Cyclists - Report Unsafe Drivers
Oct. 5th, 2004 10:01 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
potentialtoburn.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
davis_squareI was in an incident this morning while biking to work. A driver turned, accelerating into me, pushing me off Holland St, but then he took off before I could talk to him. His plate was 608YVG. It was an older white compact hatchback. If anyone sees this car, text or call me so I can get a better description of it. 8579284850
If you have an incident with road-rage or unsafe drivers, use this form to report the incident. It does help. http://www.state.ma.us/rmv/forms/21171.pdf
bike on.
If you have an incident with road-rage or unsafe drivers, use this form to report the incident. It does help. http://www.state.ma.us/rmv/forms/21171.pdf
bike on.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:17 am (UTC)as for the poster--you should just report this to the RMV (resulting in a civil penalty if you're lucky), you should call the police and report a hit and run (resulting in a criminal penalty).
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:51 am (UTC)make sure you have a brick with you tomorrow :)
no subject
Date: 2004-10-06 06:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:38 am (UTC)As would screeeeeeching to a halt at the crosswalk inches away from me when I'm already halfway across the street (i.e., I was in the crosswalk already and didn't dart out in front of them; had they been paying attention and going the speed limit they would have noticed me in plenty of time), not stopping at all, swerving around me and swearing, calling me very bad names while I have the right of way...etc...
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:51 am (UTC)as much as i am for pedestrians' rights, i would be appalled if cursing them out were actually illegal, instead of just being dumb.
of course, that doesn't mean i'd be surprised, and i can't easily find the law. :)
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:57 am (UTC)But then, I am a Guerrila Pedestrian, and I do tend to live by the motto, "No one will give you your right-of-way. You have to take it."
And I have little sympathy for fatcats in cars who can't be bothered to stop for someone in a crosswalk, in the weather (whatever it may be), especially when they are carrying groceries.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 08:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 08:04 am (UTC)But the instant LJ gets searchable text, I'll let you know.
I hit them, too. Not so much, now...
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 08:13 am (UTC)if i tell someone to get out of the fucking way, is that harassment? what if it's because i'm driving too fast and i can't stop in time? what if it's because my brakes are cut and i can't stop in time? where do you draw the line?
i knew that it was illegal to slap cars, but i'm not sure how i feel about it. my gut tells me that i don't think it should be illegal unless it does damage, but on the other hand, it is a physical act of aggression as opposed to a verbal one.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 08:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 08:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 08:55 am (UTC)I would basically tap cars that came close enough for me to do so. I figure that if you get close enough to a pedestrian for the pedestrian to touch your car, you are probably doing something illegal/incorrectly.
Like you, it was not malicious. It was more a tap of "Hey, there is someone here."
After two people turned around and threatened me (one after I flicked him off for nearly running me down by turning into me without signaling while I was in a crosswalk), I am a little more careful about it. Not too much more scary than a 200+ lb. guy jumping out of his work pickup truck (complete with telephone number on the side) and running at you, yelling.
Now I try to throw my hands up in disgust instead of tapping cars. Oh, and I look around for a cop at the intersection, as well.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 09:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 02:13 pm (UTC)It also tends to draw stares from nearby pedestrians.
Maybe, as you said, it'll draw attention from a cop someday.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 08:39 am (UTC)Excuse me?
Crikey. It's this sort of thinking that made me leave California.
Try carrying groceries in pouring rain or heavy snow and talk to me about my "inconvenience" vs. some jerk's right to call me a "stupid cunt" because I am rightfully crossing the street.
if i tell someone to get out of the fucking way, is that harassment?
Yes. It is.
what if it's because i'm driving too fast and i can't stop in time?
Speeding is illegal, too. You shouldn't be driving too fast, especially where pedestrians are known to be crossing the street.
what if it's because my brakes are cut and i can't stop in time? where do you draw the line?
Driving an unsafe vehicle is also illegal. In all of these above situation, the driver is at fault. If you are trying to get me to agree with you that drivers are justfied for bullying pedestrians and cyclists who are within your rights, you might as well save your energy because it isn't going to happen. The Red Sox have a better chance of winning back-to-back World Series.
And you know what else? I'm done discussing this with you now. I am not going to agree with you and I have better things to do with my day than try to explain to you why I won't.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 08:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 09:44 am (UTC)I didn't at all get the impression that that's what was being said. Just that while these kinds of verbal expression are rude, very rude, they often are just expressions and not actual threats, and therefore the asshole who expresses is still within his/her rights to do so. I agree. I really wouldn't even consider "reporting" someone for yelling at me unless I felt pretty clearly that the yelling was part of an actual physical threat to me or was part of a pattern of repeated behavior on that same person's part that would constitute harassment or abuse.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 10:21 am (UTC)I think maybe you haven't experienced what I have.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 10:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 08:59 am (UTC)If you roll down your window and make specific comments to someone, I see that as harassment.
