Bottle Thrown At Me

FELTF10

In the past 30+ years I've been hit 7 times, chased, threatened and yes a number of things were thrown at me, but three times stand out the most in my memory:

1. Once I was on a high speed highway and someone threw an empty beer bottle out hitting me in the forehead at my hair line giving me a inch an a half cut. I was knocked cold. When I came to, an ambulance worker asked me if I knew what happened, I said no, however, two cars behind me saw what the car in front of them and myself did and stopped, one stayed with me and the other chased the car that did it and got the plate number and saw the drivers face when he pulled along side him. The driver who stayed with me had took my bike home and picked up my girl and brought her to the hospital. It took me two months to track that man down to thank him and all he could do is say how sorry he was for what the punk ass bitch who threw the bottle did, who by the way served eleven and a half months in the county jail. The guy (Tom) has been my friend for many years now. I can't get him on a bike though, he said (Too many nuts out there!).

2. Another time my girl and I were doing an American Cancer Society ride from Phila.,PA. to Atlantic City NJ. Some nut on the passenger side of a car thought it would be funny to smack my girl on the butt while passing her. She didn't fall but she was hurting and crying. I figured he hit her doing about 35 mph. I chased him for about 10 blocks before I caught him. We got into it when the driver got out of the car and came at me. Right about then a policeman who saw what was going on came over and broke everything up; however he started to give me the hard time like I was in the wrong. At that time my girl finally caught up to us and other cyclist started to complain and yell at the officer, other officers showed up and arrested the jerk who hit her and charged him with three charges. Now hold onto your helmets, he served eight and a half years in state prison for that stupid crap he did.

3. This one I'll make short. Car goes by, ice cream sundae flys out, hits me in chest, real mess. Next car goes by (ragtop), stops, yells get in. We drive very fast, catch sh#theads, driver of ragtop cuts them off. Very upset bike rider gets out, takes drivers keys, scares driver out of her licence. I ask ragtop driver to take to police station few blocks away, he laughs all the way.
Tell police the scoop and let them know the perps will be by for keys and licence because I told them that's where they could get them back. Ragtop man and I go out for some ice cream, my treat.

Why do these three stand out in my memory the most? For (#1.) I found a long time friend. For (#2) the power of many angry cyclist prevailed. For (#3) Nice ragtop, nice man.

Later!

__________________
RIDE FAST, RIDE HARD, JUST RIDE!

HellonWheels

In 1980 I was commuting to work by bike (around 11 PM, I worked the graveyard shift), when some drunken teenagers threw a half-filled beer bottle and hit me on my back. Its the only time I was ever assaulted while on my bike, and it really freaked me out. I was 20 yrs old, and scared--being female, I thought it meant they might be planning to get out of the car and attack me, so I sped off without checking to be sure I was OK.

When I got to work they called the police, but because I didn't get the lincense number, nothing was done. You have my sympathies and personal understanding!

__________________
"He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior"--Confucius

bryanquinn

I live in Tampa Fl. and have cigarette butts flipped it me, taken verbal abuse and had a driver pull off the side of the road and wait for me. (I told him all I was trying to do was ride my bike). I know it may sound like wussing out but you never know when a gun is going to be pulled on you. I try to grin and bear it depending on my mood. Throwing something at a car is a serious infraction as I am sure that them throwing things at us is too. Guess all you can do is try to get the license plate number, but even at that it's our word against theirs. I quit
riding for a long time because of this and I have recently started commuting to and from work. I have had no incedents (knock on wood) yet and hope this continues because I really love riding. It's exciting to go to work now, and my nerves have calmed down quite a bit.
Bryan

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If you haven't tried these things, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.
-Dr.Suess

Chris516

Bryan, When I go after rude drivers, they always behave like I am 'packing a gun' because, they don't expect me to go after them.

Christopher

cbjesseeNH

Some many years back, while commuting from outside New Brunswick to Princeton, NJ, I was hit in the back by an untouched Big Mac. Left a big catsup and mustard stain on my jersey.

I gotta wonder why somebody would buy a burger and decide they would rather hit a cyclist with it than eat it.

So I started taking the bus. Somebody threw a brick through the front window as we were passing a clump of bushes. The driver got us stopped alive.

The world is full of a-holes. Not a big fraction of the population, but enough to cause problems for the vast majority of decent people. I figure that sooner or later somebody catches and beats the snot out of these jerks - makes me feel better, even if I never know it happens.

Chris516

That is one, where, I would have loved to be riding on the back, to catch so I could eat it.

Christopher

bryanquinn

I'm wondering what could be done to raise awareness at our level. So that if we can't get to the jerks that are literaly capable of killing us without knowing it, the driver in the car behind him that sees what has happened could help.
I have been thinking of creating jerseys that say things like: " HAVE YOU EVER RIDDEN A BIKE ON THE SIDEWALK"?. Or "DID YOU KNOW THAT I CAN BE TICKETED FOR RIDING ON THE SIDEWALK"?. Any way...you get the idea.

__________________
If you haven't tried these things, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.
-Dr.Suess

bryanquinn

Those are some great stories! I'm sorry your girl got hit, that must have been very painful indeed. I hope the story about the guy getting 8 1/2 years made the news paper. It would have been a great way to raise awarness to the non commuting public.
Stupid people just don't know how dangerous they can be when their trying to be cute.

__________________
If you haven't tried these things, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.
-Dr.Suess

Chris516

I think the idea of a jersey is fabulous!!!!!! I would shorten what the jersey says and, make it more emphatic. My idea is:

Ride on the sidewalk, I could kill a pedestrian
Ride on the road, I could kill you so..BACK OFF!!!!!!!!!!

That is what, I think should be on the jersey. It is short, emphatic and, eye-catching.

In addition to, the jersey, putting it on t-shirts and, jackets.

cbjesseeNH

If this forum had Polls, I would post:


POLL - Upon giving chase to a motor vehicle whose occupants honked or cursed at you, ran you off the road, threw something at you, or otherwise harrassed you, you then:

1. Never caught them
2. Caught them and exchanged unpleasantries
3. Caught them and beat the snot out of them
4. Caught them and had the snot beaten out of you
5. Caught them and were run down and maimed for life
6. Caught them and were run down and killed

I'm thinking respondants would taper off sharply after 1 and 2, approaching zero for 5 and being zero for 6. Not that there wouldn't be any cases of 4-6's, mind you, just nobody still riding or surviving to take the poll.

A 1-2 ton car/truck is a lethal weapon. If you chase cars on your bike, you had better be one who walks softly and carries a big stick.

BRET

Chris516

While there have been a few occasions of, #1 and, even more, of, #2, #'s 3-6 do no good, whether, alive or, dead because, it makes the cyclist look just as heinous as, the motorist, thereby, destroying the credibility of, any report to the police.

I am also going to get a camera, used in private investigation, to affix to my helmet. That way, I will have visual proof.

Christopher

FELTF10

The helmet cam and something printed on a jersey would be perfect. Remember one thing my friend, they sometimes feel the need to get even when you catch them on film and you can be a hard ass all you want but you can't argue with a vehicle coming straight at you when they get pissed at you for it. Cell phones are great in a cituation like that, and bluetooth is even better with the voice dialing to reach 911. The shits of the road don't get me down because the roads are filled with a whole lot of good people who cut me brakes everyday on the road, always giving me the right of way just being good considerate folk. One shit out of a hundred can't rain on my parade.

Later, John

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RIDE FAST, RIDE HARD, JUST RIDE!

FELTF10

One of the reasons he got the time he did was they found out that while he was in NJ. he was on parole in PA. He wasn't allowed to leave the state. He had gotten an additional charge for inapropriately touching a woman with out consent which was the reason for a good chunk of the time. I wonder how much he touched himself during that eight in a half HA HA HA!

Later, John

__________________
RIDE FAST, RIDE HARD, JUST RIDE!

Chris516

Drivers coming after me won't rain on my parade, because, while they have speed, I have maneuverability.

Also, I don't ride a tricycle that, a kid gets from his/her parents when they are young.

I have a http://specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=9358 road bike that, I can hit 50mph with, before they really have a chance to hit me.

Christopher

Christopher