manhunt for SF SUV driver that rams 4 bicyclists purposely

[Liberal_in_LA]

SUV driver in S.F. rams 4 bicyclists
Henry K. Lee,Jaxon Van Derbeken, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, June 3, 2010

(06-03) 11:26 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- A man driving a crossover sport utility vehicle hit four bicyclists in the Mission District and Potrero Hill neighborhoods in a six-minute rampage Wednesday night before crashing the vehicle and running away, San Francisco police said.

Witnesses told police that the man, who is still at large, weaved in and out of traffic and drove on the wrong side of the road in what appeared to be a deliberate attempt to run down the bicyclists. The four victims, all of them men, are expected to survive.

"They do appear to be targeted," police Lt. Lyn Tomioka told reporters. "We don't know if they were known victims, or if it's because they were on bicycles or what the issue was."

The string of hit-and-runs began on the 2700 block of Harrison Street, where the blue Nissan Rogue crashed into a bicyclist at 9:43 p.m. The driver hit his second victim a block south on Harrison, then headed east.

At 23rd and Pennsylvania streets, just west of Interstate 280, he rammed his third victim. Then he drove several blocks north, to 17th and Missouri streets, where he struck yet another bike rider at



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/03/BAE41DPBIK.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0pp8QsyNj

[jobycom]

1. How do they know the bicycles weren't targeting the SUV?

Maybe he was swerving all over the road to avoid a kamikaze attack?

Seriously, hope he enjoys prison for a very long time.

[Gormy Cuss]

3. This jerk actually crossed to the wrong side of the street to hit one bicyclist.

Fortunately none of the bikers has a major injury.

[yella_dawg]

2. An extreme form.

But a popular sport nonetheless. Had a teenager hit the gas and swerve at me this week. Had a mirror brush my elbow a while back. Why do people do this?

[Altoid_Cyclist]

4. Pathetic excuses for humans would be my guess.

As one woman yelled at three of us after nearly knocking me off the road:

why don't you grow up and get a car?

I mentioned this one other time and I can't remember if it was to you or not. If I'm repeating myself, mea culpa.

[yella_dawg]

6. Never heard the tale.

Had an eighty-something granny threaten to run me down last fall, apparently because I did the rolling stop thing (she was screaming incoherently out the car window). I run clipless, granny, get used to it.

[Altoid_Cyclist]

21. Most people also don't understand that a bicyclist won't trigger traffic lights.

There are times when it could be 5 minutes or more until a car comes along to cause the light to change. If there are people watching, I'll usually let it go through one rotation where I don't get a green light. After that, I'm going to run the red when it's safe.

For the most part I try to obey all of the traffic laws, but I do tend to roll some of the stop signs for the reason you cited. It gets tiring if you have to stop at every block. I'll stop if someone has the right of way, but it really adds a lot of strain to my knee (5 surgeries) to constantly have to push off and get moving again.

At least I'm not blowing through stop signs and lights because I'm on my cell phone while driving a behemoth SUV.

[yella_dawg]

27. There's always the pedestrian button.

That you can dismount, walk over and push. If the signal has one. And it works. Face it. This thread is filled with examples of the deification of the automobile in this society. You're not a cyclist, you're a heretic. Hence the threats and violence against those minding their own business.

A steel street cruiser is a terrifying threat to a two ton steel box. :sarcasm:

[Altoid_Cyclist]

28. I came across this solution that they are using in Portland.

Of course, this area isn't quite as bike friendly as Portland. It would be great to see this type of technology around here. I'm not holding my breath though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwNJYtmlyqw&feature=player_embedded

[yella_dawg]

29. Sweet.

I'm just hoping for bike lanes that aren't repositories for broken glass, nails, and other tire killers.

[Altoid_Cyclist]

31. I had a feeling that this wasn't the only area that has the conditions that you described.

I only use Seca tires made by Serfas because of all the garbage on the roads.

The local shop only charges $25 for them and they hold up better than any other tire that I've tried.

When they first got them in stock, nobody wanted them because they were a little heavier than the Michelins and Contis'. After people saw that I was able to get 3 - 5 thousand miles with no flats, they started selling a lot of them.

I should ask for a finders fee......

[Art_from_Ark]

18. Reminds me of the time I was cycling in Louisiana

I was just peddling along near Toledo Bend, minding my own business, when some gal in a car, about my age, shouted out the window "Get off the road"! I flipped her off. Fifteen miles later, I come across the same gal again, and this time she yelled "I thought I told you to get off the road!" And I said "And I thought I told you to phuck off!"

[Altoid_Cyclist]

20. I wish that I had a dollar for every time that I've had someone yell at me

and say that it's illegal for me to ride on the road.

