Hi guys,
I haven't ridden my road bike in a week, after 6months of 100+mi weeks I Decided to put it away for the time being after an episode last week.
At about 10:30am or so, I was riding at roughly 20mph,getting to speed. I normally go 25-30 going to the city. A car honked at me to move out of his way, and was making sort of "what the heck" gestures as I was being an inconvenience to him, so I gave him the finger. Next thing I knew, I had a 6liter SUV teasing me with his engine. Tough lesson learned, he pinned me between parked cars, so I punched his window (while riding at 20mph, stupid), he then cut infront of me, stopped and I quickly unclipped from my pedals and threw myself off my bike which landed upside down on the sidewalk after hitting the curb to avoid hitting him and parked cars.
He immediately threw 2-3 punches, grabbed me by the back of the helmet and tried throwing me into a shop window. I was screaming for help the entire time, yelling for the barber specifically who cuts my hair every month. It took more than a minute for people to come outside. I had gloves on too, tangled in 5 layers of clothing, felt defenseless... I grabbed the wall next to the window, spun around where he kept pushing me into an alley. I blocked the next 3 or so shots but 1 shot to the left cheek, no bruise.
I was upset the whole time, the guy was yelling and swearing at me repeatedly for hitting his car. The man was in his 40's, 6'0ish, roughly 260lbs. I'm 5'7, ~170lbs (I've dropped 60lbs this year from cycling this year)
I just got a ticket in the mail for making an obscene gesture. This really isn't fair, I don't know what to do... Was a law passed for cars having to keep 4ft away from cyclists, as it was discussed a couple months back? I could really use some advice.
I understand that I should not have gave him the finger, which seems to have caused it. How do I possibly ignore the second part of the situation with me being inched into parked cars? So I hit his window. The cop said that he didn't see him hit me, and I watched him drive off. I admitted to flicking the guy off, I STATED that, told them everything, every detail. I also dialed 911 after getting my gloves off and finding my phone.
Am I really in the wrong? I can handle it if other cyclists think I was, but not by cops that didn't help me.
Thanks.
wow. thats crazy.
while giving the middle finger might be obscene, getting a ticket after being jumped by a fat man seems more obscene. i would contest the ticket. i have to admit to giving and receiving the middle finger on many occasions. i quit with the bird and started waving, as if to say, "thanks for being an asshole". get some mace or something for self defense. wow, thats crazy.
were there witnesses? if so, charge him with assault and battery.
I tried to state that I thought charges should be pressed against him, the cop said, "I didn't see him hit you." told the guy "If you see any damage, call me" but didn't tell ME "If your face bruises, call me." I really should have gone to the hospital just for justification, I'm hoping the picture of my face helps a bit. My instructor saw my face and sent me to counseling services or what have you, so I'm going to get a copy of all those docs and such too. Bit of a nightmare, I thought I was the victim.
No witnesses, which I find odd. I know the shop owner very well though, so he would have stepped up if he did see anything.
The police rarely witness crimes, but arrest people for them all the time. this "I didn't see it" excuse is a cop out. He didn't see you give him the finger either.
Since when is the middle finger a criminal act?
This all smells really fishy to me.
Contact the ACLU; they're already engaged in a case relating to this issue.
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/17370549/detail.html
http://www.aclupa.org/pressroom/aclusuescityofpittsburghfo.htm
If you dont mind my asking...where did this occur?? just wondering what area of the city these cops were working in?? Im sorry this happened man...in my opinion you were defending yourself when you hit his window...almost like saying get out of my space!
Hey buddy. Screw the ACLU. Call me 412-281-1970. Brian DelVecchio. I ride and also sponser a few cross riders in the area. I can help you if you got his plate and filed a report. The only valid laws against giving the finger are in Germany. Also get me the cop's name, but it should be on the report.
SPK Law Firm.
This is really scary. Glad you're ok, fly, even though you took a couple of shots. Definitely contact a lawyer immediately. That's the best advice I can give. Where did this happen btw?
Got a lawyer and have lots of stuff gathered. Don't want to disclose the location etc at this time until I figure everything out.
Got no sleep last night, couldn't stop thinking about different outcomes that could have happened, including just ignoring him. If I was able to get a punch in myself, I would have been the one in cuffs, which seems unfair. I wish I would have let one of his harder shots get through. Even if I could have hit him, tangled in all the layers of clothing,gloves tied to my hands to stop wind, it was 30 degrees and snowing.
Anyways,thanks for the input guys. Checking out ACLU case and such now.
probably better off not punching the guy anyway...
"West Palm Beach man on bicycle fatally shot by masked assailant"
By JASON SCHULTZ
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
WEST PALM BEACH — Police are investigating the shooting death of a West Palm Beach man in the northern part of the city Tuesday night.
Deandre Sampson, 24, was riding his bicycle north on Pinewood Avenue when a masked person jumped out of the bushes and shot him with a handgun, said West Palm Beach police Det. Adam Myers.
The shooting occurred just before 6 p.m. near the corner of Pinewood Avenue and 52nd Street. Sampson was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center, where he died.
Police do not know the motive for the shooting and have not identified a suspect.
Dozens of residents standing on the street corners said they heard the shots, but most said they were afraid to give their names or answer any questions about the shooting because they had to live in the neighborhood.
that is messed up
