| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name
 | Date | Lines | 
|---|
| 1606.1 | outrageous | ORDERS::GOODWIN |  | Wed Jun 20 1990 16:52 | 8 | 
|  |     My recommendations:  be persistent with the police and press charges
    against your assailant.  The occupants of the automobile definitely
    need to be taught that their behavior was unacceptable and not to be
    tolerated.  With the other cyclist as a coroberating eye-witness, it
    should be an open-and-shut case.
    
    Good luck,
    Steve
 | 
| 1606.2 | wow! | SHALOT::ELLIS | John Lee Ellis - assembly required | Wed Jun 20 1990 17:33 | 6 | 
|  |     
    You're right - it's pretty hard to believe that people would
    behave that way.  Kinda scary.  Yes, please be persistent, as
    long as it's not more trouble to you than is reasonably worth it.
    
    -john
 | 
| 1606.3 | I believe it. | QUICKR::FISHER | Dictionary is not. | Thu Jun 21 1990 08:56 | 4 | 
|  |     I believe it.  There's the story of my being assaulted on Rt 119 in
    Ashby, MA, on April 28...  But I won't bore everyone...
    
    ed
 | 
| 1606.4 | Did you mark him for easy identification? | UJEST::POST |  | Thu Jun 21 1990 10:03 | 5 | 
|  |     Hmmmm.. 2 against 1.....
    I hope you got a couple of good shots in. Or least a tire pump to
    side of the head three or four times.
    
    ERIC
 | 
| 1606.5 | It's getting spooky out there | GSFSWS::JSMITH | Chromed Cannondale | Fri Jun 22 1990 12:26 | 9 | 
|  |     
    	Another reason for feeling insecure about giving
    up my Zefal hpx for a mini pump.
    
    re: Assault on Rt. 119 - Bore Me with the details.  I send
    a lot of my Saturday rides over that route and would like 
    to inform others on who/what to be on the lookout for.
    
    						_Jerry
 | 
| 1606.6 | Sounds like a job for Spike Bike! | DNEAST::MILLEY_ROBB | Is that brew ready yet?? | Fri Jun 22 1990 12:27 | 2 | 
|  |            
    
 | 
| 1606.7 | Bernard Getts II | SUBWAY::SCHULMAN |  | Mon Jun 25 1990 13:20 | 11 | 
|  |     I spoke to the detective assigned to the case.
    
    He said that hw spoke with the "dude".  The cop said that the dude said
    that we hit first, after he got out of the car just to yell at us.
    
    The cop said that if I wanted I could press charges, but he didn't
    see how I could prove what I say is true.  He said if it didn't happen
    in front of a cop there was nothing they were going to do. 
    
    Any comments?
    
 | 
| 1606.8 |  | TALLIS::JBELL | Zeno was almost here | Mon Jun 25 1990 13:42 | 9 | 
|  |     You now have an admission that he got out of the car in
    order to yell at you.  Whether this is enough, I don't know.
    On the other hand, the call from the police will probably
    discourage him at least a little bit the next time.
    Free legal advice and worth every penny,
    -Jeff Bell
 | 
| 1606.9 |  | JUPTR::CRITZ | Who'll win the TdF in 1990? | Mon Jun 25 1990 13:47 | 7 | 
|  |     	Funny how cops always say you have to do something in
    	front of them (cops) before they can act.
    
    	I believe this adds to people wanting to take matters
    	into their own hands.
    
    	Scott
 | 
| 1606.10 | Police might not, you can. | USWAV7::CLELAND | Why, I oughta... | Tue Jun 26 1990 08:27 | 11 | 
|  |     
    	The police officer sounds as if he is unwilling to press charges
    	against this individual(s).
    
    	YOU still can. Provided you know the truth of the incident. WHO
    	threw the first blow? Like another reply said, if it's worth the
    	hassle to you, then press charges. Assault & battery is nothing
    	to laugh at. Merely threatening someone with bodily harm is the
    	equivalent of assault, or at the least harrassment.
    
    	Did your friend throw the first punch? Tell the truth now...
 | 
| 1606.11 |  | KAHALA::GOODWIN_S |  | Tue Jun 26 1990 09:31 | 16 | 
|  |     Sounds to me like the cop is your typical lazy s.o.b. who is more
    interested in his coffee breaks than doing his job.  If it were me,
    I'd definitely press charges, but that's just the way I am.  Since
    the cops didn't witness the incident, they have to go on what the
    eyewitnesses say. The kid and his family will certainly maintain a
    unified front, but it seems to me that his admission of getting out
    of his car to yell at you constitutes harrasment, and if he did hit
    first, that is assault.
    
    All in all, it may not be worth your aggravation to pursue this case.
    I just hate to see that type of indiviual get off easy.  When there
    is no deterrent, his poor judgement and behavior is only reinforced.
    
    What does the other cyclist think?
    
    Steve
 | 
| 1606.12 | Push the charges..... | ESKIMO::BOURGAULT |  | Tue Jun 26 1990 22:52 | 36 | 
|  |     Go for the charges..... get it on the record - his record!
    
    Maybe you won't "win" this one.  (Win defined as him being found
    guilty in court...)  You WILL establish a record - with the police
    and with the court - of what happened.  All the "evidence" will
    be there....  Now, suppose he gets off this time....  what will
    the police and court think the NEXT time somebody hauls him in
    for something similar?  Yes, I know that his previous court
    case cannot be used as "evidence" in the next case, BUT.... it
    will establish with the investigating police, etc. that this is
    NOT the first time somebody has accused this guy!  If you were
    the cop(s) investigating, what difference(s) would you see in
    a case where (1) the guy has NEVER been accused before and (2)
    the guy has one or more previous accusations?  Do you spoze
    that MAYBE the cops would start to dig a little harder, find
    witness(es) that were in the area, etc. and just MIGHT get him
    the second or third time?  I hope so....
    
    The question is....  is it worth it to YOU to be the one to get
    this on the record?  It will be a bunch of irritation, aggravation,
    and pains in the butt, probably....  You decide.
    
    No, I don't want to get into "gun" arguments here - but....
    I understand that the latest fellow to walk into a building
    (his car had been reposessed...) and start shooting had several
    previous arrests for violence.  How he plea-bargained his way
    down or out of them, and kept his record clean enough to be able
    to buy a gun legally, is another chapter in our failing legal system.
    I wonder, though, if the courts would have done things differently
    if a couple more people had pressed charges on this guy some time
    ago....  maybe the guy would have been locked up in time??
    Yes, I am assuming that a guy brought to court several times for
    assault & battery, etc. type crimes has a few more incidents that
    COULD have been brought to court....  
    
    				- Ed -
 | 
| 1606.13 | Ask a shark. | ULTRA::WITTENBERG | Uphill, Into the Wind | Wed Jun 27 1990 11:41 | 4 | 
|  |     Ask a  lawyer.  I suspect that many bicycling groups (such as LAW)
    could either suggest one or give you a list from your area.
--David
 | 
| 1606.14 | the jurk will think next time | SLUGER::DMITCHELL |  | Wed Jul 11 1990 18:11 | 9 | 
|  |     What I would do is take and write a letter to the registry
    and tell them about the problem.
    I was told by a policeman this is the best way to do it.
    If there is alot of complants about this car the driver could
    lose his drivers licence or get fined or both.
    This would make it easier to ride our bikes without a jurk
    stoping and fighting with everyone that loves riding a BIKE.....
    
    DAVE 
 |