Bike Path Rage the Saga Continues

[znfdl]

Well my favorite commuter again tried to block the path this morning by placing his bike acroos both lanes of the W&OD bike path. This section of the W&OD has cinders on both sides of the bike path, so my friend went left and I went right to ride around him. When he realized what was going on his started to yell numerous expletives. Well I will be making another phone call to the Vienna police to document this episode.

PS: he also impeded the progress of two joggers.

TT and William you want to commute with me tomorrow? ;)

Hope everyone has a nice day.

[sc53]

Zinophile, I thought you were going to snap some digital pix? Where exactly on the W&OD is this happening? Maybe the cops could be there tomorrow too. This is creepy.

[Too Tall]

I'll be there tommorrow.

[Richard]

Hope this doesn't turn out like the "My Bodyguard" movie.

[znfdl]

Just got off the phone with the Vienna police and they asked me to stop by the police station this evening and file a formal report.

The commuter exits the bike path at Park Street in Vienna and I am going to ask them to have a police officer wait with me tomorrow until he arrives.

[William]

Well my favorite commuter again tried to block the path this morning by placing his bike acroos both lanes of the W&OD bike path. This section of the W&OD has cinders on both sides of the bike path, so my friend went left and I went right to ride around him. When he realized what was going on his started to yell numerous expletives. Well I will be making another phone call to the Vienna police to document this episode.

PS: he also impeded the progress of two joggers.

TT and William you want to commute with me tomorrow? ;)

Hope everyone has a nice day.


Honestly, I'm very tempted to jump in my car and head down there. Though turning him inside out might be fun, you've already contacted the authorities right? Let them know ASAP that the dude harassed you and your friend again and you would like some action on their part. If nothing happens on that side........... ;)


Stay safe,


William

[39cross]

Znfdl, I symapthize with you, this is a pretty weird situation. I hope it works out with the police tomorrow and you get this resolved.

But just in case, you can roll out the tandem and strap this guy onto the back seat...dressed appropriately of course. I daresay this weirdo will know better than to mess with the two of you. :bike:
http://www.mannequinstore.com/images/male/eastmale/flex/flexible.jpg

[OldDog]

What has worked for me in the past is, get a few buddies and just snag the dude the old fashioned way, toss him in the trunk, drive up into the country, strip him, don some rubber gloves and super glue his balls and thighs together and let him waddle nude to the er. A visable firearm will have more effect on his mental state. He will have some time to think about has actions as they pry him apart. Odds are extremly good he will not be back around.

A good time will be had by, most, all.

[Bill Bove]

I'm comung in here late I know but have you stopped and asked him why he is doing this? Maybe you can reason with him. I'm not saying you've done anything wrong at all, you've done the right thing in documenting everything but you could at least hear his story.


Then kick his a$$.

[slowgoing]

If a police officer can't go with you, you need to stop at a surplus store: mace and one of those 120 decibel airhorns in a can.

[catulle]

What a drag having to face such a disagreeable scene so early in the morning. I think you are doing the right thing by being careful, taking precautions, and notifying the authorities. It is great to know that there are people like TT who is willing to step out of his way to help out. I hope you are finally able to get this jerk out of the way in all respects.

[Bud]

This just gets weirder and weirder. Good luck resolving it.

Who knows- soon you may have a whole Serotta Forum Posse riding with you. Nobody will ever f**k with you again. :cool:

[flydhest]

Stu,
What time are you there? I'll see if it can fit into the schedule. I'm not too tall, but I'm not that small, either.

[zap]

zinn, did you ever get a chance to talk to this fellow?

[Ginger]

I can see the headlines now:

SEROTTA FORUM BIKE GANG BEATS INNOCENT COMMUTER

[catulle]

I can see the headlines now:

SEROTTA FORUM BIKE GANG BEATS INNOCENT COMMUTER


CANNIBALISM...!!: Serotta gang beats the poop out of an obtuse jerk on bike path near DC. :eek:

[saab2000]

Far out! I wish I were there to join in the fun!

I think I know the area you are talking about, with the cinders. Somewhere between Arlington and Leesburg, right? :rolleyes:

Is it the area near Dulles or is it further in?

When my lease in VA Beach is up I'm goin' to Washington. More action there.

[texbike]

Just got off the phone with the Vienna police and they asked me to stop by the police station this evening and file a formal report.

The commuter exits the bike path at Park Street in Vienna and I am going to ask them to have a police officer wait with me tomorrow until he arrives.


This definitely sounds like the best option, but the air horn would be funny! A long, sudden blast would probably soil this guy's shorts. :)

BTW, congratulations on your self-control to this point.

Best of Luck,

Texbike

[Sandy]

Just got off the phone with the Vienna police and they asked me to stop by the police station this evening and file a formal report.

The commuter exits the bike path at Park Street in Vienna and I am going to ask them to have a police officer wait with me tomorrow until he arrives.

Excellent idea. A most reasonable approach. Sorry that the problem has continued.



