Another Bicyclist Attacked in Toledo

"People need to realize cyclists have every right to be on the road"'
Damned right!

When I used to bike to work, it was not uncommon to be hit with milkshakes, french fries, and whatever other garbage idiots wanted to throw at you. The problem with that is when you get hit with french fries at 30mph, they really turn into projectiles and not only hurt like heck, but also cause you to swerve on or off the road. Sometimes, just off the road is a pretty big drop to the ground and you can get really hurt very easy by someone's stupidity.

Thats a bit hard to believe. Milkshakes at 8am, etc?

Even on the way home, c'mon.

You're right Ryan. I just made that story up for sympathy. lol

Believe it or not, the story is true. It may have been years ago and the names have been changed to protect the innocent, but it is true.

Now, I'd be more worried about getting run off road or even shot.

happens all the time. I knew a local azzhole who used to get wendy's chili just for that.

Last I heard he was in the house of many doors. Hope he's enjoying himself

I have had items thrown at me as both a pedestrian and as a cyclist, but my worst experience as either was walking in a crosswalk on the UT campus. I clearly had the right of way at the stop sign, I stepped off the curb, and the driver of a stopped car blared the horn and screamed: "Get out the road, motherf***er!"

The horn blast rattled me, but what really pissed me off was when the jack*** sped away and tossed ice cubes from his fast-food drink at me.

None of this motorist's behaviors would ever be "normal," mind you, but it was especially bizarre in an area of a metropolitan university with heavy pedestrian traffic (behind the Student Union turning onto the bridge over the Ottawa River).

i ride around with a wrench in my bag at all times. throw a milkshake at me, and your back window is gone :)

As a former triathlete I have logged hundreds of miles on rides and incidents with aholes number far to the right of the decimal compared to miles ridden, yet it never fails to amaze me how seemingly normal people can turn into instant assholes at the thought of sharing three stinking feet of pavement. On the other hand, I never fully understood why runners would chose road running over perfectly safe sidewalks.

At any rate, Toledo is not a cycle friendly town nor are the rednecks of Wood County where I typically trained on my road bike. One day, a redneck –call him Bertrum-decided to block the Waterville Bridge with his vehicle –call it a F150-. Unbeknown to me, my buddy, from Texas,-call him psycho- produces at snub-nosed 38 from his jersey and aims it in the general direction of the truck’s gas tank. Bertrum just about shit himself lifeless and peeled off fishtailing out of sight.
I now opt to ride the peaceful trails along the river (and carry a cell phone).

"I never fully understood why runners would chose road running over perfectly safe sidewalks."

As a former runner and cyclist, I ran on the side streets in Rossford when I lived there, and I only hopped up on the sidewalk when I was running through part of the downtown. Busy road meant sidewalk. Quiet side streets meant running on the road.

Asphalt is supposedly softer than concrete. I suppose the difference could be measured over a long period of running.

I ran after work, and for part of the year, that meant running in the dark, and the footing on the roads was better than on sidewalks that may have cracks, holes, or raised parts. Also, Rossford's roads tended to be clear of snow and ice sooner or more often than every homeowner's sidewalks.

My casual, short-distance run was 45 minutes or around six miles. Running all six miles in the dark in the winter on sidewalks would not be safe in my opinion.

In West Toledo where I live now, I wouldn't run on Douglas Rd, but I would run on the side streets except the busy ones like narrow Bowen. But I no longer run. Now it's 40 to 60 minute brisk walks around the neighbhorhood on sidewalks even through the winter except for about a week in late last December when the sidewalks were treacherous with ice. I prefer to exercise outdoors in all weather. Get to observe nature too.

I did the majority of my solo cycling in Wood County, and I experienced a few incidents where drivers would yell or toss something, but I never got hit. My biggest problem when cycling in farm country were the unchained dogs that left their yards and came into the road and chased me. Some ambushed me. It's an exciting few seconds when a dog bounds into a big group of cyclists.

I always thought that an automobile driver or passenger who felt compelled to target a cyclist in some way did so because the driver resented the fact that the cyclist was out exercising and enjoying an activity that the driver was either too lazy or unable to do. The automobile dinks envied the cyclist in some way. And the abuse normally came from male drivers and passengers. I don't remember abuse coming from women. Has to be an insecurity issue with the automobile people. Attacking a cyclist makes the automobile person feel better in some way.

Back in High School when training for cross country, we would run through Rossford. Down the main drag, down eagle point Rd, through the colony, down/up dead man's hill, then back down the highway to the high school. All sidewalks when possible, but if we had to run in the road it was single file until we got back to a sidewalk.

I have to say, there is no reason I can think of why drivers cannot share the road with runners or bikers. I always slow down and give plenty of room for both since I do both and appreciate it when vehicles do it for me.

It only takes a moment and it could save a life.

