VA Cyclist Does What Many Would Like To

A cyclist in Abingdon, VA was brushed by a 19-year old driver (intentionally, he thinks) - not enough to make him fall, but enough to rub off some of the bike's paint. So the cyclist went looking for the car at the nearby campus. He found it, called the cops and got the guy charged with "reckless driving and, later, hit and run with property damage". So satisfying.

I was in Scottsdale, AZ this weekend visiting family and there was another satisfying story. The nephew and his friend were at a gas station and the friend's bike was stolen. So my nephew called his mom and some other mom's in the neighborhood as well as the police. An adult was seen riding the bike not far away and the police arrested him and an accomplice. Bike returned within an hour. Again, satisfying.

Comments

[Contrarian]

When I read the headline -- particularly the Virginia part -- I figured gunplay would be involved.

[CyclingFool]

@Contrarian: LOL. Me too, or at least a u-lock and some revenge... ;)

Good uplifting stories, though.

[oboe]

...not enough to make him fall, but enough to rub off some of the bike's paint.

Nice riding, Tex!

I had a cab's right-hand mirror strike my left-hand grip while riding a MTB down 18th St in Adams Morgan one morning many years ago.

Somhow managed to keep upright, and went absolutely ape-shit on him at the stop light. Guy couldn't seem to understand what was upsetting me in the least.

[washcycle]

I also had a mirror/handlebar/no fall situation. I yelled out a curse word and gave the finger. The driver stopped, but only to yell at me for giving her the finger. Sigh...

[Crescent Street Cyclist]

Oboe, I had a similar experience on 18th. A cab driver (riding at dusk with no lights on--I had both a front and rear light) pulled an illegal u-turn at the bottom of 18th by U so he could keep trolling the street for fairs. I shouted and waved and tried to dodge him, but by the time he saw me, it was just in time to barely stop and only barely pinned my leg between my bike and his cab. I wasn't hurt, just shaken up, but I sincerely regret not calling the police. Even if you're not seriously hurt, if you're hit by a car, make them stop, and call the cops. Taxi drivers in this town need to be taught a lesson whenever they pull this crap.

[MB]

This guy did exactly what we should all do. ID and report. Over and over again.

I'm as guilty as the next guy (actually, probably moreso) of letting loose with the obscenities and gestures when someone acts aggressively or extraordinarily carelessly toward me. And none of those tirades, as satisfying as they might be, will ever do as good as what this guy accomplished by calmly IDing and reporting.

[SJE]

There was a recent case (last week?) where a cyclist went nuts in NYC and smashed a limo. Can't find the link.

I don't advocate this, but am interested in how this plays out.

[John_in_NH]

In many of these instances it is the fight or flight instinct that takes over. I feel that many who criticize cyclists who damage car property after being hit, nearly hit, sideswiped, whatever, simply do not understand what its like to feel like you could die at any minute. In a car it is different I feel, many encounters do not activate the flight or fight since people "feel" very safe while in their 2 ton steel cages(even when they are not). The cyclist in both cases did what we all should do, I just wish that the many times I have been nearly run off the road/yelled at/had things thrown at, It was as easy to find and track the culprit. I usually don't have time, nor the energy to chase a person in a car down.

[Jack]

Oboe, I had the opposite experience. A cab cut me off so I hit his mirror with my hand! He followed me and I stopped on the sidewalk just to tell him what he did. Then another cyclist came by and we chased him away (nice to see solidarity among riders).

Post more of these stories! They make me feel good.

[MB]

(nice to see solidarity among riders).

If I see something going on between a rider and a driver, I *always* stop. If it's the cyclist being a prick, then you have the chance to do some damage control. And if it's the driver, you're a second set of eyes.

[SJE]

Because of the flight-or-fight response, I am particularly interested in the NYC story. The cyclist did serious damage to the limo. At the same time, he was responding to what he may have percieved as a threatening situation.