This was posted on Facebook by Wil Lachenauer, a local Reno cyclist who was training to go to Rio for the Paralympics.
In full disclosure the following occurred on a traditional ride I have done before I leave town for a race. This time I am flying to the Paralympic selection event to earn a spot at the Rio games on the US roster. I make a lap around Verdi just to shake everything down and make sure the bike and I am moving ok. I take my flags and light rig off to reduce all the weight and drag to feel the bike in race form. I Know I am not as visible as normal like this but after 8 years, it is a tradition and never been an issue during the day. Some of you may be familiar with this route in Verdi so you will have to bear with the local references as I recount my lap around Verdi. I did this for the officer as well.
You leave the last round-a-bout at the bottom of Sommerset and head west on 3rd st. There is a wide shoulder/bike lane. It is around 11:00am, the wind is starting to puff Reno style and I wish I had been out here 2 hours ago. I can feel the wind and just focus on keeping the pressure on the pedals consistent as I come up to a right onto Bridge St. Up and over a bump, past the Elementary school on the right and down a small hill carrying momentum across a bridge over the Truckee River.
As I cross the bridge, I see a white car pulled over just at a left hand bend just before a short, narrow, one vehicle at a time bridge. I can see the driver looking down and don’t see brake lights or a signal so I continue past him. At this point I also see a pearl Escalade coming down Dog Valley Rd. perpendicular to the road I am on and just past the one vehicle mini bridge. I know he won’t be able to see me and I am already across. They roll the stop sign, I move all the way left and go past them. When I am already on the other side of the intersection I hear them honk. Better late than never… in their defense, I am low, moving at about 25 in that section and there was no way for them to see me. I didn’t think much of this, until the white car came right up behind me. The road pitches up in ths section of Bridge St. and my speed drops. It will drop further, on a short steep pitch that I will have to grind over at 6 or 7mph. The car is staying right behind me and I move as far to the right as I can, dropping my right rear wheel into the dirt.
They dart around me on the steep section of the hill which was crazy since it is completely blind. I know a car coming the other direction will swerve left into my lane to avoid the crazy guy in the white car on the wrong side of the road. I get ready to aim my bike off the road into the weeds if that happens. It doesn’t, the car is gone over the crest. I am redlined as I finally make it over the crest, now this guy has stopped his car at the bottom of a slight decline on the back side and jumped out to take up the rest of the room on the road with arms spread wide to catch me, I guess, as I accelerate down the hill? My arms are flooded with lactate, my heart is tripping over itself and I am starting to lose my patience as I pound the pedals to pick up the momentum lost going up the steep side. It seems a hill that steep should have a back side at least as long with a grade to match, I find myself thinking every time I go over it.
This guy holds his ground as I pick up speed and yell, “get-out-of-the-way,” as I go by darting to the left. It isn’t over, now on Hill St., as I am trying to stay in my effort on a false flat, this jackass has pulled back up behind me and now alongside to try and carry on some kind of conversation. I really have no intention of talking with him right now. I yell over the sound of my carbon wheels on both sides of my head, “I know you can’t see me, go away.” I am only guessing what he might be saying as there is no way I can hear him at 21mph, my wheels spinning and his right front car wheel crunching pavement next to me. He decides to take formation right behind me again. Of course, now other cars have come up behind this concerned citizen and are getting pissed, so they pass him. Guess what, they can’t see me in front of his bumper and when they dart back over they almost hit me. I have now lost my sense of humor.
The other cars passed us and I don’t stop at either the next two stop signs at the end of the T in the road making a left and then left again, coming back onto 3rd St. At this point, I am not stopping to let this nut put his car across an intersection again and I am going to finish this dam ride in the heat and wind. I have my permanent wingman back there no matter what I do. I am not stopping and figure maybe he will get bored on Third street as there is a big wide bike lane and it would be crazy to keep following me like he has...
Well, I was wrong. He pulls behind me in the bike lane which allows the confused cars pass and at some points I am hitting 40 mph. I am sure they are wondering why he doesn’t have hazards on and is running up the back side of that weird looking tricycle… they must know each other?
I ride all the way back to the start of the round-a-bout heading east on 3rd , pass the sign that serves as my start and finish, hit the lap button, shift and start spinning to recover. I am now going about 12 miles an hour and I spin for a minute then figure, he has followed me this long maybe he wants an autograph. I stop. He stops. I wait. He walks up, cell phone clutched in hand having captured my entire lap I guess and now our exchange for posterity.
Crazy guy in the White Acura sedan with Nevada Vanity plate reading WINE proceeded to tell me he has me on video speeding, running stop signs and he has called the police. At this point my patience budget for the day had been exhausted. I am sure there were a few other choice words but I told him to get back in his car and I was looking forward to chatting with the police. I am going to finish my cool down then ride up the backside of Sommerset so I won’t be far. I am not sure he had figured out that I couldn’t get out of the bike but I didn’t continue the conversation. Sure enough he was back following me with his car before I turn around to head up the hill home. Only problem now is two cars can’t fit on the road with the concrete median and cars coming up behind him forced him to go ahead and pull off the road. This was the game of leap frog until finally, two Sherriff cars show up and pull me and my shadow over.
