what the... why are people such a-holes?

[Erica]

So me and Jay were out tonight on what could have possibley been the best ride this year. Perfect weather, wind at our backs, just passed my favorite four horses on Thanksgiving that gallop down the pasture at us each time we ride by, and passed a load of brand new baby cows looking all cute on 42. Spring blossoms filling the air with their sweet aroma...just a wonderful evening ride. I had just made the comment of 'ah, just cruisin' down the road at a leisurely 18.5mph' (which was feeling effortless) when I heard tires locking up behind me in a BIG way. I dont mean a wee little chirp, I mean full on locking up. The kind that, by the time I finally turned around to see WTF was going on, the car was completely enveloped in thick smoke from the tires, and they laid down some major rubber on the pavement.

Prior to turning around, in a split second as I heard all this noise right behind me, all this stuff flashed through my head. The online news articles I have been reading the past month about all the cyclists flashed before me, the most recent email updates from the Gyro who's wife is still up in the hospital after being mowed down, knowing that the very next sound I was going to hear was going to be crumpling bike parts under a vehicle, and most painfully, my childrens' sweet smiling faces and the thought of never seeing them again....

ALL BECAUSE SOME STUPID ASS THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE FUNNY! :mad:

Well, ha-ha you piece of crap. May you park your vehicle in the garage at night because so help me god, if i ever see that car again, i'm torching it.

Jay took off after them but couldnt catch up. I, on the other hand, tearfull and shaking, made my way back on the course in reverse, intent on going home. Every time a car came up behind me, I was terrified I was going to be crushed. Jay finally made me dismount and breath, and basically ordered me to get back on and keep going. I just wanted to go home and see my babies :(

But, we made our way back out, stopped by to see Cletus who was in super rare, disgusting form tonight with very off color remarks, and then made our way back, this time, stopping for me to spend a little quality time with the horses I love so much. They really are the most amazing horses I've ever seen, and they are just as sweet up close as I knew they would be.

Anyways, I'm still pretty angry and upset and shaken...figured putting it out there to people who would understand might help.

Be carefull out there, guys. You never know what a-hole might be coming up behind you, or with what intent.

[KarenG]

dang gf! that's some serious crap. glad you and jay are ok.

i commuted to work yesterday and this morning and, although my "incident" this morning was no where near as scary as yours, it was a bit un-nerving. i had just cruised through the light at Auburn-Knightdale road on Rock Quarry, headed towards work, no on-coming traffic. car behind me passes and gives me nice space, but the car behind the 1st one wants to pass #1. stupid fool does so - half on the shoulder of the opposite lane! gravel and dirt flying all over the road as this fool fishtails around car #1. thankfully, there was no traffic coming because if there had been, i know an accident would have happened. then, after that mess, a carload of mexicans pass and yell crap to me. omg. and i thought friday mornings would be more mellow since a lot of people might not be working...

oh well, made it work safely and just have to do it again this afternoon. yesterday, i traveled the 14.2mi both ways at a PB of 18.6mph avg. i think today's ride will be a little less, as i'm feeling a tad tired.

anyways - glad you guys are ok.

[Michelle W]

Wow..what a story. Sorry to hear about the whole thing Erica, but like Karen, I'm glad you and Jay were not hurt. It does rattle you when you have a close call with a vehicle when on the bike because we all know the car is going to win. Glad you got back on the bike, had a few sweet moments with the horses and I'm sure hugged your kids big time when you got home!

Karen, too bad you were faced with stupidity as well. I know there are more folks riding bikes with gas prices going up, but I'm not sure if that is going to be good or bad for motorists. Hope you have an enjoyable ride home and it is safe.

I've ridden to work 3 days this week. Most drivers seem to be OK, but I'm also able to stay off of the main roads most of the trip. Wishing everyone a good and safe holiday weekend.

[williamtash]

Jay was right you did need to get back on because if your didn't you would not ever ride again. I am so glad you and Jay were not hurt and that you did ride on because if the car saw you quit they may keep on doing it to other because it worked. You also need to report it. Just incase it happen to another biker and the result is worse. Have a safe holiday ridning

[RickF]

That is why I prefer riding in the heavy traffic between Cary and RTP to riding on country roads. All of the really close calls and most of the run ins with @$$ holes that I have had occurred when I was riding on rural roads south or east of Cary.

