diversion from the tour
All of us have had altercations w/ the driving public and depending on where you're riding, some more than others. We've all had that moment of rage as someone speeds up just to make a right-hand turn directly in front of you. They put your safety in jeopardy just so they wouldn't have to slow down for a couple of seconds; ooh the agony of deceleration! This happened to me the other day and it brought to mind a couple of scenarios I've heard or read about, and at least one that I've participated in.
I'm just in the minor leagues w/ the Krypto New York lock to the side mirror, but it was satisfying. Cabbies in DC do not like couriers, and if you're unlucky to be riding a bike in the city you are lumped into that mould. I had lots of messenger friends at that time and I would always hear stories about them getting hit, run off the road, and simply abused out on the road. You'd also hear how they got back. After a series of attempts to put me into the back of some parked cars along Mass. Ave I finally got the opportune moment: a long light, a back up, and one-way streets for the getaway. As I rolled up the middle between the two lanes I reached back to the lock I had tucked into my belt and as I was passing by his car, I swung. I didn't take the mirror off the car, but needless to say w/ it hanging from where it was situated before he wouldn't be using it again! There was no way for him to come after me, but I still took the one-way to further complicate things for him.
I read in a letter to a magazine once about a northern commuter that was out on a bad snow day. Someone thought that this was a bad idea and thought it was a good idea to teach him a lesson by running him off the road into a ditch. The cyclist caught up w/ the driver down the road at a light because the conditions were bad and definitely slow going. He rolled up beside him and as the driver was berating and threatening him, the rider reached over, pulled up on the windshield wiper and tore it off! Beautiful. In the middle of a blinding snowstorm w/ no windshield wipers!
The next one is the king. I worked w/ a guy who did courier work in DC for years and had plenty of run-ins w/ people, but this was genius. He formulated a sick plan after continuously battling the morning Hill commuters while he was working and them getting the upper hand. He filled a water bottle w/ his own urine after a hard night of partying. You know the kind: toxic, colorful, and definitely not something you want anywhere other than the toilet. So during the ride in the morning, damned if someone didn't start some shit w/ him. So when he had a chance at a light, he rolled up, and while the dude's window was open he unloaded the entire bottle onto him, his suit and the interior of his Mercedes! Like I said, the KING!
I definitely don't recommend retaliation of any kind since people are crazy and you'll never know what they're capable of. You're on a bike, they're in a one ton+ car and that hurts; trust me I know. You'll notice that in all the scenarios there was a defined getaway, or they were in a clear position to have the upper hand in traffic. But it's nice to hear that sometimes we're able to get them back sometimes.
T-Tags: cycling, tour, messenger, courier
I'm just in the minor leagues w/ the Krypto New York lock to the side mirror, but it was satisfying. Cabbies in DC do not like couriers, and if you're unlucky to be riding a bike in the city you are lumped into that mould. I had lots of messenger friends at that time and I would always hear stories about them getting hit, run off the road, and simply abused out on the road. You'd also hear how they got back. After a series of attempts to put me into the back of some parked cars along Mass. Ave I finally got the opportune moment: a long light, a back up, and one-way streets for the getaway. As I rolled up the middle between the two lanes I reached back to the lock I had tucked into my belt and as I was passing by his car, I swung. I didn't take the mirror off the car, but needless to say w/ it hanging from where it was situated before he wouldn't be using it again! There was no way for him to come after me, but I still took the one-way to further complicate things for him.
I read in a letter to a magazine once about a northern commuter that was out on a bad snow day. Someone thought that this was a bad idea and thought it was a good idea to teach him a lesson by running him off the road into a ditch. The cyclist caught up w/ the driver down the road at a light because the conditions were bad and definitely slow going. He rolled up beside him and as the driver was berating and threatening him, the rider reached over, pulled up on the windshield wiper and tore it off! Beautiful. In the middle of a blinding snowstorm w/ no windshield wipers!
The next one is the king. I worked w/ a guy who did courier work in DC for years and had plenty of run-ins w/ people, but this was genius. He formulated a sick plan after continuously battling the morning Hill commuters while he was working and them getting the upper hand. He filled a water bottle w/ his own urine after a hard night of partying. You know the kind: toxic, colorful, and definitely not something you want anywhere other than the toilet. So during the ride in the morning, damned if someone didn't start some shit w/ him. So when he had a chance at a light, he rolled up, and while the dude's window was open he unloaded the entire bottle onto him, his suit and the interior of his Mercedes! Like I said, the KING!
I definitely don't recommend retaliation of any kind since people are crazy and you'll never know what they're capable of. You're on a bike, they're in a one ton+ car and that hurts; trust me I know. You'll notice that in all the scenarios there was a defined getaway, or they were in a clear position to have the upper hand in traffic. But it's nice to hear that sometimes we're able to get them back sometimes.
T-Tags: cycling, tour, messenger, courier
posted by Chris Huller at 1:23 PM
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