The Toronto Star is reporting that a cyclist stabbed a motorist with a screwdriver after a road rage incident. It happened this morning at around 9:45am at the corner of College and McCaul.
A few more details on the City News website. They believe the cyclist was a "courier".
It hurts me to read about incidents like this. I have no idea what caused this altercation, or why the cyclist felt it was necessary to stab the motorist. I was honked at and flipped off by a motorist on Dundas St. this morning, then almost nailed by a left-turning car near my work. But even when bad things happen to me on the road, I never even come close to wanting to stab someone.
All this madness on the roads needs to end.
Comments
Aidan
Reason enough, but not for a court
Fri, 11/02/2007 - 13:06That's why I don't carry a weapon when I cycle, too much reason and opportunity to use it. Don't think there is a law about obscenities and queries as to the relative size of a driver's superior and inferior appendages, though... Hope not, or I'd have no way to communicate with the drivers in this town about their doors, (lack of) signals, crowding and other random idiocy.
Courier dude has had even more of this crap than me, no doubt.
Anonymous (not verified)
courier, courier, courier ?!
Sat, 11/03/2007 - 07:31T.O. Police & media (& potentially, witnesses) to this attack (& I mean attack on both parties, from both parties - is the driver being charged with any traffic acts violations? nope!) are most-very-likely being typically incompetent in their description of cyclist as a "courier".
Many, many times something happens where the cyclist is deemed at fault (in this case, there's no denying the physical body-to-body altercation) the cyclist often is labelled as a "courier" - but no more so than this particular time.
Any person on a bike with a "satchel" is now a "courier"?
Uh, lesson in couriering for T.O. Cops, Media & witnesses:
First tip off?
Bicycle Messengers - when AT THEIR JOBS - wear a 2-way communication device such as a radio &/or cellphone.
Also, the "evidence" bike confiscated at the scene had a huge honkin' wrap-around-the-seat-post angry-T-rex-in-your-backyard-holding type CHAIN.
No "courier" will have that on a bike -- hello? Speed of locking up your bike every 5 minutes? Weight?
There's too many other details to mention, that does not relate to "courier" description as the job of the suspect.
I mean, is every pedestrian carrying a cellphone/CrackBerry/briefcase an Accountant?
When in their offices they count things & crunch numbers -- but can they go walking on the street without being labelled as such?
Sheesh.
Forward this bit of typing to the cop shop and the media and Bicycle Messengers of Toronto would be much better off. Damn stereotypical lazy "investigating/reporting".
Who gets the attitude (on the ROADS to make it worse) tomorrow during work? Gee, it won't be the accountants of Toronto.
tanya
cars as weapons
Fri, 11/02/2007 - 14:18Definitely its not acceptable to stab a motorist over a road rage altercation. Its not acceptable either to threaten them by waving a knife in their face.
But yet when motorists get "road rage" they have a deadly weapon right under their right foot. I've encountered motorists who will try to intimidate me by gunning for me, then swerving at the last minute. Its sad that this kind of knife waving is all too socially "acceptable".
Anonymous (not verified)
Next time, stab his tires
Fri, 11/02/2007 - 14:27Next time, stab his tires instead.
geoffrey (not verified)
because they CAN
Fri, 11/02/2007 - 16:14Funny. Twice on Saturday I was brushed by sidemirrors of vehicles while walking. The first was by a woman who had asked me directions then drove off before giving me opportunity to get clear of her vehicle. The second was by a motorist who refused to cross the centre line while passing me as I passed a line of parked vehicles on the shoulder of a township road.
Sunday my mother informs me motorists are entitled to HIT cyclists if they don't move over - and this is after I refer to pertinent sections of the HTA and drivers handbooks (both 2002 and 2007 editions) saying otherwise.
Two hours later I'm walking on a sidewalk and notice a pickup truck stopped in a driveway blocking half of the sidewalk. As I step in front of the truck it moves forward. Needless to say the adrenaline is flowing when I get the drivers attention. Needless to say he maintains he SHOULD have driven over me.
Maybe a few more screwdriver incidents would be a good thing. Don't be an ass to a pedestrian or cyclist because they may screwdriver you - because they CAN.
