Throwing objects from cars

[snoone]

It's Monday am, gonna be 80 in NYC today. On my way in this morning while in the left lane on Rte 17 I noticed a driver in the center lane with his hand out of the window just about ready to let his cigarette butt fly. Of course when he did it found my visor. I pulled up besides him and gave him the look but he had no idea.

How many of you have either been hit by cigarette butts or see people litter while you're riding. This absolutely makes me nuts. Just venting

[DarrylRi]

Yeah, it happens with some regularity on the freeway here. Though, thanks to California's no smoking anywhere mentality, there are fewer smokers and fewer of them smoke in their cars.

We are such car crazed folks here in the bay area that the local newspaper (San Jose Murky News) runs a highway/traffic column everyday. A little while ago the author pointed out that there are two things it is legal to drop on the road. One is water. Can you guess what other thing is enshrined in the California Vehicle Code?

[username]

that is the great irony of smoking, and a window into how smoking and automobiles are more important than being considerate towards other people. smokers are clearly powerless and not in control of themselves. nice, honest, rational people that i know suddenly do selfish, stupid things when it comes to their nicotine addiction. littering being the least of them. and when you confront them, theyre SHOCKED by it. they dont think theyre doing anything wrong.

it gets even better here in texas. as you may have heard, it gets a little bit hot and dry during summer. roadside grass turns to straw. lots of roadside brush fires start from two sources: people who pull over and park their hot car in deep grass [FOOM!] and people throwing lit cigarette butts out their windows. hello?

and to answer your original question, yes, ive dodged many a cigarette butt. there is another thing here in texas, where people throw miscellaneous trash into the bed of their truck, and then it blows out on the highway. i swear i am not making this up. youll see empty soda/beer cans and all manner of wrapper and paper come flying out of some bubba-mobile. dodged plenty of that too.

im a motorist most of the time, but when i read this story (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=757&e=9&u=/nm/20040416/od_nm/crime_britain_cyclist_dc) i thought, 'this guy was not judged by a jury of his peers. ;)

sorry, im riled up this morning.

[YB in IN]

I got smacked one time by what I can only figure was a pebble that someone dug out of their shoe. I had a mark on my forearm where it hit me that looked about the size of a .22 round for about three months. I was real glad I had on protective gear. From what it felt like when it hit me, I can imagine it would have penetrated the skin if I'd been bare-armed. Yeah, it smarted.

[snoone]

It's amazing that you don't hear more from the Harley crowd in reference to getting hit by objects from autos or even bugs and pebbles given that they enjoy the no face shield look, or would I be presumtuous in saying that some of those guys are the cigarette out the window purveyors. In fact I've seen some of those guys smoking and riding. What do you suppose they do with their cigarettes and cigars.

[username]

they throw them at motorists, which is cool, right? ;)

[lorazepam]

I onece had a guy throw a Mc Donald's cheeseburger at me while I was riding my bicycle. If I had known what it was, I would have caught it and had a snack. As it was, I had no idea and just figured it was going to hurt.

[Ironhorsecowboy]

Like any tough bad boy biker would do. They eat em! And the bugs too!!::brow

[LICK MY BRICK]

If somebody threw something at me while riding my motorcycle,and looked at me while they did it. I'd fall back a little bit and follow them to there destination,and beat the S--T out of them!I don't play games when it comes to that.And I will go to sleep that night with no problems.

:evil

[The_Veg]

Yes it really bothers me too, not just as a motorcyclist but as an environmentalist.
But when it comes to road hazards here is TexSux, there is more than just garbage coming out of the back of trucks. I frequently see things such as big rolls of carpet padding (that's a common one for some reason) in the freeways. I keep hoping NOT to be riding behind a truck that loses this kind of stuff! I also think that our local tire shops have a guy who drives around all day in a pickup with no tailgate and the bed full of screws and nails. I've never had a puncture on a motorcycle, but in over six years in TXSX I've had more car tire punctures than in the entire rest of my life!
As for the cigarette butt thing, when I was in the army I was constantly sick and tired of picking them up (we were all required to walk the motor pool and pick up any trash). I almost suggested that we take all the smokers out and shoot them, but then the non-smokers would have to clean that up too! :mad
I had a sergeant who always joked that dope smokers are the politest kind of smokers- they don't blow smoke in your face and they don't toss their butts on the ground.

[manicmechanic]

I had a couple events while living in Tidewater, VA, during military days. Once, while going to the Outer Banks on my old Kawalski, just got off the bridge and was getting onto the street, following a green VW bug. Out of the driver's window comes the cigarrette butt, and right down the front of my shirt. I learned 2 things from that - always wear proper gear, and have a windshield.

Another time I was riding I-64 from Norfolk to Va. Beach, and following a flatbed pickup truck from a landscaping company, but one lane over. Going around a curve he hit an expansion joint in the road, and a shovel was launched from the bed. It did a couple somersaults before it hit my backrest. It was one of those, "OK, which way can I go and NOT get hurt or hit?" Watch the shovel, look for an opening in traffic, watch the shovel, and duck!.

