Cyclist Shoots motorist

[zaskar]

MONROEVILLE, Pa. (AP) - A bicyclist shot a truck driver in the arm during a confrontation that began when the man pedaling the bike made an obscene gesture, police said.

Robert Urick, 41, was charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and weapons offenses.

William Nicoletti, 51, told police that when he drove past Urick in his pickup truck Saturday, Urick made an obscene gesture.

Nicoletti said he turned around and drove toward Urick, who pulled out a pistol and threatened to shoot, police said. Officers said Urick then reached into the truck and shot Nicoletti once in the arm, and rode away on his bike.

Nicoletti rammed Urick off his bike and they fought briefly until Urick fled again, police said.

Police said they arrested Urick, of Monroeville, later that day, and he told them he made the gesture because Nicoletti had told him to get off the road.

Urick remained in jail Monday in lieu of $100,000 bail. A hearing was set for Feb. 17.


I think ill still stick to the pepper spray.

 

[MichaelB]

Shame he missed his head isn't it

 

[xc_gumby]

pepper spray would have to be easier to fit into the seat bag....

 

[dwj444]

This whole thread is sick. I can't believe the things that riders are saying now about their attitudes towards drivers.

I've told this story in a few other threads on this board, but it applies here, too. On a Critical Mass ride in Washington DC last fall, a driver shouted something at a rider, who sprayed him in the face through an open window with a can of pepper spray. The driver was not seriously hurt (although the rider could have gotten his fellow protesters killed by blinding someone operating a 5,000lb SUV), but he was angry. He used a cell phone to call friends to the scene. The entire incident ended with multiple riders injured in a fight with the driver and his friends, and a few people arrested for assault.

The fact is, there should not be threats on the road from drivers or riders. Pepper spray does not protect you from bad drivers, any more than horns and scare tactics spare drivers the supposed indignity of sharing the road. With the cost of owning and operating a car on the rise, riders should and will become more and more common on our streets. Sending the message "we are arming ourselves," is not going to lower the tension level between drivers and riders.

The message must be clear (after all, the six year-olds I teach in my first grade have learned this): share. Period. No fighting. No name-calling. Share. The end.

 

[zaskar]

Originally posted by dwj444
This whole thread is sick. I can't believe the things that riders are saying now about their attitudes towards drivers.

I've told this story in a few other threads on this board, but it applies here, too. On a Critical Mass ride in Washington DC last fall, a driver shouted something at a rider, who sprayed him in the face through an open window with a can of pepper spray. The driver was not seriously hurt (although the rider could have gotten his fellow protesters killed by blinding someone operating a 5,000lb SUV), but he was angry. He used a cell phone to call friends to the scene. The entire incident ended with multiple riders injured in a fight with the driver and his friends, and a few people arrested for assault.

The fact is, there should not be threats on the road from drivers or riders. Pepper spray does not protect you from bad drivers, any more than horns and scare tactics spare drivers the supposed indignity of sharing the road. With the cost of owning and operating a car on the rise, riders should and will become more and more common on our streets. Sending the message "we are arming ourselves," is not going to lower the tension level between drivers and riders.

The message must be clear (after all, the six year-olds I teach in my first grade have learned this): share. Period. No fighting. No name-calling. Share. The end.

Oh well i can understand the guy shooting the driver, not right i know but, in a situation of almost being run down and disrespected can anger some people so much in the heat of the moment bad things can happin. for this reason i dont carry a gun because i probly would use it. the pepper spray is better then a horn or the finger or a dent in the car i will continue to carry mine and use it next time im run off the road and i catch the jackass at the light!

 

[BugMan]

Originally posted by zaskar
Oh well i can understand the guy shooting the driver

Really?! That's scarry.

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by zaskar
..... for this reason i dont carry a gun because i probly would use it. the pepper spray is better then a horn or the finger or a dent in the car i will continue to carry mine and use it next time im run off the road and i catch the jackass at the light!

That is just nonsense, and wrongful use of pepper spray can yet you in serious trouble too.Better to let it go or get the license # and report morons to police. You don't get thru to morons that way and trying to do so will just get you or some other cyclist killed someday. I've told a few of them whhat they did wrong.Some get it, some never will, so better to just take a chill pill.

 

[meehs]

Although it's very hard to do, the best thing to do when you're confronted with an idiot motorist is to just completely ignore them. And I mean just pretend that you didn't hear or see whatever it was they did at all. I figure it probably pisses them off even more than if you react somehow.

 

[BugMan]

Originally posted by meehs
I figure it probably pisses them off even more than if you react somehow.

The goal is to NOT **** them off anymore than necessary!

You never know what they'll do - to you or to me if I happen to be the next cyclist they see.

Do us all a favor and turn the other cheek. Report them if you have to, but don't be so immature to think you're going to be able to 'teach them a lesson' on the road.

 

[ccorrick]

Holy Moly!! I can understand yelling at someone because they are not looking up. Like last night some guy was turning right into my lane from a side street. He obviously didn't see me. I just yelled Stop really loud and he did. (He had the stop sign, I didn't)

Pepper spray? or even worse a gun?? sheesh!! Some of you need some anger management. I tend to chuckle at the redneck morons that honk or yell at me. It's funny. I really like getting mooned. Now that's a riot.

Seriously, the more you antagonize them the worse they will be next time. If they get a big reaction that they somehow find satisfiying then they will do it for sure the next time. I'd caution any cyclist to hold their tounge, and if it involves any movement at all FORGET IT. Like rasing your arm for a little birdy to raising any kind of weapon. It's actually a very young mentality or a somehow unbalanced person who needs to prove themselves by injuring another person. Only reason ever would be in defense of your life or the life of another human.
If you feel the need to do violence because of something a complete stranger yells or signs at you then please go find some professional help, and get rid of the High School macho mentality quick!

 

[Ashley3]

To quote Rodney King: "Why can't we all get along?"

Testosterone would be part of the answer.

Also, pent up emotions based on repeated frustration of drivers with riders and riders with drivers. People who don't know I ride -- and this happened again not 20 minutes ago with a colleague here in the office -- regularly vent their anger at the notion that those d*mned bikers think they have any right to a piece of the road. It's pretty amazing how entitled and empowered people feel when they get behind the wheel.
I wish people could get along, and I'm saddened when they don't, but I'm not too shocked anymore.

 

[zaskar]

Originally posted by BugMan
Really?! That's scarry.

why didnt you copy that quote a few words longer?

 

[zaskar]

If you feel the need to do violence because of something a complete stranger yells or signs at you then please go find some professional help, and get rid of the High School macho mentality quick! [/B]

[/QUOTE]

I agree, i would not use the spray on a motoist who drives by and yells profanity or flips me off. i will use it on those that try to run me down,or the bottle throwers had one of them a few days ago. there is alot more to it the harmless name calling as to why i carry my spray. i have called the police waited on the scene 2 differant times after waiting hours miles away from home on my bike i left, they are to busy to respond to these kind of calls i gave lic# that did no good. im out riding my bike minding my own buiss and obeying the law and for no reason a motorist decides i have no buissnes on the street if i hit him it's his fault that will teach him to ride on my streets, so yes this guy needs his ass kicked or maybe shot.