"They're Trying to Kill Us" - Blog Post on Above Cat

[Clean39T]

https://abovecategorycycling.com/journal/theyretryingtokillus/

"I turned, and there was the Ford, 500 meters in front of me. Within ten seconds and three corners, I was ten meters off its bumper. It was a rental. In it, the driver, a male, late 30s, and a female passenger wearing oversized aviators. I was confused why he’d felt the need to nearly kill me. My anger resurfaced. For a split second, I felt like a dog with its cornered quarry, naively figuring out what to do with the prey it had run down. Then I saw the brake lights. And by then, it was too late.

Within seconds of the catch, the Ford had screeched to a complete stop directly in front of me, an intentional brake-check. I slammed into the driver’s side rear bumper, hitting the ground at 50km/h."

Did anyone else read this and have a hard time sympathizing with the OP? I mean, I empathize with the suck of crashing, but chasing a car at 50km/h and not keeping a safe stopping distance is all sorts of not-smart...and how does he even know the driver didn't just accidentally stop-short and then freak out after getting run into?

[FlashUNC]

When you drive a two-ton machine capable of killing people, the fault isn't with the person you decide to brake check because you're a petty douchecanoe.

So, no, I've got a lot of sympathy for Nate and I'm glad he's not dead.

[Jaybee]

Is it possible to place the fault with the douchecanoe driver and also wonder what exactly you would expect to happen after you caught him? What's the best case scenario here? He stops, you exchange pleasantries, and he begs a thousand apologies, gives every rider a full lane for the rest of his days?

I get that we are not using our rational brains in that moment, but there aren't many ways that ends well. I'm glad it didn't end worse.

[Clean39T]

When you drive a two-ton machine capable of killing people, the fault isn't with the person you decide to brake check because you're a petty douchecanoe.



So, no, I've got a lot of sympathy for Nate and I'm glad he's not dead.


I'm glad he's not dead too (of course).

[etu]

OP, I can understand the piece as an angry rant when your adrenaline is through the roof because of a close brush with death. but after the fact and when you've had the time to reflect.... Not so much.

[rnhood]

Nate sounds like an idiot to me. I hope the bumper wasn't damaged.

[Jgrooms]

Looking for a confrontation, he got one. Its a wonder his superior cycling skill set, as the article is laced with, didn’t prepare him for contact w someone who had already demonstrated no concern for a cyclist. The dude is full of himself imo.


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[tuscanyswe]

Nate sounds like an idiot to me. I hope the bumper wasn't damaged.

Jeez :cool:

[FlashUNC]

Looking for a confrontation, he got one. Its a wonder his superior cycling skill set, as the article is laced with, didn’t prepare him for contact w someone who had already demonstrated no concern for a cyclist. The dude is full of himself imo.


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Is it possible to place the fault with the douchecanoe driver and also wonder what exactly you would expect to happen after you caught him? What's the best case scenario here? He stops, you exchange pleasantries, and he begs a thousand apologies, gives every rider a full lane for the rest of his days?

I get that we are not using our rational brains in that moment, but there aren't many ways that ends well. I'm glad it didn't end worse.

Um, he wasn't looking for a confrontation and explicitly says so. Weird how we're so eager to eat our own.

Under normal circumstances, I’d have no trouble catching up on the approaching descent to dispense a piece of my mind – but it was early on Saturday, and it was mid-September – traffic was light, giving a reckless driver a straight shot down the hill. It was all things considered, a hopeless (and pointless) endeavor that I opted not to engage in. I pocketed my rage. By the time I reached the upcoming left-hand turn towards Mill Valley, I’d not seen or heard of the Ford, assuming they’d sped off to the right, down the tourist-jammed California State Route 1 to the sleepy burg of San Francisco.

I was wrong.

[HenryA]

From the blog story cited by the OP:

“The white Ford Fusion rocketed past, skimming my left side by an inch or two. Automatically, I threw up my hand in in perplexed disgust. I rarely give quarter to aggressive drivers. I’ve been hit too many times and had too many friends killed to relent. “

Go home and look in the mirror. What you will see is a large part of your problem.

I’ll reference the movie “Midnight Cowboy”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c412hqucHKw

[Jgrooms]

Um, he wasn't looking for a confrontation and explicitly says so. Weird how we're so eager to eat our own.



What are you reading? He spots him & gives chase. I’m in full support of “our own” to own the space and too expect all the support the law provides.

However, when you bring a knife to a gun fight, don’t go whining about it. He should have continued making himself feel good amongst the weekend warriors, tris, and flat pedal folk that he is obviously so much better than. Opps forgot to include brake distance in relation to proven dick head in car.

