wondering if behind thier markette hype, if they are good?

my CXP21 rim had a contractor's truck tire land on it after a crash and it was fine. i pulled the bike out from under the truck and miraculously it was still straight!there's a scrape in on the braking surface but that's it. i'm still using it. i'm sure that if the truck wheel had gone to where the spokes are the wheel would've been toast, and i would've probably thrown up on the guy, but luckily, it was only on the rim.

All that poser stuff is silly, who's bike is it anyway?

As for the jerk, you made it out alive so it wasn't all bad.

Oh, I dunno - in my experience, they tend to only pull licenses for good reasons, and this guy's clearly got an anger problem and very little common sense or respect for the law. Seems to me (and maybe I'm harsh!) that he ought to be reported, detained, possibly jailed

-chris