Sandy

[Archibald]

Well my favorite commuter again tried to block the path this morning by placing his bike acroos both lanes of the W&OD bike path. This section of the W&OD has cinders on both sides of the bike path, so my friend went left and I went right to ride around him. When he realized what was going on his started to yell numerous expletives. Well I will be making another phone call to the Vienna police to document this episode.

PS: he also impeded the progress of two joggers.

TT and William you want to commute with me tomorrow? ;)

Hope everyone has a nice day.

Throat punch.

Steal the peach....with your foot if you have to.

Release your inner cage fighter.

If you need help, grab your Silca frame pump and knock the starch out of him.

Setting aside the joking around, and I mean no offense by this, but since you won't always have cops and towering friends around to help you out of a jam, you should seriously consider some self-defense classes. Not some "this is your mace, this is your whistle" crap, but some honest to god defensive and offensive moves that you practice until it becomes instinctual. If you don't make it instinctual you will not be able to use it in the heat of the moment. Places that teach Judo are usually a good place to start.

[billrick]

Seriously, name a time and a meeting place and I bet you will get a few riders to join you. I need a long ride and would meet you and Too Tall out there tomorrow morning. A peaceful and restrained show of force might get this guys attention. And the police report is a great idea.

[znfdl]

Guys and Gals:

Thanks for the support and offers to ride with me. This community is great and the kind gestures mean a lot to me.

I have taken many years of self defense, but not on the same level as William or Beungood. I took 3 years of Uche-Ru karate and two years of Tae Kwon Do, of which I attained a brown belt. I also wrestled in high school and some in college (Total of 5 years). I have a very good front snap kick and a better round house kick. I do not want this to go down to violence or have it escalate. I enjoy my morning commute way too much to have this situation escalate.

The first morning that this person blocked the path, my buddy and I tried to talk to him, but there was no response.

Knowing the Vienna police department, they will have someone waiting with me tommorow morning. The W&OD is highly utlized in Vienna and the police department has zero tolerance for inappropriate behavior.

[Bud]

Sounds like the posse is forming up to ride. . . What's it up to? Like 4 or 5 now? I hope the police meet up with you and join the posse, too. Do you think they'll send a bike cop?

[coylifut]

I've come late to this conversation as well, but is there a chance that he's transient type (homeless person) that's slipped through the wide cracks of our Nation's mental health system? Around here, those folks travel and live up and down the bike path corridors. They tend to be very affraid of the police and a few words from a guy in uniform can go a long way.

Oh, and I think a video of anyone throwing a front snap/round house kick in cycling attire at 7 am would give us all a chuckle. Make sure to film it.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . Sandy could loan you some of his vicious dogs to go along? . . . ;)

A shame it's such a long dive. I'd love to see this in person.

BBD

[sspielman]

It is in situations like these that I am thankful to have grown up with Irish heritage with an older brother....

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . that if this thing gets REALLY out of hand you can always call in a super hero to do something about it . . .

Look! It's a bird! No, it's a plane!

No! It's . . . CAPTAIN BANANA! :banana: :banana: :banana:

BBD

[catulle]

Guys and Gals:

Thanks for the support and offers to ride with me. This community is great and the kind gestures mean a lot to me.

I have taken many years of self defense, but not on the same level as William or Beungood. I took 3 years of Uche-Ru karate and two years of Tae Kwon Do, of which I attained a brown belt. I also wrestled in high school and some in college (Total of 5 years). I have a very good front snap kick and a better round house kick. I do not want this to go down to violence or have it escalate. I enjoy my morning commute way too much to have this situation escalate.

The first morning that this person blocked the path, my buddy and I tried to talk to him, but there was no response.

Knowing the Vienna police department, they will have someone waiting with me tommorow morning. The W&OD is highly utlized in Vienna and the police department has zero tolerance for inappropriate behavior.

Hey, you're doing fine. Besides, barking dogs don't bite, they just watch a lot of TV and then become a nuisance.

[djg]

I'd hate to see a bizarre misunderstanding with a random nut devolve into violence ... without the assistance of an attorney, but I think that one of Znfndl's posts mentioned something about some sort of 5:30 in the morning thing. As Bart Simpson said, "you mean there's a 5:30 in the morning too"?

Mostly, I think that Znfndl is being sensible in his reaction to this strange and unfortunate set of events. He's not riding alone; he's reported this to the police; and he's received a reasonable assurance of police support. While there's nothing wrong with a little company, it's not clear that a big crowd would be productive.

If asked, however, I can try to get clearance for an early departure and try to be there. If not, I hope this goes well, and quietly.

[Sandy]

It is really wonderful the support that you are receiving. However, a possible physical confrontation evolving into to violence is quite possible and no one knows if the other cyclist is carrying a gun or whatever. It just isn't worth taking a chance. Having someone riding along with you is great for you, but your approach of leaving it to the police is the way to go.

It seems as if your background in martial arts would serve you very well, and undoubtedly Too Tall and/or others could assist you, but we read too often about tragic consequences in human interactions.

Obviously, you know about all of the above.


