So I was out riding this week by Alum Creek in Ohio. Not to far into my ride, I got hit by a plastic bottle thrown from a car. They also flipped me the bird. I’ve gotten angry drivers before, but I’ve never had anyone actually hit me with garbage. I haven’t been riding too long, is this normal?
I had someone throw a full water bottle at me but they narrowly missed my face. Not much you can do unless you can catch them. I have also had a car launch a water bottle into a pack of about 25 riders on a very steep descent. Sometimes people do things without really thinking about the consequences. I will say I pay more attention now.
I had a car roll through a stop sign and hit me, drive away then turn around and yell at me for being on the road.
Luckily he barely hit me and everything was ok, but it reminded me that the world is full of some absolute jerks.
So I was out riding this week by Alum Creek in Ohio. Not to far into my ride, I got hit by a plastic bottle thrown from a car. They also flipped me the bird. I’ve gotten angry drivers before, but I’ve never had anyone actually hit me with garbage. ** I haven’t been riding too long, is this normal?**
Yes - keep riding. Sad, really.
Unfortunately this is fairly normal. Someone once threw a handul of ketchup packs from McDonalds at me!
people act out at pedestrians all the time. i have never been hit with anything, but it’s happened to alot of my friends and team mates.
just be super aware out there, you really cannot let your guard down while riding on the road. if you can stay mentally ready for anything, things like this won’t get you down.
i’ve had alot of cars nearly brush me, also had kids scream at me as they speed by. you’ll encounter alot on the road. and it is sad.
I got hit once with a Wendy’s frosty.
get the lic. plate
I did try to get the license plate, but only could get the first part as I was pretty surprised when it happened.
Gotcha, it all happens so fast. Glad you’re all right anyways.
You’d might be surprised what the police can do with a vehicle description, color, possibly make, and a partial lic. plate!
Get the license plate number and report it. Especially if you’re in a small town.
Apart from that, don’t do anything in response. Don’t yell, don’t flip them the bird. Don’t even wave. Nothing diffuses the vast majority of people like this more than being completely ignored.
Mike
I had thought about calling someone because I figured a partial and color/make would narrow it down, but frankly, I didn’t want to interrupt my ride for 30 minutes to deal with filing a report etc. Although after the incident, I kind of regret it, because I get more incensed the more I think about it.
It’s not common where I live (Oregon) but it does happen on occasion. I’ve been narrowly missed by a big gulp before and had a drink of some sort hit me in the back one time. Last summer a work van passed me at about 50mph and they hit me right in the ass with a big nut or bolt or something. It was actually a pretty good shot on their part and hurt like heck (left a good bruise). I’m quite sure I hit my personal flat land speed record as I raced ahead just hoping they would have to stop somewhere ahead so I could go all “Record10Carbon” on someone 
** I did try to get the license plate, but only could get the first part**
that and a description of the car might be enough for the police. I’d call it in anyway.
Someone threw a full can of coke out of a car at me, it went between my torso, arms and top tube of my bike. I sprinted up the road to catch the license plate, went home and called the cops. The police told me that I’d have to stay at home for the next 3 to 5 hours and they would send over a police cruiser to take a statement from me. I asked them what they were likely going to try to do. I told them I wanted to try and charge the driver with attempted murder and would have no problem going to court over the issue, but they said that they would probably just have to give the guy a warning. I was really pissed off and I couldn’t guarantee I would be home for the entire f’n day so they wouldn’t send a police cruiser over.
You were serious enough to threaten a murder charge…but then couldn’t stay home for a few hours to wait for the cops?
Way to stick to your guns there.
Had a whole bag of McDonalds thrown at me on a run once. Got hit with an empty water bottle while on the bike another time. Bounced right off my helmet. People suck most of the time. Just gotta roll with it, it’s not worth ruining a workout over.
Last week I had a car full to teenagers throw a half full can of Beast Ice at me. Missed me by quite a bit, so it wasn’t too bad. I was disappointed they were wasting beer, at least it was Beast I guess.
wow a plastic bottle… Try a glass beer bottle hit my helmet luckily.
I’ve had plastic bottles thrown at me while running…
I’ve been shot with a paint ball gun once was in aero something hit my wrist as a car went by I didn’t know what happened stopped looked at my wrist my timex watch had paint on it and I found with some pieces of the paint ball casing on it. I saw where the car went tried to chase it down but it ducked into a gated apartment complex.
I think the phrase I hear most from motorists is “ride on the sidewalk like your supposed to” “or get of the road”
This has happened to me at least 10 times with various objects. First time I was with a cop friend of mine, and it was some Marines in Camp Pendelton. It was a big gulp that hit us both, and my buddy who is normally a really mellow guy, go enraged and started to chase. The guys got stopped at a light up ahead, and he was flipping his fanny pak and sprinting like it was a 4k pursuit. I realized what he was doing, he was getting his gun out of his pak, and his badge was in his mouth now. Lucky for us and the Marines, the light turned green just before we got there. I’m sure they probably had weapons too, and I could only envision bad things happening once my buddy stuck his into their window. Most times you never see them again, but on 3 ocasions I was able to find their cars later in parking lots, and leave them a message. Not the under the windshleld type either, but something more permnant, like some nice message keyed into the car door. ANd if I had time and they were not in sight, they also had some deflated tires to deal with too…Must say that gave me all the satisfaction I needed…