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Bicycle fans allegedly try to teach motorist a lesson - with their fists
By adamg on Mon, 05/12/2008 - 4:21pm
UPDATE: Bikers leave one man unconscious after mob-style beating.
Cambridge Police report two guys, apparently fed up with a motorist who "swerved into and encroached upon" the Mass. Ave. bike lane around 11 p.m. on Saturday, caught up with the car, dragged the two people out and began beating them - one into unconsciousness - in front of 250 Mass. Ave.. Both alleged perps arrested.
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Comments
I hate bikers. I honestly
I hate bikers. I honestly don't care if the law says share the roads. I hate them and will continue to honk and flash my lights until the get out of my way.
sorry its just how i feel.
there are
two bikers I'd like to introduce to you. he he.
Thanks for sharing
I will continue to take as much of the lane in front of you as I am entitled to (e.g. all of it) and jot down your plate number, and point you out to the many police I encounter as a reckless driver.
good luck with that
I got hit and my hand was broken, and it earned the driver a fifty dollar traffic ticket.
But wait, there's more!
With the $50 traffic ticket, you also get this great set of auto insurance surcharges that increase with every moving violation or at-fault accident.
Don't worry - they pay the court $50, but they will pay as much as $2,000 to $3,000 or more (depending on their record) to the insurance company for their lack of patience.
Now how much would you pay? Hold on, there is a bonus. Because you got that $50 citation against them, your health insurance company may very well collect the expenses of your injuries from their insurance. If they don't have enough, they may have to pay out of pocket. Either way, their insurance company ain't forgetting this soon.
bullshit
What planet do you live on where insurance goes up $1k after a minor traffic ticket? After a few years, you get the point off your license, too.
You feel it's OK to not have a driver criminally punished for injuries to someone else? My life is worth more than a bigger insurance bill which the driver doesn't even necessarily pay. How about losing his license for as long as it takes my injuries to heal? Or rotting in a jail cell for a few days? A nice arrest record would make people a little more cautious about driving.
Here we are in "Bike Week", and nobody in City Hall or on Beacon Hill is doing anything about bike safety...go look at the website. There's a laundry list of dos/don't for bicyclists, and we're even threatened with a $20 fine or having our bike confiscated, but there isn't a single penalty or punishment listed for drivers.
You were
dealt a bad hand.
Best wishes for a full recovery.
it's not the ticket...
it's not just the ticket that runs up the premium, it's the accident with injury resulting. bicylists almost always have the right away. so, an accident will be your fault (especially if you get a ticket). that'll cost you a few points on your insurance... they don't get erased for 6 years. do the math, it's more than $1k.
welcome to earth, brett
Source?
Where is that written in MA law? Do you have a source for that statement?
sorry it took so long to get back on this one..
The bicycle is defined as a vehicle [MGL Ch. 85, §11B, 720 CMR 9.01 (26, 28)] and so the same traffic rules apply between motorists, between bicyclists, and as each interacts with the other. Motorists, however, must take special care in approaching and passing bicyclists [MGL Ch. 90 § 14]
"In approaching or passing a person on a bicycle the operator of a motor vehicle shall slow down and pass at a safe distance and at a reasonable and proper speed."
Basically, according to one insurance claims expert (family member of mine), unless a bicyclist commits a moving violation (running a red light, etc...), he/she is protected under that particular law.
According to this law, the motorist has a responsibility, if he/she chooses to overtake a cyclist's right-of-way, to do so in a safe manner.
I know you don't own a car ...
But we ain't in Kansas, toto. We are on Planet Mass. A moving violation resulting in an at-fault injury accident costs MAJOR money in insurance premiums.
Even a single traffic ticket - even if it is your only ticket for ten years - will cost you several hundred dollars during the six years that you don't have a perfect score.
Now you know why that driver that hit you is fighting the ticket - he/she is facing four points worth of surcharge for six years, and then it will be three more years before they completely clear the incident from their record.
That's how it works in these parts ... I think it sucks that it is so hard to get a motorist charged and then it is a lousy $50 too, and I think that MA could do a lot more enforcement of the laws and charge more and make enough money to cover the cost. The cops just let the insurance industry deal out the justice for bad driving, that's all.
