Posted on 05/12/2007 3:21:50 PM PDT by SmithL
BERKELEY -- An angry confrontation erupted during Friday night's Critical Mass bike ride in Berkeley when cyclists accused a motorist of trying to run them over, a participant who videotaped part of the fracas said today.
The incident, similar to an altercation that occurred during a Critical Mass in San Francisco in March, occurred about 8 p.m. as dozens of cyclists rode through the intersection of The Alameda and Monterey Avenue, said bicycle activist Jason Meggs.
Tempers flared on both sides and the motorist's windshield was shattered and a wiper bent, but Berkeley police did not make any arrests, Meggs said.
Police officials were not immediately available for comment, and the identity of the driver was not known.
A man driving a Chevrolet van allegedly drove toward the cyclists, Meggs said, prompting the confrontation.
A video of the incident shot by Meggs shows a woman, identified as his wife, in the van -- which has disabled person license plates.
On the video, three bicycles are seen stuck beneath the right front tire of the vehicle and bicyclists trying to remove them.
"Everybody, back away!" one person is heard shouting. Cyclists are seen and heard pounding on the vehicle's hood and windows.
"What the f-? What's your f- problem?" one cyclist demands of the driver, who is inside the vehicle with the windows closed.
At one point, the man's wife opens her door. "How dare you be so violent?" someone is heard asking her. "Are you people drunk?"
The woman says something that can't be heard, prompting a man to ask her, "Guess who started it? Guess who did it?"
"You're on top of three bikes!" a bicyclist tells the driver, urging him to move.
...Meggs said police blamed the bicyclists for instigating the confrontation, a charge he denied.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Oh, just relax.
So DU is correct about the murderous impulses of FReepers?
Let me get this right -- you are exerting "self-control" over your tendency to throw open a car door from a moving car once you have passed a bicyclist and then slow down in order to cause him/her physical harm from his/her impact with the door?
Diana, you are one sick puppy.
I beg you: Never do this! If you do, and the prosecuting attorney finds this post, you are going to experience a stretch in the pokey not only for assault but likely premeditated assault.
And the DUmmies will have a field day.
LOL! Yes. I’m on a murderous rampage against cyclists. You caught me red-handed, LOL! I’m sure I’ll be a DU Poster Child by morning and will single-handedly bring FR to its knees. *Rolleyes* /SARCASM (Just in case you don’t get it.)
I’m going out for the evening with my family. Enjoy your Saturday night on-line. ;)
Huh? Why would anyone do that? I think the point it to sopen the door while next to them so that you knock them off the road.
If they are running a red light you have the right to run them over, just the same as if you hit a car that runs a red light. They are not pedestrians, they are vehicles. If they want the rights of vehicles to use the right-of-way, they have the legal obligations as well.
The only problem here is the bicyclists were not arrested by the police.
The reason that driver has a van isto carry the shotties and enough bird shot. What he is really doing is asking, “Which way did the Critical A$$ bunch go?”
What these liberal idiots don’t understand is that by giving them a free pass, it just encourages the public to solve the problem themselves. They complain about people striking back, but as long as these buttwipes continue to flaunt the law with official approval, the people will disrespect the law.
Not yielding the right of way has been a problem in Berkeley for a long time.
(See this 1906 silent movie regarding a streetcar / jaywalker pedestrian encounter in Berkeley:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1L5WgCxvVA )
Good for you! Behave yourself and don't unnecessarily exert your murderous inclinations towards any cyclists while you're at it tonight? It would be rough on your family's kids to say at church tomorrow that a close family member is sitting in jail. (Assuming they even go to church -- and by the way, does your church, if you attend one, approve your inclinations? Please identify your affiliation if so. I shouldn't need to state why.)
It's still Saturday afternoon here and I doubt I'll be online when it becomes evening, even though it's just a few minutes from now. I have other plans, plans which definitely do not include assaulting cyclists.
Hope to hear from you in the morning (your time or mine), from your home and not the jail.
Well of course. Heavy traffic and bikes don't mix well. I'm on the sidewalk in a flash if traffic is heavy. This works for me because I live in the city, where we have sidewalks. My pet peeve is suburbs and suburban streets that don't. Some places you can't even take a walk (safely) without getting into your car and driving to a walkable location.
Look at her statement in more detail. Surely you can figure it out. Or else provide an alternative situation?
The clothes that all these cyclists wear just cracks me up. When I’m driving with the wife and we come across a group, I alway say “Look honey, it’s Lance Armstrong!”. LOL! There is one local road that every day looks like the Tour De France.
>>1) Bicycle lanes tend to accumulate a LOT of trash, some of it pretty dangerous.<<
I get that. I also know that if you’re on a contraption that’s about the substsance a couple of butterfly antenne and a shock of angel’s hair you’re going to be a bit more *ahem* sensitive to trash in the road.
May I recommend a mountian bike? You look less silly and can ride over more things.
If the bike lane was impassable I would be sympathetic. The spandex yahoos in my area however, would not deign to dip their precious wheels in our bike lanes, even when newly paved. The roads are theirs, and us car drivers are really inconsequential things in their quest to find their two wheeled bliss. It gets really ridiculous. Brand new bike lane: all the bikers ride 6 inches over the line into the street.
>>2) In Washington state, cyclists are by law allowed to ride two abreast<<
That’s really just stupid.
My road (commute) bike is a combo -- best of road bike, mountain bike, and retro-geek. I tried a mountain bike, but the need for road-worthy tires (for the long commute) was a disadvantage. My commuter bike has a road diamond-frame, randonee handlebars, friction shifters, mountain bike clip pedals (and shoes), a 3x7 geartrain of uncertain origin, lotsa fenders & accessories (this is rainy Seattle), and a whole lot of lights fore & aft.
Believe me, I've put lots of effort into this. I don't care much about "riding softly on Mother Gaia", but I do care a lot about what comes out of my wallet, and for what.
We rightly make fun of adults who dress in the uniforms of other sports, yet for some reason bike riders want to be immune from our ridicule when they pretend to be in the Tour de France.
But, I'm not against bikes. I used to ride one.... then I turned 16 and got my drivers license.
What we need as a society is common sense Bike Control.
Anyone who wants to ride a bike may do so — but only at an approved velodrome. Owning a bike will be permitted too but the bike must be kept at the velodrome and locked.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.