I’ll complete your misleading edit:


“My anger resurfaced. For a split second, I felt like a dog with its cornered quarry, naively figuring out what to do with the prey it had run down. Then I saw the brake lights. And by then, it was too late.”

Prey? Knife to a gun fight.


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[paredown]

These days, there is at least some chance that the driver just stopped in the middle of the road to enjoy the view, oblivious of the bike behind him. Or to check his cell phone...

Powerful piece, and I think the catch (at speed) and the brake check would all happen too fast for anyone of us to avoid--we ride (and drive) based on expectations, and when people do something like stop in the middle of the road for no apparent reason, crashes happen.

My sympathies are with Nate--and I hope the driver rots in hell.

[FlashUNC]

What are you reading? He spots him & gives chase. I’m in full support of “our own” to own the space and too expect all the support the law provides.

However, when you bring a knife to a gun fight, don’t go whining about it. He should have continued making himself feel good amongst the weekend warriors, tris, and flat pedal folk that he is obviously so much better than. Opps forgot to include brake distance in relation to proven dick head in car.


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Except he doesn't give chase. What are you reading?

I'll quote the relevant part again:


Under normal circumstances, I’d have no trouble catching up on the approaching descent to dispense a piece of my mind – but it was early on Saturday, and it was mid-September – traffic was light, giving a reckless driver a straight shot down the hill. It was all things considered, a hopeless (and pointless) endeavor that I opted not to engage in. I pocketed my rage. By the time I reached the upcoming left-hand turn towards Mill Valley, I’d not seen or heard of the Ford, assuming they’d sped off to the right, down the tourist-jammed California State Route 1 to the sleepy burg of San Francisco.

I was wrong.

[etu]

"The ambulance stopped. I fought the EMTs. I didn’t want to go with them. I knew how much that cost. I’d been here before. Coerced into the back of the medical transport, I relented, and the morphine drip started. I woozed in and out of consciousness, taking the time to horrify the world by posting an Instagram story. It was all okay, if but for a minute.

And then it wasn’t. I was lying in the worst ER I’d ever visited, filing a police report while orderlies hacked apart the nicest CHPT3 kit I own, and the 54-year-old gentleman one bed over was in cardiac arrest. He would die in ten minutes, surrounded by a cadre of doctors and nurses, and nobody would care. I awaited a spot in the X-Ray queue to confirm everything I already knew. Diagnosis? Concussion. Fractured clavicle. Minor knuckle fracture. 4-6 weeks of suffering."

As someone who has worked in a trauma bay, this is entitled, repugnant, arrogant, ungrateful, insulting, and ignorant. Actually, it makes me wonder if he wrote this in a state of shock, where his brain wasn't quite getting the oxygen it needed to think clearly.
If you're a true friend of Nate, you should really get him to take the post down for his own sake.

[Jgrooms]

Except he doesn't give chase. What are you reading?



I'll quote the relevant part again:



You may wish to reread it.

“My anger resurfaced. For a split second, I felt like a dog with its cornered quarry, naively figuring out what to do with the prey it had run down. Then I saw the brake lights. And by then, it was too late.”

Anger, dog, quarry, prey, run down...boom.

Quite the author as well as superior ex pro.




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[54ny77]

this story is saddening.

if only because of what road cycling has become for many. myself included.

there are areas i just hate, hate, hate riding. no joy in it whatsoever unless i'm on the road by 5:30 a.m. and back by 7 or 8 at the latest.

[FlashUNC]

You may wish to reread it.

“My anger resurfaced. For a split second, I felt like a dog with its cornered quarry, naively figuring out what to do with the prey it had run down. Then I saw the brake lights. And by then, it was too late.”

Anger, dog, quarry, prey, run down...boom.

Quite the author as well as superior ex pro.




Let's review the timeline he's outlined in the article rather than selectively reading:

1) Jerk Ford passes like a jerk.
2) Nate let's it go, and continues on his route, thinking Ford took the other turn, and is not giving chase to anyone back into Mill Valley.
3) Ford actually didn't, and Nate stumbles across him unexpectedly on his route.
4) Nate sees this, not sure what to do about it, and gets brake checked into oblivion before anything could be decided.

How you're turning this into Nate hunting anyone down -- other than use of some creative license and hyperbole -- doesn't jive with what I'm seeing in his post.

[Jgrooms]

"The ambulance stopped. I fought the EMTs. I didn’t want to go with them. I knew how much that cost. I’d been here before. Coerced into the back of the medical transport, I relented, and the morphine drip started. I woozed in and out of consciousness, taking the time to horrify the world by posting an Instagram story. It was all okay, if but for a minute.