I commuted from Cary to RTP three days this week (14.5 miles each way), and while I was passed by hundreds of cars, there was only one who tried to run me off the road. You know the type - the one who, after he brushes your left sleeve, moves back to the center of the lane. The only major roads I am on are Cary Parkway, Davis Drive, and Cornwallis Road. Cornwallis Road has striped bike lanes, and Cary Parkway and Davis Drive have wide outside lanes, so there is plenty of room for both a car and a bike. Despite that, one idiot decided he had to see how close he could get to me (or try to make me panic). I grew up cycling in a major city, so it does not bother me when cars get close to me, but it really annoys me when they make a game out of it. That is how people get hurt.

[Erica]

thanks guys. im still pretty bitter about it today. its going to take a while before that experience is not fresh in my mind. i know it wasnt an actual brush with death, but the feeling of imminent death was very real indeed, and a sad reminder that all it takes is one jerk behind the wheel to put a quick end to any of us. :(

i still much prefer riding in the country as opposed to riding in the city. at least out here the traffic is minimal, which means the odds of not getting hit by someone are more in my favor than in the city where there are hundreds more drivers that could be the one careless idiot who kills me. im like you in a way rick...i dont mind drivers close to me, sharing the roads. what i mind is the idiots that get closER to be funny. its not funny. i wonder how many people actually get spooked to the point that they crash their bikes....and i wonder how many drivers get an extra giggle over that, as their victim lays mangled in a ditch behind them.... grr....ok, getting angry all over again. im outta here.

[skiffrun]

before all non-city dwellers get lumped as jerks, let us remember that sometimes, the most unexpected person will turn out to be the most supportive.

E.g., I ride with one guy who tells me that his co-workers who were raised in Creedmoor were always afraid to go to Stem, 'cause that's where the "mean red-necks" are. Yet, last year, the most ol' boy, pot-bellied, chain-smokin', red-neck lookin' guy came over to talk to my riding partner and I about our bikes and his experience on bikes, and all that. Right in the heart of "down-town" Stem.

Which is worse? A finger saluting, cursing jerk drivin' a pick-up, or a cell-phone talking, make-up putting-on soccer mom driving an SUV that is bigger than she can handle? At least the pick-up jerk is paying attention to where he is driving.

[Erica]

At least the pick-up jerk is paying attention to where he is driving.

LOL ya, the one Rick was talking about was looking where he was going, too......to the right, intentionally to brush Rick with his mirror, and then back to the center of the lane. :mad:

i dont give a crap where someone lives. i give a crap about what they do behind the wheel, especially when it pertains directly to me, those i love, or those i share a common concern with.

i prefer to ride in the country because from a pure numbers standpoint, the odds are in my favor. when every single vehicle that passes me is a potential death certificate, i prefer to be where there are less of them in my general viscinity.

[JayC]

Ive had a lot of run-ins with motorists before and it's gotten to the point that nothing really phases me but this incident was something else. The car must have been traveling at a pretty high rate of speed because I didn't hear it coming up behind us until the sound of tires in a panic stop jolted me from behind. I moved onto the shoulder, ready to ditch the bike but took a quick look and saw that the car really wasnt THAT close and by then was already slowing to a halt.. sideways in the road. I checked ahead real quick to make sure nothing was coming and turned around. By then, the car had already done an about face and was going off in the opposite direction.

I took off after them, thinking that I could maybe catch up at the stop sign for Hwy 39 if they got stuck there by traffic but then realized we were a little farther down the road than I had originally thought and figured at the rate they were hauling ass away from the scene of the incident, that Id need a good minute of them being stuck at the stop sign to catch up.

So.. I turned around, talked to a couple of people out in their yard and asked if they knew who it was, had seen the car around before, etc and of course no one new them.

Ive had much worse incidents than this but this one by far was the most unusual. Im 99.9% sure it was some kids that thought they had just pulled off the greatest practical joke ever (Even tho it wasnt funny) but it was still an ass**** move.

[KarenG]

dang Jay (& Erica). must be a bad day for riding. i got buzzed really close on the way home and some ******* threw something at me and hit my shoulder...all on the way home today. )*%)#$*)&%)#*&)#*$)#&(@&#(^(^%

dummies.

[Pugslyyy]

Hey Erica = how have your last few rides been, better I hope?

[Erica]

much better :) thanks for asking. course, there was the bug incident that left me with a swollen eye for two days >=^( but i reserve my hatred for people, not critters, lol!

