Twisted road rage: cyclist beats motorist

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Gummee

I've been dealing with idiots (like the driver in the OP) for 20+ years.

Being continually threatened with bodily harm by cars/trucks may very well have me doing something similar to the OP one of these days. I'm not a violent person, but sometimes enough is enough.

Having said that, I tend to ride in a way that tries to minimize the opportunities for people to squeeze me or hit me with their mirror(s).

M

We all have. All we can do is be careful, ride defensively, expect these guys to be stupid or mean...I am guilty as the next of going nose to nose with some idiot but a few years ago 2 drivers got into it. one went to his trunk, pulled out a cross bow, shot the guy in the chest, drove away.. Be careful .

[Admiral Ackbar]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Hey 'bud' the report said one person said the guy 'may die' from his beatings

A poster said he 'probably had it coming'....1+1


"An altercation ensued, and Smock "inflicted such severe injuries on the driver of the vehicle that the driver ended up being transported to the hospital," Dunkel said. "We had witnesses concerned that the person might die."

haha okay, I'm going to assume the poster that said "probably had it coming" didn't mean death, id hope. maybe he can prove me wrong

and being transported to the hospital with "serious injuries" does mean he was close to death or "may die" (not sure where you got that quote from), not to mention he has already been released (on the same or next day it appears)

and a witness being "concerned the person might die" does not mean life threatening either. you're jumping to conclusions

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Admiral Ackbar

haha okay, I'm going to assume the poster that said "probably had it coming" didn't mean death, id hope. maybe he can prove me wrong

and being transported to the hospital with "serious injuries" does mean he was close to death, not to mention he has already been released (on the same or next day it appears)

and a witness being "concerned the person might die" does not mean life threatening either. you're jumping to conclusions

I think all of us, none of whom were there, are. But the 'auto idea' that car driver wrong, deserves a beating, cyclist right cuz he was on a bike, is also a reach w/o really knowing what happened and why.

In this instance, car driver went to hospital, not cyclist.

[Admiral Ackbar]

well were on the same page in that i agree that no one can really pass judgement without being there nor do i believe, by any stretch, that he deserved to beat beaten bloody and to the ground. it just irked me the way you assumed anyone was wishing death upon the victim

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Admiral Ackbar

well were on the same page in that i agree that no one can really pass judgement without being there nor do i believe, by any stretch, that he deserved to beat beaten bloody and to the ground. it just irked me the way you assumed anyone was wishing death upon the victim

In other discussions about car vs cyclist, some posters clearly wished death upon the driver of the vehicle. Discussions here.

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

We all have. All we can do is be careful, ride defensively, expect these guys to be stupid or mean...I am guilty as the next of going nose to nose with some idiot but a few years ago 2 drivers got into it. one went to his trunk, pulled out a cross bow, shot the guy in the chest, drove away.. Be careful .

Yeah, again, NYC about fifteen years ago, and I start shouting profanities at a car hassling me from behind. As they passed me, I see five dudes who weren't exactly solid citizens laughing at me. Thank the lord they considered it a joke or something. I could've been a drive by victim, pretty easily.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

Yeah, again, NYC about fifteen years ago, and I start shouting profanities at a car hassling me from behind. As they passed me, I see five dudes who weren't exactly solid citizens laughing at me. Thank the lord they considered it a joke or something. I could've been a drive by victim, pretty easily.

Yep, there are a LOT of guns out there, some attained legally, the subject of another discussion on another day.

[jdwertz]

I've mostly experienced people yelling out the window some comment as they blow by. Thankfully no serious incidents so far. I have found that it just makes it worse to respond and reciprocate. It is hard to know how to handle certain drivers because they just seem to have no common sense at all, especially when then do something stupid. Driving isn't for everyone...

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by jdwertz

Driving isn't for everyone...

.....but everyone drives.

Look around you at a rest stop off a highway sometime, and say to yourself, "I'm sharing the road at 70mph with these people". Sobering.

[jdwertz]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

.....but everyone drives.

Look around you at a rest stop off a highway sometime, and say to yourself, "I'm sharing the road at 70mph with these people". Sobering.

Yea it is very scary. I commute 1.5 hours each way to work down I-95 and let me tell you I have seen some very sloppy driving, destroyed cars being driven, people reading books/newspaper, it is a disgrace.

Driving tests ought to be more intensive and restrictive like in some European countries.

[weiwentg]

Originally Posted by Gummee

On one hand: good! Bastard probably had it coming.

If you have to argue whether or not your mirror hit someone, it probably did.

On the other: bad. More ammo for the 'anti-cycling' crowd.

M

in addition, the cops will likely come down harder on the cyclist. unfortunately, we are in the position where we know that drivers who hit us with their vehicles will mostly avoid sanction. this leads to the great temptation to take the law into one's own hands. I ride in Baltimore city, so this temptation has struck me many times. but it's counterproductive. seek political avenues of redress: campaign for bike infrastructure and better laws.

[Cornfed]

Originally Posted by weiwentg

in addition, the cops will likely come down harder on the cyclist. unfortunately, we are in the position where we know that drivers who hit us with their vehicles will mostly avoid sanction. this leads to the great temptation to take the law into one's own hands. I ride in Baltimore city, so this temptation has struck me many times. but it's counterproductive. seek political avenues of redress: campaign for bike infrastructure and better laws.

Saw this excellent blog on the topic by Mike Varley the other day. He also referenced this very insightful blog on the many benefits of safe group rides.

[rustychisel]

Originally Posted by jdwertz

Yea it is very scary. I commute 1.5 hours each way to work down I-95 and let me tell you I have seen some very sloppy driving, destroyed cars being driven, people reading books/newspaper, it is a disgrace.

Driving tests ought to be more intensive and restrictive like in some European countries.

Don't feel too bad for your lot in life.

Pull off the highway and go into any cafe at any service around Europe (including England), look around, and say to yourself "I'm sharing the road with these people".

It can be scary anywhere.

[snah]

This twist reminds me of an incident north of Indy a couple years back. Motorist and cyclist have an exchange, motorist stops in the middle of the road, cyclist pulls a gun and fires a few shots at the car.

Either side, it's all a little frightening. Just last week we had a 23 year old commuting convert killed, hit by a school bus. Kid had a blog talking about his adventures on the bike, his very last post went something like this, "If you see me on the road, please don't hit me with your car." Not making that up.

[ultraman6970]

Two guys from another team I remember were carrying a small gun just for protection because they were already assaulted and their bikes robbed twice to each of them. Their bikes were so rare than just showing something in the night news was going to make those bikes impossible to reduce, 2 days later were left in the road, but thats another story. One of this guys used the gun once in another dumb ass trying to assault him (moron got 2 shots, one in each leg from what I heard), obviously he was not sympathetic with the guy so he left him there, crying like a little baby and swearing he was not going to steal again... NOT!

The next time a car tried to virtually run over him, bad luck... panam 4x100 km gold medalist... next light he got the driver off the car and put the gun at his head and got him off the car. Another guy crying for his life. Obviously nothing else happened but you never know who are you messing with. Sure they learn the lesson really well.

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Yep, there are a LOT of guns out there, some attained legally, the subject of another discussion on another day.