[LICK MY BRICK]

I also learned the hard way about wearing a good riding gear,There I was riding along,90 degrees outside no riding jacket just a plain ole t-shirt.When all of a sudden I felt this pain in my armpit,I thought I pulled a muscle or something,and then "OUCH" it happened again.Thats when I realized Its a BEE! HOLY SH-T I said to myself took my hand off the thottle and started slapping myself in the left armpit try to kill this thing , then "OUCH FU-KER stung me again.So I pull off to the side of the road rip my helmut off while running around like a maniac,and as I ripped off my t-shirt there it was a nice size WASP!!! flying away. My armpit looked like a grapefruit was growing in there for two days.

[Montana]

Last week I got sprayed by the windshield washers of the car in front while riding through downtown traffic and I couldn't see for about a block. They sprayed over the top of her little car, over my windscreen and onto my faceshield. At the next light I pulled up next to her window and suggested she might want to get those adjusted or wipe my faceshield for me.

[username]

Originally posted by LICK MY BRICK
My armpit looked like a grapefruit was growing in there for two days.

mmmm, grapefruit.

[dlearl476]

> I learned 2 things from that - always wear proper gear, and have a windshield.

#3- Proper following distance.

[crvalley]

Originally posted by LICK MY BRICK
I'd fall back a little bit and follow them to their destination, and beat the S--T out of them! I don't play games when it comes to that. And I will go to sleep that night with no problems.

:evil

LICK MY BRICK,

I never would have guessed you were from New York, but I do like your style!

[HarryGR]

Originally posted by LICK MY BRICK
If somebody threw something at me while riding my motorcycle,and looked at me while they did it. I'd fall back a little bit and follow them to there destination,and beat the S--T out of them!I don't play games when it comes to that.And I will go to sleep that night with no problems.

:evil

I am with you at that. I live in Westchester (New Rochelle). People act like bikes do not exist. Let me know when you are in the area.

Later,
Harry

[oldcarkook]

The birdbrain that will hurl objects at a bike is best left alone. The next thing they throw may be high velocity lead. If someone is so lame as to chuck objects at a bike for whatever reasons, then they are also the ones who appear in the newspaper article titled "Road Rage incident leads to fatal accident".

Chasing down and retaliating for a thrown object falls into Kook's fourth corollary::
When you argue with a fool, two fools are arguing.

[paulsibek]

leave a trail of chicken feathers...

[Cliffy777]

My brother used to be a road rage kind of guy. If someone cut him off or did something he didn't like, then my bro would follow him to whatever exit and give the driver a piece of his mind.
One day my brother followed someone off the exit and ran up to the guys window hollering and what not. The guy calmly pulled a pistol out of his glove box and invited my brother to tango!
Once when I was a young hot-head a car cut me off on a 4 lane 55 mph city road. I pulled along side and kicked at his door. Wouldn't do that now that I have had therapy. Making a point ain't worth dying for....(at least not this kind of point)

[Grey Matter]

Originally posted by Cliffy777
Making a point ain't worth dying for....(at least not this kind of point)

I could not agree more. Remember the old saying: Here lies so & so. He had the right of way…

[Gnome]

I was parked at an Exxon/Subway the other day having a bite,and this guy rides up on a New Suzuki 1300 rocket bike . The guy is wearing a t-shirt ,shorts and tennis shoes. I was sitting there thinking what is this guy is going to do when he gets a wasp,or cigarette up his crotch? OOOOoouchhh!!!
WEAR THE RIGHT GEAR. DRESS FOR THE CRASH.:idea

[LICK MY BRICK]

these squids crack me up !!! I had a talk with a young man not to long ago about proper riding gear.He look at me like I had three heads! I tried.

[kbasa]

When people ask me "Aren't you hot in that?", I reply that I'm perfectly dressed for sliding down the road on my ass.

That usually elicits a giggle and a level of understanding.

[LICK MY BRICK]

With all this new high tech,and light weight gear thats on the market today,there should be no excuse not to wear any.Besides I think you look much cooler wearing it:D

[BMWBeauty]

Originally posted by LICK MY BRICK
With all this new high tech,and light weight gear thats on the market today,there should be no excuse not to wear any.Besides I think you look much cooler wearing it:D

I definitely agree.......

[gambrinus]

Dave wins the "Quote of the Day" contest with this:
When people ask me "Aren't you hot in that?", I reply that I'm perfectly dressed for sliding down the road on my ass.

Nice...

As for objects being thrown / roadrage... I'll only admit to losing my cool once. I was nearly killed by a nice lady who attempted to stuff her car into my right system case. I caught up to her at the next light and was about to explain to her the importance of MIRRORS when she glanced over at me, cell phone in hand, a gave a dismissive wave not unlike a queen sending away a servant. I responded by telling her that if she wasn't going to use her mirror, I'd take it off for her. Do you know that there are 3 wires holding a power mirror to a 500 class Benz??

[LICK MY BRICK]

:thumb :rofl

[LICK MY BRICK]

Should of busted her window too:D

[Gnome]

Take a can of presurized CS spray,or even better, pepper spray,and if the window is down spray it in and watch the dumb ass go bizerk!
This also can be acomplished by spraying the can behind you as you ride knowing that the dumbass is behind you. He or she will have to pull over,windows up or not it will find it's way in. Damn am I mean or what?
Pay backs are hell aint they...

side note-:D - do not try this under penalty of law. (or just don't get caught):brow

[lorazepam]

If you spray the pepper spray in the intake just below the windshield of a car, it will last for hours, and as long as they are moving, it will permeate the interior.(not that I have ever done this :D )