Objects thrown at you

[7rider]

Isn't that assault? At what point do you call the police and report them?

Roxy

For the gun or the walnut?? For the walnut, no. But my DH did go and patrol the neighborhood later, looking for the offending vehicle (never found it). For the gun, yes. I rode straight to the police station and reported the incident. They shrugged and said "Yeah, we've had reports of garbage cans and stuff being shot at over there." So, now this person was shooting at cyclists and they are STILL unconcerned???? I guess having a welt the size of a pencil eraser on my thigh, and nothing more, did not worry them to much.

As for you new cyclists who are terrified of this thread. Please don't be. I - and many others here, undoubtedly - have ridden many thousands of incident free miles. These incidents are a collection of outliers to otherwise joyful rides. Ride like you are invisible....ride defensively...ride safely....but ride.

[Norse]

I always carry my cell phone and mace.

[TrekTheKaty]

Missouri is NOT bicycle friendly. Just this morning, my husband rode alone. He was on the frontage road, separate from the highway--and someone leaned out of a car on the highway--and yelled "GET OFF THE ROAD." He wasn't even on the SAME road as the vehicle! (Although, I have to say, the people in our town are getting to the increased cyclists on the road and give us a wide berth).

We have a state-wide group called MoBikeFed that has the following program (see their website for more):

The Missouri Bicycle Federation offers its members an option that can be very satisfying...Report that safety threat! In an effort to make our state a safer place to walk, run, and bicycle, the Missouri Bicycle Federation (MoBikeFed) has established a program in which the details of the incident are reported to us and a letter will be sent to the offending motorist.
Details of the incident should include: motorist license tag number and description of the incident (time, place, description of vehicle & driver, what happened).
The letter sent to the motorist is accompanied by a summary of the Missouri state statutes and Missouri Driver Guide sections related to bicycling. The summary was compiled by the Missouri Bicycle Federation and may be freely reproduced without copyright restriction. The summary is available for viewing/download in MSWord format and PDF format.
In addition, the offender's name and address will be keep on file in case the unsafe action is repeated and legal action becomes necessary. The names of both the offending motorist and the reporting bicyclist are kept confidential.

[bikerHen]

Had an interesting incident on my AM commute. I was on the highway and hear a dog woof behind me. I checked my mirror and saw a big SUV coming with a couple of BIG great dane heads sticking out the rear passenger window. As the jerk passed he got as close to me as he could, so the dogs would bark right over my shoulder. I just moved to the curb and let em pass.

Then we come up to a light and the driver stops with the car and dogs just over the line so I can't pass them. I've always been a sucker for big slobbery dogs, having owned and love a few in my life. So I stop and start baby talking to them and have their tails wagging in no time. As the car starts to go with the green light I call out to the driver and yell "thanks for letting me talk to your dogs!" Made my day. bikerHen