As for the courier assumptions I find that unlikely. People don't normally throw their tools away.
geoffrey (not verified)
And no it wasn't me. I'm
Fri, 11/02/2007 - 16:18And no it wasn't me. I'm STILL off the bike on doctors orders with a STILL broken collarbone.
Yes, it still hurts like hell. Yes, its 14 weeks today. Yes I was hit July 27.
There are too many incompetent motorists on the road.
Anonymous (not verified)
Gossip
Fri, 11/02/2007 - 19:25Thanks for for contributing to the unsubstantiated rumours that it was a courier.
The EnigManiac
Courier...
Fri, 11/02/2007 - 20:26The media has reported all day that the cyclist was a courier. Of course, until he's caught, they won't know for sure. Perhaps the cyclist merely 'looked' like a courier...especially to non-cyclists.
Darren_S
The making of a courier
Fri, 11/02/2007 - 20:55Absolutely, because Omar Sachedina of City TV reports that the suspect was carrying a satchel and emphasizing the fact he was riding a bicycle he must be a courier. Fine bit of reporting.
Aidan
Human nature is s%$#
Fri, 11/02/2007 - 20:19Who cares what the guy's job, or lack of, was. He went postal. The fact that every cyclist commenting here has likely fantasized about doing something similar points to what we put up with. Human nature is s%$#, but if the cops do something about how much worse driving has gotten in the city, even stupid humans will play nice to avoid consequences, which they won't do just because it is right.
geoffrey (not verified)
http://petermckay.blogspot.co
Sat, 11/03/2007 - 13:16http://petermckay.blogspot.com/2007/11/not-typical-commute-home.html
Svend
Insanity
Sat, 11/03/2007 - 13:52Confronting anyone like this is insane.
I can understand the anger but it shouldn't be acceptable among us. Please don't carry weapons.
geoffrey (not verified)
When an autoholic performs
Mon, 11/05/2007 - 10:37When an autoholic performs an operation in traffic which endangers/harms/mutilates/kills a cyclist we are lead to believe the autoholic did not see/did not expect/was entitled to perform said operation. Whether said operation was legal or performed in a legal manner is of no consequence. Incidental mutilation was fate/bad luck/kharma. Think of the inconvenience we would face without the necessary convenience motorvehicles are.
We are in a sorry state of affairs when the need of autoholics for convenience trumps the need of other roadway users for safe transit.
Anonymous (not verified)
Good. Finally Some Parity...
Mon, 11/05/2007 - 13:46I hate to say it but I was happy to hear this news. After the 2 sideswipes and countless near missesthis year alone- including the one prick this past Saturday on Lakeshore Rd in Oakville ( gee, there's a surprise), It was a long time coming. War was waged on cyclists A LONG TIME AGO , but we've been powerless to respond. Swearing and shaking fists only seem to increase the sadistic glee within this criminal drivers as they give you the finger and double the posted speed limit in a school zone. Lucky for him he didn't lose an eye. Maybe this will be the watershed necessary to get the auto world to extend a little courtesy. Education my ass - they are too fat and retarded to do any of that. I hope he doesn't have any kids as it would kill to explain that he was a donkey on the road.
Anonymous (not verified)
Arrest made. Surprise
Tue, 11/06/2007 - 09:42Arrest made. Surprise surprise - not a courier.
The EnigManiac
Curious.
Tue, 11/06/2007 - 23:58One assault by a cyclist who has no real solid way of being identified (unless he registered his bike with them, of course) and they make an arrest, yet countless motorists commit any number of serious offences against us and the cops are given license plate numbers and descriptions, yet no arrests ever result, even when all the evidence is sufficient for a conviction. Interesting.
Svend
An assault like this is more
Wed, 11/07/2007 - 00:12An assault like this is more serious than most traffic infractions, of course the police will work to capture the guy. I'd guess he has a previous record and his bike had his fingerprints on it, otherwise he would also have gotten away with it.
I certainly hope that bike advocates don't cover his legal costs, I don't want to associate with any that defend his actions.
Darren_S
Defence
Wed, 11/07/2007 - 06:47I totally agree with Svend. The cyclist should be convicted without trial. We already have the facts. Even though the media got the cyclists occupation wrong everything else they told us is true. Who gives a flying fuck about his side of the story. Let us dispense with him quickly and use him as bollard on the 401. Fuck the bicycle advocates.
