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Boyer Biker reports getting nailed by water bottle thrown from car

A bicyclist came to the Roanoke fire station last Sunday night in considerable pain saying he had been hit in the forehead by a part-full water bottle thrown by a passing vehicle.

According to the SPD report on the July 10th incident, the man said he was riding his bike around 10:45p last Sunday on Boylston Ave E near Roanoke when a plastic water bottle was thrown at him from a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction.


The rider said the vehicle continued northbound on Boylston and then headed east on Roanoke. The biker said he almost crashed but was able to follow the vehicle which finally stopped. He said he then confronted the occupants who drove away via 10th Ave E before returning again to the area while the man waited for police.

The report notes that the rider was able to describe the vehicle and its occupants but does not include the descriptions. The man was not able to provide a license plate.

According to the report, SPD did not arrive to talk to the man for more than 2 hours after the incident.

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oiseau
oiseau
12 years ago

So, yes, come on. Has it gotten to the point where people throw down tacks on the road during a long-standing bike race and where people throw things at people using a different form of transportation?

A war on what again?

Thanks Seattle Times and friends.

Of course it doesn’t matter to the police. These people only did something that could cause this cyclist to crash and, you know, get hurt.

I also want to kill the “cyclists are bad, cyclists need to pay attention, cyclists need to follow the rules” talk before it starts. Most drivers are just as unaware as the cyclists that they love to hate. There are unaware AND aware people on both sides.

This sort of attack is just pointless and these people do at least deserve a fine. Seriously, why do people feel like the world revolves around them and that it is okay to cause harm to other people? I will never understand this….

spiffy d
12 years ago

I see car drivers, bikers, and pedestrians breaking the laws all the time, every day, all over the city. No group is better than anyone else. The difference is that cars kill WAAAAAAAY more people.

George
George
12 years ago

I agree with spiffy d, the fact remains that people need to SLOW down. I don’t know why people throw objects at others other than boredom. I think that we ought to have cams on our bikes so we can download and report cars and hold those accountable who do illegal shit. If we all did it, I think they would stop all this nonsense, or at least think twice.

I was looking online and there is a Helmet Cam at amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/GoPro-HD-Helmet-HERO-Camera/dp/B002VA5

But I don’t know if I have an extra $240 sitting up my ass at the moment.

oiseau
oiseau
12 years ago

I definitely agree, Spiffy. As someone who’s primary mode of transport is by foot, I know how to look both ways, not get hit, etc. Still, a lot of drivers seem to choose not to realize that we aren’t all idiots.

George, I think the accountability thing is a great idea. I have considered many times filming the intersection of Boylston & Pine or just filming a walking trip to the grocery store. In both instances, I am sure I could point of some careless driving, and mayve even some very attentive pedestrians. ;)

I drive a car
I drive a car
12 years ago

Bikers in this town are THE WORST. Holier-than-thou attitudes and absolutely no regard for anyone else on the road. This coming from a guy who’s primary mode of transportation was biking in NYC and SF. I will never, ever ride a bike here because I never want to be put in the “biker” category. That and what’s with the outfits guys? Newsflash: just because you wear the UPS/UW/Motorola jersey does not make you part of the team. I don’t need to see your junk while sipping my cup of coffee, thanks.

jonathan
jonathan
12 years ago

No kidding, those biker assholes don’t even dodge stuff that folks throw out of their cars. And then they get all righteous about it. Geez.

Seriously welcome, ride a bike.in Seattle and follow traffic laws and wear normal clothes. You can still laugh at the spandex Batman-balls and you won’t feel stupid spending your money on imported oil. And you look cool powering up the hills. Cmon it’s fun!

(Traffic law exception: don’t stop at stop signs when there’s no other traffic, that’s just silly. No fudging though, there has to REALLY be no other traffic.)

oiseau
oiseau
12 years ago

I know by mentioning biking in SF, you are trying to prove a point, but it’s not working. When I see that, I think of guys riding mountain bikes without helmets in the Mission and downtown – and that’s it.

Also, you must spend a hell of a lot of time on the Burke Gilman or in Bellevue, because those are the only places where I see people wearing jerseys who aren’t actually part of a team and practicing with their team.

Your assessment of Seattle cyclists is pretty darn skewed. You are looking for folks that act like and look like people NOT in Seattle. That’s your first mistake. Secondly, most cyclists in Seattle tend to be motorists in Seattle too. So, the same “no regard” could still be applied to at least that small subset of drivers; if not the vast majority. Think realistically. There are great cyclists. There are shitty cyclists. There are great drivers. There are shitty drivers. The difference? Shitty drivers kill people.

oiseau
oiseau
12 years ago

Oh lastly, does your perception of someone give you the right to try to injure them? Does that give anyone the right? No. People need to grow the fuck up.

dd
dd
12 years ago

You failed to mention all of the traffic law exceptions for people who drive cars.

