Pelted by idiots in cars

I am a conscientious, law abiding, courteous road bicycler. I stay out of the way, I follow the rules, etc.

About once every other month or so, I get pelted by an object thrown at me from a car. Usually a soda bottle or something like that. One time, a huge red Slurpee whizzed by my ear and just missed me.

Is this sort of thing happening to anyone else? If I went to the police with partial license plate and a partial description of the vehicle, would they just laugh at me or would they actually do something about it?

should I just get over it? I'm starting to get pissed

My first question is: where do you ride predominantly? I want to know places to avoid while on the bike...

Anyway, I've never had stuff thrown at me and very rarely get comments from motorists. I think you gotta look at this way - a$$holes are everywhere, they don't stop being themselves once they get behind the wheel of a vehicle.

About the cops, unless you live in Mayberry and have Andy Griffith as the police chief don't expect much action when you walk in with a partial plate number and partial description of the vehicle - unless the vehicle actually makes contact with you as you then have a hit and run and/or vehicular assault; much more serious offenses.

I live on the South Shore of Massachusetts which, given Massachusetts' reputation to non-Massachusetts folk, probably doesn't surprise anyone

I ride in a very rural area. I'm rarely if ever in high-density traffic situations

I'm sure look pretty funny in the biking shorts, shirt and helmet - I'm not exactly Alberto Contador. But, man, just one time I'd like to nail one of these idiots

I feel for ya', Roy. I used to live in Wrentham and Norwood back in the late 80's and early 90's. I can see the natives haven't changed a bit. Glad I wasn't into cycling back then...

Probably depends on where you live. If it's a high crime rate area with low police coverage, they probably won't do anything. The small village I live in would probably keep an eye out for the car's description and watch them like a hawk for any infractions. I haven't had any problems like yours when I bike commute...If I'm passing through 'the ghetto' I'll occasionally get drivers honking at me and swerving by me while running red lights; in the 'burbs' I've almost been run down by suburbanite housewives making right turns on red. I have absolutely no problems with my local area though. They're fairly used to bicyclists in North Buffalo/Kenmore (and I doubt anyone is stupid enough to throw stuff out windows within the Kenmore limits with our police coverage, especially since they tend to profile and follow the types of cars driven by punk kids).

Whereabouts in MA? I live in Plymouth, I've been lucky so far to not be the target of any projectiles, but I have been honked and screamed at a few times.

I keep my phone within ready reach so I can quickly snap a photo of the offending party and report them.

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I'm in Weymouth - I ride throughout the South Shore (Wey., Hanson, Hanover, Scituate, Whitman, plympton, etc.). My most recent incident was in Hanover, which is the furthest thing from a high-crime area

If you get a license plate, take it to the police. The worst that happens is they do nothing.

As long as there are humans, there will be someone doing something stupid.

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a recent incedent i incurred was adrunken yob shouting abuse at me ,i gave as good as i got what was amuseing was to see him running after me and nearly falling over still shouting ...... their everywhere unfortunately but its easy to out run them on the bike if you want to verbally retaliate.....

My wife and I use to drive out of Boston to ride out at Walden's pond, (wow over fifteen years ago) at least there were more riders in that area so cars were a little more in tune with sharing the road and not being abusive. The idiots will always be out there try not to get back at them, some "revenge" stories I have read about don't turn out so well in the end! Like my parents always told me "rise above it, they will never learn" Be safe no one else is looking out for you!

I was run off the road by an idiot making a left ahnd turn from the opposite direction that thought he could make it out in front of me. Luckily I didn't go down but I was very close. I watched the guy pull in his driveway and not even give me a look to see if I was ok or not. I had to hop off the bike to regain my composure and it took all I had not to run over to his house and proceed to beat him senseless. In the end I realized that any actions against him would only make the situation worse and the best thing to do was to be happy he didn't run me down.

Aside from that I get yelled at by stupid kids on a daily basis. I always reply by telling them they're number 1...

That apparently they haven't, there are quite a few Massachusetts drivers out there who definitely live up to their reputed nickname....

I see quite a few riders on the road when traveling in the course of a day's work, I get paid by the hour so it doesn't matter to me if I have to slow to a cyclist's pace if there isn't enough room to pass safely....

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I used to ride past Walden on my "coupl'a days a week" bike commute from Natick to Bedford. On Fridays I'd stop for a quick swim. What a beautiful place!

My general experience in Massachusetts was that dealing with traffic from a bicycle got easier the further west you went.

1. i found your problem.

2. that's a gift, take advantage of it.

*disclaimer, only a true idiot would agree with me on either accounts..or a genius.

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Roy, that's a real shame you have to put up with that. Hopefully that situation will improve as the country becomes more "green" and more people are riding bikes.

There isn't much that the average person can do that would have much of an effect on people's attitudes.

But, one of these days some congressman/woman will experience it personally or someone near and dear to them will. Then you might see some action.


Hang in there!