Driver gets 5 years for assaulting line of cyclists

Yikes. "To teach them a lesson"-- that's truly scary.

If he was a black man, my cops would have beaten him to death on the side of the road, planted an AK and a pound of heroin on him. That's how we do things in L.A.

This happened in Brentwood, isn't that the neighborhood in which OJ lived? Is Brentwood like a rich ghetto filled with white collar thugs?

America, build better lanes for cyclists.

If there were bike lanes in Austin like they have in Madison, WI University Ave, I would bike to work everyday.

Really why don't you whiney cyclist go away. Panzies

Lavega wrote:

America, build better lanes for cyclists.

If there were bike lanes in Austin like they have in Madison, WI University Ave, I would bike to work everyday.

They were going the speed limit, 30mph on a canyon descent. I don't think bike lanes were the issue, this guy was over the top.

Ive often wondered this question to myself, why is it that motorists get so worked up if they have to slow down to pass a group of runners or cyclists. How much time to they really lose? 5 seconds? 10? It could probably be 30 seconds and theyd still get to where they're going in the same amount of time. Barring emergencies nothing is important enough to make some of the close passes and peel outs ive seen by people when passing me on the side of the road.

What pisses most car drivers off about cyclists is how they consistently violate the rules of the road. In our area, we get these morons that ride in the middle of the road, sometimes 3-4 abreast, and just sit there. They run through stop signs all the time, causing people in cars to wait for them all to pass, etc. There are certainly law-abiding, conscientious cyclists and there are some real dickwads. It's the dickwads who create problems for the rest - not to the point of justifying what some moron in a car does, but to the point of shortening the tolerance that most car drivers have for these guys.

on the two lane roads around here bicycles ride two abreast for safety reasons. If you ride single file cars will attempt to pass when there's oncoming traffic and either hit you with the rear view mirror or force you into the ditch. They're looking at the oncoming vehicle and giving them room, forgetting that there's a bicyclist between them and the ditch. Riding 2-3 abreast makes the overall line of bikes shorter and easier to pass.

I don't understand why people go absolutely ape-s**t when bicyclist forces them to slow for a few seconds, but don't threaten the tractors, yard services, etc, that do the same thing.

I agree that the anger at cyclists is misdirected.

It's drivers talking on cell phones who really slow down traffic, simply because of their sheer numbers. Whenever I pass a car going under the speed limit, I usually see a cell phone at ther driver's ear. Not only do these people slow traffic, they don't signal and they turn slowly and in a jerky motion. Also, when a driver fails to stop at an existing red light, it's almost always because of a cell phone conversation.

It's time to ban cell phones from the road.

Puhleez! wrote:

What pisses most car drivers off about cyclists is how they consistently violate the rules of the road. In our area, we get these morons that ride in the middle of the road, sometimes 3-4 abreast, and just sit there. They run through stop signs all the time, causing people in cars to wait for them all to pass, etc. There are certainly law-abiding, conscientious cyclists and there are some real dickwads. It's the dickwads who create problems for the rest - not to the point of justifying what some moron in a car does, but to the point of shortening the tolerance that most car drivers have for these guys.

I agree with you, I do a lot of road cycling (both as commuting and for fun), and I can't count the number of times on my bike commute I've come to a stop sign and stopped waiting for a car and another cyclist blows right through the intersection!

That being said I don't feel that poor cyclists should be enough to get drivers mad at cyclists as a whole... Just look at how many poor drivers there are out there doing much worse than a cyclist blowing through a stop sign.

I commute on my bike every day in a major city and to be honest I never see bikes impede traffic. What I do see is pedestrians crossing where ever they want. They tend not to care that cars have to slow to avoid hitting them. I see delivery trucks constantly stopped in no stopping zones - causing huge backups. Construction projects closing lanes for months on end and just general grid lock due to the volume of cars.

So I honestly have no idea why the hate for bikers.

I would guess it is simply car drivers feel somehow inadequate or guilty that they are not fit or skilled enough to ride a bike - so their subconcious jealously, or distrust of anything different, causes them to hate bikes. When in fact, bikes are not the problem at all.

