Mighty Cyclists

We had another "road rage" incident on our 5'fer ride yesterday evening (8/10/23). Spicy Plus and Spicy had combined in to one group and were climbing the hill on River Road approaching Stitt, when a motorist "buzzed" the group and was yelling a them to form a single pace line etc. This motorist, did make a hard stop, and with some hearty and loud communication, no one was hurt. Riders reported the incident to me after the ride.

Today, I spoke with a Lucas County Deputy and reported the incident. I had a good conversation and allayed our concerns about what seems to be a growing problem of over aggressive divers. I asked how we should go about getting this issue prioritized on our Thursday rides. He gave me the name of the lieutenant in charge of the patrols. I will be calling this individual and discussing this with him in the hopes of getting patrol cars in the area on Thursday evenings.

If/when a situation like this happens again:

• Always follow the law.
• Call 911 immediately.
• Do NOT retaliate in any way shape or form ( I know, easy to say)
• Stay calm: Try to diffuse the situation and stay calm.
• • These are situations where we need to take the "high" road and not stoop to the level of an idiot driver. Never let your own anger take over, even when it’s justified.
• Keep a camera handy: Keep a camera handy in case you need to take pictures or take a video of an aggressive driver
  

We have 6 more official Thursday rides left this season. I am confident that we will, with an abundance of teamwork, make these rides memorable.

I look forward to seeing everyone next Thursday.

Regards,

Joe