# Soo mad!



## pingis (Jul 22, 2007)

I just started riding road today, and I was just wondering do road bikers always get disrespected on the road? I mean, when I'm driving my car and I am in the same vicinity of a biker, I make sure to give them tons of space. Anyway, I was riding tonight after work here in the bay area and some ****in red neck hicks in a beat up ford pickup shot at me with a bb gun and then proceeded to throw whatever it is they were drinking out the truck window at me. I was pissed. Then they had the nerve to litter. I mean, wtf would cause people to be such dicks. Sorry for my rant. This was in Antioch by the way.


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

No problem with the rant...situations like you describe can frustrating. Be careful, but don't let the clowns ruin your fun. 

It really does depend on where you're at.


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## pingis (Jul 22, 2007)

Its weird, I have totally cooled down since it happened. I realized I was more shocked then upset about the whole thing. I mean, getting a drink hurled at you when you're riding is just one of the most random things that ever happened to me. I guess if I want to get into road biking (been mountain biking for about five years now) this is just some stuff I'll have to get used to. Thanks for the reply though. I appreciate it.


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## CrankyMonkey (Jul 8, 2007)

You gotta just try and let slide sometimes, I've found that road riding is an exercise in forgiveness. I'm thinking Jesus would have made a good roadie! (I'm not very religious but I always thank god when I have a close call.)

Don't worry about the rant if you look through the archives you will find several posts by yours truly complaining about idiot drivers. I do think its odd that you didn't get a response like "I live in Antioch and that type of stuff never happens to me." What is this forum coming to?


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

My attitude adjustment came about a year ago while riding through Coyote Point Park. The road from the Marina to the Ranger Hut is posted 15 mph. I was going about 20-25 mph and as far to the right as possible, when some chucklehead in a big-ass black truck pulls up beside me and informs me that I'm taking up too much of the road. I replied that the speed limit is 15 mph, and that he needed to slow down, to which he responded, of course. What did I expect his response to be? "My apologies. Thank you very much for pointing out that I was way exceeding the speeding limit. I'll definitely make a point of slowing down through this beautiful park and on this road in the future." Not likely. There's really no point in even responding to fools like this. I just ignore them entirely and enjoy more rides much more.


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## pingis (Jul 22, 2007)

the only thing that gets me is that i got shot in the back with a bb gun, or it could have been an airsoft gun. then i get a drink thrown all over my face. I was too stunned at the time to realize how close to me the truck actually was. I just think its kinda sad that a lot of people who ride bikes have to put up with stupid junk like this. oh well. time to go ride!


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## singlespeed.org (Feb 14, 2006)

I agree with some of the posts about letting some stuff slide, but anything where the driver was making threats (either in word or action) to you should be reported to the police. What they did is very much against the law (and not just the littering). Shooting a BB gun at a cyclist is likely assault (a felony).


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## Crampandgoslow (Dec 27, 2005)

^^^
Yeah, what ss.o said. Other than reporting stuff like that (i.e. reporting license plates if you remember them) I think y'all need to pick better places to ride. You guys need to go where you're the rule, not the exception. Not being a smart aleck, but, you could always go back to riding off road if ur not diggin' the road scene, if you know what I mean.


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## dauphin (Jul 31, 2006)

*Aluminum, Carbon, Titanium, Steel?*



CrankyMonkey said:


> You gotta just try and let slide sometimes, I've found that road riding is an exercise in forgiveness. I'm thinking Jesus would have made a good roadie! (I'm not very religious but I always thank god when I have a close call.)


Just wondering....WWJR (What would Jesus ride?)


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## dlbcx (Aug 28, 2002)

Crampandgoslow said:


> ^^^
> Yeah, what ss.o said. Other than reporting stuff like that (i.e. reporting license plates if you remember them) I think y'all need to pick better places to ride. You guys need to go where you're the rule, not the exception. Not being a smart aleck, but, you could always go back to riding off road if ur not diggin' the road scene, if you know what I mean.


Another suggestion would be: leave the iPod at home. Need to be able to hear the environment around you. I know it is boring sometimes when you are riding alone, which I do lot, during the week. But, hearing someone revving up their truck, at least, gives me time to react or to be ready. 
I ride my cross bike during week and do some trails. And, for the most part, there isn't very much traffic. Just have to watch out for hikers and horse riders.


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## normalnorm (Jan 16, 2006)

I've read a few post lately, saying peopel are being shot at. Unbelievable....

Maybe, us the cyclists need to start carrying guns?

Is it me or are drivers getting worst/more hatred?


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## jinws (Mar 4, 2008)

what part of the bay are you in?

someone over at BF's norcal section got shot with a BB gun too. he was over in the east bay.


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## Chucko (May 15, 2007)

dauphin said:


> Just wondering....WWJR (What would Jesus ride?)


A cross bike, of course. :aureola:


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Jul 15, 2005)

normalnorm said:


> I've read a few post lately, saying peopel are being shot at. Unbelievable....
> 
> Maybe, us the cyclists need to start carrying guns?
> 
> Is it me or are drivers getting worst/more hatred?


That’s what I’ve been thinking. Although a Desert Eagle is too big to conceal while riding a roadbike unfortunately.


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## BikeLV702 (Apr 19, 2008)

Leopold Porkstacker said:


> That’s what I’ve been thinking. Although a Desert Eagle is too big to conceal while riding a roadbike unfortunately.



*cough* G38 *cough* Sorry that damn sub-compact  Glock .45  caliber cough keeps coming up!


While im not exactly agreeing with all cyclists arming themselves I do believe we need to be on the defensive more than ever. I ride in Las Vegas at the moment and the drivers here are the worst! I almost feel as if I'm a targert rather than an obstacle!


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## jetdog9 (Jul 12, 2007)

Getting shot at, even if it's a BB gun, seems pretty serious. If that happens again and the idiots also are stupid enough to throw a can at you, save it for the fingerprints and try to get 'em busted.


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## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

jetdog9 said:


> Getting shot at, even if it's a BB gun, seems pretty serious. If that happens again and the idiots also are stupid enough to throw a can at you, save it for the fingerprints and try to get 'em busted.


If you have the presence of mind to get their plate and call 911 to let them know you'd been shot at, they'd have a very interesting encounter with CHP within the hour.


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## lx93 (Jun 14, 2007)

Having a cell-phone cam within easy access (stem bag) can't hurt, either. 

Of course, they have to be dumb enough to slow down for you to snap the pic, but these folk don't seem like intellectual powerhouses.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

Regardless of whether you get a plate or not, that's a 911 emergency. Drunk drivers kill more people than real guns every year, and air guns kill people every year, not many, but they are a deadly weapon. Folks like that don't belong on the street.


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## hclignett (Dec 18, 2006)

You could always just move to a nicer area.


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