A student of mine was pepper-sprayed yesterday evening while riding his bicycle on East Trafficway near Hammons Field.
He was heading east away from the intersection of Hammons Pkwy. and riding in the bicycle lane. An older, blue pick-up truck slowed down and pulled side-by-side within two or three feet. The passenger stuck his arm out the window and sprayed the student in the face.
It was a direct hit. Luckily, the student was able to keep control of his bicycle and stop without crashing.
The student filed a police report.
Pass the word. Let’s keep an eye out for these jokers. Let’s bring them to justice.
Comments 17
Holy cow!! WTH are people thinking!?!?!
Posted 03 May 2010 at 10:37 am ¶“Jokers” is a generous term for these people.
Posted 03 May 2010 at 10:54 am ¶Strange violence happening here too. A few weeks ago Rodney had a verbal harasser loop back around and nail him with a bottle (he was in a bike lane). Last week I was told of a cyclist who had a harasser loop back around and threaten him with a gun (he was also in a bike lane). Yesterday, a reader told me about a driver who went a block out of his way to intentionally try to hit him with a utility trailer, that driver then turned on to a side street and went around the block to his destination (a side street near where he originally encountered the cyclist). He was on a narrow 2-lane road with no bike lane, but the driver diverted from a course in which the cyclist would have had no impact on him to commit an act of violence, simply because he was incensed that the cyclist was on the road. WTF?
Posted 03 May 2010 at 12:32 pm ¶I’ve had run-ins with thrown fireworks and bottles before, and cars attempting to run me off the road and/or hit me…
But I’ve never been pepper-sprayed before. Wow.
Posted 03 May 2010 at 1:55 pm ¶Should bicyclists arm themselves when they ride?
Posted 03 May 2010 at 2:02 pm ¶“Jokers” is really not the right word for people who assault cyclists!
Posted 03 May 2010 at 4:22 pm ¶I think Sadie is correct – the correct term is “assailant.” Generically, “criminal” would also work.
Posted 03 May 2010 at 4:52 pm ¶I hate to hear of such violence, glad your student was okay. Last fall when the men hit me with the full soda can, the police said if they had located them it would have been a felony assault charge. I suspect this would constitute the same charge. I hope they can locate the guy, what a shame we have to be so harassed for doing something so simple.
Posted 03 May 2010 at 6:28 pm ¶Re: jokers… had something else in mind, but remembered that CT is supposed to be family-friendly. Be assured — my scorn runs deep for these scum-suckers.
Posted 03 May 2010 at 6:48 pm ¶Great! Now you are insulting the good name of scum-suckers!
Posted 04 May 2010 at 8:14 am ¶I am in North Carolina…getting ready to move to Bolivar…what area are these attacks taking place? If tag numbers are taken down will the local police help?
Are the local newspapers and tv stations friendly to cyclist out there?
We have problems here as well…what is it with people?
Posted 04 May 2010 at 8:42 am ¶wow. i’m so proud to live here in this town. no really. i am.
Posted 04 May 2010 at 8:44 am ¶/sigh
You might tell your student to check Youtube. It wouldn’t be the first time idiots post videos of crimes.
Posted 04 May 2010 at 9:37 am ¶Tommie… Right now we know of only one attack, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. SW Missouri is a very polite place. And I think you’ll find most drivers are willing the share the road.
Posted 04 May 2010 at 12:45 pm ¶Chip…
Posted 04 May 2010 at 1:07 pm ¶My Friend Kevin was biking and some guys in a truck fired a blow dart that went through his arm. I bike to and from work everyday and I bike safe obeying every law that is imposed but still i get yelled at jeered, told to ride on the sidewalk (when there is no sidewalk around) and ignored (traffic not yielding when left turning when I am the on coming traffic). There should insert some specific policies in the driver’s ed books in Springfield.
Posted 06 May 2010 at 9:37 pm ¶I’ve lived in 6 different cities and Springfield is the only place where someone intentionally buzzed me while I was on my bike. I’ve had close calls in a few cities but it was only a Springfield driver who thought it was okay to almost run me off the road as a form of sport. This also happened a few times while I was on foot at the corner of JQH and Cherry as I walked between my dorm and Hammons Hall. I would wait and cross the street at the 4 way stop and have cars steer towards me!
Posted 07 May 2010 at 9:13 pm ¶Trackbacks & Pingbacks 1
[...] checked Carbon Trace earlier this evening to find that a cyclist in Springfield was assaulted with Pepperspray by a passing motorist. The cyclist was in the bike lane at the time. The comments for the post [...]