And then it wasn’t. I was lying in the worst ER I’d ever visited, filing a police report while orderlies hacked apart the nicest CHPT3 kit I own, and the 54-year-old gentleman one bed over was in cardiac arrest. He would die in ten minutes, surrounded by a cadre of doctors and nurses, and nobody would care. I awaited a spot in the X-Ray queue to confirm everything I already knew. Diagnosis? Concussion. Fractured clavicle. Minor knuckle fracture. 4-6 weeks of suffering."



As someone who has worked in a trauma bay, this is entitled, repugnant, arrogant, ungrateful, insulting, and ignorant. Actually, it makes me wonder if he wrote this in a state of shock, where his brain wasn't quite getting the oxygen it needed to think clearly.

If you're a true friend of Nate, you should really get him to take the post down for his own sake.



This sort is looking at his site traffic first and foremost, and that’s all that matters.

He’s so experienced at the ER I’m surprised he couldn’t bust into the local rx & treat himself in the alley. Next up we’ll need a gofund to pay his medical bills.


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[MesiJezi]

Don't bring a knife to a gun fight.

What the driver did was unquestionably wrong. Period.

What the cyclist did was unquestionably foolish. He had the power to change how that situation played out, and he chose poorly.

I won't/can't excuse the driver, but I'll join the others asking: "What did he expect?"This kind of stuff only further divides the cycling and non-cycling communities.

That self-aggrandizing post reminds me of the forum post from that dude who was chasing down a Strava KOM and killed an older man crossing the street a few years ago. I don't think his post will garner a whole lot of sympathy.

[William]

Reminds me of this thread...

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=32537&highlight=endura






:):):)
William

[HenryA]

"The ambulance stopped. I fought the EMTs. I didn’t want to go with them. I knew how much that cost. I’d been here before. Coerced into the back of the medical transport, I relented, and the morphine drip started. I woozed in and out of consciousness, taking the time to horrify the world by posting an Instagram story. It was all okay, if but for a minute.

And then it wasn’t. I was lying in the worst ER I’d ever visited, filing a police report while orderlies hacked apart the nicest CHPT3 kit I own, and the 54-year-old gentleman one bed over was in cardiac arrest. He would die in ten minutes, surrounded by a cadre of doctors and nurses, and nobody would care. I awaited a spot in the X-Ray queue to confirm everything I already knew. Diagnosis? Concussion. Fractured clavicle. Minor knuckle fracture. 4-6 weeks of suffering."

As someone who has worked in a trauma bay, this is entitled, repugnant, arrogant, ungrateful, insulting, and ignorant. Actually, it makes me wonder if he wrote this in a state of shock, where his brain wasn't quite getting the oxygen it needed to think clearly.
If you're a true friend of Nate, you should really get him to take the post down for his own sake.

X 1000

And he did this to himself.

[crankles]

Hmmm. this one is hard to parse. If he wasn't looking for a confrontation , just how is one supposed to interpret this...

"I turned, and there was the Ford, 500 meters in front of me. Within ten seconds and three corners, I was ten meters off its bumper – even a leisurely-descending cyclist can moves faster than a car on the tight ramps into Mill Valley. It was a rental. In it, the driver, a male, late 30s, and a female passenger wearing oversized aviators. I was confused why he’d felt the need to nearly kill me. My anger resurfaced. For a split second, I felt like a dog with its cornered quarry, naively figuring out what to do with the prey it had run down. "

That certainly can be read as Nate intentionally bombing down for 10 seconds, railing the 3 corners, and trying to make the catch. Heck he even calls it a 'catch' in the next paragraph.


...never mind. read it a little more carefully...

"It was all things considered, a hopeless (and pointless) endeavor that I opted not to engage in. I pocketed my rage."

I'll read that as his *NOT* trying to make the catch.

[Tony]

I think a lot of us have a little Nate in us, I do, more so than some. I have to check myself and not be foolish. Responsible thinking keeps us free from choices that lead to painful consequences. Unfortunately he's reaping those consequences, hope he's ok and learns from this experience.

[DukeHorn]

Hmmm. this one is hard to parse. If he wasn't looking for a confrontation , just how is one supposed to interpret this...

"I turned, and there was the Ford, 500 meters in front of me. Within ten seconds and three corners, I was ten meters off its bumper – even a leisurely-descending cyclist can moves faster than a car on the tight ramps into Mill Valley. It was a rental. In it, the driver, a male, late 30s, and a female passenger wearing oversized aviators. I was confused why he’d felt the need to nearly kill me. My anger resurfaced. For a split second, I felt like a dog with its cornered quarry, naively figuring out what to do with the prey it had run down. "

That certainly can be read as Nate intentionally bombing down for 10 seconds, railing the 3 corners, and trying to make the catch. Heck he even calls it a 'catch' in the next paragraph.