That said, your masshole driver is in for a hell of a lot more than $50. That ticket is also your ticket for a lawsuit, if you so choose - check out the kickass lawyers that hang around Massbike some time. Tom Revay has a "Crash Course" in after crash tips.
bzzzt
But we ain't in Kansas, toto. We are on Planet Mass. A moving violation resulting in an at-fault injury accident costs MAJOR money in insurance premiums.
If by "major" you mean 22% (7.5%x3 points, or say $400 on a $2k premium, and I don't know anyone who pays 2k a year), sure. And that is ONLY if there is injury or property damage over $500.
A $500-2k incident is 3 points- a speeding ticket is 2 points, so you're full of shit- two speeding tickets "cost" more than smacking a pedestrian or bicyclist. Go read the rules on SDIP- injury has absafuckingloutely nothing to do with it. It's all about *cost*. The guy would have had more points if he'd caused $2001 in damage to my car.
PS
I do own a car, and only just started riding my bike. It took less than 2 weeks before I was hit by a car.
Times Six Years Plus Three
Multiply by six years. Then add in the cost of additional years to clear off the points at one point per year.
I believe the moving violation also adds at least one point on top of the accident, in addition to defining the accident as "at fault".
I suspect that your medical bills, lost wages and your damaged bike were well more than $2,000. Read Tom's FAQ for more information on what you should be charging to this masshole's insurance. It may add up to more than you think given lost wages and medical bills. Screw them to the wall for all that you have lost - you are absolutely entitled to it.
brett - you are wrong Any
brett - you are wrong
Any injury payment made in excess of $500 as a result of injuries are surcharge-able as of Jan 1, 2006 if the operator of the vehicle is greater than 50% at fault.
Before 1.1.06, you would have been right.
You can have the lane..
You can have the lane as soon as you respect the rest of the traffic rules as well. Like stop signs, "no turn on red", etc.
re: You can have the lane...
Does this apply to motorists as well, because I do respect the traffic rules.
I know I'm in the minority, but I don't bitch about motorists who break the law, if they are courteous and careful. Do you ever exceed the speed limit? Do you fail to pass with care?
Go past the stop line? Fail to use turn signals?
If you don't then you deserve a round of applause and my thanks.
If he/she even knows the rules
Massholes score poorly on a standardized test of road rule knowledge, and usually play swapsies with Rhode Island and DC for the toilet seat in the annual survey.
I suspect that it has something to do with that never-changing paper and pencil 10 question test they took before opening the crackerjack box.
no problem. my skinny ass
no problem. my skinny ass has no problem hopping off, going into pedestrian mode and jaywalking, then hopping back on
I hate drivers
Specifically, the one that was behind me at a traffic light in a left turn lane for roughly a minute, and when the light changed, illegally went straight through the intersection and knocked me off my bike, breaking a bone in my hand.
Several days of intense pain that Oxydone didn't mask. One week of being unable to move fingers in my hand and the resulting lost wages; a second unable to use my thumb, and 3-4 more weeks in a cast, and I'm not supposed to lift anything over 4lb.
So, fuck you. There are bicyclists out there who don't do the right thing; don't have lights or reflectors, ride on sidewalks, etc. The difference is that when drivers don't do the right thing, people get seriously injured or killed- and it's never the driver who is on the losing side of the equation- always the bicyclist.
What happened to you is
What happened to you is terrible. What an asshole behind the wheel of that car!
There are bicyclists out there who don't do the right thing;
How do you get them to do the right thing? Maybe that's one thing that needs to be addressed (for both drivers and cyclists) when it comes to sharing the road.
No question there are bad
No question there are bad bikers out there, and I'd include in that group the bunch that assaulted the driver in this instance.
The key that is missing from each direction is respect. It starts with drivers thinking nobody else has a right to the road, and cyclists thinking they are using a morally superior transit mode. Respect every choice, make your peace with the other choices, then be damn sure you know what you are doing with your own.
Bikers who weave in and out of traffic, who run red lights, who ride on the sidewalk are worse than cars that don't give us space. Bikers should know better, whereas the drivers are mostly ignorant.
Finally
Finally... some rational thought posted on this thread.
Just different people get hurt
When a bicyclist does the wrong thing, they absolutely can seriously injury someone. I saw a biker nearly kill an elderly woman in a crosswalk when he came shooting through the intersection (and through a red light) and missed her by a foot. At the speed he was going, there was genuine risk of a fatal injury to that pedestrian. While what happened to you was wrong, I don't think its fair to minimize the risks that cyclists who break the law are taking with other people's health. While bikers deserve respect from motorists, that doesn't make the issue of cyclists disrespecting the law any less worth mention.
Hmmm ...
On the one hand, I cringe at the thought of more DUIcyclists and "bike riders" getting on the roads.
On the other hand, the pervasive threat of being cold-cocked with a kryptonite lock by someone who isn't a graduate student or professional might just keep a few motorists from making "brave" statements from the not-so-safety of their carcoons or using what few bike lanes exist as personal express lanes or 5-minute self-important masshole parking.
Are you serious?
You're pleased that two people got dragged out of their car and beaten unconscious in the middle of the night? This is a good thing? What the hell is the matter with you?
God the sense of entitlement you bikers have is completely out of control. Look at the situation you put yourselves into: You drive a small, light, unstable bike, its hard to see, there aren't that many of you, its a quiet vehicle, and its un-expected on our car-diominated roads. You ride around on the same street as vehicles that weight several thousand pounds, and the drivers don't always expect to see you. Of course people are going to be injured - its a scenario that literally begs for people to get hurt.
I always try to keep an eye out for bicyclists, and i always check my rear-view before I open my car door - but that's the best you're going to get. Sorry to tell you this, but what you do is dangerous and its a risk you put on yourself. So calm down, stop acting like entitled a-holes all the time, and be cautious. You're the smallest guy on the road, act like it.
Oh and try not to cheer on the guys that drag innocent people out of their cars and beat the crap out of them. That helps too.
After a second look at the police report
I noticed that one of the "victims" was knocked unconscious. Even as a bike rider, this is a bit over the top, don't you think Swirly and others? Yes, we probably need to know more about the exchange between the two parties, but going on what we know right now (not much), beating someone unconscious is not the answer.
Yeah, but the method of assault (bike lock?)
Was carbon-neutral!
I didn't say that I was pleased
Remember - those same violent asshats may not be willing to treat other cyclists with lawful respect.
HOWEVER, if motorists become more aware that "swerving into cyclists" is really, in many ways, equivalent to "throwing the first punch with a 2-ton fist", they might think twice about, oh, steering? Breaking? all of those things that distract from one's cel phone conversations and cd player diddling while piloting a piece of heavy equipment? As Brett has pointed out, they have damn few reasons to notice lane markings otherwise.
fantastic
asshats?
i love it.
swirly, mind if i rip off that term without having to cite you every time?
> Sorry to tell you this,
> Sorry to tell you this, but what you do is dangerous and its a risk you put on yourself.
Same with you when you drive.
First of all, thank you for being a decent driver. It's appreciated by me.
Don't crash. Stay alert and attentive. Exercise due care. Maintain your vehicle. Wear your helmet(?)!
However, as a car driver they are regulated and obligated to operate under a licensing scheme requiring insurance and registration. Why? Because automobiles are the main source of danger/damage and require greater responsibility and attention to operate.
Cars are heavy and fast. The moving automobile is the greater source of danger and it is the obligation of the operator to exercise due caution. Just because they are the dominant user type does not free them from this obligation.
Cyclists should respect the laws because it is safer and more civil to do so but they aren't being the dangerous ones by riding if they follow the rules.
It's a shared public resource, all users cannot have the roadways optimized for their particular mode of travel. Share the road applies to cyclists as well as motorists.
Yes, riding bikes come with some danger (as does sitting at home), and skills and specific behaviors are required for better self-preservation.
That's one thing many cyclists don't realize they need to work on and yes, many have an overdeveloped sense of entitlement.
"you bikers" is a great stereotype. As with drivers there are scofflaws and idiots.
However, the cyclists tend to endanger only themselves. I pray for greater enforcement and education for all road users.
Thank goodness, the sense of self-preservation should be cause for more care.
Yet too many cyclists are oblivious to traffic situations and "depend on the other guy" to make up for their incompetence or disregard for traffic rules. That's not fair to other road users, both cyclists and motorists.
The only situation I can think of where the violent offenders *might* feel justified is if the driver assaulted them with the vehicle. It is the same as wielding a bat or a knife and threatening someone. And it happens fairly frequently. Some people feel they are teaching cyclists a lesson and force them to the curb. I have no details about this case, so I will presume the attackers and victims innocent.
Encroaching on the bike lane might be the only legally determined or proven offense the driver committed, but to be beaten is not the right way to settle such things.
I'm totally with you on that.
Settle it legally. Not through violence.
Oh, I ride a bike, but I also drive a car.
Most cyclists, being Americans, share this experience.
People... people who beat people... are suckiest people in the world.
Oh, anon...
You are so kind! And so brave to us your real name like that! I wish we had hundreds of thousands more Massholes just like you!
Oh wait! We do!
So, next time you are stuck in traffic and hating it, just remember that bicyclists are one more car you don't have to deal with. Then, cut them some slack.
They're making your life better without you even knowing it.
Brave? Is "Doodle" your
Brave? Is "Doodle" your first name or your last name?
Probably won't see more than
Probably won't see more than one person posting as DoodleBean. BeanDoodle is all yours, anon (not verified).
maybe...
maybe you could try prying your fat *ss out of your gas-guzzling s-u-v and go for a bike ride, you'd understand bikers a little better.
sorry for the lashing out, but i pay the same taxes as everyone else.
therefore, i have every right to take my bike on the roads i help pay for.
I shouldn't have to worry about getting run down by some overly agressive jack-ass who's in such a hurry to get somewhere, they can't wait 30 seconds to safely pass a biker.
sorry if bikers cost you 30 seconds of your day, if your time's that valuable, buy a helicopter. no bikers in the sky.
you can hate bikers all you
you can hate bikers all you want. but pull a dangerous "swerve towards me to scare me or just to get-to-the-next-red-light-five-seconds-faster move and it's your face that'll be introduced to my lock.
otherwise i'm a very nice person! i just don't want to die because of fuck-tards like you.
Really? So tough behind that
Really? So tough behind that computer. I would love to meet you on the road and we'll see what really happens.
So until that time i will continue to drive wherever the hell i want and piss off as many bikers as i can.
So, let me get this straight
You're driving along, and there's a couple of cyclists in a bike lane, minding their own business, riding legally. You're going to swerve over, just for kicks, and potentially seriously injure someone? Have I got that right? That's assault. When you do it, I hope it's one of these guys (after they get released....).
I noted elsewhere that I don't defend what these guys did, given what we know. But, if someone is taking runners at cyclists for no reason, I have no problem with the agressor getting whacked. I know, it's not the most mature action, but man, even when people are caught and the case is handled by the authorities, nothing happens.
i bet...
"anon" *the one who hates cyclists* is awfully TOUGH hiding behind the wheel of a multi-ton weapon.
but if we're talking old fashion fist-to-cuffs, my money's on daily bike rider.
exercise from bike riding makes people strong, whereas sitting in traffic makes for high blood pressure.
my prediction, "anon" who hates cyclists has a stroke just trying to get to the fight location (especially if it's during rush hour).
would that count as a draw or a forfeit?
Cup of water
Whenever biketards get in my way, I just squeeze up next to them and empty whatever drink I have on them. They can't catch up, and if they try whining to the cops, it's your word against theirs. I love puddles even more. A quick blast from the horn can also mess them up especially well. Idiots.
don't try this in boston or
don't try this in boston or cambridge, because we CAN catch up. Drinks dry, stains wash out, but that dent or scratch won't come out of your precious car so easily.
Cars can go faster, but you can't fit where we can, and by the time you wrench your fat ass out of the drivers' door, I'm gone........
Good to know.
The moment you do that, I'll be the one on the bike behind you who keys your car.
U LOCK JUSTICE
More people are on bikes now.
Most of them are nice.
Some of them aren't.
Get used to it. Until you can make a cheap car that runs on rainbows and liberal smugness, we aren't going anywhere.
It's amazing how ballsy drivers are....
when they feel they can just hit the gas and outrun a biker. Things like brushing closer than they really had to, or just giving you the finger because you were in their way.
Every once in awhile, though, they get caught. It may be because of traffic lights, or you just recognize the car parked in a driveway or store. A long time ago, I caught up to two kids in a Jeep in Weston that brushed by and gave me the finger. No bodily harm, but lots of disrespect. About 10 minutes later, I saw the jeep at the Dairy Joy and saw the kids there. We had a short "discussion" about the events, and well, one of the kids never got to finish their ice cream. I wasn't going to hit anybody, I just wanted to let them know that for every action (finger), there's a possible opposite reaction.
Man, when it comes to actually getting hit, I'm not sure what I'd do, and I'm a pretty calm guy. Arrogant drivers send me over the edge, though.
A little from column A, a little from column B
Its been my experience that Massholes are Massholes no matter what mode of transport they employ. I've found plenty of drivers that dont get the yellow light concept and plenty of bikers that dont get the red light concept, to say nothing of pedestrians who cant get their heads around the little button on the pole. People block the doorways on the orange line and shove to get off the front of the bus when they're closer to the rear door... You know there are Massholes galore boarding at Logan and I suspect they even appear on the ferry. Point being, its an aggressive, self centered culture here, you all suck if given half a chance to get ahead by a yard.
Now that precedent is established
So that means that now when some chucklefuck riding his bike on the sidewalk on Comm Ave practically runs me over, I can administer a good old-fashioned street justice beatdown on his punk ass! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Speaking as a cyclist. .
Please do. Those morons make us look bad.
If you're older than 13, grow a pair and ride on the street.
No beatdown necessary
Just throw him a shoulder check. The crash will be spectacular. Don't ask how I know.
And don't ask how I know ...
that he's on to something here, either.
Mass bike law
Seriously? Encroaching on a
Seriously? Encroaching on a bike lane? The punishment is being beaten unconscious?
I am ashamed to be a bicyclist in this city... I don't want to share the road with assholes, no matter how they are getting around, be it car, bike, or on foot.
I suspect it was more than "encroaching"
I suspect that it involved operating a piece of heavy machinery in a manner consistent with intent to injure, or under the influence of drink, drug, cel phone, or all three.
Ride up Cambridge street at rush hour and you will see exactly how dangerous "encroaching in a bike lane" can get.
I am getting a new Bumpah-Stickah
One Less Bicycle Terrorist!
One Less Car Terrorist and One Less Sponsor of Terrorists
All that oil you don't buy doesn't fund all those Saudi Families known for funding and supplying progeny to terrorist organizations.
something just isn't right here
Swirly, Aren't you a minivan driver? I seem to recall a recent post about SUV's...
Yes, I own a car
I just don't drive it like a terrorist, that's all.
Actually I co-own a car with another adult. We have one less car than we did at one time because I bike commute and use the T.
We average 2500-3000 miles per person or 5-6K miles per driver per year - less than half the national average figures that I have found.
If Bob is going to brand people "cycle terrorists" (implied that cyclist = terrorist because driving a car instead of biking makes you a non-terrorist, somehow), I'm going to point out how each and every car mile - including mine - contributes much more terrorism to the world than an aggressive cyclist.
Catch more flies with honey...
Do cyclists really think that behavior like that will make drivers respect them more?
I got that XKCD Link First!
http://xkcd.com/357/
Many drivers aren't going to
Many drivers aren't going to respect us no matter what we do.
I've done pleasant and timid.
I've done calm and confident.
I've done aggressive and dangerous.
I get about the same amounts of crap from drivers either way.
So you may as well. The drivers sure as hell aren't going to stick up for you.
Whuh?
I'm seriously confused. Is "anon" both a cyclist and someone who hates cyclists? How schizoid!
Wait a minute! Perhaps there's more than one "anon"??? Wow! Who woulda thunk it!
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
Good, I wasn't the only one...
that was confused
Walk This Way
Man, it's threads like this that make me glad I work from home. As long as there is air to breath there will be a fair percentage of the general public that will be assclowns no matter where they live, what mode of transportation they choose or what party affiliation they belong to.
So fuck off off you smarmy self-righteous pedestrians.
Wooo boy...
Relevance? WHO NEEDS IT!
you'll all be biking soon
Most of the drivers on here are just bitter that they stupidly chose to live 30 miles from the city and then stupidly bought an SUV's that get 8 mpg, forcing them to pay $100 per tank.
You'll all be biking soon enough when gas gets to where it really should be. $10 per gallon at least.
I used to cringe
When somebody would pull up beside me at a stoplight and put the window down, I'd await the inevitable sexist remarks from the frustrated motorists with fat mouths.
Now I prepare to answer questions about commuter cycling, combining bike and T, and getting out of the car twice or three times a week, etc. It really has changed that much.
This has got to be the bitterest thread in a long time
What's with all the stupid stereotypes?
And it must be nice to be all smug and green and bike to your $100,000 office job and not worry about $10 gas because you don't live in the inner city and so have no other way but to drive to your job out in the suburbs, thanks to our creaky transportation infrastructure. Gosh, I hope you don't choke on your soy latte today, you sanctimonious prig.
There! How was that?
i'm a bicycle commuter by
i'm a bicycle commuter by choice, not by income. I give up certain other things to live in the North End, where I could gain much more space (and things to put in it) further out, because I value those things you consider to be smug and affordable only to the elite. I know I probably can't take that job in Scituate, or shop at the super mega grocery mart to save on food.
Further, I was a car-free, bike-only, in Columbus Ohio before here, in a streetcar suburb of a sprawwwwwwwwling city. If that lifestyle works there, it can work in ANY town within 95.
Perfect!
Perfect!
Automobile fans?
Why are they called bicycle fans? Do we call car drivers, automobile fans?
WTF?
If the car drivers are swerving uncontrollably (or on purpose to cause to injury) into the bike lane, they shouldn't have a license. Mass Ave has two lanes for cars (in most parts), yet this person still couldn't keep their car out of the biker lanes? Again, I don't know the details and certainly don't approve of the beatings, but it seems this person just couldn't drive right.
Why isn't it tougher to get a license in Mass.? When I got my license 7-8 years ago, I went around the block, backed up in a straight line and 5 minutes later was a licensed driver of a huge piece of fast machinery...WTF? Does this make sense to anyone, automobilist, bicyclist, or pedestrian/misc?
To the first anon commenter, you keep honking and flashing your lights, it lets us bikers know there's an automobile fan behind us who can't control their big hunk of steel even though they have the majority of the road. It's drivers like you that force bikers to occupy the whole lane to protect themselves. I stick to the side of the road as much as possible but will certainly occupy a whole lane when I feel it's necessary.
@Rozzy Biker
"cyclists thinking they are using a morally superior transit mode"
Simple fact is the bicycle is clearly morally superior to the automobile. There's no need to act smug about it but I think everyone can agree the bicycle causes a lot less harm to society than the automobile. If everyone rode bicycles, gas would be cheap for when we need it, ambulances and fire trucks would have a much easier time getting around, we'd have much less pollution, food would be a ton cheaper, and we wouldn't have wars for petrol-resources. Even when I was a car driver I could admit bicycles were better for society.
@one of the anons
"Yet too many cyclists are oblivious to traffic situations and "depend on the other guy" to make up for their incompetence or disregard for traffic rules. That's not fair to other road users, both cyclists and motorists."
Great point. When I pedal I always use extreme caution and realize it's my body that's getting damaged in an accident (whether my fault or not) and I do not assume that everyone else is following the rules. Still I don't bike around terrified of everyone else on the road, but I do look around and absorb and analyze what's going on before making my next move, why wouldn't you when you have barely any protection.
@Doodlebean
"So, next time you are stuck in traffic and hating it, just remember that bicyclists are one more car you don't have to deal with. Then, cut them some slack."
I was gonna make the same point: more bikes = less cars = less traffic = better situation for everyone.
@cscott
"Point being, its an aggressive, self centered culture here, you all suck if given half a chance to get ahead by a yard."
Truth. When I was a bit younger and certainly much more immature, I used to be proud of being a Masshole (as many Massholes would attest to), but now struggle to grow out of it. Does the Masshole culture toughen us all up (helping us cope with the weather) or does it just make living here that much shittier?
So to end this super-long comment, how about we just split up all the roads in Mass, 50% being solely car-roads and the other 50% being solely bike roads.
Here's where my not being a reporter comes into play
Why are they called bicycle fans?
The item I linked to doesn't say the alleged attackers were on bicycles, only that they seemed upset by an incursion into the bike lane. So I was trying to hedge my bets.
OK, so they WERE bicyclists and they WERE assholes
The Cambridge Chronicle fills us in:
But, wait, it gets even better. The Chronicle quotes police on the attack and adds:
But really, click on the link to read the entire story. And, yes, of course, innocent until proven guilty, etc., but Christ on a stick, people.
Yee Haw
Sounds like a real Masshole Rodeo to me!
Were the police there and witnessing all of this from inside the car, or did the paper only show interest in the motorist's account? Interesting how the cyclists "just started acting up and riding around the car"
I certainly won't say that the cyclists aren't jerks for the beatdown ... but I wonder if the motorist and passengers were doing/saying stuff not reported here? Their halo seems a little plastic and frayed.
Hey, thanks for including me in your omnibus reply!
You don't need to sell me on this, I'm on your side. I bike to work when I can, which used to be all the time, but now the kid's school schedule has made that a difficulty. At any rate, it is superior to car for those of us who can do it, but you've fallen into the trap I was cautioning against -- irritating the "car fan" by disputing their legitimacy.
Many people cannot bike to work for reasons of distance, time, sweat, fitness, or safety. We shouldn't be smug about it, but should instead advocate for better conditions and act responsibly as we wait for them to develop.
We are the
We are the cyclists!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAOHhV1EFe4
Wow, what a bunch of lunatics
Apparently everyone's an asshole, bikers and car-drivers alike.
Here's the way it works:
Everyone obeys the rules. Yes, that means bikers have to actually stop at red lights and stop signs, use hand signals, etc. (Yes, I ride a bike and yes, I do these things.)
Meanwhile, car drivers aren't allowed to cut off bikers or swerve toward them any more than they are allowed to do the same with pedestrians or other cars.
How about everyone stops being a fucking jackass? I think it would make all our lives easier. Just a thought.
Thanks Adam
Thanks adamg for the clarification. Reading the new article, if what they say is true these people certainly aren't true cyclists. Swerving into and out of the driving lanes is a bad idea (though the bike lanes could have had obstacles) but popping wheelies in front of cars is just plain stupid. Though I've only been biking again for about a month (again because for the majority of my life before I was 16 I was a biker) I can see this isn't good cyclist behavior.
First off, if they're traveling in that big of a group they should have taken a lane to themselves and kept it or stuck to the bike lane the whole time. Second, there's just no reason to pop wheelies on Mass Ave. Doing so incites car drivers, other bikers and even pedestrians, especially on a Saturday night. I wish we could get the unbiased true version of this story but in either case the bikers got at least two strikes against them, biking like idiots asking to be hit and assaulting two people.
@ Rozzy Biker
I wasn't trying to question the legitimacy of cars, they certainly have their purpose though many people "abuse" and extend that purpose way too far (driving a half mile to buy a half gallon of milk when they're a perfectly healthy person for instance). Sure, there are good reasons to drive (people with arthritic knees aren't going to bike/walk for instance) but there's also tons of good reasons to not drive and bike, walk, skate, T (ugh..the T), etc. You summed up and corrected my feeling perfectly:
"it is superior to car for those of us who can do it,"
Thugs
If the second report is accurate, these were delinquents on bicycles.
Effers. Total effers. I hope I don't run across them anytime soon.
If it turns out that they are responsible for that violent action, I'm glad they were arrested.
re: Thugs
Kickin a person in the face after they are down and out?
That's a sickness. I have no idea what the victims may have said, if anything, to engender such a response from a fellow (in)human being. Scary out there.
So ride faster and more carefully!
More info...
A very quick google search later...
Greg Doliber apparently works (or rather worked) in the bike section of the undeground skate shop on Comm Ave. (at Mass Ave.)
His MySpace page states that he's leaving Boston, "middle of may" due to "life changes".
You don't say? If by life changes you mean an assault rap. Dumbass.
excuse me
you're a prick. you don't know him, so shut up.
ok so i think its terrific
ok so i think its terrific that people ride bikes instead of driving, good for you for exercising or saving the environment or whatever reason. but i am a mailman, i walk through boston all day and i gotta tell ya, im more afraid of being hit by a courier than a car. i know if im crossing at a red light unless the guys drunk or not paying attention im prrrobly not gonna get hit by a car. but the bikes around boston seem to pay NO attention whatsoever to the rules of the road, and they are endangering themselves and others. there are 2 mailmen who have been hospitalized this month from being hit by bike riders. i know it can be tough out there, cars dont exactly make it easy for them. but seriously they need to smarten up and watch where theyre going and not assume everyones gonna get out of their way.
Adam G, let me see if I get
Adam G, let me see if I get your point: If bike riders are all high salaried then only high salaried bike riders can afford to pay high gas prices...because bike riders all secretly own SUVs and only ride because they are effete, or...what ? You lost me there. Your logic falls completely apart and I suspect you are just trying to further stir up a tempest. After getting a more accurate report of the incident we know the perpetrators are just delinquints and hated equally by both sides. Why not let it end there instead of trying to start a class war too?