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
12 years ago

….did this guy go to the time and effort to track these people down, to “confront” them, but didn’t get a plate number? Seriously, isn’t that the 1st thing to do? Then, if you have time, you call the cops. And *then*, if there’s still time, you “confront” them? (though I’d argue you might think twice even then). Assholes like this won’t respond to lectures or confrontations. So instead, they just got away with it.

c.
c.
12 years ago

can’t we all just get along?

jonathan
jonathan
12 years ago

True… OK here’s one for cars to make it fair: you may go 10mph faster than the speed limit.

Cardriver
Cardriver
12 years ago

Just to be fair, you are an idiot.

calhoun
12 years ago

Sorry, can’t condone a biker not always stopping at a stop sign…motorists don’t get to do this, and bikers should follow all the “rules of the road.” It’s a slippery slope…better to just obey all traffic laws…they exist for the protection of everyone.

dd
dd
12 years ago

There are a lot of things motorists don’t get to do and they do it any ways.

I drive a car
I drive a car
12 years ago

Perfect retort from a Seattle biker. As a matter of fact, I lived in the Mission and rode downtown and the bikers there (and anywhere else for that matter) were infinitely better equipped and conscious of their surroundings than the bikers here. You guys ride around in your stupid spandex jerseys (I am never on the East Side or anywhere near the BG Trail) all day, many times side-by-side on Lake Washington Blvd or through the Arboretum like no one else exists. For shame. It’s attitudes expressed here by delusional bikers that only exacerbate the problem – your replies are definitely not surprising. The fact of the matter is that you guys are generally a major nuisance and the “bad” bikers truly outweigh the “good” bikers probably 100 to 1. What motive would I have to make this sort of thing up? Because I’m not from here? Because I rode in NYC, SF and a number of other large cities? Right. Just stay the hell out of my way and watch your back.

dd
dd
12 years ago

While driving my car down 23rd I was once hit hard in the face with a GIANT jelly donut thrown at pro pitcher speed from a pedestrian standing at a bus stop. I swerved in to oncoming traffic and might have been injured or injured someone else. I just thank the gods that it was a jelly donut, and not a plastic water bottle. People who throw things at others suck. So do bad drivers and cyclists in spandex who ride their bikes past my house at 545am shouting to eachother (the rest of the world is sleeping, jerkfaces), and blowing snot shots on the street making those of us who aren’t neandertals vomit. On the subject of bikers, while I would never throw something at one, I would like it if they stopped passing on the inside right, respected the hours others are sleeping, and bought freaking hankies.

spiffy d
12 years ago

You’re absolutely right DD!

Every one of those bad biker behaviors is A LOT worse than drivers frequently hurting/killing people by accident or negligence.

thanks for pointing that out.

Ben
Ben
12 years ago

As a walker/bus-rider, I personally see more cars causing problems (for me as well as bicyclists). But, that could just be a coincidence that it’s what I notice more. It is true that there is plenty blame to go around. Although, the “100 to 1” comment is bunk, because I can honestly say that *I* have seen more like a 5 to 2 ratio, the other way around. Mine might be coincidence, but 100 to 1? That’s just entirely made-up and exaggerated from someone with a mad hate on for bikers, probably due to just one or two bad experiences (Get over it already, eh?). I will say one thing I really don’t get is when drivers who are upset at cyclists for treating stop signs like yield signs; Yet, just as frequently drivers stop (annoyingly) where there is no sign at all, giving up their right-of-way, AFTER the biker has already stopped at the sign, and then they honk and yell and scream like idiots because the biker doesn’t BREAK THE LAW and keep going – talk about hypocrites. By the way, drivers, YOU are the ones that can run me over when I’m walking, so please, take your right-of-way and GO. I can sympathize a bit with bikers because, honestly, it’s hard to tell what the hell drivers would prefer most of them.

ANYWAY, back on to the topic of the article: Somebody threw a bottle of Vaseline (ick) at me from a car last night, while I was just sitting on a bench, waiting for a bus. Fortunately, it just bounced off my thigh, so it didn’t really hurt too much. I wonder if it was the same d*ckh*le…

dd
dd
12 years ago

Spiffy – I suggest you research and study the term “logical fallacy.”