It's not the confrontation issue. It's speed management on a busy road. He talks about how slow car traffic is in Mill Valley (and yes, it can be slow) and then talks about flying up to the back of a pickup. It's total supposition that it was a deliberate brake-check since the author wasn't even paying attention to the road. Whatever happened to defensive riding on a car congested street? If it's a rental, I'm sure the people didn't give a flying f about a cyclist "chasing" them. They probably just frustrated with the traffic in Marin County....

He pocketed his rage but that didn't prevent him from closing the distance quickly when he found them.

[pdmtong]

Nate's contributions here on this forum and vsalon from product knowledge to ride experiences, not to mention selling some really nice stuff at affordable prices, is appreciated.

I hope Nate recovers fully from this.

[FlashUNC]

It's not the confrontation issue. It's speed management on a busy road. He talks about how slow car traffic is in Mill Valley (and yes, it can be slow) and then talks about flying up to the back of a pickup. It's total supposition that it was a deliberate brake-check since the author wasn't even paying attention to the road. Whatever happened to defensive riding on a car congested street? If it's a rental, I'm sure the people didn't give a flying f about a cyclist "chasing" them. They probably just frustrated with the traffic in Marin County....

He pocketed his rage but that didn't prevent him from closing the distance quickly when he found them.

It wasn't busy.

traffic was light, giving a reckless driver a straight shot down the hill

[joosttx]

Nate sounds like an idiot to me. I hope the bumper wasn't damaged.

Dooood. BTW he's a pretty smart and accomplished guy. Plus he's got good hair.

[joosttx]

Hmmm. this one is hard to parse. If he wasn't looking for a confrontation , just how is one supposed to interpret this...

"I turned, and there was the Ford, 500 meters in front of me. Within ten seconds and three corners, I was ten meters off its bumper – even a leisurely-descending cyclist can moves faster than a car on the tight ramps into Mill Valley. It was a rental. In it, the driver, a male, late 30s, and a female passenger wearing oversized aviators. I was confused why he’d felt the need to nearly kill me. My anger resurfaced. For a split second, I felt like a dog with its cornered quarry, naively figuring out what to do with the prey it had run down. "

That certainly can be read as Nate intentionally bombing down for 10 seconds, railing the 3 corners, and trying to make the catch. Heck he even calls it a 'catch' in the next paragraph.


...never mind. read it a little more carefully...

"It was all things considered, a hopeless (and pointless) endeavor that I opted not to engage in. I pocketed my rage."

I'll read that as his *NOT* trying to make the catch.

It's so easy to catch cars on that stretch of road without trying. It's really the norm.

[pdmtong]

My read on this is he got brushed by a jerk, unexpectedly caught up to him, and got intentionally brake checked onto the floor.

If it was unintentional then the driver, upon hearing or feeling the impact would have stopped and gotten out to see what happened.

[Clean39T]

Nate's contributions here on this forum and vsalon from product knowledge to ride experiences, not to mention selling some really nice stuff at affordable prices, is appreciated.

I hope Nate recovers fully from this.


I also hope he recovers quickly and would never wish harm on anyone - but I still think this piece is ill-advised and needs a rewrite.

IMHO, the takeaway should be "stay safe out there, cars are big, they always win, live to ride another day" and "support bicycle advocacy and share-the-road signage".

[John H.]

I like Nate too- But a decision was made here.
Unfortunately it turned out bad-

I avoid Mt. Tam on pavement on the weekends for the same reasons. I usually go off-road instead just to avoid car traffic.

I do my Mt. Tam road rides on weekdays.

This is sad. I used to ride grooves into Panoramic Highway on Saturday. Now it just isn't fun.

[thwart]

My read on this is he got brushed by a jerk, unexpectedly caught up to him, and got intentionally brake checked onto the floor.

If it was unintentional then the driver, upon hearing or feeling the impact would have stopped and gotten out to see what happened.

This.

Come on. I think anyone responding to his blog post should consider he just had a traumatic accident with a negligent, reckless (or worse) driver. Have any of us felt this helpless, had this much anger, and then said or written things we later regretted... ?

[Peter P.]

Looking for a confrontation, he got one. Its a wonder his superior cycling skill set, as the article is laced with, didn’t prepare him for contact w someone who had already demonstrated no concern for a cyclist. The dude is full of himself imo.


The "full of himself" I haven't considered, but the rest of what you wrote-was exactly what I was thinking.

