motorist vs bicyclist

[duffjr]

http://www.citynoise.org/article/2770

[AtomSmasher]

motorist throws food out of window. courier, disliking littering, picks up food and throws food back in car. motorist dumps coffee on courier. courier scratches car with key. road rage ensues.

Crazy, although IMO it looks like both of them were idiots and overreacted.

[missioncontrol]

is the bike person a chick?

[duffjr]

looks like a woman to me.  what's the deal with the hot chick in the last shot?

[RandyT]

Probably the GF of the bike-stomper.


The comments were funnier than the pictures.  Lots of people making assumptions about who did what and taking sides.  Both of these people were idiots, but I think she incited the incident and if he is charged, then she should be charged as well.

Maybe the guy littered.  I don't know that he did.  Maybe he tossed a half of a sausage McMuffin out of the window and was feeding the pigeons.   But the moment she tried to play vigilante, she caused him property damage (maybe the "food" was messy and could have stained the interior of the vehicle.)  One is possibly littering, the other is definitely vandalism, vigilanteism, disturbing the peace, incitement...you get the idea.

His response to throw coffee at her might have been extreme, but unless it was the "fast-food brown lava", I doubt anyone could see this as assault.  I think she would have to show her burns for that one to stick.  It would be pretty easy for him to say that he knew the coffee was cold and staining her coat was his goal in response to her staining his car's interior.

To me, it seems like the militant extremist bicyclist (note the attire) answered every action with a much more extreme re-action. 

Probably a good thing it happened in Canada.  In this country he would have went straight for the baseball bat (or worse.)

RandyT

[AtomSmasher]

His response to throw coffee at her might have been extreme, but unless it was the "fast-food brown lava", I doubt anyone could see this as assault.  I think she would have to show her burns for that one to stick.  It would be pretty easy for him to say that he knew the coffee was cold and staining her coat was his goal in response to her staining his car's interior.

I agree with most of what you said except this.  Even throwing water at her is legally considered battery (assault is actually when you act like your going to "attack" someone, but don't), so she could have easily pressed charges for the coffee.

[RandyT]

His response to throw coffee at her might have been extreme, but unless it was the "fast-food brown lava", I doubt anyone could see this as assault.  I think she would have to show her burns for that one to stick.  It would be pretty easy for him to say that he knew the coffee was cold and staining her coat was his goal in response to her staining his car's interior.

I agree with most of what you said except this.  Even throwing water at her is legally considered battery (assault is actually when you act like your going to "attack" someone, but don't), so she could have easily pressed charges for the coffee.

Maybe, but then she would be equally guilty of "assault" by your definition, as she threw food into the vehicle he was in, and therefore at his person.  And, she did it first. 

There are pure legal definitions, and then there are actions you are liable to be charged with.  Throwing water on someone (or say a kid nailing someone with a water-baloon) probably aren't likely to get you charged., but I guess it could depending on the situation.

Of course, what followed, with the pushing and the grabbing was definitely assault.  If all those actions are the same legally, then the legal system is pretty screwed up.  I guess that's what judges and juries are for.

RandyT

[Nailz]

Hardcore bikers are a strange lot, they get almost militant about what they do.  The driver is obviously an ass for littering, but she was just as guilty for her knee-jerk reaction to the whole thing.

I almost got into it with a biker one day where I live, riding in the middle of the road and holding up at least 20 cars.  A few people shouted at him to move to the side (including myself), there was a bike lane for him.  We got around him, stopped at a light and he caught up and decided to give me a piece of his mind.  He spit on my car, and then pulled out his bike pump and started waving it at me.  I felt threatened, got out of my car and he then realized that at 5'9" and 150 with a biker body, he was not going to do anything but take a beating from his own pump by me, at 6'4" 240.

I am thankful he pedalled away, I would have gone to jail for beating him senseless and it just isn't worth it.  This was when I was about 25, younger and dumber.

I have mellowed since, but some of these bikers just go way too far to prove they belong on the road with cars.

[AtomSmasher]

Agreed that she also could of been arrested for assault, but battery is far worse then assault.  Plus the guy would of had both littering and battery charges, and she would of had assault.  After she keyed his car....well thats another story.  Regardless they both acted like idiots and let the situation escalate much farther then it should of.

And just a side story, I used to be a security guard at a theme park (six flags magic mountain if your wondering) and anytime someone would intentionally throw something that hit us, or spit on us, we'd have them pinned on the ground, handcuffed and call the police over almost immediately, so you can definately be charged with battery for something that small.

[RandyT]

I have mellowed since, but some of these bikers just go way too far to prove they belong on the road with cars.

Until they start having to register them to help pay for the roads, I don't feel they do.  Well, that may be a little harsh.  Usually there's lots of space for everyone and the bicycles weigh nothing so no "wear" to consider, but I get infuriated when I see a bicyclist barely slow down through a stop sign or a red light.  I almost hit one once because of it.  Darwinism at work.

To any bicyclists reading this:  If you want your bicycle to share the road with my car or motorcycle, you need to follow the same rules I do, for your safety AND mine.  Is that too much to ask?

RandyT