[Pugslyyy]

that bug had it out for you. i hear stories.

[Erica]

lol heh....that bug is dead. that'll teach him a lesson he'll never forget ;)

[Pugslyyy]

i eat bugz

http://www.sfgate.com/blogs/images/sfgate/foreigndesk/2008/02/25/thaibugs498x338.jpg

[KarenG]

yea...not even 1.5mi into my ride this evening (headed out Buffalo to do the Micro route), i looked up and there was oncoming traffic AND a friggen toyota truck passing!!! passing in my friggen lane!!! the sob passed me IN MY LANE, not more than 2 friggen feet from me at 60+mph!!! http://www.socalbikeforums.com/images/smilies/wtf[1].gif can you say "this close to being a GD splattered hood ornament????" i will never ride from the Grocery Bag again before 6pm. stupid MF'rs. Jesus H. Christ - what could've been so damn important to that driver that he had to pass with me coming towards him???http://www.socalbikeforums.com/images/smilies/mad.gif

that just about made me turn around and head back home. OMG. can drivers be any more GD stupid????????????????????

[Erica]

karen, thats happened a couple times to us out there in the last month or so. most recently it was a giant pickup truck coming at us. uhm, what the heck road is it. you know when you leave TGB and head down buffalo, then take that left and then an immediate left? we were coming BACK on that road, just passed the church on the left and were approaching the last stretch of rd before getting to the stop sign. i look up and see this giant truck coming at us, in our lane, passing traffic in his lane. there was NO need for that whatsoever. he came very close to whacking us too. scarey stuff...

now i got my 5 year old son telling me if i 'was out cycling and got smooshed by a car, id have to go to the hospital, he would be sad, and then he would get a new mommy.' does this really make me want to head out for a nice ride? no...not exactly. it makes me want to pick a new sport to excel at. one that doesnt involve cars.

[dookie]

karen...exact same thing happened to me recently, south of chapel hill. the oncoming driver (full-size 'merican pick 'em up) had the courtesy to lean on the horn and put a finger in the air as soon as he pulled into my lane, so i'm guessing he saw me.

had my cell with me and called *HP as soon as i picked myself up out of the weeds (no damage to bike or person). they asked if i had a plate #. i explained the circumstances, that there were no front plates in NC, and that i could practically still see the guy.

sorry...no plate, no action.

next time i'll bounce a bottle off his windshield. maybe he'll stop and kick my a$$ so i can get his plate.

amen sister...WTF indeed!

[KarenG]

sheesh. i know. i almost turned around after that. i was down in the drops and just sat up and coasted a bit and hoped to regain composure so i could do my intervals. it was freakin' scary as hell.

i wanted to ride more after the intervals, but just had no motivation to be buzzed by cars or have **** thrown at me. damn stupid people who have no friggen consideration for others.

[CrankHead71]

Well here is a little revenge story. The other day we rode out of Archers Lodge. Just a couple miles up Covered Bridge just before getting to Thanksgiving here comes towards us, one of these primer black, jacked up, pick-up truck. The kind the muffler sounds like a freight train coming. Anyways, there is no other traffic around us at all and the pick-up is coming towards. The pick-up is coming in his lane and we're in our lane. When the pick-up gets next to us as it passes the driver looks right at us and yells out the window "GET THE F$CK OFF THE ROAD!!!" So I give him a friendly wave but I forgot and only used one finger. Well this guy slams on his brakes and goes to throw it in reverse. Well, I already turned around and was off my bike heading towards the truck, yes I took my cleats off before I got to his window. So here is how the conversation went:
Me: You got problem???
Driver: Hey Bo, you taken that stuff off like you gonna do something.
Me: Yeah, well you slammed on your brakes like you wanna do something.
Driver: I was just wondering why you gave me the finger?
Me: Cause we were minding our own business but you had to run your pie hole as you went by us.
Driver: UUMMM I wasn't talking to ya'll.
Me: Looking around to see somebody else he might have been talking to, of course I did not see anybody else. So I say, who the hell were you talking to?
Driver: UUMMM the car the was coming towards me that was in my lane that almost ran me off the road.
Me: What?? What car?? you looked right us and yelled out the window.
Driver: I was yelling at the car that was in my lane.
Me: Whatever, I'm tired of this sh!t and dealing with people always messing with cyclist, always yelling and throwing crap at us.
Driver: I understand Bo, but I wasn't yelling at ya'll.