I gave the officer my description of what I just have recounted here and had to keep explaining to him where this occurred and how much ground we covered. I told him I did run the stop sign where he pulled his car across the intersection and jumped out to perform his citizen’s arrest. I wasn’t stopping at any intersections with this idiot in tow after that. I was also happy to go in front of a judge and hash this out. I explained that I normally have flags and a light show but today was riding without it. I have been riding out in Verdi for 8 years without incident and the officer affirmed he had seen me. I explained I am not pressing charges for violating the 3ft rule for the last hour and would prefer that they settle him down so we don’t have a pissed off motorist looking to settle a score. The other officer came up behind me and said, ”that wasn’t going to happen.” The two walked away and conferred. He expressed that I should have a flag and lights and be more visible. I said yes and that is my normal setup and yes that does provide better visibility. However, neither is mandated by law. Crazy guy in the white Acura just violated the 3ft rule for the last hour and I am not pressing charges in the interest of settling him down and not being run over in the future. A moment later the car was sent on his way. They didn’t give me a ticket either. It was really hot and I rode home.
In hindsight I am now upset that, from what I observed, they didn’t seem to have a problem with a motorist harassing a cyclist intentionally, blocking traffic and jumping out of his car to try and stop me, all while exhibiting all kinds of signs of road rage. The concern appeared to be that I ran three stop signs trying to avoid further contact with that vehicle. I am contemplating either contacting the local news media or the officers again to file a complaint. I’ll sleep on this first.
Was he on his way to save someone’s life, they died in the hour he wasted chasing me? Was there an emergency wine delivery that I impeded, was the vintage ruined? In his mind how was he so wronged that it justified his behavior? It really doesn’t matter. He put me, himself and other motorists in danger while chasing me with a vehicle for an hour? If you know who drives a white Acura sedan with vanity plates WINE be careful on the road around him. I hope the officers letting this go doesn’t end up in someone’s death or being put in a wheelchair down the road. The short video, taken with my cell phone is after the Verdi lap was over and I was cooling down slowly in the bike lane before climbing back into Sommerset. This will be the last time I ride without my cameras and lights.
When Will is not training, he works in the ski industry with Dalbello, Obermeyer and MasterFit.
I am sure all cyclists have bizarre encounters on the road. It is too bad that this more and more seems to be anecdotally the case. We all hope it doesn’t result in coming together with a car and for the most part I try to wave and smile and say thank you when cars actually see me. I say, see me, as I ride a handcycle after being paralyzed 8 years ago. It is a low bike only the height of a wheel. The drive wheel out front with two wheels behind and from a reclined position you push the cranks in parallel with your hands. I am low but almost three feet wide and 8 ft long. I’m also a rolling circus normally when out on training rides: red strobes on the back with a Fly6, one or two 6ft orange flags and a front strobe light so bright it will blow the retina out the back of your skull. All of this results in either people seeing me and being a little concerned with what I am(preferable) or completely oblivious (too often unfortunately).In full disclosure the following occurred on a traditional ride I have done before I leave town for a race. This time I am flying to the Paralympic selection event to earn a spot at the Rio games on the US roster. I make a lap around Verdi just to shake everything down and make sure the bike and I am moving ok. I take my flags and light rig off to reduce all the weight and drag to feel the bike in race form. I Know I am not as visible as normal like this but after 8 years, it is a tradition and never been an issue during the day. Some of you may be familiar with this route in Verdi so you will have to bear with the local references as I recount my lap around Verdi. I did this for the officer as well.
You leave the last round-a-bout at the bottom of Sommerset and head west on 3rd st. There is a wide shoulder/bike lane. It is around 11:00am, the wind is starting to puff Reno style and I wish I had been out here 2 hours ago. I can feel the wind and just focus on keeping the pressure on the pedals consistent as I come up to a right onto Bridge St. Up and over a bump, past the Elementary school on the right and down a small hill carrying momentum across a bridge over the Truckee River.
As I cross the bridge, I see a white car pulled over just at a left hand bend just before a short, narrow, one vehicle at a time bridge. I can see the driver looking down and don’t see brake lights or a signal so I continue past him. At this point I also see a pearl Escalade coming down Dog Valley Rd. perpendicular to the road I am on and just past the one vehicle mini bridge. I know he won’t be able to see me and I am already across. They roll the stop sign, I move all the way left and go past them. When I am already on the other side of the intersection I hear them honk. Better late than never… in their defense, I am low, moving at about 25 in that section and there was no way for them to see me. I didn’t think much of this, until the white car came right up behind me. The road pitches up in ths section of Bridge St. and my speed drops. It will drop further, on a short steep pitch that I will have to grind over at 6 or 7mph. The car is staying right behind me and I move as far to the right as I can, dropping my right rear wheel into the dirt.
