I loved the part towards the end when the driver reveals he had a gun… I must admit I would have been hard pressed not to use it if a bunch of knuckle heads were walking on my hood.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/content/local_news/epaper/2009/08/20/0820_cyclist.html
Aloha,
Matt
That 5pm dinner rush hour!
WTF?
I’ve passed bikes a little close because they were taking the entire effing lane.
I found this interesting:
The cyclist, Thomas McDonald, 50, of Lighthouse Point, was arrested and charged with simple assault and battery on a person older than 65. He also was charged with burglary.
You old folks get movie discounts and a special assult catagory…sheesh. Want anything else? How about government funded retirement??
(Assume that’s in pink)
Even a speaker was torn out, he said.*
Wow
.
Just remember…you’ll be over 65 some day : )
.
Those cyclists deserve an ass beating.
“Some witnesses, according to a police report, said Barish hit one of the bicycles as he was passing the group of cyclists.”
If that’s true it’s hit and run. That changes everything.
i hope some day to take part in an angry mob
hopefully one more rigetous than this though.
Nothing quite like a mug shot with your cycling jersey on. That’s going to carry some street cred.
“Some witnesses, according to a police report, said Barish hit one of the bicycles as he was passing the group of cyclists.”
If that’s true it’s hit and run. That changes everything.
Let me guess…the witnesses were the cyclists.
Nothing like a little violence and destruction to solve a problem…oh wait.
That 5pm dinner rush hour!
Haha … gotta get the Early Bird special.
Unbelievable.
I almost took out (accidentally) a couple of yahoos on a group ride the other day as I was leaving work. There’s construction on a road near my office where cones are set up to reduce from two lanes to one (right to left). Unfortunately, it’s right before a right hand turn at a traffic light that I have to make. These morons apparently believed they were allowed to stay in the right hand lane, go through the coned off section and proceed straight with the right of way. Fortunately, I know that many (most?) cyclists are completely ignorant of how to appropriately ride in traffic, and I was looking for them. However… I can certainly see why motorists don’t like us. And this is Boulder, CO. Morons.
charged with simple assault and battery on a person older than 65****.
Oh, I see…now old people get special rights. Next thing you know, they’re gonna want to marry who ever they wish!
Nothing quite like a mug shot with your cycling jersey on. That’s going to carry some street cred.
I’m sure he was well received by the fellas down at County.
i just left this ride before this all happened. the driver did buzz the group twice! and did hit a cyclist with his mirror. At the light down the road the group caught him and had a few words for him. he then did hit one of them with his car. then bam, the testosterone took over. it is crazy down here in FLA. both sides are to blame.
There are alot of Seniors in Palm Beach County. That explains the “over 65” distinction.
There is alot of bad blood between cyclists and drivers in southern Palm Beach county.
Like the previous poster said it can be blamed by both sides. The roads there are extremly crowded and many cycling groups ride 5-6 abreast.
And drivers are old and dont know the laws of giving cyclist enough space.
I am from northern Palm Beach (Jupiter) and drivers there are much more laid back.
I’ve never liked when people play tough guy with superior numbers against someone, such as a 65 year old, who can’t defend themselves. Then again, I don’t like 65 year olds being douche bags and hitting cyclists. Personally, I would have let the guy go, and filed hit and run charges, but that’s just rational thinking.
No exscuse for what the cyclist did. Get a liscence plate # sign a civilian complaint or call police at that moment and follow person to final destination and “JUST” wait till police arrive and tell your side of story. They deserve whatever they get. The cyclist that is. Ironic thing is I had a unmarked police car buzz me today. Of course I was riding against traffic at the time, which so happened to be safest place with construction going on and the bad street condition on other side… The officer on passenger side just smiled and laughed. Sometimes you have to just let go.
I’ve often felt like dragging a driver out of his car after a too close for comfort pass, but I also avoid large group rides like the plague these days.
The biggest local bike store has a couple of group rides that go 30-40 folks and take the whole lane on some heavy traffic roadways - stupid. I’ll keep my group small unless I’m racing, thank you. I don’t have much regard for the big packs of Cat VI riders occupying an entire lane or more on open roads.
No exscuse for what the cyclist did. Get a liscence plate # sign a civilian complaint or call police at that moment and follow person to final destination and “JUST” wait till police arrive and tell your side of story.
And the police will do absolutely nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Been there done that. We even had a guy buzz us, pull over in front of us and climb out with a sawed off shotgun and threaten to shoot us for riding 2 abreast. The police came. They said the guy did nothing wrong. In the vast majority of cases of a motorist endangering a cyclist, the police are completely useless to cyclists.
Lets enter the real world.