Sandy

[Too Tall]

Bag party!
Kidding, sort of.
What really gets my goat is this creepy guy is just the sort of thing you think about night and day. All we friggin' ask for is a little peace right?? AM I RIGHT???

Agree DJG he is not riding alone RIGHT ZNFNDL??? Not until this is resolved.

[JohnS]

The only thing better than having a Big Friend is having a Little Friend. :p

[Ginger]

I just think it's a shame that a beautiful thing like a bike commute can be turned into a cause for stress.

[OldDog]

Hold off the confromtation until Friday and we can make it another east coast forum gathering. This would be one I could actually make!

[znfdl]

Agree DJG he is not riding alone RIGHT ZNFNDL??? Not until this is resolved.

I will not be riding alone until this gets resolved. If the police will not intercede tomorrow morning, then I will wait for him where he gets off the bike path and ask him "What's Up?" There will not be any anger or sarcasm in my voice.

Ginger:

I totally agree with you, as my morning and afternoon commutes are a precious part of my day. So far this meshuganah has not ruined any of my commutes, as I can only chuckle to myself, as he is missing the beauty of the early mornings.

[Too Tall]

Beg to differ ZNFNDL. No friggin' way you do that alone dot period. Ride with your commuting buddy or call me.

[catulle]

SF Fast Deployment Units 1 & 2 (one not so fast, atmo...)

[Archibald]

I will not be riding alone until this gets resolved. If the police will not intercede tomorrow morning, then I will wait for him where he gets off the bike path and ask him "What's Up?" There will not be any anger or sarcasm in my voice.

Ginger:

I totally agree with you, as my morning and afternoon commutes are a precious part of my day. So far this meshuganah has not ruined any of my commutes, as I can only chuckle to myself, as he is missing the beauty of the early mornings.
http://www.cspinet.org/cspi/images/peaches.jpg

[BoulderGeek]

OMFG! It's visual shorthand, now!

Love it.

[Chad Engle]

:banana:

[Grant McLean]

A bike industry guy in Toronto had his nose broken by a random
nut job on the street last week. The guy just walked up to him, and slugged
him in the face! There are wackos out there, be careful zin-man!

g

[djcwardog]

What's the latest on this bizarre caper? I grew up in the area - before they even opened up the W&OD trail...

[znfdl]

I passed him going around a blind corner so that he did not have time to prepare for me. He definitely does not like my light as he shielded his eyes. He is the only person in the morning that has a complaint.

My riding partner and I did a test on my light where I rode with him on my right. I was 3 feet from him. The direction that my light is pointed is perfect for a person riding 3 feet to my right or about 15 degrees off center and pointed about 5 degrees down. Additionally, the light sits 4 inches below the right hand flat section of my handlebars. My commuting partner also rode his bike towards me and he said that he was not bothered by the light.

Alsi this other commuter does not use a headlight, but only has two rear blinkies. Therefore, by the time I can see him he is too close for me to shield my light.

I talked to the police last evening and they said to give them a call if he does this again and they would meet him at the intersection of the bike path and a street that is a 1/4 mile from the police station. Not much comfort, but at least they have a report.

My commuting partner is carrying a camera and I have the police station number set for a cell phone voise command.

Since I do not commute on Fridays, I will see what happens next Monday.

Thanks for asking.

[beungood]

Throat punch.

Steal the peach....with your foot if you have to.

Release your inner cage fighter.

If you need help, grab your Silca frame pump and knock the starch out of him.

Setting aside the joking around, and I mean no offense by this, but since you won't always have cops and towering friends around to help you out of a jam, you should seriously consider some self-defense classes. Not some "this is your mace, this is your whistle" crap, but some honest to god defensive and offensive moves that you practice until it becomes instinctual. If you don't make it instinctual you will not be able to use it in the heat of the moment. Places that teach Judo are usually a good place to start.

Finally, a voice of reason...

[beungood]

I've come late to this conversation as well, but is there a chance that he's transient type (homeless person) that's slipped through the wide cracks of our Nation's mental health system? Around here, those folks travel and live up and down the bike path corridors. They tend to be very affraid of the police and a few words from a guy in uniform can go a long way.

Oh, and I think a video of anyone throwing a front snap/round house kick in cycling attire at 7 am would give us all a chuckle. Make sure to film it.

Could be..or could just be a garden variety a$$hole..

[beungood]

All kidding aside, I think the Police response first is the best course of action. Beyond that protect yourself and don't let this Interloper get close to you. If push comes to shove, be swift, hard and ruthless until he is down and then call Police.

Is this close to Fairfax,Va ? I have a close buddy who has just moved there and will be visiting him time to time I could pack up my Spectrum Beam for a family reunion.....

[Too Tall]

Can I join the fun?

[cydewaze]

Pepper spray, then cleat to the throat while he's down.

And remember, if he touches you first, it's not assault. ;)

[beungood]

Pepper spray, then cleat to the throat while he's down.

And remember, if he touches you first, it's not assault. ;)

I like that better than stealing his peaches!