Motorists Assaulting a Cyclist
I was riding my bike in the early morning of August 1, 2009. I was heading southbound on Whitesburg Drive. I had just past the Airport Road intersection. I noticed headlights brighten the pavement from behind me quickly. I knew the truck was too close. I noticed that when the truck went to pass me he stayed in my lane. He yelled some profanities at me, which I could not make out and before I could comprehend the reason for all of this I was struck with a beer bottle. I crashed my bicycle and banged myself up a bit. I got the tag information and reported it the police the next business day.
Derek Johnson.
11 comments:
And nothing happened as a result of the report to the police, right?
They called him.
That was about it.
Who do you call to report incidents? I got the tag number of a State vehicle that skimmed a cyclist on the back side of Governor's Friday.
Apparently you don't call the HSV police department since they don't seem to do shit.
No. DO call the police. At the very least, you will have something on record.
For what it's worth, this and other incidents are going to be discussed at the upcoming BASC meeting. I encourage anyone who has had encounters like these to report them to Hunstville's finest AND write a letter to the mayor. Get it posted here on Bello Velo to raise public awareness.
Do all you can do to let others know that crap like this is going on. Unfortunately, this is a DIY city and we are going to have to rattle some chains if we want to make a difference.
I'm glad you are allright Derrick. Let me guess, the perps were some south bound yuppie assholes with a mossy oak sticker..or a ducks unlimited sticker on their dual exhaust piped dodge ram. Never trust the sound of that kind of truck...if you hear loud exhaust...get over, really, its an accurate stereotype.
I would agree with Peter too, funnel all complaints through the HPD. We have to remember that police culture in Huntsville may be different, but their jobs are still the same and they are usually bound by the bureaucracy as are we all. Honestly, the HPD has helped me a good handful of times, most recently they professionally and surprisingly worked with me to retrieve some stolen bikes, with some success. BUT as Peter said, it is a DIY type system, you have to be persisitent and your intentions have to be powerful. Don't give up, get these assholes in the court, then we will wait for them, find their fucking truck and remove the mossy oak stickers and replace them with share the road stickers.
jim spag
I am no longer buying the DIY aspect of the City. It is as much the citizens as it's officials. Look at other cities of this size and you will find they are so much further ahead. This has as much to do with us as it does the city administrators.
Let's look at a couple of things when is the last time you saw kids mowing the lawn?
You do see a lot of gaint trucks with an arsenal of gas powered mowers?
How do young people learn how the world works or to earn money when they are carted around by their parents everywhere and then handed a SUV on their 16th birthday?
Kids playing outside?
Traffic jams at Blossomwood which is the "in neighborhood"
Is this is the "Quality of Life" people want?
I could go into how rude the drivers etc etc.. but we have talked that to death.
This town is about lziness and convience and we are all part of the problem as much as the solution.
Simplest way to support the troops or oppose the war is to not drive so much. Not slap a bumper sticker on your car.
What is striking is we are in 2 wars, economy is going bust, people are straving and there is a genocide in Darfur and people here are worried about their happiness????
Want to change it? Ride your bike, walk, try to buy local and stop talking about it and lead by example.
If we all road more the city might change.
Yeah I know what you mean. You cannot ride the main thoroughfares of Huntsville without looking ahead, behind, side to side every 3 seconds...biking here takes a lot more awareness at this point than in some other places.We cannot keep on comaring a turd to a diamond. It takes much too long for a turd to turn into a diamond.
AS for the DIY stuff, its like that everywhere. You have to be the squeaky wheel.
jim s
Called to follow up on my report. The city couldn't find it. I told the officer I wanted to go ahead and make another one then. He said "Why? If you can't pick the guy out of a line up it will never lead to a warrant." I made one anyway...
Number I called is
256-427-7009
The police report should be up for public record in a couple of days.
It will have the officer's name on it.
Plan B.
DIY..sugar in gas tank.
"one less car" sticker on windshield.
DIY: throw rocks back at the truck.
Im' for throwing rocks at the vehicles. This motorcycle rider I knew used to reportedly carry a sack of marbles and used to use them on cars because they make a huge amount of crazy noises...sack of marbles.
jimssssss
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