Driver Pulls Gun on Cyclists This Morning

[ciclismo]

I did learn something from this thread.

I didn't know that there was a speed limit for the multi-use path.

The idea of bikes being on the road makes a whole lot more sense now and they just gained a lot more respect from me.

As GI Joe would say "...and knowing is half the battle"

We are a local bicycle racing team sponsored by several local businesses and we do our best to promote safe cycling, a healthy lifestyle and support our local community. I am happy to hear that some good has come out of this incident.

We have a long way to go to becoming a welcomed part of the community on the roads for locals & tourists. It is a shame that we had to have such an extreme situation to get the message out. But at this point, I will take anything that helps make it safer on the roads for everyone.

There should be an article coming out soon on what happened. The reporter was very nice and supportive of cyclists. Thank you again for all your support and ask for some discretion with the driver on this message board.

 

[Chickpea]

I am just so happy that I am never stuck in traffic here and never have to inhale those god awful fumes of so many cars and trucks and SUV's that cram every highway in this country - I have zero problem with the few cyclists I encounter along 30A who are courteous to all the joggers, strollers, slow cyclists on the multi-use path by moving to the road - it has never been a problem to slowly pass them by swerving around (and if I am 5-10 minutes delayed then that is also OK) - 30A anyways is supposed to be for slower traffic. I understand that at times it is a bother and a nuisance but for those of you in a terrible hurry you do have highway 98 and that is never congested.

 

[one speed]

Deport Florida girl and make her take her Jimmy Buffett CD's with her

Yo Florida Girl. good luck with your election. I hope you have a good campain manager to write your platform because it is gonna have to be good one. If my tax dollars go to pay you I may leave my beloved home of Walton County. As for pointing guns at cyclist, I think it is absurd and to try to defend them is about as insane. Do you know the alleged gun brandisher? I feel like you might.
How many of your tennants are local? True locals? How many of them make there living on tourism in which they turn around and hand you for rent? It is hard to beleive that there are many jobs here that are not based around tourism. Regardless of what you do here, most of it boils down to tourism.
I am local. Not a true local. I have been here 14 years and I ride my roadbike in the road.

 

[RiverOtter]

Here's A Question

Why do people think a guy robbing a bank, threatening a teller with a guy (or killing the teller) is a horrible crime but swerving at a cyclist, trying to make them wreck and possible killing them is somehow acceptable?

I hear Harley riders laugh about sneaking up on cyclists and revving their engines so startle the rider in hopes they wreck. But they cus and are willing to hang a person that didn't see them and during a lane change. Their intentional act can does and will cause the same damage that might happen to them accidentally.

In Chattanooga a young Harley rider was killed when a lady didn't see him, pulled out in front of him and he was killed in the incident. The courts found her at fault but did not give her any jail time. The local biker crowd freaked. Literally calling for the death penalty. Hello, it was a horrible accident, she was at fault but she did not plan the incident. The local biker's rep get on the radio literally calling for her to be jailed for the rest of her life. Later he was bragging about scaring cyclists by revving his engine as he passed them. What if the cyclist has run off the road and on been injured or even killed? I wonder if he would expect jail time?

Sorry for the rambling post but I'm still ticked over this.

 

[ciclismo]

My Harley experience experience got me very angry. I always thought folks on two wheels should stick together.

 

[CPort]

I am just so happy that I am never stuck in traffic here and never have to inhale those god awful fumes of so many cars and trucks and SUV's that cram every highway in this country - I have zero problem with the few cyclists I encounter along 30A who are courteous to all the joggers, strollers, slow cyclists on the multi-use path by moving to the road - it has never been a problem to slowly pass them by swerving around (and if I am 5-10 minutes delayed then that is also OK) - 30A anyways is supposed to be for slower traffic. I understand that at times it is a bother and a nuisance but for those of you in a terrible hurry you do have highway 98 and that is never congested.

I'm not local but I agree Chickpea 30A is for local slow moving traffic its hard for me to drive down it and not go slow bikers or not. I like to savor each mile.

 

[seagrovegirl]

Apparantly, someone hasn't witnessed 30A, especially 30A on the week of July 4th, at the 395S/30A intersection......we call that traffic, especially when it takes 30 minutes to get from Eastern Lake to get through that intersection.

Seaside is still a zoo and it scares me that someone is savoring the atmosphere and not watching the road!

 

[TreeFrog]

I've been biting my tongue on this thread...

What happened to ciclismo is unfortunate, and a matter for the Sheriffs. I'm glad to see they found the individual.

Over and over, we get posters who think cyclists should ride on the bike path. It's always clear, from their comments, that these folks have never tried to ride a lightweight road bike on the bike path. Their comments also usually indicate that they may not have significant experience with ridiing one at speed (15 to 25 MPH).

It would be a bad idea to ride a road bike on the path, because:
1-You'll risk a collision with walkers or slow cruiser bike pedalers. You = 20 MPH, them =3 MPH is a recipe for trouble.
2-The bike path is bumpy and, in some places, poorly maintained. Going 20 MPH is likely to lead to a wreck, even if you don't hit someone.
3-You'd be breaking the speed limit on the bike path.

Realistically, you'll never get anywhere in a hurry on 30A. Much of the speed limit is 35MPH, and there's more than a little bit at 25 MPH. There's no difference between going 25 MPH behind a cyclist and going 25 MPH behind a vacationer who doesn't know where they are going, except that you WILL eventually get a chance to pass the cyclist.

 

[seagrovegirl]

Recipe for cyclist on 30A going 20mph=being hit by auto at 35 mph....I'll take the bike path, thank you.

 

[Kayak Fish]

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.

Culture? LOL. Anyway the gun thing is unusual, but I will tell you that we have the most over-aggressive idiotic drivers per capita on the planet right along highway 98 from Panama City Beach to Pensacola. Sometimes they get over to 30-A, but not too often. I am very careful at all times in a car- couldn't imagine how I'd be on a bike.