They dart around me on the steep section of the hill which was crazy since it is completely blind. I know a car coming the other direction will swerve left into my lane to avoid the crazy guy in the white car on the wrong side of the road. I get ready to aim my bike off the road into the weeds if that happens. It doesn’t, the car is gone over the crest. I am redlined as I finally make it over the crest, now this guy has stopped his car at the bottom of a slight decline on the back side and jumped out to take up the rest of the room on the road with arms spread wide to catch me, I guess, as I accelerate down the hill? My arms are flooded with lactate, my heart is tripping over itself and I am starting to lose my patience as I pound the pedals to pick up the momentum lost going up the steep side. It seems a hill that steep should have a back side at least as long with a grade to match, I find myself thinking every time I go over it.
This guy holds his ground as I pick up speed and yell, “get-out-of-the-way,” as I go by darting to the left. It isn’t over, now on Hill St., as I am trying to stay in my effort on a false flat, this jackass has pulled back up behind me and now alongside to try and carry on some kind of conversation. I really have no intention of talking with him right now. I yell over the sound of my carbon wheels on both sides of my head, “I know you can’t see me, go away.” I am only guessing what he might be saying as there is no way I can hear him at 21mph, my wheels spinning and his right front car wheel crunching pavement next to me. He decides to take formation right behind me again. Of course, now other cars have come up behind this concerned citizen and are getting pissed, so they pass him. Guess what, they can’t see me in front of his bumper and when they dart back over they almost hit me. I have now lost my sense of humor.
The other cars passed us and I don’t stop at either the next two stop signs at the end of the T in the road making a left and then left again, coming back onto 3rd St. At this point, I am not stopping to let this nut put his car across an intersection again and I am going to finish this dam ride in the heat and wind. I have my permanent wingman back there no matter what I do. I am not stopping and figure maybe he will get bored on Third street as there is a big wide bike lane and it would be crazy to keep following me like he has...
Well, I was wrong. He pulls behind me in the bike lane which allows the confused cars pass and at some points I am hitting 40 mph. I am sure they are wondering why he doesn’t have hazards on and is running up the back side of that weird looking tricycle… they must know each other?
I ride all the way back to the start of the round-a-bout heading east on 3rd , pass the sign that serves as my start and finish, hit the lap button, shift and start spinning to recover. I am now going about 12 miles an hour and I spin for a minute then figure, he has followed me this long maybe he wants an autograph. I stop. He stops. I wait. He walks up, cell phone clutched in hand having captured my entire lap I guess and now our exchange for posterity.
Crazy guy in the White Acura sedan with Nevada Vanity plate reading WINE proceeded to tell me he has me on video speeding, running stop signs and he has called the police. At this point my patience budget for the day had been exhausted. I am sure there were a few other choice words but I told him to get back in his car and I was looking forward to chatting with the police. I am going to finish my cool down then ride up the backside of Sommerset so I won’t be far. I am not sure he had figured out that I couldn’t get out of the bike but I didn’t continue the conversation. Sure enough he was back following me with his car before I turn around to head up the hill home. Only problem now is two cars can’t fit on the road with the concrete median and cars coming up behind him forced him to go ahead and pull off the road. This was the game of leap frog until finally, two Sherriff cars show up and pull me and my shadow over.
I gave the officer my description of what I just have recounted here and had to keep explaining to him where this occurred and how much ground we covered. I told him I did run the stop sign where he pulled his car across the intersection and jumped out to perform his citizen’s arrest. I wasn’t stopping at any intersections with this idiot in tow after that. I was also happy to go in front of a judge and hash this out. I explained that I normally have flags and a light show but today was riding without it. I have been riding out in Verdi for 8 years without incident and the officer affirmed he had seen me. I explained I am not pressing charges for violating the 3ft rule for the last hour and would prefer that they settle him down so we don’t have a pissed off motorist looking to settle a score. The other officer came up behind me and said, ”that wasn’t going to happen.” The two walked away and conferred. He expressed that I should have a flag and lights and be more visible. I said yes and that is my normal setup and yes that does provide better visibility. However, neither is mandated by law. Crazy guy in the white Acura just violated the 3ft rule for the last hour and I am not pressing charges in the interest of settling him down and not being run over in the future. A moment later the car was sent on his way. They didn’t give me a ticket either. It was really hot and I rode home.
In hindsight I am now upset that, from what I observed, they didn’t seem to have a problem with a motorist harassing a cyclist intentionally, blocking traffic and jumping out of his car to try and stop me, all while exhibiting all kinds of signs of road rage. The concern appeared to be that I ran three stop signs trying to avoid further contact with that vehicle. I am contemplating either contacting the local news media or the officers again to file a complaint. I’ll sleep on this first.
Was he on his way to save someone’s life, they died in the hour he wasted chasing me? Was there an emergency wine delivery that I impeded, was the vintage ruined? In his mind how was he so wronged that it justified his behavior? It really doesn’t matter. He put me, himself and other motorists in danger while chasing me with a vehicle for an hour? If you know who drives a white Acura sedan with vanity plates WINE be careful on the road around him. I hope the officers letting this go doesn’t end up in someone’s death or being put in a wheelchair down the road. The short video, taken with my cell phone is after the Verdi lap was over and I was cooling down slowly in the bike lane before climbing back into Sommerset. This will be the last time I ride without my cameras and lights.
When Will is not training, he works in the ski industry with Dalbello, Obermeyer and MasterFit.
