Page 4 - Abuse from cars...any revenge stories?

27-11.-2005, 02:36 PM

#46

Chris516

Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2005

Posts: 39

Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories?

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzman

I was cycling alone across the US and was in a remote part of the upper thumb of Michigan searching a lonely road for a state campground I had chosen for the night. I hadn't seen a car in hours and was grinding along up a hill at the end of a long day when I heard the low roar of an engine coming up the road behind me. I didn't even need to turn to look at the car to know it was trouble. There was something in the sound of the engine and my stomach was in my throat as I heard it's revs slow down as it got nearer. I did a side long glance to see seven kids jammed in the car- 4 guys and 3 girls. As the the car swerved at me they hurled a combination of insults, spit, beer cans and bottles. Only the liquids found their target but I was a combination of pissed off and scared. They slalomed down the road ahead of me and as I crested the hill I could see the entrance to the campground about a 1/4 of a mile away. I was relieved for a moment until they, too, pulled into the same campground. I turned down the dirt road only to find that it was an "honor box" campground- no rangers or camp management of any kind- even worse the small campground had no other campers. Just one pick up truck with a boat trailer in the lot near the lake.

The gang of kids were riding rampant through the small park on the dirt roads and I went in the opposite direction. I found an isolated campsite well out of their way and sat until I was sure they were gone. Eventually I set up my tent and walked down to the lake for a swim. As I came out of the water a boat came from across the lake and the fisherman and I got talking. He was so impressed with my having cycled half way across the country he gave me a huge bass he'd caught. He packed up his boat and drove off leaving me alone in the campground. Later as I was kneeling by the lake with fish guts in one hand and a hunting knife in the other the kids in the car came back. They pulled into the lot laughing and yelling and got out of the car heading down the beach towards me. I kept my back to them as long as I could before I turned and stood up holding only the bloody guts and knife. I am 6'3, had wild long hair and 3 weeks of a beard, was shirtless and must have looked like a madman. The girls screamed bloody murder and ran for the car and the guys jumped a mile, too. I took advantage of the moment and laughed and tried to appear as non-chalant as possible as I walked through them and said, "Hey man, chill... I'm just cleaning a fish for dinner- no big deal." The guys didn't want to appear unmacho and laughed too and said to the girls,"yeah, he's cleaning a fish, man, I knew that...that's cool, that's cool."

I wasn't so happy, about, a car trying to run me off the road in Sept.'03. I chased the car for 5mi. before, I lost them in a shopping mall parking lot. I have chased others for, trying to push me off the road. When they see me in there rear-view or, side-view mirror, they tend to go white as a sheet.

27-11.-2005, 03:10 PM	#47
lv2tri Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fallbrook CA. Posts: 3	Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories? I have commuted the city streets almost daily, for over 20 years and have had too many conflicts to remember. I still have to take control of my emotions when a dangerous situation is created due to some mindless driver. Smile and wave. You can't change their habits with threats. There is a better way to educate those who will listen. There are more than a few that really enjoy an irrate cyclist. If you find one these guys and he turns his ton and a half on you... Life is too good.

27-11.-2005, 03:27 PM

#48

Chris516

Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2005

Posts: 39

Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lv2tri

I have commuted the city streets almost daily, for over 20 years and have had too many conflicts to remember. I still have to take control of my emotions when a dangerous situation is created due to some mindless driver.

Controlling ones' emotions is one thing. Creatively yet, legally expressing them is, what doesn't get done.

27-11.-2005, 03:45 PM

#49

Chris516

Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2005

Posts: 39

Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lv2tri

Smile and wave. You can't change their habits with threats. There is a better way to educate those who will listen. There are more than a few that really enjoy an irrate cyclist. If you find one these guys and he turns his ton and a half on you... Life is too good.

While I chase them, I do it long enough, to get a good look at their plate and, the vehicle they are driving so I can let the police know. The problem is, the police could care less, about enforcing the law, where cyclists are concerned.

04-01.-2006, 01:35 PM

#50

ohiobiker

Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2005

Location: Central Ohio, USA

Posts: 95

Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris516

I had the sorry privilage of seeing a cyclist get hit by a car. Words were exchanged and the cyclist rode off unscathed. I watched the car wheel into a carryout across the road from where I was tanking up my work truck. I called the Police on my cell phone to report a hit-skip and they promptly arrived.....20 minuites later.

__________________
Eat, Sleep, Ride

http://dynamiccycling.com/

14-01.-2006, 07:27 AM	#51
lee-mickleson Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 4	dent the car and ride like the wide in 202 a cab drive busted my nose in 5 places still can smell thing like i use to but the last day out on the road i go the bastard back by doing the same to him lots of fun ? revng is sweet ?

16-01.-2006, 07:38 AM

#52

willida

Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2005

Posts: 7

Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris516

Controlling ones' emotions is one thing. Creatively yet, legally expressing them is, what doesn't get done.

I agree that violently responding only escalates the matter and surely results in a negative outcome.

I'm finding that as drivers get used to me on my commute, I only get an angry horn honk or rude gesture once a month. I figure that their unresloved anger is killing them while I'm getting stronger and healthier.

Yesterday, I was riding on a busy street on a route I don't normally take. I was in the left turn lane and stopped at a traffic light when an ugly guy in a big pick up truck 2 lanes over shaouted somethintg at me. I had my ears covered so I removed the cover and asked "What?"

He replied (I only partially heard) "Get ... off the road!" I asked, "Get what off the road?" He said, "Your ass!" I told him "I don't own one." and rode off at the green light.

29-01.-2006, 09:44 AM

#53

skidsinhawaii

Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2006

Posts: 8

Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories?

Busses have a safety engine cutoff?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mozza

One of the best stories I ever heard about his kind of thing was when a cyclist was forced of the road by a bus. Fortunately he wasn't hurt and he hmanged to catch the bus up, he then hit the safety engine cut-off switch, causing the bus to stop. He cycling right on by...

Rather than shouting at him, the bus passengers had seen the earlier incident and cheered!

14-02.-2006, 02:24 AM	#54
velorapture Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 11	Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories? I was riding my bike when I came to a narrow section of downhill where the signs state that cyclists are allowed to "take the lane". This down hill is steep enough that a cyclist can easily do the speed limit. Well this small testicaled jackass didn't want to be "stuck' behind a bicycle and have to drive the speed limit. There was no shoulder or bike lane so I held my ground in the middle of the road and this jackass tailgated me down the hill. He was less that a foot from my rear wheel and at the bottom where the bike lane starts he almost sideswiped me going around. I did catch up to him at the stop light and gave him some very colorful language. He just smiles and waves in a way that is really saying, "too bad there's nothing you can do". I copied down his license plate# and reported him to the police. The police were their usual "who really cares about cyclists'. I then wrote a letter to the local newspaper and it was published so I guess that's some revenge. I related the incident and also stated how everybody is looking for ways of reducing car traffic. When cyclist are threated or feel it's unsafe they will head back into their cars.

14-02.-2006, 03:22 AM

#55

John Knees

Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2004

Location: Worthing, Sussex

Posts: 116

Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories?

Quote:

Originally Posted by skidsinhawaii

Busses have a safety engine cutoff?

Yes, it's located under a cover at the rear of the vehicle - put there so that the emergency services can cut out the engine when necessary.

Word of warning though - here in the U.K. it's an offence to interfere with the mechanism of a vehicle in this way.

Fun though, I'd imagine!

14-02.-2006, 05:36 AM

#56

lv2tri

Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2005

Location: Fallbrook CA.

Posts: 3

Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories?

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Knees

Fun though, I'd imagine!

I was unaware of this. I've had more than one incident with bus drivers, I'll check this out.

22-05.-2006, 08:49 AM	#57
bmclaughlin807 Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Denver Posts: 22	Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories? I was assaulted by some kids driving daddy's brand new SUV ... one leaned out the back window, and hit me across the lower back with a 4' long ice scraper. Lucky for me, it hit my belt and not actually the skin! Turns out there was a cop coming the other way, and I hopped the medium, and flagged him down in the middle of a 6 lane road! He chased the SUV, but they got away. Someone got the license number, though! The police impounded the brand new SUV (still had the temp tags in the window!!), towing it out of the dad's driveway!! It took daddy 2 months to get his truck back, and I'm pretty sure Jr. didn't drive it again. The prosecuter dropped the charges way down, and the kid got a suspended sentence and 2 years unsupervised probation.

22-05.-2006, 09:15 AM	#58
lv2tri Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fallbrook CA. Posts: 3	Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories? My son was hit from behind by a careless driver and that left him in a wheel chair. I can't express how much that changes everything. Ride very allert, be as safe as you possibly can and don't challenge drivers.

22-05.-2006, 09:36 AM	#59
bmclaughlin807 Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Denver Posts: 22	Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories? One other incident that happened to me lately: I own/drive two vehicles... my bike and a beast of a gas-guzzling, environment killing '79 Blazer, 4x4, lifted, big tires, the works. Oh... did I mention that it's got no front grill, a spray can paint job, and could go THROUGH most modern vehicles and barely slow down? I don't drive it much, up into the mountains once in a while, and to the grocery store when needed, or to haul stuff for friends. Well, a few weeks ago, some jerk ran a red light on a left turn, and nearly took out my front tire, while I was crossing the street on a green light. Two weeks ago, the SAME guy does it to me at the SAME intersection... the only difference was, I was in my truck this time.... you should have SEEN the guys face when he sees my truck coming at him... I slammed the brakes, stopping a few feet from him, he stops in front of me (with a clear road) to flip me off. I slammed the gas, spinning all four tires, he turns whiter, and slams the gas to get out of the way. I missed his back end by about 6 inches. Two days later, that same guy comes flying up to that SAME turn, right as the light turns red... this time he SLAMS the brakes, and squeals the tires, stopping. I guess some of them CAN be trained, after all. I was on my bike, and just waved as I rode by.

22-05.-2006, 01:03 PM	#60
bmclaughlin807 Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Denver Posts: 22	Re: Abuse from cars...any revenge stories? Ooooo.... I forgot one... though this isn't really 'revenge', the cager still got what was coming to her. I'm late for work, hustling down the driving lane at the end of a parking lot... going probably 20 mph, lady in white pickup truck coming about the same speed the other way yanks a hard left, right at me... I see her coming and pull my foot out of the way of the front bumper, and aim for the only soft spot around, a bush in a concrete planter. She nails me from the side(kinda diagonally, as she's still turning) I fly over her good, and land square in the center of this bush. She's all apologies, gonna buy me a new bike, gives me a ride home to change, and a ride to work. I go to work VERY sore, but I make it through the night without too much trouble... she calls the next day, turns out there's $850 damage to the front of her truck, now it's all MY fault, and she wants me to pay the damages to her truck. I tell her to fuck off, my Grand Parents tell her the same, in slightly nicer terms, and mention the police a few times (We hadn't filed a report) and she disappears off the face of the earth. I straightened my bike frame using a couple of long two-by-fours as levers, and was riding the bike the same day. Last edited by bmclaughlin807 : 22-05.-2006 at 01:28 PM.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode