To sorta quote Phil Gaimon, Screw That

Miscellaneous
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This past September, it appears a 16 y/o driver “allegedly” attempted to intimidate and run over a group of cyclists. He has zero charges against him, as of creation of the article.

Teen who ran over 6 cyclists outside Houston walks free (chron.com)

There’s a follow up from the kid’s lawyer, playing down the kid’s experience. Can someone tell me what the kid’s lack of experience has to do with intentional (allegedly) acts against anyone, let alone the kid having aspirations for college?

Attorney for teenager who ran over 6 cyclists outside Houston speaks out (chron.com)

So say that this crap bugs the living snot out of me, would be an understatement.

As of the 29th of September, it looks like this was sent to a grand jury. What bugs me is that the kid was not arrested, let alone booked for anything day of the incident. Allegedly the kid had tried to intimidate the riders prior to hitting them. IMO this gives criminal intent, ergo he should have been arrested and booked for something. Imagine if he had a gun and was pointing it at people? What makes this different, that he was in a vehicle and cyclists are nuisances?

I admit I’m biased, for multiple reasons. I am a cyclist, and I’ve been hit by a negligent driver.

edit update Found an article from the 14th of October, where the Police Chief admits that the officer handling the case day of made a mistake.

Waller police chief admits mistakes made after cyclists hit | khou.com

update #2 Per the Houston Chronicle the teen is to be charge on Nov. 8. Charges can range from minimal to potentially very serious for the teen, per the article.

Charges for Waller teen who hit cyclists to be announced (chron.com)

A further piece of info for the big area around Houston. This happened yesterday, Nov 1, 2021. A driver hit 6 riders, killing one. Was released yesterday without charges, or even a ticket. This was after the driver admitted to not maintaining his speed.

Driver walks free after hitting and killing cyclist in Liberty County (chron.com)

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It’s amazing how often those guys drive by with their mirrors almost hitting riders (who are wayyy to the right shoulder) in MCC.
Annoying

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Well, I did find an update from KHOU. Still looking for more info.

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It’s Texas. They’ll give that kid a gold medal for rolling coal at cyclists.

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It can certainly feel that way some days. There are many, many idiots out in the wild across the globe. This type of crap happens in cycling friendly Europe too. I read about riders getting hit across Spain, France, Italy, and Britain. The largest common denominator is negligence by driver, followed closely by dislike of cyclists.

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Updated info (11-8-1021) on the kid who “allegedly” hit 6 cyclists in Waller, TX after rolling coal at them.

Per Bikelaw.com he has been charged with 6 felonies, all “Felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon.”

I have my own issues with the story, mostly how it was written, it at least gets the point across that the DA at least takes this seriously. As to what the victims do civilly is still up in the air as far as I know.

FELONY CHARGES FOR WALLER DRIVER | Bike Law

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As a fellow cyclist who has had too many close calls - nothing is more maddening than drivers who seem to drive the edge of the road closest to cyclists as if to try to scare or hassle them. Particularly when they are obviously driving a big truck to compensate for something.

I get that there are some cyclists who are annoying an inconsiderate of drivers. Likewise there are drivers who are annoying and inconsiderate. When you’re driving around in a deadly weapon - there has to be consequences for using that to threaten others.

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Not a bicycle rider, but I always try to give them the widest berth possible on the road. It can be a challenge on the switchbacks on the Alpine loop, usually ending with me getting “horned” for slowing until I can get to a safe place to pass.

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It’s an interesting dichotomy. There is so much us vs them, and “othering” of groups. I think that there have been entire forests chopped down and turned into papers for these subjects. Regardless, I as a cyclist appreciate considerate drivers. As a driver I appreciate considerate riders. Being in both camps I see the worst of both too. As @EddieR stated there are plenty of bad examples to point our fingers at. In the end, all we can control is ourselves. I try to be an ambassador to the sport/activity, but there are days where I am not.

So, again on behalf of cyclists everywhere I thank you for being a considerate and patient driver, especially when it can be difficult.

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I was talking to a guy who didn’t know I was a rider a few years back.

He talked about going up to Pineview over Trapper’s Loop and was complaining about cyclists. He had been going up the road, when the right lane was blocked by a large group of riders. So all of the vehicles were moving into the left lane to pass. He was pulling a boat and had to slow in order to merge left.

He said “They’ve got all of these ‘Share The Road’ signs - why won’t those those guys on bikes share the road!?!? Come on!”

I had to explain to him that sharing actually means BOTH get to use the road. If it is only cars on the road - that isn’t sharing. Just like it isn’t sharing if it is just bikes on the road. Sharing requires both to have use of the road.

Trapper’s Loop is one of my favorite places to ride - because it’s a wide road with 2 lanes and a pretty good shoulder, all things considered. I’ve never taken up a lane on that road, but I see why a large group might.

But I had to laugh at the guy who thinks “sharing” the road with cyclists means that people on bikes stay out of the way of people in cars.

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Yeah, I ran into that “type” of guy at the regional road race championships for the Carolinas. He lived just across from where I was at the finish line, I was the Chief Judge, in charge of results, that’s why I was there.

He was getting belligerent about all the cyclists “taking up the road” and the rest of the stuff. We finally had to get the Chief Ref out to talk with him, so I could do my job. Turns out, this guy, while he knew his property line right down to the centimeter, was much like your boat hauler.

He had to move his farming equipment from one area of his property to another via the road. When he was asked how that was any different in holding up traffic than a cyclist he made all sorts of excuses as to why it was different.

This is in a part of Appalachia where we had riders threatened with shootings a few years ago for “holding up traffic” and riding bikes on “my roads.” Fortunately no injuries in the most recent event or the threatened gun violence event. Sadly, this harkens back to the whole us vs them othering, instead of taking a moment and breathing.

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A 16-year-old who does that needs some jail time and psychiatric counseling.

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You can add a license revocation to the list, too.

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A few years ago, I was descending Emigration Canyon, just below the big curve at the bottom of little mountain, and was using the lane, as the shoulder is very narrow there, and I was going 35+ miles per hour. A small light blue, 80-something Toyota pickup truck began to catch up with me so I moved as far as possible/safe to the right to allow the motorist to pass. He game me NO space, and nearly ran me off the road. I slowed, managed to barely keep on the road, and to avoid being hit by the mirror on the truck.

I was so shaken, that I stopped, for a moment to collect myself. As I did so, the motorist turned around, sped angrily back up the canyon past me, flipped me off, and turned around to come back down the canyon in my lane. I pushed the bike up into a nearby driveway and stayed completely off the road, not knowing what his intention was, but suspecting the worst.

He stopped at the driveway, blocking the road, rolled down the passenger window, and started yelling some incomprehensible nonsense about a cyclist killing his brother in this GD canyon and the MFers need to keep the F out of his way. He didn’t wait for a response, but sped off in a fit of anger when a passing motorist honked at him. He was a 50-ish, scraggly looking guy with dark hair and a dark beard.

I’ve posted this story here before, I think, and I mention the description of the car, and the guy, as I always watch for it/him when I’m cycling in Emigration.

You have the correct attitude, @Carolina_Cycling_Ute. Always try to remember to be as courteous as possible, hoping that will come back in terms of good behavior on the part of others toward you and toward others.

I find, unfortunately, that motorists everywhere, seem to be in a bigger hurry than ever, and are much less patient with cyclists than ever. I have not yet acquiesced and changed to mounting biking exclusively, that may be coming. but I do look for much less heavily traveled roads to ride whenever possible.

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