This from an email I received this morning.
Well as some of you know this past weekend, a few of us were almost ran off the road while cycling by some guy. Well here is the low down of the event for those that do not know the whole story.
There were five of us riding. Doug and myself were out front (I was 12-15" to the left of his back wheel). Following us were Kim, Jim and Stephan riding in single file. The guy went past those three and almost took Jim out by coming a few inches from his handlebar (that would have been a bad scene). When the guy got to Doug and myself, he was laying on his horn. He had plenty of room to pass for no cars were coming and you could see for a good 3/4 of a mile. The guy then slowed down to match our speed (speed limit was 45 and we were going 24-25mph) and then moved closer to Doug and myself (i.e. he got really close). He came within inches of taking me out. Once passed, he sped up and off he went. Thankfully, Stephan stored the license plate in his cell phone.
Today, I called the state police and reported the incident. 1st question they asked...why are you waiting 2 days before contacting us? Well first, Stephan's cell phone went dead when we got back to Kim's place. 2nd, I called you guys yesterday but you never called me back. So here we are. I told him our story...he said he would follow up and get the other story and see what to do next.
The trooper made contact with the guy and was told his side of the story. Which was...I was just obeying the law and the cyclists were not. I laid on the horn and they did not move...so I thought I would make them move into a single file line (with my 2000lb vehicle) by getting closer to them. According this guy, the law states that cyclists have to ride in a single file line (which it does not).
The state trooper got a little educated on this manner since he had to look up the state law. It states cyclists can ride no more than 2 abreast and vehicles should take caution when passing cyclists. They should be sure they have a clear view of any oncoming traffic before passing. In other words, this guy was way out of line and put 5 cyclists into extreme danger by his actions.
So we're looking at the possibility of criminal action but it's unlikely. Civil would be hard to press since no damages were done...except maybe that incident made Doug crash two miles down the road? Is that possible? Hmmm...
So we end the day with the following:
1 - 5 cyclists who were threaten by a guy who thought he would teach us a law by trying to hit us.
2 - A wife who is pissed at her husband for what he did.
3 - A guy who does not understand that he came within inches of potentially killing someone.
4 - A state trooper that says "he has more pressing issues to deal with".
Bright side of the story, no one was hurt in the incident...the guy won't be trying to force cyclists into a 'single line' anymore...although we better not have a bike race anytime soon...cuz if he sees a group of 50 or 60 bikers going down the road, he might force them into two lines (as the law says)...gotta love the people who drive those cars.
How do we get our state lawmakers to revisit this law to change it. Change it so that cars must give us at least 3' of passing clearance for our safety? So when these things happen, we have a recourse...cuz right now, it does not seem we have anything.
John
Well as some of you know this past weekend, a few of us were almost ran off the road while cycling by some guy. Well here is the low down of the event for those that do not know the whole story.
There were five of us riding. Doug and myself were out front (I was 12-15" to the left of his back wheel). Following us were Kim, Jim and Stephan riding in single file. The guy went past those three and almost took Jim out by coming a few inches from his handlebar (that would have been a bad scene). When the guy got to Doug and myself, he was laying on his horn. He had plenty of room to pass for no cars were coming and you could see for a good 3/4 of a mile. The guy then slowed down to match our speed (speed limit was 45 and we were going 24-25mph) and then moved closer to Doug and myself (i.e. he got really close). He came within inches of taking me out. Once passed, he sped up and off he went. Thankfully, Stephan stored the license plate in his cell phone.
Today, I called the state police and reported the incident. 1st question they asked...why are you waiting 2 days before contacting us? Well first, Stephan's cell phone went dead when we got back to Kim's place. 2nd, I called you guys yesterday but you never called me back. So here we are. I told him our story...he said he would follow up and get the other story and see what to do next.
The trooper made contact with the guy and was told his side of the story. Which was...I was just obeying the law and the cyclists were not. I laid on the horn and they did not move...so I thought I would make them move into a single file line (with my 2000lb vehicle) by getting closer to them. According this guy, the law states that cyclists have to ride in a single file line (which it does not).
The state trooper got a little educated on this manner since he had to look up the state law. It states cyclists can ride no more than 2 abreast and vehicles should take caution when passing cyclists. They should be sure they have a clear view of any oncoming traffic before passing. In other words, this guy was way out of line and put 5 cyclists into extreme danger by his actions.
So we're looking at the possibility of criminal action but it's unlikely. Civil would be hard to press since no damages were done...except maybe that incident made Doug crash two miles down the road? Is that possible? Hmmm...
So we end the day with the following:
1 - 5 cyclists who were threaten by a guy who thought he would teach us a law by trying to hit us.
2 - A wife who is pissed at her husband for what he did.
3 - A guy who does not understand that he came within inches of potentially killing someone.
4 - A state trooper that says "he has more pressing issues to deal with".
Bright side of the story, no one was hurt in the incident...the guy won't be trying to force cyclists into a 'single line' anymore...although we better not have a bike race anytime soon...cuz if he sees a group of 50 or 60 bikers going down the road, he might force them into two lines (as the law says)...gotta love the people who drive those cars.
How do we get our state lawmakers to revisit this law to change it. Change it so that cars must give us at least 3' of passing clearance for our safety? So when these things happen, we have a recourse...cuz right now, it does not seem we have anything.
John
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