We were riding today on the Great Western Loop in San Diego. It’s a fairly popular hilly route without much traffic, but it’s also notorious for having aggressive / impatient drivers. Recently I’ve had no issues and I ride pretty regularly out there, but usually early morning during the week, couple of times a month in season, sometimes every week. But this was a little later on a Saturday, so maybe different?
We were in a group of 4, pacelining, and had just started the first major climb when I got buzzed and exhaust-blasted by a large duallie POS work truck. I thought it was rude and not sure if it was intentional or not until my buddy asked if they flipped us off. He had seen a hand out the passenger window. Nope, another said. They threw a bottle. Missed.
About 15 minutes later, same truck. I could hear him coming this time. Not sure how he got behind us again, but same thing: Paused, stuttered, then several half revs to blow exhaust. I raised my hands like WTF. And they sped off. This time though, they had hit my buddy in the back with a bottle. Everyone is fine, just pissed.
The truck had a diy company work sign in the rear window. We’ve looked them up. Called SDPD just to document in the hopes that they might help stop this. Nope, “Not our jurisdiction.” Told me to call Sheriff. Sheriff was like, “if it happened on a road, it’s CHP.” Called CHP. CHP doesn’t take “complaints” over the phone. Have to go in a fill out a written report. No one really seemed interested in helping.
So, we have some ideas of how we’d like to handle this, but I’m kinda curious to get some thoughts from the hive mind here. Maybe some things we haven’t thought of. Our main goal is just to try to stop this from happening again.
Only suggestion I have is to have bike mounted cameras so you can document what’s happening, unfortunately lodging a complaint with a verbal/visual account doesn’t carry much weight. Having video evidence of an incident might be more helpful for law enforcement.
This is why I don’t ride east county, and stick to fiesta. Keep being annoying and contacting (email, phone) the sherrif/chp … maybe la mesa or el cajon police? Maybe the SD cyclist Facebook group can help
Tough situation but in the future one means of peacefully retaliating is when they pass to yell that they are on camera as they blow by. Even if it doesn’t help you they’ll think twice the next time they do it. Even if you’re not recording just yell it same effect.
You have the company details.
Lots of fun ways to troll them on social media and make them learn their lesson.
First and foremost though, need to protect yourself against any recriminations.
I used to do this, but then what happened is every single ride I’d spend 45minutes after downloading and grabbing the clips of the ‘tools of the day’ that had momentarily spoilt the ride. But then with the camera it became the dominant thought/memory/emotion of the ride. So despite a few situations over the years where a video would have helped, the vast majority I’ve found it better to just move on.
Sounds really daft, but chances are you’re not going to stop people like that from behaving like cockwombles either directly or via the police, etc. So I just think how fortunate I am to be able to get out and ride, and think what bad things must have happened to those people in their lives to make them resort to throwing bottles/abuse/exhaust fumes at cyclists. And then get my mind back to the ‘good stuff’ of the ride/week/life.
Whilst detesting self help/yoga/meditation mumbo jumbo, the ‘you are the only one in control your emotional response’ line is valid. So if you show your aggression, back then you actually encourage them. Smiling and wishing them a good day I’ve found to confuse them to the point they piss off elsewhere pretty quickly.
Call police and report them as driving erratically and possibly under the influence. I believe DUI gets more attention than someone just buzzing a biker. And, really, for them to do something like this they are most likely under the influence of something, drugs, alcohol, or just stupidity! Hopefully they get pulled over and searched for illegal contraband which is highly probable they have based upon their behavior!
Agree. At OP, don’t delay when something like this happens, call the police immediately. There was a British lady that got slapped in the ass so hard it threw her into the ditch. I think she had a broken spine, or femur - serious shit. Thrown bottle could have hit you in the head and knocked you out. Trolling them on social media is the least you could do.
Cant believe they threw a bottle at you guys. I would be raging. Apparently my mum in law once smeared diaper poop on a car on some ignorant tool… had to laugh but I also dont think that this solves anything but then again, next time a cyclist might end up in hospital or worse due to such road rage actions.
Had a kid throw an egg at me when commuting in a rough bit of Manchester (had also had air rifle shot at me and been punched by someone on a scooter). But this time I was going too quick and the egg hit car stopped in traffic next to me. Unfortunately for the egg throwing 12year old scrote it was the car of the 17 year old brother of the local estate ‘bampot family’. So bizzare twist of fate I had to stop and prevent the egg thrower getting 7 shades of poo kicked out of him. Very similar to the current peace negotiations the compromise I brokered was unusual - he’d not be physically harmed, and retribution would be deemed to have been served on the basis he licked the car clean. That done we all went on our way…. The unexpected joys of commuter cycling…
Come ride in Australia…I’ve had bottles,food,drinks and all kinds of odd objects thrown at me not forgetting getting spat on and run off the road multiple times.
Why is it that this happens riding in "civilised " countries while 2nd and 3rd world countries have had me experience zero abuse?
My take is in places where people have to (financially) or are culturally inclined to use bike for transportation, there is much more respect for cyclists in general since even the drivers ride bikes, ergo they understand how vulnerable we are, even though they may grumble a bit behind two guys riding abreast.
Exactly this. I have ridden a lot through SEAsia and for the most part they are so used to Tuk Tuks, food carts, motorbikes,etc,etc,etc that they treat me like I am just part of the normal traffic. Singapore is the exception.
Dunno but I have no issues in France, maybe one in 300 drivers is honking once and some may pass fast but this seems to be an issue more in countries that have tons of urban sprawl
