Forums >General Running>Cycling harassment
In 2014, angry plump male drivers in the U.S. got out of their cars, adorned fierce war uniforms, and started roving gangs looking to kick spandex-wearing biker butt:
Bikers tried blockades...
...they lifted women to show their strength...
...they tried "retro merry" to disarm their opponents with goodness...
...but in the end they escaped to the only place cars couldn't get them...
...but they forgot about the angry fishermen...
Hip Redux
No, I'm not trying to say that. I'm just saying that I'm surprised by the opinions of drivers and the feeling of being harassed while riding.
OK, gotcha. I wasn't sure what you were trying to get at.
YAYpril - B-Plus
I'm not a cyclist, but my area has a fair amount of them. I see them on the roads and on trails where I run. My state (Pennsylvania) is one of those that requires 3 feet of clearance when passing a cyclist.
This happened last year on a bridge that I run on occasionally (although on the pedestrian walk, of course). Just a couple months before this happened, a cyclist was actually hit and killed on the same bridge. The bridge is not very long - less than a quarter of a mile - but it goes over a river so it's a necessary evil if cyclists need to get to the other side. The video is not graphic, and the rider ended up being okay. But the bus driver is a freaking hero for stopping the kid (I think he was 19) who tried to drive away after hitting him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7AVC1YCcO0
I doubt they will press charges. Drivers almost always get the benefit of the doubt, even with witnesses. Even with more blatant law breaking, and unless there is a specific road rage/ cycling harassment law, you'll be hard pressed to find a law the driver broke. Sudden stopping is hard to ticket.
Here's a rare example of an aggressive (and successful) prosecution.
This happened last year on a bridge that I run on occasionally (although on the pedestrian walk, of course). Just a couple months before this happened, a cyclist was actually hit and killed on the same bridge. The bridge is not very long - less than a quarter of a mile - but it goes over a river so it's a necessary evil if cyclists need to get to the other side. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7AVC1YCcO0
This happened last year on a bridge that I run on occasionally (although on the pedestrian walk, of course). Just a couple months before this happened, a cyclist was actually hit and killed on the same bridge. The bridge is not very long - less than a quarter of a mile - but it goes over a river so it's a necessary evil if cyclists need to get to the other side.
The coments that follow that video are a pretty good indication of the lack of patience we have as drivers.
There is a study where a section of road was video recorded. This section of road was similar to the section in the video. A pedestrian sidewalk protected by concrete. A four lane busy road that had lots of cycling traffic.
The study was done because there were several complaints (from motorist) about how dangerous it was for a cyclist to use because of the heavy car traffic. It was also noted how much a cyclist crossing this section slowed down traffic.
Bottom line, on average, once the car slowed down, moved into the other lane and passed the cyclist and was back at the speed they were at before encountering the cyclist was 3 secs. The video also proved how it took more time getting around a car moving slower than the speed of traffic (which was much greater than the posted speed limit) than it took to get around a bike. The drivers waited longer behind a slower moving car before passing than they did a bike. I get it, speed is relative. I'll display greater patience if I only slow down only 5 mph vs 10 or 15 perhaps.
The bike coalition was successful at having signs erected indicating that cyclist get use of the full lane and signs saying, "Share the Road". Lot's of ugly opinion stuff in the paper that has now been forgotten about but we still get the lane.
...and here's a nice story: (interesting that in SF this was apparently not an isolated instance in 2012) http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/06/21/12330744-cyclist-accused-of-vehicular-manslaughter-over-pedestrians-death-pleads-not-guilty?lite http://articles.latimes.com/2013/mar/09/local/la-me-bicyclist-charged-20130310
...and here's a nice story: (interesting that in SF this was apparently not an isolated instance in 2012)
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/06/21/12330744-cyclist-accused-of-vehicular-manslaughter-over-pedestrians-death-pleads-not-guilty?lite
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/mar/09/local/la-me-bicyclist-charged-20130310
Just as a follow up, it was announced today how this case ended: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-san-francisco-bicyclist-guilty-plea-manslaughter-20130723,0,1503350.story
Feeling the growl again
That cyclist sounds like a piece of work with little concern for the person they killed...at least according to the cherrry-picked portions of their blog post.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
Bill Cosby has the monologue titled "Driving in San Fransisco" that I find quite amusing. For those that remember it... "Where's the land for crying out loud!" or "they caught 14 million of us that day". It speaks about the challenges of driving a stick shift car up and down the streets with those hills.
When reading this story, I was reminded of the Bill Cosby monologue, and decided to do a Google street view of the intersection.
MTA: regarding the google street view portion, though, disregard... I deleted it.... I was viewing from the south, not heading south. He would've been riding on a flat portion as he approached the intersection.