Some people just hate bicyclists it seems. A lot of the locals get real upset during the "Tour de Toona". Luckily, a lot of the drivers here are very polite and friendly. The problem is that all that it takes is one driver to ruin your life in a heartbeat.


http://www.tourdetoona.com/home/main/index.htm

[glitch]

7. Same reason people go virulent all over vegans and hippies

They represent an alternative to a life-style they've sold their souls to attain.

[taterguy]

8. Not the same reason at all: vegans & hippies stay out of the way

And who's to say what contracts the offending party made with the dark side. Those are confidential.

Somewhat less snarktastic: Who knows why the perpetrator did what they did?

But, well, if it helps you prove a point, make it that reason.

[glitch]

10. Thanks! nt

[taterguy]

11. You're welcome!

[yella_dawg]

26. You're right.

Us damned cyclists have no damn rights to the highways you people paid for.


No. Wait. I pay taxes too!

Damn. Another perfectly good attitude shot to hell by those damned facts.

[Kievan Rus]

13. Agreed. Hardcore materialists and yuppies are essentially selfish 'stuff' addicts

[glitch]

16. Without the excessive consumption the hole in the soul is too excruciating to bear.

IMHO, of course :)

Kind of like a junk shot.

[ThomThom]

24. I have had guns pointed at me

some drivers don't want to share the roads
they think bicycles are making them late

[cliffordu]

33. Because they haven't been kicked in the junk hard enough.

It's the reason I don't carry a gun.

[Trillo]

5. That sucks!

Bicycling is dangerous enough without having folks deliberately try to run you down!

[FloridaJudy]

9. This is why I passed up the offer of a free bicycle

I've had enough local drivers try to run me down while I was crossing with the light on foot. I sure as hell don't want to try to share the road with them. The sidewalk is hazardous enough, thanks.

[taterguy]

15. It was one freak occurrence

Do you not ever go outside because, well, some people get struck by lightening.

If so, sucks to be you.

[FloridaJudy]

19. Umm...in San Francisco yeah,

Not in this town. I've seriously had drivers speed up and try to run me out of the crosswalk. The cops have finally started cracking down on drivers who love to play chicken with bicyclists and pedestrians, but this is still the South where many drivers think anyone not perched on top of 400 horses is fair game. The favorite trick is to get right behind a cyclist and suddenly lay on the horn to see if they can be made to wobble.

Lest you think I'm some sort of apologist for the Infernal Combustion engine, quite the contrary. I haven't owned a car in years.

And three close friends were gravely injured - one now needs a wheelchair - by cars while riding their bikes. And these were athletic young people, not seniors like myself.

So while I don't avoid going outside, I'm also not crazy enough to walk around in a thunderstorm carrying large metal objects - or to try riding a bike through the most dangerous intersections in town.

[Kievan Rus]

12. Yet another jerk driving a surburban assault vehicle

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

14. ...

[Bigmack]

17. I haven't had too much trouble...

but then I'm large. A Clydesdale rather than one of you spandex-clad thoroughbreds.

I think they're afraid of wrinkling their cars. Like hitting an elk vs. hitting a deer.

I have actually biked armed, too.

If us peak oil people are right, those assholes are going to have to learn whether that "You never forget how to ride a bike" stuff is true.

[jbnow]

22. He should be easier to catch now since article states

Immediately after the impact, the driver smashed his Rogue into a light pole and a parked Jeep Cherokee at the corner - and then he fled. Police provided only a minimal description, saying he was a white man.

I don't know how much impact people on bikes would make on the vehicle but the pole and Cherokee did damage.

For those who didn't read article one cyclist was treated at scene and one is in critical condition, one in serious and the other doing well now. They are all expected to survive but God knows how their lives will be impacted.

[Heywood J]

32. He'll probably just

drive down to Fresno and find someone to beat out the dents, or ditch the car there and claim it was stolen.

[entanglement]

23. What an a**hole! To be fair, there are also rogue bicyclists out there who delight

in scaring pedestrians out of their wits. When those people get in their cars, they're looking to get even with the next bicyclist who crosses their path.

[MadHound]

25. Oh way to blame the victim there,

Sorry, but you're simply wrong. If we were following your logic, somebody would be getting into their small cars and going out and running into SUV's because there are SUV drivers who delight in terrorizing small cars:eyes:

There are very, very few rogue bicyclists because we realized that, unlike a car, if we run into a pedestrian on a bike, we're going down too.

Why can't you just admit the plain fact that there are assholes in cars and other vehicles out there who delight in terrorizing people who walk, bike, or are even driving motorcycles and small cars.

As a regular bike and motor scooter rider that walks regularly I've had numerous objects tossed at me, and more than one vehicle swerve to either fake hitting me, or actually hit me. No excuses, just accept the fact that there are homicidal assholes out there.

[HuckleB]

34. WOW!

Really? That's your response?

:wow:

[Dragonbreathp9d]

30. Drill baby Drill!