Almost got in a wreck/fight on my commute today - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

SteelBlue · 07-28-2008, 07:49 PM

First time that's ever happened to me in a cycling incident and it was with another cyclist and not a motorist. I'm cruising along at about 21 mph on a road with a fairly narrow shoulder and high speed traffic so getting out into the lane is dangerous. I see a cyclist ahead of me about 30 yards slow his bike and then turn around and start riding toward me. This is a huge pet peeve of mine as there just isn't room for it and the people who do it are people with D.U.I.'s and have no idea how to ride in traffic. This guy then blocks the entire bike lane sideways to pick up a damned aluminum can. A quick glance into traffic let me know that the street's lane wasn't an option so I had to lock on the brakes to avoid hitting this dick. He was about 50 years old, overweight but dressed in full kit with a camelbak pack. I said "you're riding on the wrong side of the road jackass, did you not see me coming right at you?" I left it at that and continued back on my commute. I could hear him yelling at me but didn't realize he'd decided to follow me until I got to the light about 1/4 mile down the road.

I was in a left turn lane and he was in the far right lane and I hear him yell "what did you say to me back there jackass?" I said "you're riding on the wrong side of the road moron." He flipped out and started screaming "I'm on the same side of the road you are you idiot how can I be on the wrong side of the road?" I told him that as soon as he turned his bike around and started riding toward me that he was on the wrong side of the road. He starts yelling again about me being an idiot and I said "old man, you were going the wrong way and then you stopped and blocked the entire lane and you're lucky I didn't hit you at 20 mph. Now ride your fat ass out of here unless you're planning on doing something more about this." He just kept yelling about me being wrong. My light turned green and I left.

il Padrino Ute · 07-28-2008, 09:16 PM

If you were to have crashed into him, would either of you been cited?

SteelBlue · 07-28-2008, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

If you were to have crashed into him, would either of you been cited?

I don't think so unless someone got hurt. Even then, bike citations are rare.

MikeWaters · 07-28-2008, 09:55 PM

Steel, you were unnecessarily rude.

Your account reminded me of the jerk Cat x rider who was all over my case over me not riding properly. He was a jackass, calling me out in a jerky fashion.

SteelBlue · 07-28-2008, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Steel, you were unnecessarily rude.

Your account reminded me of the jerk Cat x rider who was all over my case over me not riding properly. He was a jackass, calling me out in a jerky fashion.

You got yelled at in a paceline for something undeserved. This guy stopped and cut off an entire lane even though he saw me coming at 20 mph. It wasn't because he didn't know better, it's that he didn't care. I was unnecessarily rude at the end, but it's hard to sit and listen to some guy swear at you without giving some back.

Runner Coug · 07-28-2008, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelBlue

He was about 50 years old, overweight but dressed in full kit with a camelbak pack.

That's funny. Some guy gets dressed up in his cycling leotard and goes to collect cans.

Archaea · 07-28-2008, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelBlue

You got yelled at in a paceline for something undeserved. This guy stopped and cut off an entire lane even though he saw me coming at 20 mph. It wasn't because he didn't know better, it's that he didn't care. I was unnecessarily rude at the end, but it's hard to sit and listen to some guy swear at you without giving some back.

I've done dumb things, but usually I sheepishly seek to apologize when I'm in the wrong.

RC Vikings · 07-28-2008, 11:49 PM

I gotta side with Steel on this one. The only thing he could have done differently was maybe not calling the guy a jackass but when you're on a bike and someone almost hurts you who doesn't raise a finger or start throwing some words out there my mother told me not to say. Your blood is pumping, your adrenaline is scoring, your senses are maxed out, it's easy to get mad on a bike.

Now for a positive story. On my day after Saturday ride I went about 38 miles and four cars passed me. The two coming toward me both waved and the two going around me slowed down and gave me plenty of room. Honestly 99% of the people around here are very, very kind to me when I ride.

MikeWaters · 07-28-2008, 11:53 PM

He had plenty of warning to slow down or stop (which he did). Sure the other guy was in the wrong. But to almost instigate a fight over it is jackass-ish.

