Group,
We are certainly in an "uptight" time. And there is a lot of
difference between an "unopened can of something" and an "ice
ball."---------but when I was young and in grade school, we threw
snowballs at virtually anything that moved. Yet, there were rules to
"the game back then" Motorists might get irate and even corral some
kids and take names and call parents------but nothing like full scale
war. It was expected. But at the same time we did not throw snowballs
which made dents in either cars or people's sculls. Yet I do remember
a guy with a red convertible who got awfully mad when we all threw at
him.
Eric
Martin Lund wrote:
Back when I worked for Scram Couriers I had someone throw an unopened
can of soda at me. I was straddling my bike in front of the Klinke
Cleaners on East Washington and jotting down my next pick-up in my
manifest when something with reasonable heft hit my helmet. The can
bounced down onto my bag and then onto my foot and managed to hit the
ground without exploding. I glanced up and saw a van full of teenagers
cruising up the hill toward the Capitol. They were gawking and not
making an effort to hide the fact that they threw the can --- and then
they had to stop at a red light. So I picked up it up and rode up the
hill, slowing to a creep as I came up on the side of the van. Everyone
inside was very still and looking straight ahead, now trying to play it
cool. I reached inside the passenger side window with both hands,
opened the can and let it go as it began to spray everywhere. I rode
off down a one way to avoid being followed. Not saying I would do the
same thing again, this was over 8 years ago, but I sure did enjoy it at
the time.
Aside from that I been subject to some hollering and antagonizing,
mostly when riding Capus Drive and/or being downtown at bartime, but
nothing major.
-M.
On Mon, Oct 12, 2009 at 1:01 PM, Robbie Webber <rob...@robbiewebber.org>
wrote:
In all my years of bike commuting in Madison - over 20
years, and most
of those year-round - I have only had something thrown at me once.
Late winter/early spring, riding west at night on "Old" University
Ave. someone passed me around Allen St and hit me in the back with a
snowball or ice ball. (Not sure where they got it, because I recall
there was no snow on the ground at the time.) Although it hurt like
hell, the winter layers cushioned the blow a bit.
What the perpetrator didn't expect was that bicyclists can accelerate
quickly when adrenaline is suddenly pumping through their veins. I
almost caught the van before it turned a corner and roared away. If my
glasses hadn't been covered in fog and rain, and if I had better night
vision, I would have gotten the plate.
Even yelling from irritated motorists has been fairly minimal. Having
so many bicyclists on the road helps drivers to understand that we are
supposed to be there. Also, most motorists (and walkers, bicyclists
and transit users) tend to travel the same routes on a regular basis,
so they are used to seeing bicyclists and knowing how to act around
them.
Another reason that "more butts on bikes" helps make us all safer.
Robbie Webber
Bike Walk Madison Steering Committee
www.bikewalkmadison.org
Join our group on Facebook!
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