So I throw my hands up, I'm done with this conversation, this guy is crazy, so I get back on my bike, yes I put my cleats back on and continue our ride. There was no other car, the guy was full of crap. I think he realized he bit off more he can chew and started back pedaling. Now if there was another so called car. Why didn't he just blow his horn at this so called car, instead of yelling out his window. But yet he is so quick to slam his brakes and begin to chase a few cyclists because someone gave him the finger but yet he didn't slam on his brakes and begin to chase this so called car that supposely ran him off the road that could have killed him. HHMMM you know why he didn't??? Because there wasn't no freakin' other car!!!!!!!!! :mad:

Now I don't justify what I did, it's just that day I had enough. It did feel good though. I bet he'll think twice before messing with a cyclist again.

[RickF]

i looked up and there was oncoming traffic AND a friggen toyota truck passing!!!
most recently it was a giant pickup truck coming at us.
the oncoming driver (full-size 'merican pick 'em up)
the oncoming driver (full-size 'merican pick 'em up)

I am seeing a pattern here.

[RickF]

Car crashes into bike race; one dead (http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/06/02/mexico.bikers.ap/index.html?fark)

[RickF]

i will never ride from the Grocery Bag again before 6pm.
Just one more reason why I do not ride from there ever.

[KarenG]

Just one more reason why I do not ride from there ever.

ha. that's not really fair Rick. have you ever ridden out here??

i said "not before 6pm" i think. in the 3yrs i have been riding in this area, this is hte first time something like this has happened. before 6pm, you have everyone getting off from work and rushing home to watch the evening news or whatever. everyone is in a hurry.

after 6pm, it seems most folks are much more courteous and there is a bit less traffic on the road. i think in general though, that people are just pissed off about the gas prices and are driving pissed off. *shrug*

gotta be careful, whether it's here in redneck-ville johnston county or yuppity-ville cary/raleigh.

[Erica]

Just one more reason why I do not ride from there ever.

:rolleyes: ya, because cyclists dont encounter a$$hole drivers in Cary ever...

[bethw]

Hi all, this is from another group I belong to and wanted to pass it on in hopes of catching this person. People are crazy and I really don't know why they do crap like this. Just another reason for us to be careful.
Beth




"Subject: [Bikers] Cyclist hit in malicious attack--please read and pass along!

Everyone be careful and be on the lookout for the car described below.

Okay, one more reason to be careful riding…

Two cyclists were riding around 4pm on Saturday afternoon (one cyclist is training for the Beach to Battleship & they were riding a 45 mi/loop out Apex/Lake Jordan way) and a car deliberately hit one cyclist, then tried to hit the other, missed, and then bolted. The rider is fine physically, but these people did this on purpose, which is beyond comprehension, and they’re still out there somewhere… the riders were between the SkyWay gas station on Old Route 1 traveling southbound and the back entrance to Pea Ridge Rd. when this happened. Ambulance, State Police and Chatham Co. Sheriff were all there after and they've been given as much description as possible, but they don’t think that they have enough to go off of – it was a charcoal grey Chrysler 300 M w/ the first license plate letters “XYT” and it has a newer NC plate w/ red lettering. This was no accident at all – they deliberately hit the cyclist and then tried for the other– the rider saw the car come up quickly in his peripheral vision and then saw the front passenger open their door to try to hit him with it, they missed and the rider heard a girl shouting from in the car, “Just go, go go!” The driver floored it and wildly went around a Ford Explorer that was in front of it – that driver witnessed the whole thing and got the partial of the plate, came back to the scene, etc. – the cyclist was able to lean right & get out of the way, and as soon as he could wrap his head around what was going on & that it was deliberate, he looked back to see his fellow rider down & in the road. He went back to get to her & get her out of the road, take care of her, etc. – she’s beat up & has road rash, but otherwise is okay. Her helmet is cracked in two places and the front-end of her new tri bike was messed up, and we’re all pretty angry, I think – especially her!

Anyway, we’re going to see this car out there again, at some point, since they’re still out there – charcoal gray Chrysler 300 w/ “XYT” as the first three letters… unbelievable!"

[Winnie]

They have plenty "to go off of" if they really wanted to find these people.

[TracyW]

if they really wanted to find these people.I think you hit that one dead on.