After all the miles he's ridden I'd presume he has had enough altercations with drivers to expect anything and be prepared for the worst. Lord knows I have.

He put himself in a vulnerable position and got sucker-punched. Was the driver wrong? Sure he was. But don't step into the ring and expect to not get hit.

[etu]

This.

Come on. I think anyone responding to his blog post should consider he just had a traumatic accident with a negligent, reckless (or worse) driver. Have any of us felt this helpless, had this much anger, and then said or written things we later regretted... ?

I completely agree. As I said before, if I were his friend, I would encourage him to delete or revise it. I don't think anyone would disagree that there is valid message here, but it's being drowned out by the intensity of the emotions he is experiencing.

[Clean39T]

I completely agree. As I said before, if I were his friend, I would encourage him to delete or revise it. I don't think anyone would disagree that there is valid message here, but it's being drowned out by the intensity of the emotions he is experiencing.

+1000 - I have DEFINITELY been there with writing something that made sense to me in the moment and later not so much..

[pdmtong]

I like Nate too- But a decision was made here.
Unfortunately it turned out bad-
I avoid Mt. Tam on pavement on the weekends for the same reasons. I usually go off-road instead just to avoid car traffic.
I do my Mt. Tam road rides on weekdays.
This is sad. I used to ride grooves into Panoramic Highway on Saturday. Now it just isn't fun.
It's the same thing down here...No way I go on skyline weekend mid-day when the PCA, BMWCCA or streetbike clubs are using that stretch for speed trials. That said...we all have to ride with managed risk. And, give ourselves the best odds even when we don't think we need them.

I am sympathetic and empathetic to Nate (and AC) so I read the blog with more time and care than perhaps others will. In that regard, i hear the comments that the posture and prose interpreted from a casual read come can be interpreted less than positive.

[FlashUNC]

Only on a cycling forum would a hit and run be blamed on the victim. We excel at eating our own and doing the work of anti-cyclist drivers for them.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sH23G-QQsqA/VbqzVMAw7BI/AAAAAAAAD8U/0UZlFJW-p9o/s1600/%2521%2521_mugato_crazypills.jpg

[HenryA]

Only on a cycling forum would a hit and run be blamed on the victim. We excel at eating our own and doing the work of anti-cyclist drivers for them.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sH23G-QQsqA/VbqzVMAw7BI/AAAAAAAAD8U/0UZlFJW-p9o/s1600/%2521%2521_mugato_crazypills.jpg

No.
If he had let it be over when the car passed too close, he would not have been hurt. The driver probably made an asshole pass. But physics and common sense says not to chase them down and start a confrontation. Not worth it. Never will be. Whether you’re in a car or on a bike.

[justaute]

At times, ambivalent feelings arise when reading comments in a forum -- funny and sad.

[Mr. Pink]

"those fifteen years, I’ve experienced more than my fair share of close calls. As an amateur mountain bike racer (I use this title loosely), bike messenger, professional road racer, and finally amateur fongravel extraordinaire over the decade and a half, I’ve put more clicks into a bike than most other humans my age, save a small cadre of elites. I’ve also had my fair share of injuries, from a dozen concussions to broken bones to countless incidences with road rash, lacerations, contusions, heart palpitations, and calls to my mom from locales the world over that always start out with “I’m in the hospital, but I’M OKAY,”. I’ve been involved in run-ins with cars more than I’d care to admit, almost always the fault of the two-ton mechanized beast we contend with on a daily basis. Sometimes, they end with a quick bounce, acknowledgment of fault, and a going of separate ways. A couple of times, I’ve ended up on the deck, with a horrified automobile driver standing over me exclaiming “I didn’t see you!”."

I didn't go any further than that. This man has serious issues. I've been cycling for thirty years, and only been down twice, and, trust me, I've encountered my fair share of Aholes out there, like the rest of us. Drama queen, looking for trouble, and found it.

[John H.]

He didn't mention the ER, but my guess is that it was Marin General.
Busy place on a sunny weekend day.

Last time I was in there I had to release myself.
I had been there 4 hours- they X-rayed me and sewed up my biggest gash, but I had lots of other issues.
I finally pulled off all of the electrodes and took out my own IV- Someone came in when the alarms went off. I told them I was going home now-
Funny thing was they just rolled with it- Like it was a regular occurrence.

[FlashUNC]

No.
If he had let it be over when the car passed too close, he would not have been hurt. The driver probably made an asshole pass. But physics and common sense says not to chase them down and start a confrontation. Not worth it. Never will be. Whether you’re in a car or on a bike.

