Passenger of SUV blocking bike lane throws liquid on cyclists

Contributor Submitted:

"I stopped in front of the vehicle to take a picture of the lady blocking the bike lane. I noticed afterwards that the that I caught the attacker in the picture. He is to the right of the car in the blue jacket. This was right out of OTC on Clinton, about 200 ft from the station. He got in my face about taking pictures of his girl's car. I told her that she was in the bike lane. He continued to escalate, and here are some pictures of him.After a few choice words, they drove out of the bike lane and proceeded down the road. The light at madison was red and as I got to that light, this guy was waiting there and threw what I hope was orange juice all over me. At this point, I ran after him and he ran back into this car. I stood in front of the car to try and hold them there until someone could come on the scene, and the woman started driving, trying to run me over. I got hit by their car and went rolling, and had some road rash on my knee and I tore my jacket. Here is the video of the fluid being thrown on me. The video was taken by another rider, who told me that she has a helmet cam because she had been chased down the road previously. I made a police report and a detective reached out to me about 2 weeks later. I gave him all of this and they still do not know who this was or who the woman was. "

Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUJmW9Em1Uk&feature=youtu.be

Link to Thread with more images: https://twitter.com/bikelaneuprise/status/1106725047316738050

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Permalink Reply by David P. on March 22, 2019 at 4:40am

Cooper, for some reason you see these people in the photos as African-American first and then everything else after that. The OP, however, sees these people as people who initiated a violent confrontation and, in a legal sense, assaulted them. This behavior is the quality of these people that is relevant to their experience and the discussion, and their behavior is what was reported to the police and what has been discussed here. 

Permalink Reply by mike w. on March 22, 2019 at 6:42am

THIS^^

+1

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on March 22, 2019 at 7:13am

I concur. I stand with mike w. and Jennifer. 

Permalink Reply by Ernesto Lube on March 25, 2019 at 5:40am

Same

Permalink Reply by LJS on March 17, 2019 at 4:36am

EDIT: Just submitted via BLU so you have on official record of it...

Very timely post because I was just wondering about an extremely similar incident which happened to me nearly 2 months ago (and no clear police action since then despite extremely clear evidence). 

More details below, but @BLU - if you are able to meet with Chicago Police and want to add another example to the list of motorist-on-cyclist violence that isn't being responded to by authorities, let me know and I'd love to make that happen.

  • On Sunday Jan 27 I was biking north on Canal Street between Roosevelt and Taylor when there was a beige Kia Sorento SUV (IL plate AK 74532) parked in the bike lane
  • I tapped the car on the rear tail-light to let them know 'hey, you shouldn't be parked here'
  • Driver speeds ahead of me to the Taylor St intersection and gets out of his car swearing at me and verbally threatening me, walking toward me
  • I literally go inside the Roosevelt Collection shops, fearing for my safety, and spend 5 minutes going down through the parking garage hoping he is gone
  • When I come out back on Canal St near the Starbucks, no, he is not gone.  The attacker has circled around the block waiting for me.
  • He gets out of his car, runs over to me, punches me twice, throws my bike on the ground, and drives off
  • Called 911 and CPD show up 20 minutes later; I give them my info and a detailed recall of the incident (thankfully there was a witness who came up to me and shared her info and these pictures) and the file a police report/victim information notice
  • The follow up via email 1 week later asking for the same info and pictures; I send them everything (seriously, a license plate number and extremely clear pictures) and yet - no information, no arrest (per Chicago CLEARMAP)

At the end of the day, I had no injuries.  Good thing I had about 5 layers on (plus a helmet and 2 facemasks) for the below-zero weather.  Had to replace my bent back wheel but that was it.  But I'm kind of pi$$ed that this was such a blatant act of motorist-on-cyclist violence, with such clear evidence, and to my knowledge no action (for sure, no swift action) has been taken.

BLU, I had mentioned this to you in an email and told you that this particular incident was the turning point for me.  Before the incident I was insistent on reporting bike lane violations, yelling at motorists, tapping on trunks/hoods, etc. 

Now, I fear for my safety.  I do not yell, flip the bird, provoke, anything.  Just go around.  Who knows how many guns (legal and illegal) are in the city.  I am trying to practice patience and all is well, was back on my bike within days, but really want justice to be served for this ba$tard and anyone else who thinks their human rights as a motorist are somehow superior to those of folks who are not in a 2000 lb. tank.

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on March 18, 2019 at 9:10am

We've summarized the two assault stories with a post on Streetsblog. https://chi.streetsblog.org/2019/03/18/cyclists-who-confronted-bike...

Permalink Reply by Ernesto Lube on March 25, 2019 at 5:43am

I would have kicked this guy on the balls so hard. 

Permalink Reply by V W on March 18, 2019 at 12:17pm

If only the CPD put a tenth of that Jussie Smollett effort into biking cases...

Wheres the accountability?

Permalink Reply by Paul Lazzaro on March 19, 2019 at 2:58am

The reality is that most drivers are ignorant of the law, and also do not care much about the safety of cyclists and pedestrians.

Also a reality is that CPD reflects the attitudes of the general (driving) population.  Do not expect them to care about driver assaults on cyclists.

As a vulnerable road user, I feel it is wiser to avoid conflict at almost any cost.  You may desire to educate drivers and even the CPD, but trying to do it on the street is not likely to be successful.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 19, 2019 at 8:41am

As well as a certain German made car with a 4-letter name....

Permalink Reply by David P. on March 20, 2019 at 3:25am

Stereotyping like this, while basically harmless, is also a bit ridiculous. 

Permalink Reply by mike w. on March 20, 2019 at 9:55am

Sometimes stereotypes are the products of observation.

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