(I prefer my country Farm-to-Market rides without intersections, curbs, or traffic.)
Life Goals:
#1: Do what I can do
#2: Enjoy life
rectumdamnnearkilledem
Even if those comments were cherry-picked, this guy sure wrote a lot of really horrid things and surely does not come off as a good guy. He's exactly the sort of individual that makes a LOT of drivers paint all velo-minded folks as a bunch of careless, self-centered assholes...when really I believe the this is the exception. Assholes like that guy just really stand out in people's memories, unfortunately. Those of us who are law-abiding and considerate don't create so much as a blip on anyone's radar. What people remember are the "bike riders" (I am loathe to call these types "cyclists") who are ignorant of cycling laws or outright shirk them or those who ride aggressively or inconsiderately. These people irritate me perhaps even more than they do the average motorist...because those of us who behave ourselves invariably end up collateral damage when the general public judges anyone on non-motorized 2 or 3 wheels.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
Even if those comments were cherry-picked, this guy sure wrote a lot of really horrid things and surely does not come off as a good guy.
I am very skeptical of the way the media presents most everything they take the liberty of summarizing so I worded in an appropriate level of conditional judgement....but yes, frankly I do believe he is most likely a self-centered cretin. That anyone would kill someone, even by accident, then dedicate the post to their helmet for saving their own life...with an attempt at making it somewhat funny...seems to give some insight into their frame of mind.
I am very skeptical of the way the media presents most everything they take the liberty of summarizing so I worded in an appropriate level of conditional judgement....but yes, frankly I do believe he is most likely a self-centered cretin. That anyone would kill someone, even by accident, then dedicate the post to their helmet for saving their own life...seems to give some insight into their frame of mind.
Yeah...and his dramatic description of the victim's blood. A person with a shred of remorse would not have used any of that sort of language. I'd love to read the blog post in its entirety.
As long as you're riding (and running), you'll be disrespected.
Bring a gun with you. When that happens, shoot them. Is it illegal?
Regarding harassment more to cyclists than to runners, I wonder if it is because cyclists block those impatient drivers.
As a runner, I have never been harassed. Well, I haven't run for a long time though.
5k - 20:56 (09/12), 7k - 28:40 (11/12), 10k trial - 43:08 (03/13), 42:05 (05/13), FM - 3:09:28 (05/13), HM - 1:28:20 (05/14), Failed 10K trial - 6:10/mi for 4mi (08/14), FM - 3:03 (09/14)
I hope he was banned from driving for life.
This happened last year on a bridge that I run on occasionally (although on the pedestrian walk, of course). Just a couple months before this happened, a cyclist was actually hit and killed on the same bridge. The bridge is not very long - less than a quarter of a mile - but it goes over a river so it's a necessary evil if cyclists need to get to the other side. The video is not graphic, and the rider ended up being okay. But the bus driver is a freaking hero for stopping the kid (I think he was 19) who tried to drive away after hitting him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7AVC1YCcO0
Illegal? To shoot someone for disrespecting you? Uh, yeah, that's illegal. Unless they are clearly and imminently trying to kill you it's illegla.
This cyclist did just that and was charged. (Really they both deserved to be charged)
CT JEFF
Illegal? To shoot someone for disrespecting you? Uh, yeah, that's illegal. Unless they are clearly and imminently trying to kill you it's illegla. This cyclist did just that and was charged. (Really they both deserved to be charged)
Thanks for the link. Personally, (before cycling and after) I feel that the cyclists in my area (CT) "act" as if they own the road. The law is that you are allowed to only ride 2 abreast if it is safe to do so, otherwise you need to ride single file. In my area, I have seen 4 and 5 cycles wide. I have seen 30-50 cyclists come down a hill, take the intersection wide and EXPECT that everyone will stop or get out of their way. These stories spread quickly, and cause rage. I dont think most motorists think they are potentially murdering a person. I believe they feel a cyclists will fall down, get a scratch and thats what they deserve - or someone else did. But, whatever. Dont confuse me with the facts.
I dont ride in groups. I am thankful for all the cars that dont kill me. I believe respect is a 2 way street, but I also think some areas cyclists have the odds stacked far against them. I am sorry for all of your near misses, and direct hits. And I agree with the quoted post. The driver who got annoyed, and slammed on his brakes should have been portrayed less "innocently" and should have been charged as well. FAILURE to charge the motorist is a failure of the police in that situation.
RUN SAFE. Barefoot 1st: 6/9/13. PR: 5k=22:50 10k=47:46 HM 1:51. FM 4:28 Oct 2015 joined RUN 169!