[bethw]

Yeah, I think so too, and I hope the police are doing everything they can to find these folks. It's too bad we can't just enjoy a great day out on the road.

[TomG]

There is no reason why these people should not be arrested within a week for attempted murder. If they are not then there is something seriously wrong with the police and our elected officials.

[Erica]

has anyone gone to the newspaper with this?

[bethw]

My friend from another cycling listserve sent it to me and I asked him about that also. He said he didn't think it made it to the papers. I'm going to email him again to see if I can get any more information about that.

[TracyW]

This will be on NBC 17 tonight at both 6pm and 7pm.

[bethw]

Here's the response I got back from my friend on this incident:

"I just got word that NBC Channel 17 did an interview with Paul and Katie about the bike accident and they should be running something on the 6:00 news tonight."

[Bob]

http://www.nbc17.com/midatlantic/ncn/news.apx.-content-articles-NCN-2008-07-01-0024.html

[piper_chuck]

Here's a link to the WRAL article. http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3138484/
Once again, they are so lame. It sounds like there is a description of the car and a partial license plate number, but does WRAL bother to mention this information? NOPE.

I live in Chatham, on the West side of Jordan Lake, and I definitely will be watching for a car matching the description. These people need to be found and put behind bars for a while.

[dookie]

...It sounds like there is a description of the car and a partial license plate number, but does WRAL bother to mention this information? NOPE.

must have been a late addition...it's in there now.

i've been alone on a bike on that exact stretch of road twice in the last two days! and the head-on 'chicken' incident i described earlier in that thread happened very near there as well.

scary stuff.

[Erica]

ive been watching the comments on wral unfold all morning. it got up to 171 but i see some have been deleted as it is now sitting at 169. i wonder what side of the fence was deleted.

once again, i am amazed at driver arrogance and stupidity.

[piper_chuck]

A couple recent car/bike accidents are being discussed in the Chatham County forum: http://chatham-county-nc.com/bulletinboard/index.php/topic,7374.0.html

[Bob]

Is there any way I can connect the victims with someone who knows a North Carolina State trooper who is wanting to assist?

Bob


Nevermind. I got a hold of the proper information. Thanks.

[BetsyW]

ive been watching the comments on wral unfold all morning. it got up to 171 but i see some have been deleted as it is now sitting at 169. i wonder what side of the fence was deleted.

once again, i am amazed at driver arrogance and stupidity.

Why is it that every time something like this happens the idiot comments on WRAL are all about why cyclists shouldn't be on the road in the first place? It makes me so angry. They're up to 215 comments now, I just started reading them and had to stop because it makes me ill.

[TracyW]

I kinda enjoy threads like that. I think it is a perfect example of the arrogance and narrow-mindedness bicyclists face every time they get on the same road as automobiles. Kinda a reality check.

I especially get a kick out of people that are more annoyed with the spandex than being held up for a minute portion of their lives.

[BetsyW]

I especially get a kick out of people that are more annoyed with the spandex than being held up for a minute portion of their lives.

You know I ONLY dress like that cause I think I'm Lance Armstrong;).

I ended up reading most of the posts too, I love to read Erica and piper_chuck's comments. There are a few other good ones too. It's funny that the people that are for cycling use logical and rational arguments based on the law and the people that are against us complain about the inconvenience it causes them (and our clothes).

[Tony F]

A friend of mine decided to sleep in Sunday and ride later in the morning. Since she was riding by herself, she decided to start at the YMCA and just ride the hills in Wakefield. She was headed down Plantation Dr. when a van pulled beside her and the passenger yelled for her to get the f... out of the road B....! Then she saw the golf ball the driver threw out the window bounce once before it hit her in the mouth. When she could see again she noticed a lady walking a dog on the sidewalk who witnessed the whole thing and got the tag #. Go figure, a blue van with a vanity plate "MR BOYS". RPD came and took report. Here is the kicker, a detective called her yesterday and tried to talk her out of pursuing the issue. "they are good kids just made a bad decision". That is the attitude of the cops, too much trouble for them to follow up on!! She is livid and wants to see them in court.

[TracyW]

Let the court go easy on them, which they will. Just let them see the inside of a courtroom. It might just save them from being in there later on in life.

[TracyW]

You know I ONLY dress like that cause I think I'm Lance Armstrong;).You do have his eyes ;)

[kcarmack]

New press in today's N&O on the hit-and-run a few weeks ago:

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1136573.html

Still no suspects.