From: Brett Kessler Subject: Road Rage I just want to share a nightmare encounter that I just had on Deer Creek Canyon Road. It is an episode of "road rage" that I hope no one ever has to experience first-hand. Three friends and I were on the road at about 8:45 am on Sunday, April 18th 2004. We were riding in pairs and "NW" and I were about a mile ahead of our friends who stopped to chat with some other cyclists. It was a very windy day and it seemed that with every turn we made, we were facing a headwind. We were going somewhere between 5 and 10 miles per hour on this climb. We ride thousands of miles a year and know the proper etiquette about riding single file, as close to the right side of the road as possible, especially on this ride. Deer Creek Canyon Road is a narrow, winding climb that is frequented by droves of cyclist on the weekends looking to get in a great climb with stunning views that is close to home (Denver, CO). Cars, motorcycles, etc, for the same reasons, also frequent this road. As many know, there is no shoulder on the side of the road and it has always been a confrontational issue for cyclists and automobiles. The motorized vehicles go too fast for the complicated turns and grades present; the bicyclists go too slow for these automobiles, or they are out in the middle of the road impeding their chance to go too fast. A Ford F250 pick up came up extremely close along side "NW" and I and shouted for us to "Get OFF the (Expletive) Road!!!!" I responded with an expletive right back. (We were not bothering anybody, why is he bothering us?) The driver immediately slammed on his brakes and opened his diver side door as if to get out of the truck. I quickly accelerated to get away from the guy. He closed the truck door, accelerated his truck and proceeded to run me into the gravel shoulder until I fell off my bike. I quickly unclipped my pedals and rose to my feet. In his rage that a skinny cyclist would challenge his "king of the road" mentality, he exited his vehicle and charged at me. He began to throw punches and got me down on the ground. I defended myself the best I could. When he felt that he made his point, he got off me, re-entered his truck and sped off. My companion and a nice neighbor who saw the entire incident immediately called the police. Over the phone, they gave the police his license plate, and we waited. Our other friends caught up to us and wondered what had happened, thinking that we had a flat tire. They were astounded. While waiting for the police, I assessed my physical injuries to my bike and me. The first thing that I noticed was that my right jaw hurt and I could not close my teeth together properly. Being a dentist, I was immediately worried about a jaw fracture. My neck hurt when I turned my head. I had multiple road rash abrasions on my left leg and buttock. On my right calf, there was an abrasion where it was pierced by the front chain ring. I broke my helmet either from the fall or from the assault; I am not sure. My bike was a bit scratched up, but otherwise unharmed. Emotionally, I was outraged that this bike ride turned into such a nightmare. My pride was hurt. I got attacked while bicycling, a "non-contact" sport. I think my pride wouldn't have been as affected if say a dog attacked me (the dog doesn't know better!). But a victim of road rage, a victim of assault. Never in a million years would I have imagined to be 36 years old, 6' 2", 185 pounds getting assaulted on a Sunday morning bike ride. He literally could have killed me. THAT ASSHOLE!!!! The police arrived and we made a report, He was charged with 3rd degree assault, but blamed me that I provoked him by spitting on his car. I honestly, don't remember spitting, but anything could have happened as he nearly ran us off the road in his initial rage. The police took a bunch of pictures of my abrasions, and were genuinely sorry for my injuries. I declined a ride down to my car, as everything seemed to be functioning properly. The four of us "extra-cautiously" proceeded down the hill on our bikes. It isn't over yet. A red Chevy Blazer came a little too close for comfort to "CW" and "NW" and forced them off the road. It then passed "JS" and me and rode the gravel side to kick up dirt and rocks into our sunglasses-protected eyes. No crashes this time, but a huge wonder comes to mind. What has become of the human race! Are all drivers on Deer Creek Canyon Road suffering severe psychological problems? This isn't right. Bikes and cars are obliged to share the road! Bikes have every right to be on the road. We pay our taxes that fund road construction and maintenance. It is not right that we have to be constantly worried that we are going to be run off the road, let alone assaulted. I ask myself, should I carry something to protect myself? Maybe mace, pepper-spray, a switchblade knife, a M-16 assault rifle (do they make one that will fit on my bike? how much weight will that add to my titanium frame?). After going for x-rays and finding out that there were no obvious jaw fractures, I felt a little more at ease. (although, I still can't get my teeth together to bite anything). I still had the daunting task of sharing the story with my wife, who immediately cried that she almost lost me. This incident could have left her a widow, my kids fatherless. This was literally an unprovoked random act of violence. This guy should pay!!!!!! I hope my road rage attacker spends some time behind bars. I hope he rots in Hell. Better yet, I hope after jail (before Hell) he gets community service to dig a ditch that will widen Deer Creek Canyon Road- all the way to the top! Then everyone will be safer and hopefully more pleasant co-habitants on this multi-use road. I truly hope that it never happens again to anyone on a self-propelled, two-wheeled, street-legal vehicle. I would like to know what the bicycle advocacy groups are doing to promote shared use roads, to prevent road rage and assaults. I am definitely on board to help! Brett Kessler Denver, CO