Radio host encourages violence towards cyclists.

Ridemonkey · 10-02-2003, 01:46 PM

By BRUCE SICELOFF, Newsobserver.com

Original article: http://newsobserver.com/front/story/...-2677916c.html

G105 radio host Bob Dumas told listeners last week that he just hated to see bicycle riders on the road. He laughed at stories about running cyclists down, and he talked up the idea of throwing bottles at bikers.

It wasn't funny to cycling enthusiasts across the Triangle. This week they are lobbying government officials and local advertisers in a campaign to punish radio station WDCG and its corporate owner, Clear Channel of San Antonio, and to promote bicycle safety.

"One caller said her dad had purposely hit a biker on the road on the way to church one Sunday and kept on going," said G105 listener Holly N. Proctor of Cary on Tuesday of the Sept. 21 and 22 broadcasts. "That got laughs. Bob thought that was funny.

"And Bob said he'd love to be on a motorcycle and driving it down a bike lane. Because he didn't think bikers should be allowed on the road. He said they should ride on the sidewalk," she said.

Proctor, a photo technician at N.C. State University, joined two dozen fellow cyclists at a 5 p.m. protest outside the radio station's offices in North Raleigh.

Tom Norman , director of the N.C. Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation , said that reports about the broadcasts revealed dangerous ignorance of state law.

"I have talked to the G105 manager, who was not aware that it is legal to ride bicycles on the public roadways of North Carolina, that cycles are legally recognized as vehicles in North Carolina," Norman said. "Where do you draw the line? What is the distinction between humor and actually inciting or encouraging listeners to harass a group of people?"

Kenneth C. Spitzer, the station manager, declined to provide tapes or transcripts of the broadcasts to Norman or to a Capital Area transportation planning committee that discussed the controversy Tuesday.

In e-mail responses to several Triangle area residents who complained to the station, Spitzer said the "Bob and Madison " show aims to entertain listeners with "animated banter ... that can be both humorous and caustic." But he said some comments last week "went too far, and for that we sincerely apologize. ...

"Be assured that G105 does not advocate harm to cyclists," he wrote.

G105 is the third Clear Channel station to draw fire in the past four months for on-air comments perceived as advocating violence or animosity toward bicycle riders. Officials at WMJI in Cleveland and KLOL in Houston apologized in July and September for similar remarks. They agreed to broadcast "share the road" messages and to finance bicycle safety campaigns.

Leaders of the N.C. Bicycle Club outlined requests they said would help Clear Channel "mend relations with Triangle bicyclists," including similar public safety campaigns and a detailed apology.

Spitzer declined to comment. A corporate spokeswoman to whom inquiries were directed Tuesday did not return calls.

Members of area cycling clubs have shared copies over the past week of protest letters to the Federal Communications Commission, to state and local prosecutors and to G105 sponsors. Several critics noted that G105 radio hosts have sparked controversy in the past with crude stunts.

"It's one thing to drive around with a naked man on the radio station's van," said Raleigh lawyer Kimberly Bryan. "To encourage citizens to harm cyclists, that has crossed a different line. It's irresponsible. It's not caustic, it's not banter, it's not funny."

David Smith , 38, a software developer at UNC-Chapel Hill, took it personally. His right forearm still bears the scar of an attack by an Orange County motorist who found Smith cycling down a rural road one afternoon in April 2001.

"How are people going to take this, what was mentioned on G105?" Smith asked. "Are people going to say, 'You know, I'm tired of these cyclists?' Is that situation going to exacerbate what happened to me, with somebody else coming down a back road?"

After running Smith off the road, the driver stopped, chased him down on foot and struck him with a hatchet, sending him into a ditch and over the handlebars of his wrecked bike. Marvin Glenn Manring of Orange County pleaded guilty in July 2001 to assault with a deadly weapon. He promised to enroll in an anger management program.

Staff writer Bruce Siceloff can be reached at 829-4527 or bsicelof@newsobserver.com.

Ridemonkey · 10-02-2003, 01:46 PM

Reserved

Serial Midget · 10-02-2003, 02:17 PM

I have had bottles thrown at me on two different occaisions - both missed.

I also know that the vast majority of drivers are not aware that cyclist's have the same right to the road as motorists; many actually think cyclists are breaking the law by riding on the road.

I can't count the times drivers have shouted "get off the road" to me.

Devoracer77 · 10-02-2003, 02:45 PM

See the good one is when people lay on their horn or throw something at you, and you catch up with them at a stop light, and punch in their hood or kick on eof their fenders. And then ride like there no tomarrow

Spunger · 10-02-2003, 05:17 PM

I have something to add to this, and I dunno if this is a stereo type, or just how it works with bicyclers.