You have freedom of expression. Making me listen to it, though, crosses the line.
Of course, it also depends on who is in the right. Yelling at someone who is jaywalking and stepped out in front of your car is one thing - slowing down to roll down the window and yell at a bicycle that is legally on the road is something else entirely.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 09:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 10:18 am (UTC)This has happened too many times. I am in the crosswalk. I am already crossing the street. And the driver who is being "inconvenienced" by me daring to exercise my right of way feels the need to honk and/or call me names. Names directed towards me. Not, "Arrgh stupid pedestrians!" but "hey you fucking cunt get out of the street!" (yes, this has been yelled). Add to this that the person yelling is in 3000 lbs of SUV and I am in Converse, and that the person yelling is, 9/10 times, a man and I am a woman. Do I feel threatened? Hell yes. And why am I the target of this verbal abuse?
Because I was in the crosswalk.
You can put any spin you want on that; it's harrassment. If you think it isn't then you haven't experienced it first-hand.
Take for example, Sunday night, Elm Street by the Star Market. I am halfway across the street, in the crosswalk, near White Street, heading towards Porter Sq. T. When I started, there were no cars approaching, but by the time I reach the center line, a cab has appeared (driving, obviously, much too fast) and, rather than yielding for the person who is already in the crosswalk (had he been looking, which apparently he was not, he would have seen me. I have about 10 reflectors on my shoulder-bag, which he was positioned to clearly see), he guns it through the crosswalk, inches in front of me, and then honks.
This is the sort of thing I am talking about. This incident didn't involve verbal abuse, but it did involve a "professional" driver, which is also rather scary...
Now, if I'd been jaywalking, yeah, I'd have deserved it. But I was in the process of crossing, in the crosswalk.
Anyway. I have work to do.
Thank you,
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 10:56 am (UTC)i think whatever the case, drivers many times do not look out for those the vulnerable around them. it may be out of ignorance, but when they verbally attack in anger, i will in whatever way that either increases my safety or forces them to think about their actions. car-punchers unite! ; ))
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 11:05 am (UTC)LOL we should start a community (like there aren't enough on LJ)!
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 11:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 12:24 pm (UTC)I'll keep that in mind, the prettying...of course, my journal is unchanged since 2001...when I was laid off! :-)
no subject
Date: 2004-10-07 08:45 am (UTC)http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=carpunchers
no subject
Date: 2004-10-07 02:15 pm (UTC)Since this community seems to be more sympathetic to your unfortunate run-in, I'm choosing to reply here - it is my opinion that, despite any 'near misses' between cars, pedestrians, trucks, motorcycles, scooters, skateboards or any thing else, NO ONE has the legal right to strike anyone or anyone else's property with thier open or closed hand, or with in/animate objects to "teach them a lesson" or to "make them aware" or under any other guise of "education".
That being said, I can certainly understand and appreicate the 'want', 'need' (or I'll even go so far as to say 'obligation') or otherwise to make it clear to the alleged offender that that behaviour is not ok: HOWEVER, that should ALSO mean that "you" as the concerned party should endeavor to be as aware, unobstructed , and conscientious as possible.
Of course, in the real world, neither is always 100% possible.
My point? Pick your battles wisely. Failing that, think about "what if this was my grandmother's car? would I want someone punching it?"
Anyway, I hope I was clear with my point. :) Good luck on the bike.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-07 02:19 pm (UTC)heh, your icon makes me want to friend you so i can see it over and over.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-07 03:56 pm (UTC)And, Unfortunately, I get that response a lot. :/ However, if you want to friend me _regardless_ of my LJ icon, feel free. :)
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 07:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 08:02 am (UTC)And when I go back to SF I am like the pedestrian of every drivers' nightmares...aggressive doesn't begin to cover it...
Oh. I added you...
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 08:46 am (UTC)Wish I'd noticed the license of that asshole yesterday...he was behind us at a red light and leaning on his horn for us to get out of the way. (Hello? Red light?) And then! And then he proceeded to go straight! I understand the people who want to turn right and get mad because they can't because I'm in front of them on a bike (I mean, they're jerks and they're wrong, but I understand them), but he was going straight! The hell? Our moving when the light was red would have helped him how?!?
But it's nice to know there's a form for it.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-05 09:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-06 01:27 pm (UTC)At any rate, I don't flip off angry drivers anymore.
I wonder if it was the same guy? I didn't think to catch his plate at the time. I was too shocked that someone would intentionally attempt to run over a cyclist.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-06 02:05 pm (UTC)