He never chased, nor started a confrontation. Read more good.

[Jgrooms]

Let's review the timeline he's outlined in the article rather than selectively reading:



1) Jerk Ford passes like a jerk.

2) Nate let's it go, and continues on his route, thinking Ford took the other turn, and is not giving chase to anyone back into Mill Valley.

3) Ford actually didn't, and Nate stumbles across him unexpectedly on his route.

4) Nate sees this, not sure what to do about it, and gets brake checked into oblivion before anything could be decided.



How you're turning this into Nate hunting anyone down -- other than use of some creative license and hyperbole -- doesn't jive with what I'm seeing in his post.



Read it. Its called a “quote” and mine is verbatim. There is not one bit of as you say, “creative license.”

Pick up the story right where you stop. He wasn’t some complete innocent pedaling along. Plus and the biggest point, he’d already seen evidence of this individual’s point of view re cyclist. We can imagine his hand response to the pass fit the moment? Yet he’s now approaching said individual at a high rate of speed with intent to, and I quote Nate, catch his “prey.”

Sorry, but your “eat your own” interpretation is skewed by not reading the section you either skip or choose to ignore (see your #4) as written by Nate himself.





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[ravdg316]

...It tricks the reader. Upon first read, I assumed Nate was partially at fault for instigating the driver further. However, critically and subtly, he wrote that he opted NOT to engage with the driver, rather than engage the driver.

Then, to add further confusion, he mentions that when he catches up to the driver, he THINKS about what to do with the "prey," and that before he actually can act on his thought in any particular way, the driver slams on his brakes.

Reading these two paragraphs quickly, I can easily see how somebody reading quickly would read that Nate gets sideswiped, retaliates against the driver before the driver decided to brake check him. However, the sequence of events as described by Nate is actually as follows:

1). He almost gets sideswiped
2). He gets mad, but chooses not to do anything
3). He catches up with the driver
4). Before he can decide what to do, driver brake checks him and sends him to ER.

The problem here isn't Nate's actions. It's his writing. He's clouding the sequence of events. Change the structure of these two paragraphs and I bet the universal consensus in this thread would be that Nate was not at fault here (if the facts are true). There's literally no external recourse from Nate with the driver: only a description of his internal monologue. We can't blame him for thinking about retaliation. I know I would feel the same way. In fact, I have felt the same way under similar circumstances.

However, in his effort to write a post to garner sympathy/remind the public of the plight of road cyclists, I don't think he's succeeded. Not because of his actions, but because of his lack of clarity of expression.

[joosttx]

He didn't mention the ER, but my guess is that it was Marin General.
Busy place on a sunny weekend day.

Last time I was in there I had to release myself.
I had been there 4 hours- they X-rayed me and sewed up my biggest gash, but I had lots of other issues.
I finally pulled off all of the electrodes and took out my own IV- Someone came in when the alarms went off. I told them I was going home now-
Funny thing was they just rolled with it- Like it was a regular occurrence.

Its always fun when the San Quentin Prison crowd share a room with your child in th ER..

[Jgrooms]

Oh lets just parse this out like a lawyer. Mine in [.....].

The white Ford Fusion rocketed past, skimming my left side by an inch or two [altercation initiated] Automatically, I threw up my hand in in perplexed disgust [can we assume driver saw this & there was also something said? I would on both].I rarely give quarter to aggressive drivers [ok, enjoys this & does it often. Must by the number of miles ridden]. I’ve been hit too many times and had too many friends killed to relent. The car sped on. My blood boiled. Under normal circumstances, I’d have no trouble catching up on the approaching descent to dispense a piece of my mind – but it was early on Saturday, and it was mid-September – traffic was light, giving a reckless driver a straight shot down the hill. It was all things considered, a hopeless (and pointless) endeavor that I opted not to engage in. I pocketed my rage [other conditions and he’s on him].By the time I reached the upcoming left-hand turn towards Mill Valley, I’d not seen or heard of the Ford, assuming they’d sped off to the right, down the tourist-jammed California State Route 1 to the sleepy burg of San Francisco.

I was wrong [conditions changed].

I turned, and there was the Ford, 500 meters in front of me. Within ten seconds and three corners, [ten seconds & three corners is a long way to wonder what if this prick stops fast] I was ten meters off its bumper – even a leisurely-descending cyclist can moves faster than a car on the tight ramps into Mill Valley. It was a rental. In it, the driver, a male, late 30s, and a female passenger wearing oversized aviators [so much time he notices the passenger] I was confused why he’d felt the need to nearly kill me. My anger resurfaced. For a split second, I felt like a dog with its cornered quarry, naively figuring out what to do with the prey [the money shot that shows N wants a confrontation] it had run down. Then I saw the brake lights. And by then, it was too late [the money shot that shows the prick driver was up for it.]