Here's a story. Santa Barbara is known for narrow 2 lane, one way streets. There has been so many times I can remember seeing mainly road cyclers in the middle of the street keeping up with traffic. I am perfectly fine with that. That is totally legit.

Now on the other had we DO have bike lanes as well. 99% of all roadies here ride on the outside of the bike lane or into the street not paying any attention to cars comming. I have hugged the yellow line more than one time to distance myself from the cyclers. I have had 2 of them tell me at a stop light that I was getting close to them. I don't really feel "kind" to them because of their attitudes, so I told them to just shut their faces. I wouldn't even feel them if I hit them with my truck.

I would NEVER go out of my way to hurt a bike rider, someone crossing the street ever!

But just to make a small point. I have ridden my bike on the street since I was 12, now I am 21 so it's been a while. I always keep my distance, and I know that I could get hurt easily by a car. It is common sense. The car will hurt you more than you will hurt the car. I have never ran into this with MTB'ers because they stay in the mountians and not so much on the street. Mainly road bikes.

I read that entire article and that station should be sued and then the money donated to something that benifits cyclers for that state. Could you have imagined if he said something about shooting a certian race, or slicing all chevy tires because they are not ford and one person decided to go do it based on what they heard on the radio? I mean there are some really stupid people out there that would take that stuff seriously and go do it.

Serial Midget is right. I have too been yelled at before, and many don't know it is the law if they are on the road, but I think it is when they have a bike lane and they dont ride in it is what pisses drivers off. That is why it is there isn't it? It isn't for all cyclers except road bikes. I guess I am singleing out road bikes.

If you hit a car or kick a fender you can be sued for who know's what. I see it as if they dont damage your stuff, you don't damage their stuff. If someone exchanges some words, then exchange some back. Words don't cause physical or property damager/harm as would being run over, or having your hood popped in.

All in all drivers do need to be aware because they are the ones who are at fault if a cycler gets hit, not usually the cycler. That guy on the radio station just needs his arse whooped. That is just wrong.

ssk · 10-03-2003, 06:24 AM

From velonews.com
http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/5058.0.html

Devoracer77 · 10-03-2003, 09:11 AM

i was joking about damaging someones property. I was just being a sarcastic little whore.

Tony · 10-03-2003, 11:43 AM

If anyone did that to me, I would hope it was in some secluded rural road so I could put a .45 Hydrashok into his ass then ride off like nothing happened. I have zero tolerance for stupid people, who seek to do me harm as a way to feel better about thier own miserable lives. These two bozo's should be taken of the air and never work again, no wonder people get killed, when clowns like that are inciting the ignorent masses.

roel_koel · 10-03-2003, 02:29 PM

hell in east london i had a shotgun pulled on me by two crims driving a stolen car after I bunnyhopped onto the sidewalk and they hit a bollard head-on!

and about 2 miles away in central london a few months before someone went for me with a hatchet after hitting my rear wheel and throwing me into the sidewalk

a month ago some van driver ran me over on a segrated, elevated BICYCLE LANE and pushed my Big hit 10 foot into the road

a taxi driver tried to kill one of my friends near Waterloo station in london. after getting up, my friend totalled that taxi cab with his cable lock whilst the japanese tourist in the back and the cab driver cowered in fear.

another roadie i know walks with a stick for rest of his life..some prick in a Merc hit him but was seen by witnesses and went to jail for 3 years

there are some dangerous ar*eholes on the road. i always carry a 6kg abus cable lock round my waist for "re-education lessons"..

surely the police can take action for "incitement to violence" against the radio DJ? i would f**k him up for free with my cable lock...

LoboDelFuego · 10-03-2003, 02:37 PM

A true story:

I was riding home from a friend's house early one morning when I saw a bunch of guys in a BMW behind me who looked like they were up to no good. My suspicions were confirmed when they threw a half eaten whopper at me, and sped past. The hamburger landed on the top tube between my legs, so I grabbed it and sped up. The hooligans had to slow down considerably because there was a sharp turn, so as i went past them on the inside of the turn, i tossed the whopper back in through the passenger side window and raced away down a trail (in case they tried to kill me). The sandwich must have hit the driver or somthing, because the car went to the edge of the road and scraped its side along the railing. Serves them right.

Imbetterthanyou · 10-03-2003, 08:20 PM

This is just another good reason to become a a downhiller or mountaincrosser that way you dont have to deal with cars but seriously that guy is a jackass

punkassean · 10-04-2003, 12:51 PM

anyone who has spent time on the road knows that are more than a few motorists out there who are completely ingnorant bungholes. I had a paintball gun pulled on me and two of my friends on a road ride(one of my friends was a girl) the guy pointed it right at me, hesitated and then the driver sped away. I was furious and glad at the same time, furious that he even thought about it and that I could not have caught up to him, what a cowardly act! and glad that he came around, for whatever reason, and that I wasn't sent careening into a chainlink fence at 30mph, which is surely what would have happened had he followed through with it. Besides that incident I have had at least a dozen occassions where I have slapped or broken the rear view mirror off a car that grazed me or intentionally cut me off. One time a guy ran a stop sign nearly killing me, I caught up to him at the next stop sign and as I rode by I put a dent in his passenger door. He sped past me cut me off, jumped out and threatened to kick my ass. I noticed he had a very young girl in the car with him and I reminded him that he ran a stop sign and nearly killed me, and I also reminded him of how tough he would look to his 5 year old daughter for beating my ass (155lbs) when he was a yoked gangster looking dude, and especially when it was his fault in the first place. I invited him to to come around the car and beat my ass then. he stared at me for a minute and then jumped back in the car and sped off. This stuff happens all the time. it is hard to blame the person when it is a byproduct of our society where everyone is overstressed with virtually no outlet. I guess the moral is be careful out there!!! and the to the undoubtably overweight and out of shape bastard DJ, who judging by his remarks, obviously hasn't got a clue, I look forward to the day that your heart abruptly and violently stops due to plaque building up in your arteries from one too many double doubles and fries at in&out, you fat F'ing cow! I formally encourage all monkies to destroy all fat bastard DJ's who encourage the demise of cyclists!!!!!!

nydave · 10-04-2003, 03:20 PM

1. It is definitely wrong to encourage violence to others...period. 2. I am mainly an off road mtb/fr/dh/ss cyclist. I do ride on the roadways sometimes, when I do I yield to automobiles and either stay to the right of the white line or as close to the edge as possible. 3. What does upset me is when I happen to be driving my auto and I do happen to approach a cyclist who will not even try to get close to the edge of the road so that we both have enough space. I don't want to hit anybody, but on the other hand, I don't like to have to cross the yellow lines because of the aforementioned cyclist hogging the whole lane and get hit by oncoming traffic. 4. A little courtesy from cyclists using the roads would go a long way in preventing stuff like that mentioned above from happening. 5. And yes, any ignorant ***hole who condones violence to cyclists deserves to get struck by lightning...to put it politely. 6. And last but not least, I wish all roadways would have a paved curb so that we cyclists could have a lane of our own to commute, I for one, would use my auto alot less if that were the rule, instead of the exception.

Clark Kent · 10-04-2003, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nydave
1. 3. What does upset me is when I happen to be driving my auto and I do happen to approach a cyclist who will not even try to get close to the edge of the road so that we both have enough space. I don't want to hit anybody, but on the other hand, I don't like to have to cross the yellow lines because of the aforementioned cyclist hogging the whole lane and get hit by oncoming traffic. 4. A little courtesy from cyclists using the roads would go a long way in preventing stuff like that mentioned above from happening. 5. And yes, any ignorant ***hole who condones violence to cyclists deserves to get struck by lightning...to put it politely. 6. And last but not least, I wish all roadways would have a paved curb so that we cyclists could have a lane of our own to commute, I for one, would use my auto alot less if that were the rule, instead of the exception.

If you came up on a car that was "going too slow" and there wasnt enough room to pass what then? Its the same thing...Dont pass...if its not safe to pass dont pass. Doesnt make a bit of diff if its a car or a bike or a motercycle...If its not safe to pass then dont pass...I ride out, Thats to say I WILL NOT hug the curb, When you hug the curve folks will try to skim by you while staying in the same lane. Usualy this involves them staring at you as they pass ( not the stink eye, just bad technique ) making them swerve even closer to you...( Dont look at what you dont want to hit...) Ride wide, make em change lanes. Its ALOT safer, and totaly legal!

BTW...If its not safe to pass then dont pass...

And to point number 4...It wouldnt mater one danmn bit if we all rode the way every damn driver wanted us to. All the assholes would still behave the same. Maybe if drivers straightened out their act, riders would be more "polite"!

BTW...If its not safe to pass then dont pass...

GspotRida02 · 10-09-2003, 07:15 PM

While riding near my girlfriends house which is very urbanized compared to where I live, a black s-10 came up behind me in a completely open area. I went well onto the shoulder since there was a field next to me and i was on my mountain bike. He actually had his passenger side wheels on the shoulder coming towards me. He was several feet off the road and I went into the field because i realized he was being an asshole, he came to the edge of the field while still moving 35-40 miles an hour and passed me laying on the horn with a big smile on his friends and his face. I stopped and picked up a large field stone in case he decided to come back but he never did. Ignorant people like that piss me off so much. I hate how people think that they can pass you anytime double yellow or not. They get all pissed off if your at all on the road like your doing somethen wrong. These Dj's should be punished and made aware of our rights so that they do not promote violence to the ignorant masses.