Lunatic in Brooklyn

[lizbids]

One of the worst things about commuting to work is that the cars think you're in the way. Here in NYC, you pretty much stop on every block because of stop signs and lights, so it amazes me how "in a hurry" everyone is.

Tuesday I set out on my little 5-mile commute. I was honked and honked by someone as we approached a red light. I think she was mad at me because she felt she had to get to the light faster. I peered into her windshield to get a look, which I know can be dangerous b/c you may make eye contact. Well, the light turns, and traffic moves as usual..and at this point I have a truck in front of me, and I always stay behind larger vehicles to avoid getting squashed or hit on turns, etc. This woman decides to rev up, cut me off and then slam on her brakes to get me to hit her. I sort of remembered the license plate number, but I'm not sure what I should do. I am thinking about getting a holder for my cell phone to sit on the strap of my messenger bag to be able to literally take a photo of license plates. I was in a "bad" neighborhood at the time and didn't want to make a stink b/c I have had pedestrians try to knock me down for no reason.

But I will say, I was shaking when I got to work. Some of it was out of fear, the other intense anger.

[RoadRaven]

Thats awful Liz... can you give the partial plate and car make and colour to the police?

I think if this is a common thing then def get a way to be able to snap pix and get these people some legal warnings and black marks on their licenses

I really wish you hadn't had to write that account and we didnt have to read it.

Women/drivers like that really pi** me off

[lizbids]

I hear ya RoadRaven--don't people realize using their car to hurt someone can be murder, not an accident?

[telegirl]

I feel your pain.

I think that is a great idea to carry your cell and take a photo if possible- And I think that RoadRaven has a good idea to give it to the cops. Maybe nothing can be done, but at least trying might make you feel better and not feel so helpless.

People stink sometimes.

[lizbids]

People are rude and impatient. Sometimes I wonder why society must move at such a fast pace. Is it all about rushing to the business to make money for someone? Or do people just really think that wherever they have to go is just so much more important than everyone else?

[FreshNewbie]

Sorry about your experience Lizbids. I am in brooklyn every weekend and I know what you mean about drivers. I think it applies to pretty much everywhere in NY. It literally makes my day when a nice driver comes a long. Be safe and taking pictures is definately a good way to at least make yourself feel better. I had to report an 18wheeler recently that was driving like a maniac and cutting everyone off on the road, it was pretty scary. Good luck,
Stay safe

Marina

[mimitabby]

Lizbids, by all means, call the police and tell them what happened!
let us know what you find out!

[lizbids]

I'm going to see what I can do about calling the 83rd precinct here. I am not sure if the license plate is 100% correct (you know how shakey you are when you've almost been killed). But maybe it is, and perhaps this person has other out-standing issues? I'll let you know...

[lizbids]

Ok, so update: I spoke to a police officer in my school who told me that the police "probably won't do anything" about this person. When I questioned why, she said it was because there was no damage to me or my bike and that there were no witnesses to back me up. I told her I found this incident no different than someone pointing a gun at me and threatening to fire. I think in larger cities, the cops don't take these "bike things" very seriously.

I had posted earlier that I narrowly avoided an attacker who did $55 damage to my bike using only his feet. This same guy knocked another girl unconscious, and she reported this all to the police. THEY DID ABSOLUTEY NOTHING. They ended up giving her bike away, too. She went to the precinct to retrieve it and was told it was "somewhere on Long Island" and they "couldn't trace it," which basically translated into: "I gave it away." And yes, cities can be a "small world," b/c it turned out that this girl is a friend's roomate! She's traumatized and won't ride her bike anymore.

[mimitabby]

all of this sounds terribly negative, but when you call the police call it ROAD RAGE which they do not like (and what it is), and maybe it will get more results. Don't let that guy dissuade you!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Sorry about your experience Lizbids. I am in brooklyn every weekend and I know what you mean about drivers. I think it applies to pretty much everywhere in NY. It literally makes my day when a nice driver comes a long.

When you say "everywhere in NY" do you mean NYC or NY state? Because I grew up in NYC where most drivers were maniacs, but I've lived for years now in rural upstate NY, where 99 out of 100 drivers seem to be very courteous to us cyclists. Of course there is always that one who yells out the window, etc....but it's a rare exception.

[RoadRaven]

Whoa Liz... thats awful about the girl who won't ride anymore...

As for the police not listening - is there anyway you can know someone, or know someone who knows someone on the local body/government/council (whatever you call it in the states) and get a stronger focus on bike awareness/saftey?

And maybe keep a log of these incidents - where, plates, driver description if pos (even if its just 'woman') - and take this to the cops whenever you have something that could be followed up?

It stuns me... just stuns me.
This woman driver in the latest incident is probably someones daughter, mother, partner, sister... doesn't she realise its the same for you, and in hurting you she hurts a whole family just as if she were in a car crash her partner/children/siblings/parents would be grieving too?

How can people be so blind to the humaness of a cyclist???

[mimitabby]

here in Washington State we have a road rage hotline. This isn't about bikes
it's about people getting dangerous in their cars. I would be surprised to hear that Roadrage isn't an issue in Brooklyn!

[lizbids]

Mimi--
I'm waiting for them to change the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to the Roadrage Raceway!