The lesson grasshoppers is not that we eat our own. Its to let it go.


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[FlashUNC]

Read it. Its called a “quote” and mine is verbatim. There is not one bit of as you say, “creative license.”

Pick up the story right where you stop. He wasn’t some complete innocent pedaling along. Plus and the biggest point, he’d already seen evidence of this individual’s point of view re cyclist. We can imagine his hand response to the pass fit the moment? Yet he’s now approaching said individual at a high rate of speed with intent to, and I quote Nate, catch his “prey.”

Sorry, but your “eat your own” interpretation is skewed by not reading the section you either skip or choose to ignore (see your #4) as written by Nate himself.





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I've read it, and I can use what we call context clues to determine a meaning. As he notes, its about the dog catching something and, in that moment, suddenly baffled as to what to do. In this case, the emphasis is on the emotion of what to do in the moment -- that "well, now what?" -- of the unexpected rather than what you're projecting, which is Nate on the hunt.

The entire rest of the piece makes clear -- context clues! -- that that wasn't the case.

Or just willfully misread it to become an advocate for terrible drivers and blame another cyclist for a hit and run.

[54ny77]

If he had disc brakes he would have been fine. :D

[Jgrooms]

I've read it, and I can use what we call context clues to determine a meaning. As he notes, its about the dog catching something and, in that moment, suddenly baffled as to what to do. In this case, the emphasis is on the emotion of what to do in the moment -- that "well, now what?" -- of the unexpected rather than what you're projecting, which is Nate on the hunt.



The entire rest of the piece makes clear -- context clues! -- that that wasn't the case.



Or just willfully misread it to become an advocate for terrible drivers and blame another cyclist for a hit and run.



Nobody is condoning the acts of the driver. In particular leaving the scene.

If you can’t see Nate looking for trouble, in his own words, have at it.


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[weaponsgrade]

He didn't mention the ER, but my guess is that it was Marin General.
Busy place on a sunny weekend day.

Last time I was in there I had to release myself.
I had been there 4 hours- they X-rayed me and sewed up my biggest gash, but I had lots of other issues.
I finally pulled off all of the electrodes and took out my own IV- Someone came in when the alarms went off. I told them I was going home now-
Funny thing was they just rolled with it- Like it was a regular occurrence.

First, glad to see that Nate survived.

I once got tagged by a car that passed too close and ended up in Marin General myself. Luckily it was just scrapes and bruises. While I was getting cleaned up, one of the nurses asked if she could borrow my Sidis. Marin General sees so many cyclists that she wanted to show some new nurses how the buckles work.

[parris]

I hope Nate recovers fully. There seems to be a bit of creative writing involved with the story though.

Nate can remember seeing the driver in his late 30's and passenger with her oversized aviators but he didn't catch a partial plate #. I could be very wrong and if I am I apologize but parts aren't quite adding up.

[BobbyJones]

Really digging everyones views and interpretations on this.

For me, this is what set the tone for the entire piece:

"Hordes of weekend warriors took selfies on the Dam, obfuscating the road. I weaved between them at a clip, likely perturbing their lackadaisical approach to their Saturday ride."

[Mzilliox]

OP, I can understand the piece as an angry rant when your adrenaline is through the roof because of a close brush with death. but after the fact and when you've had the time to reflect.... Not so much.

dude, i still remember that truck when we rode together and we had to just sit out for a minute and let that truck have its distance. there was no sense in trying to be on the road with that guy at the same time as he just wanted to end a cyclist that day it seemed.

but yeah, if you know the guy is messing with you and you are still descending at 50kmph right off his bumper you are also being an idiot and braggart. it sucks but its true.
i just reread it, its really hard to feel sorry for this twat, he thinks so highly of himself and so lowly of others. yes, twat. hes a dick, its oozes out of his writing.

[FlashUNC]

dude, i still remember that truck when we rode together and we had to just sit out for a minute and let that truck have its distance. there was no sense in trying to be on the road with that guy at the same time as he just wanted to end a cyclist that day it seemed.

but yeah, if you know the guy is messing with you and you are still descending at 50kmph right off his bumper you are also being an idiot and braggart. it sucks but its true.
i just reread it, its really hard to feel sorry for this twat, he thinks so highly of himself and so lowly of others. yes, twat. hes a dick, its oozes out of his writing.

You did read the part where, yanno, the author assumed he wouldn't be on the same route anymore?

Why bother letting facts get in the way of blaming a cyclist on a cycling forum.

[gasman]

You guys are just going around and around. I'm dizzy.

Please stop rather than continuing to defend your point of view. I have my viewpoint but don't need to share it because I don't know the area or the people.

[etu]

Hey Matt,
You're lucky to be riding on the roads up by Rogue River! I remember our Alpine Dam/Seven Sisters ride, but I must be so jaded to aggressive traffic that I can't recall the truck incident. As others have noted, the traffic around Mt Tam, especially weekend traffic, has become really bad.
More bikes plus more cars equals more confrontations and unfortunate crashes like this one are bound to happen. However an US vs THEM mentality does nobody any good.

[gasman]

Hey Matt,
You're lucky to be riding on the roads up by Rogue River! I remember our Alpine Dam/Seven Sisters ride, but I must be so jaded to aggressive traffic that I can't recall the truck incident. As others have noted, the traffic around Mt Tam, especially weekend traffic, has become really bad.
More bikes plus more cars equals more confrontations and unfortunate crashes like this one are bound to happen. However an US vs THEM mentality does nobody any good.

Well said etu

[joosttx]

. However an US vs THEM mentality does nobody any good.

"Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love." MLK 1958

[Heisenberg]

"Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love." MLK 1958

I’ve lately been wondering if I can draw any love equivalencies with a bar-mounted EMP cannon.

[joosttx]

I’ve lately been wondering if I can draw any love equivalencies with a bar-mounted EMP cannon.

Imagine what MLK felt during his struggle.

[FlashUNC]

Hey Matt,
You're lucky to be riding on the roads up by Rogue River! I remember our Alpine Dam/Seven Sisters ride, but I must be so jaded to aggressive traffic that I can't recall the truck incident. As others have noted, the traffic around Mt Tam, especially weekend traffic, has become really bad.
More bikes plus more cars equals more confrontations and unfortunate crashes like this one are bound to happen. However an US vs THEM mentality does nobody any good.

Well, the "them" is killing the "us." How long should we turn the other cheek?

In the first four pages of General Discussion alone, we have threads on people getting hit by dump trucks, someone shooting pellet guns at riders he compared to vermin, and an NYPD officer arrested for his interaction with a cyclist. Never mind the regular threads about distracted driving, road rage, and the like.

The Oliver Twist "Please don't hit us" approach ain't working.

[Elefantino]

It's a rare day that this place disappoints me.

Today is a rare day.

[Jgrooms]

Well, the "them" is killing the "us." How long should we turn the other cheek?



In the first four pages of General Discussion alone, we have threads on people getting hit by dump trucks, someone shooting pellet guns at riders he compared to vermin, and an NYPD officer arrested for his interaction with a cyclist. Never mind the regular threads about distracted driving, road rage, and the like.



The Oliver Twist "Please don't hit us" approach ain't working.



I agree with you. Its a cesspool out there and you don’t just slip a toe in when cycling-you dive in.

However, what’s the upside to seeking to add to the rage? Maybe it makes one feel good at the moment? On the other hand you may get shot or in this case brake checked. You certainly aren’t going to win the hearts and minds of your attacker, whether it be intentional or a mistake. Let alone those around who most likely don’t share in the right to the road argument.

Move on, take a breath, turn off, change your route. That’s not Oliver Twist, that’s simply the only control one has. Because, I’ll assure you the Apocalypse Now approach will get you nowhere.




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[bobswire]

In any case he was traveling too close at that speed, that tells me road rage took over common sense. We've all experienced it in one form or another, in this case it had dire consequences for the cyclist and possible felony assault as well as drivers license suspension and insurance penalty (justly) against the driver (whose road rage was to teach the cyclist a lesson) now he'll have to deal with the consequences. It all started out as taking a nice ride up Mt. Tam for both parties.

[Heisenberg]

Well, the "them" is killing the "us." How long should we turn the other cheek?

In the first four pages of General Discussion alone, we have threads on people getting hit by dump trucks, someone shooting pellet guns at riders he compared to vermin, and an NYPD officer arrested for his interaction with a cyclist. Never mind the regular threads about distracted driving, road rage, and the like.

The Oliver Twist "Please don't hit us" approach ain't working.

“We have met the enemy, and he is us.”

[simplemind]

In any case he was traveling too close at that speed, that tells me road rage took over common sense. We've all experienced it in one form or another, in this case it had dire consequences for the cyclist and possible felony assault as well as drivers license suspension and insurance penalty (justly) against the driver (whose road rage was to teach the cyclist a lesson) now he'll have to deal with the consequences. It all started out as taking a nice ride up Mt. Tam for both parties.

Good summary. :bike: