Driver Pulls Gun on Cyclists This Morning

[Sheila]

Back the truck up! Sodomized? Insulting comments are not conducive to good mediation! A truce will never be between tourists and locals as long as there isn?t mutual respect enough to keep from insulting the other!

Let me guess. :scratch: You were captain of the debate team in college. You are so eloquent in the way you express your views, and win the opposition over to your side.

You may want to consider a career change and run for public office. With your winning personality, you're a shoo in.

 

[Lady D]

This morning at 6:30am I was riding my bike with three friends down 30-a heading west. There were absolutely no cars on the road and we were passing through WaterSound where they have the medians in the middle of the road. A mid-sized pick-up truck honked and then violently swerved around us passing us very closely.

My friend gestured for the driver to come back and talk with us. There was no reason for his aggression so early in the morning. The driver of the metallic orange pickup truck hit his breaks and pulled a black handgun out of his drivers side window and started waving it at us. He then sped away.

I immediately called 911 and we met with two very nice Walton County Police Officers and filed a complaint. The officers were very nice and took the situation very serious and said they have all officers in the area looking for the car.

If anyone sees a mid-sized metallic orange pickup truck with a male driver, please notify the police.

In all of my years riding I have been yelled at, honked at, spit at, had things thrown at me, been run off the road into a ditch, been intentionally hit with a car's mirror, had a Harley sneak up on me and rev his engine to scare me and then laugh at me, two weeks ago had a driver laugh and cheer when we had a cyclist crash...but I have NEVER EVER had a gun pulled on me for riding a bicycle on a Sunday morning.

I am from the west coast and stilll learning about Southern culture...I am still trying to figure out this whole aggression thing towards cyclists...but I am sure this was not a friendly southern gesture.

I could be wrong...maybe it was his way of cheering in awe as he witnessed a life changing athletic performance by some local cyclists. Or maybe it was his way of showing support for our cyclist in Bejing and his reaction at Sammy Sanchez from Spain winning Olympic Gold in the Men's Cycling Road Race yesterday over Americans Levi Leipheimer, George Hincape and Christian Vandevelde! Maybe he was saying, "I am with you brother and I solute you and your athletic acheivements on this beautiful Sunday morning...ride safe and I will lead the way!"

Judging from the description of the vehicle and what he did, this is what in the South is considered a redneck. Sorry this happened to you. I would expect that up here but not there.

 

[wino]

So, Florida Girl: It's pretty obvious that you're the only one defending the down-trodden- redneck-going-through-a-rough-time-in-his-life-so-it's-ok-to-pull-a-gun-because-he-has-no-balls in a metallic orange small chevy pick-up. If you do know who it is, tell him to get it over with and own up!

 

[audie]

wow, i'm gone for one afternoon, and this thread has gone downhill faster than the john edwards thread.

as an aside, i find myself wondering a lot if the other drivers i see have guns, i have a fear of getting shot if i accidentally cut someone off, or turn in front of someone etc. the world is a scary place. i'm not sure which scares me more, guns or attitudes...

 

[Bob]

I once had a beer bottle thrown at me by an oncoming vehicle while I was out for a run. I should have understood the thrower was having a bad day.

 

[Mermaid]

I once had a beer bottle thrown at me by an oncoming vehicle while I was out for a run. I should have understood the thrower was having a bad day.

I bet it wasn't filled or chilled, either. Talk about insult to injury!!!

 

[NoHall]

I once had a beer bottle thrown at me by an oncoming vehicle while I was out for a run. I should have understood the thrower was having a bad day.

(*snort*)

I bet it wasn't filled or chilled, either. Talk about insult to injury!!!

(*snort!snort!*)

 

[ItzKatzTime]

Be very careful confronting an angry man!

wow, i'm gone for one afternoon, and this thread has gone downhill faster than the john edwards thread.

as an aside, i find myself wondering a lot if the other drivers i see have guns, i have a fear of getting shot if i accidentally cut someone off, or turn in front of someone etc. the world is a scary place. i'm not sure which scares me more, guns or attitudes...

I agree with audie...I am so afraid of someone pulling out a gun or knife if I even frown at them. I had a terrible and very traumatic experience from this....my fiance was murdered by our neighbor. This neighbor always yelled at us for parking in his space (no one had their own space) He yelled at the kids if they were playing ball in the yard, or skateboarding, or got too close to his car with their bike's, etc. etc. He had been reported more then once by many people. We were a few months away from our wedding and moving into a new house.

One night we were watching tv and he screamed outside that he was calling the police because the noise was too loud. Then he threw something at our wall. My fiance got up and went to his door and told him there was no need as HE was calling the police. As he was walking back to our door the neighbor came over and argued more then pulled a huge handgun with hollow-point bullets and shot him between the eyes. My daughter and I stood at the front step and saw the whole horrible thing. The neighbor worked for the Post Office andtold the detective and police he had a "bad" day. He also had been drinking Jack Daniels since he got home from work.

No, of course it's not right for anyone to pull a gun out and start waving it at you or anyone. But I've learned the hard way it's best to let someone go on their way. I have tried to teach my children it's just not worth it to confront people like this. Best to try and get their tag number and description to report them. You just never know. I am just glad to hear ya'll are safe and will be out riding again.

I can't tell you how much I have said over and over, "If only we had called the police from our house", instead of going over and confronting him. Our neighbor was looking for a fight....he was a very angry man.

Of course it was this tragedy in my life that brought me to Grayton Beach almost 20 years ago. I came to heal on the beach and clear blue October Gulf waters.......and stayed!!!!

 

[wino]

Peace

Thanks for sharing your tragedy with us, and I sincerely hope the healing continues and peace finds you daily. This is why it is so clearly important that we be determined in our efforts to preserve this place of peace, and turn in those who violate our calm waters...
Please all, be on the lookout for a small to mid-sized metallic orange chevy pick-up, late model. Call the Walton Co. Sheriffs if you see it. They have witness reports and probable cause to pull him over and arrest him.

 

[bluemtnrunner]

Florida Girl's comments are really making me so upset. I have had a lot of trauma in my life and these faulty arguments about trying to see the gun holders point of view are bringing it all back. I am so frustrated by it all that if I run into a low rent landlord in an expensive kayak it might make me snap. But if I do, I know that you will all forgive me because you understand my state of mind, the history of my trials and tribulations. Florida Girl especially will understand and defend me.