@doubters:
Absolutely happens.
I've lived here off and on for over 40 years, involved with biking and/or hiking casually-interspersed with short periods of rabid devotion to the point of obsession-for my entire life. I've been on the receiving end of the old "shake bomb" attack on two occasions. But the amount of things I've had yelled, thrown or gestured in my direction has got to number in the high 30's. During high school in the late 70's I had a summer job at Southwyck Mall, requiring me to walk from the Wayne/Conant of area of Maumee, and virtually every day somebody f*&%^*d w/ me.

In my experience, this happens far less than it used to, for two reasons:
-There are more dedicated bike paths than the old days, and I use them extensively.
-People are so violent today, you never know who may be packing heat, and the chance of retaliation may deter the less dedicated jackass.

Hockeyfan, are you delusional? Even the SUV assholes don't want to share the road with we drivers of shitty cars.

I hear you. I'm gonna get a vinyl decal for my van that reads, "Bike, Runner, and other vehicle friendly".

Runners - read these posts and be smart!!!

PUH - LEEEEESE run against traffic!!!!!

Bikers ride WITH the traffic flow, but runners should go against it.

Also - it was passed several years ago - it IS legal in toledo to ride your bike on the sidewalk...

Have you even tried walking on half the sidewalks in Toledo? I don't have one of those off-roading mountain bikes!

I live off of alexis rd. I'd take mountain bike sidewalks over nascar drivers on the road any day...

This isn't in Toledo... but is totally bonkers: http://www.wyff4.com/news/20187786/detail.html#

Wow Toledolen, another reason to wear a helmet.

Since it seems there are a lot of cyclists on here, I'd like to make one comment. And this may be especially for you, JR, if you're the guy I saw going over the Bowen Road bridge the other day.

FOLLOW THE FRICKIN' SAFETY LAWS!

Stop at stop signs and red lights. Don't ride against traffic, but with it, and stay to the right.

I'm a careful driver, and I don't want to hit you with my car. Your cooperation will help.

(Bowing; stepping off soapbox.)

Not me, Anniecski, but thanks for your concern. I haven't cycled since I moved into Toledo several years ago, except for a stationary bike indoors.

Yesterday evening, I saw a bonehead riding his bicycle against traffic on narrow, four-lane Douglas Rd between Laskey and Sylvania. Darwin was probably smiling.

Some years back when I was a long distance runner it wasn't only my cardiovascular system that was fit. It was also my peripheral vision and my reaction time. The crap I had tossed at me was unbelievable. Cans of beer or soda were common. I had people swerve at me deliberately. Although my practice was to run facing traffic it wasn't always possible due to bad berms or other problems so sometimes I had to have traffic at my back. That was the worst. I had one guy stop and just drive along slowly beside me with a menacing look. I've no idea why. Every manner of junk food wrappings, including milkshake cups was hurled my way. I carried mace. Never had to use it but I had some awfully uncomfortable moments. I can't run anymore, although I could ride a bicycle, but I won't. The thought of having traffic coming up behind me is so unnerving that I refuse to. In my opinion cars and bicycles don't mix.

And some bicyclists - especially out here in the country don't know how to share the road with cars...uh, move the hell over yellow & red dude in tights.

bicyclists have every right to be on the road. safely pass them and get over it.

bicyclists have very right to be ON the road, not in the middle of it, and incognizant and apathetic to traffic

They have every right to be in the middle of a lane. Safely pass them as you would any other vehicle and get OVER IT.

Really? Is it so hard to share the road with a runner or bicyclist? Cripe, move over a little and go around respectfully. Don't yell, blow your horn, or throw anything, just go around. Someday you might be the one being passed.

If justareviewer wants to fall into a fit of "road/roid rage" ala Troy Neff and run a fellow citizen off the road (or worse) then more power to him/her. Enjoy the consequences; moral, criminal, and otherwise.

I prefer to slow down, patiently wait to be noticed and pass with a smile... and maybe a wave.

hockeyfan - if only it was a perfect world. There are some folks out there who consider runners and bicyclists sport. Better not to be a target.

From HockeyFan: Someday you might be the one being passed.

Pretty doubtful. The vast majority of drivers don't ride and never will, nor will they go out running.

I'm with Texas Psycho. Pack your gat, and if some soccer playing SOB in an SUV tries to pull any crap with you, draw a fine bead on 'em. They'll leave and you can keep on biking or running.

Another death:

"Toledo police Monday released the name of a bicyclist who was struck and killed by a vehicle that fled the scene the day before in West Toledo."

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090914/NEWS16/909140361/0/FRONTPAGE

I sure hope they get the responsible person. Bicyclists should be safe if they ride in a legal manner. I won't ride because of tragedies like this. It scares me to death.

A similar risk is taken by teen skateboarders. Now and then I'll see one tooling down the turning lane on Dorr Street. Why don't they use the sidewalk? Because the part of Dorr from Secor going west only has spotty sidewalks. I hope no kid gets clobbered by a car.

people need to stop thinking about being in a car as a maniacal race and begin thinking about safety.