SteelBlue · 07-29-2008, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

He had plenty of warning to slow down or stop (which he did). Sure the other guy was in the wrong. But to almost instigate a fight over it is jackass-ish.

If by plenty of warning you mean I had to lock on my brakes and hope I didn't go over the front end then yeah. I saw him coming toward me yes, but the turning sideways and completely stopping was the shocker. He knew that by doing so I had to go into the dirt or into traffic. He may have underestimated my speed, but he had plenty of time to apologize for it.

I think those who know me here would tell you that I'm not a confrontational person. That's the first time I've had words with someone on the road. RC got it right, if this guy had apologized or even pretended to care that he almost wrecked me I wouldn't have said a thing. But he didn't give a crap and the only reason he was mad was because he thought his cycling cred was being questioned. He just kept yelling over and over "I was on the right side of the road."

If I had it to do again, I'd probably leave out the "jackass" part of my sentence. But I was pissed.

07-28-2008, 07:49 PM	#1
SteelBlue Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Norcal Posts: 5,821	Almost got in a wreck/fight on my commute today First time that's ever happened to me in a cycling incident and it was with another cyclist and not a motorist. I'm cruising along at about 21 mph on a road with a fairly narrow shoulder and high speed traffic so getting out into the lane is dangerous. I see a cyclist ahead of me about 30 yards slow his bike and then turn around and start riding toward me. This is a huge pet peeve of mine as there just isn't room for it and the people who do it are people with D.U.I.'s and have no idea how to ride in traffic. This guy then blocks the entire bike lane sideways to pick up a damned aluminum can. A quick glance into traffic let me know that the street's lane wasn't an option so I had to lock on the brakes to avoid hitting this dick. He was about 50 years old, overweight but dressed in full kit with a camelbak pack. I said "you're riding on the wrong side of the road jackass, did you not see me coming right at you?" I left it at that and continued back on my commute. I could hear him yelling at me but didn't realize he'd decided to follow me until I got to the light about 1/4 mile down the road. I was in a left turn lane and he was in the far right lane and I hear him yell "what did you say to me back there jackass?" I said "you're riding on the wrong side of the road moron." He flipped out and started screaming "I'm on the same side of the road you are you idiot how can I be on the wrong side of the road?" I told him that as soon as he turned his bike around and started riding toward me that he was on the wrong side of the road. He starts yelling again about me being an idiot and I said "old man, you were going the wrong way and then you stopped and blocked the entire lane and you're lucky I didn't hit you at 20 mph. Now ride your fat ass out of here unless you're planning on doing something more about this." He just kept yelling about me being wrong. My light turned green and I left.

07-28-2008, 09:16 PM	#2
il Padrino Ute Board Pinhead Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the basement of my house, Murray, Utah. Posts: 15,941	If you were to have crashed into him, would either of you been cited? __________________ "The beauty of baseball is not having to explain it." - Chuck Shriver "This is now the joke that stupid people laugh at." - Christopher Hitchens on IQ jokes about GWB.

07-28-2008, 11:49 PM	#8
RC Vikings Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Rexburg, Idaho Posts: 2,236	I gotta side with Steel on this one. The only thing he could have done differently was maybe not calling the guy a jackass but when you're on a bike and someone almost hurts you who doesn't raise a finger or start throwing some words out there my mother told me not to say. Your blood is pumping, your adrenaline is scoring, your senses are maxed out, it's easy to get mad on a bike. Now for a positive story. On my day after Saturday ride I went about 38 miles and four cars passed me. The two coming toward me both waved and the two going around me slowed down and gave me plenty of room. Honestly 99% of the people around here are very, very kind to me when I ride. __________________ "I always rode to my limit. If I won by three minutes, that's because I couldn't make four." Eddy Merckx

07-28-2008, 09:55 PM	#4
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Steel, you were unnecessarily rude. Your account reminded me of the jerk Cat x rider who was all over my case over me not riding properly. He was a jackass, calling me out in a jerky fashion.

07-28-2008, 11:53 PM	#9
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	He had plenty of warning to slow down or stop (which he did). Sure the other guy was in the wrong. But to almost instigate a fight over it is jackass-ish.