This doctor deserves jail. But there are an inordinate number of cyclists who act like jerks where I live. The streets are windy and shrubby, creating a lot of blind turns, and so it is very dangerous to pass them in your car unless they ride single file, which they often do not do. I do not mind slowing down to pass them, but what I do mind is that if, after slowing behind riders who are 2-3 abreast, you then tap on your horn to get them to ride single file so you can pass, you and you kids in the car then inevitabley get the finger and "f__ you" as you drive by. The jerk factor is always directly related to how obscenely loud their spandex outits are.

When they are riding in a group, not only do they not like to stop for stop signs, but they often do not stop for pedestrians in crosswalks (just had it happen this weekend walkign with my daughter). As you are starting to cross they will look you in the eye without slowing down, like you are supposed to stop and let them go first.

When I run with friends on the local bike path that wanders along the beach, bikers often zoom by us very close and very fast, and yell "this is a BIKE path," as if they own it.

Most cyclist do not do this stuff, but at the same time they do not police those of their own who do. If you are cyclist in a group and someone behaves badly, you should tell him to stop being such a a--hole instead of laughing about what a "wild man" he is.

Puhleez! wrote:

What pisses most car drivers off about cyclists is how they consistently violate the rules of the road. In our area, we get these morons that ride in the middle of the road, sometimes 3-4 abreast, and just sit there. They run through stop signs all the time, causing people in cars to wait for them all to pass, etc. There are certainly law-abiding, conscientious cyclists and there are some real dickwads. It's the dickwads who create problems for the rest - not to the point of justifying what some moron in a car does, but to the point of shortening the tolerance that most car drivers have for these guys.

Cyclists are entitled to a full lane, so they can ride right down the middle of it. If they aren't, they are being POLITE, which should be appreciated.

Good one.

This "doctor" is a disgrace to the medical profession and he should be barred from practicing medicine for life because he has used an offensive weapon upon the unsuspecting public. He also should never be allowed to drive a motorised vehicle again. This is for his own good as much as anyone else as he is considerably overweight and needs to be forced to exercise.

As for the cars/bikes on the roads debate, the world would be a FAR better place if the general population were simply not allowed to use private motorised transport. Usage by the emergency services would of course be acceptable and in such a "car free" scenario, they could reach their objective far faster in the absence of obstructing traffic. As well as the environmental benefits at the global level, the local environment for people would be more peaceful and much safer. To top it all, the general population would be forced to get off their butts and exercise more on a day-to-day basis, and with such a large aerobically trained population, the US would simply dominate the distance running world in about 20 years' time.

Puhleez! wrote:

What pisses most car drivers off about cyclists is how they consistently violate the rules of the road. In our area, we get these morons that ride in the middle of the road, sometimes 3-4 abreast, and just sit there. They run through stop signs all the time, causing people in cars to wait for them all to pass, etc. There are certainly law-abiding, conscientious cyclists and there are some real dickwads. It's the dickwads who create problems for the rest - not to the point of justifying what some moron in a car does, but to the point of shortening the tolerance that most car drivers have for these guys.

Lawyer wrote:

Cyclists are entitled to a full lane, so they can ride right down the middle of it. If they aren't, they are being POLITE, which should be appreciated.

Good one.

Ohh snap!

I live on an upscale road that is very bike/runner heavy due to its safety and relative flatness compared to other areas of the neighborhood. many people run/ride down my street when coming/going from a local land preserve.

When I pull out of my driveway, I just pray that I am not going to hit someone.

It is the outfits. People just do not like bikers b/c they dress like superheros.

People wouldn't like runners either if we ALL ran everyday in short shorts, singlets, spikes, arm warmers, OxySox and Oakley blades.

Not saying I think they are in the wrong, just what I think...

Well in the article the Doctor says the cyclists flipped him off and swore at him, which I have no problem believing. At least where I'm from (Bay Area) we have hundreds upon hundreds of stupid, dumb, inconsiderate, and inept bike riders on the road daily who like nothing more than to be a prick and assert their "right of way." I'm not saying it's entirely the cyclists' fault, but they more likely than not helped write the prescription for a dose of the Doctor's medicine.