Svend
Of course he should have a
Wed, 11/07/2007 - 09:30Of course he should have a trial, we haven't heard all sides.
Looks like a few others like you have already judged the situation though. Advocating for someone who believes violence is a solution is a dead end for furthering cyclist's rights, in my opinion. I can't imagine the CAA coming to the aid of this car driver either.
Darren_S
No Svend...
Wed, 11/07/2007 - 10:46that is not what I believe. The cyclist should have access to competent counsel and a fair trial, should be able to present all the evidence necessary to his defence, a judge or jury should determine his guilt. If found guilty, the judge based on all of the evidence that they believe to be fact should then determine a sentence that fits the actions of they cyclist. Did the cyclist do it because he has mental health problems, he is simply a violent person, or was his life in danger. I will damn anyone that attempt to subvert the process.
You have gone a slippery slope Svend without any hearing of the facts. Many women in this country have walked away from murder charges at trial after evidence was elicited at trial to the abuse they suffered at the hands of a spouse. You put these women away simply because they murder their abuser? Violence is wrong, yet if it does occur it has to be measured against the facts. None of which we have here, all we have is what the media tells us or whatever the cops think will make their case. The court, as imperfect as it is, will be the place to separate fact from fiction.
You have also made the suggestion that, "I'd guess he has a previous record and his bike had his fingerprints on it, otherwise he would also have gotten away with it.". Nice try but the cops have my fingerprints along with tens of thousands of other Canadians because we have or had security clearances and not criminal records. If you are going to dirty the reputation of an innocent till proven guilty cyclist please come up with more than half informed stupidity.
The EnigManiac
I'm Not Defending the Cyclist...
Wed, 11/07/2007 - 09:48...by any stretch of the imagination. While I get angry and react to being seriously threatened like anyone else, my attitude is always directed toward a non-violence response unless I am attacked. At that point I will defend myself or my loved ones with as much force as necessary. I can't condone or support the lethal beahviour the cyclist allegedly resorted to, but I can sypathize with his frustration. I also can't support convicting the cyclist without trial. Everyone is entitled to a trial. It's equally barabaric to deprive him of that.
And I respectfully disagree that an assault with a screwdriver is more serious than an assault with a car.
My only suspicion is that the police do not see a 3 or 4 ton car or truck as a weapon the same way they see a gun, knife or screwdriver, in this particular case, in spite of the fact that the wielder of each weapon might have the same intention. They rarely pursue murderous motorists, even when a fatality occurs, and they certainly don't bend over backward to help the Crown prosecute motorists who kill. Just look at how many motorists are not charged at all even when the evidence is overwhelming and just look at how many convicted motorists---the few that there are---receivce the lightest possible sentence. Not just here in Toronto, but all over North America. Did the police pursue this cycling individual with the same commitment as anyone else or more? Did the police employ greater resources to capturing him than they would a motorist who purposefully ran down a cyclist? Methinks perhaps not.
Svend
I agree, assault with a car
Wed, 11/07/2007 - 10:42I agree, assault with a car is as serious as with a screwdriver. I didn't make myself clear.
The key is "intent", this cyclist intended to maim - with a car it's usually stupidity or a lack of judgment. You're right, those instances should also be cracked down on.
Darren_S
Cars as weapons
Wed, 11/07/2007 - 10:59"My only suspicion is that the police do not see a 3 or 4 ton car or truck as a weapon the same way they see a gun, knife or screwdrive..."
I was repeatedly hit by a car and the driver was charged, amongst other things, assault with a weapon.
I have watched several cases that made it to trial closely and in each case both the cops and the crown did their best for conviction. The problem usually occurs because the courts are overburdened or law is limited in its ability to do anything worthwhile. One case I am thinking id the OPP Sgt that was killed by a truck while he was riding his bike. The driver had a history of convictions for driving without a license.
On the flip side it is not uncommon to hear cyclists being told by cops that the 'law of the jungle' exists on the road.
Anonymous (not verified)
'Most' of the motorists are
Fri, 06/27/2008 - 10:52'Most' of the motorists are SCUMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!