Mwa-ha-ha, my evil plan is working!
OK, I'm not sure what you're ranting about here, but, hey, this is the rantiest thread on the InterWebs, or, at least, on Universal Hub (at least, in the last couple of days), so make yourself at home.
Initially, I posted about the incident because it's newsworthy - bicyclists drag guys out of car and beat them senseless (yes, we now know that one of the guys was already out of the car when he was beaten to the ground).
Not sure how you discern an attempt at class warfare there.
My only other "opinion" post here was basically ranting about some guy who seemed to enjoy the prospect of gas at $10 a gallon because people should be biking to work like his precious little self.
Please show me where I've come anywhere near suggesting bicyclists are all closet Hummer owners.
The original post was
The original post was relevant, but then Adam G wrote:"And it must be nice to be all smug and green and bike to your $100,000 office job and not worry about $10 gas because you don't live in the inner city and so have no other way but to drive to your job out in the suburbs, thanks to our creaky transportation infrastructure. Gosh, I hope you don't choke on your soy latte today, you sanctimonious prig."
Ok then, so what are you trying to say here? Please clarify because none of it makes any sense! It's not constructive, it's not logical, it's not accurate, it's not reasonable, and it is divisive and prejudiced. I still don't know where you are coming from on this issue. Are you against suburbanites who ride bikes or are you against iner city residents who drive or are you against anyone who doesn't use the T? Maybe you just hate anyone who makes 100k? I don't get it. It is the type of warped us-versus-them conspiracy nonsense you might expect to hear at an anarchist rally or whatever. Take of your aluminum foil hat and divert your attention from the Rush Limbaugh show long enough to make a cogent argument.
Yes, that's it, I hate people who make $100,000 a year
Let me try to make it even simpler:
This discussion is full of stereotypes. A guy posts something about how he's looking forward to $10-a-gallon gas.
The whole stereotype thing annoys me. That somebody is looking forward to $10-a-gallon-gas annoys me even more. So I reply with a stupid stereotype-filled rant about the sort of person who would look forward to $10-a-gallon gas. I didn't look at the clock, but I believe I spent less than two minutes composing and writing the whole thing.
No, I don't hate suburbanites who ride bikes. I'm not a self-hater, so I don't hate people who don't ride the T. Nor am I an anarchist. And I don't listen to Rush Limbaugh (do any anarchists?).
So you might want to make your delicious free Dunkin' Donuts Iced Coffee a decaf, unless you're in training to become a rightwing radio host (ooh, there I go again).
$10 a gallon gas also means
The cost of home heating going up
The costs of business going up and making raises less possible
The cost of food going up - including all those lovely organic veggies shipped from California ...
The cost of MBTA service going up
Sure, it would change transit priorities - but it makes a lot of other things get expensive too. Those of us who have low energy-use lifestyles still feel the pain - less pain, perhaps, but it eats into the budget nonetheless.
This is assault, and nothing else.
The fact that these people were bikers isn't even relevant to the story. Two people were in the wrong place at the wrong time and got beat up by a group of assholes who are now facing charges. Who cares about the bikers vs drivers crap?
Bicyclists and Motorists
I'm a motorist and I love what bicyclists are doing to contribute to the environment. I always try to look out for the little guys because I feel it should be the motorist's responsibility to look after the bicyclists so everyone is happy. It isn't very hard to leave enough space for the vehicle and the bicycle while driving. Safety and caution should always be used on the road. Now that that is out of the way, motorists need to get off that cellphone and sip on the lattes at work. Bicyclists need to take off those headphones and stop at the stop lights. I understand weaving through stalled traffic but seriosuly? I almost hit one of you guys at 11pm at packard's corner because you ran the red light. Missed you by a foot. Please becareful. Maybe blinking lights and reflectors would've helped me see you. Give me something! You didn't have a helmet, you had jean shorts, flipflops, and a red jersey. Please bicyclists becareful. Don't be afraid to slow down and walk the bike past a vehicle. Especially around the losers that don't use blinkers or at those crosswalks. You guys really don't need to worry about bikers flow of traffic so taking your time to avoid the idiots might pay off in the end. Thanks!