Unless you are built like a younger version of Arnold Schwarzenegger or Lou Ferrigno and you ride your bike a lot, you probably don’t stand a chance of fending off would be road rager drivers that may feel invincible behind the wheel of their vehicles, which could in fact weigh up to a few tons. Colorado happens to only accentuate the issue, seeing as this state has a record number of bicyclists and plenty of hills and mountains for bicycling enthusiasts to ascend.

One Colorado Springs racing team member actually had a driver do the most unthinkable: He took a shot at the bicyclist with a gun.

"I've had things thrown at me, people swerve at me, people yell random things," but never been shot at before, says the COS bicyclist, who shall remain nameless to protect his identify.¹

Allegations and Details about the Road Rage Shooting

Cyclists Fear for Their Lives from Road Ragers | Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyer

The following details surrounding the road rage shooting were gathered from news reports and police records:

• The cyclist, who we’ll call Bikey, was cruising down Fountain Boulevard on Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016 at 7:30 a.m., when a brown pickup truck sped up to right behind Bikey and honked his vehicle’s horn.
• The truck driver began yelling at Bikey, who tried to lean towards the truck to make out what was being yelled.
• The driver then swerved at Bikey before peeling out and racing off over a hill.
• When Bikey reached the crest of the hill, he saw the truck had reversed course and was now flooring it headed his way. Bikey estimated the truck was doing about 70 m.p.h.
• Bikey crouched down and tried to make out the license plate number, when he noticed the driver stretch his arm out the window and instantly heard the report of a firearm.
• Bikey was frozen in fear.
• The truck sped off out of sight without Bikey being able to get an accurate plate number.

Colorado Bicycle Accident Statistics

The following facts and statistics were gathered from several law enforcement agencies:

• The City of Colorado Springs reported 26 known crashes involving bicycles and automobiles between Jan 1. And Sept. 1, 2016. The driver of the car was at fault in 20 of those accidents.
• Just as a comparison, from Jan. 1 and Sept. 1, 2015 the city of COS reported 37 accidents between bicyclists and motor vehicles. There were 20 reported injuries from those incidences.
• In Denver, there was a total of 1,325 reported bicycle crashes in Denver between 2008 and 2012, which is about an average of 265 bicycle crashes per year.
• In that same time period, approximately four of these crashes involved fatalities; of those crashes two involved heavy vehicles and the other two involved hit and runs.

Bicycle Safety Tips for Staying Safe 

The following are some suggestions on how to not get hit by cars, when commuting around on a bicycle:

• Headlight -- Get a headlight for the front of your bike. This will actually assist in warning motorists of your whereabouts. In Colorado, rear, flashing taillight is required for night riding.
• Wave – If you don’t think an oncoming driver can see you, just wave to them with your arm.
• Horn – There are horns available for bikes and drivers do take notice of them. One such horn is called the Air Zound.
• Yell – If all else fails, you can yell your whereabouts. It’s better to stay safe and alive, than injured in a collision.
• Slow Down – This is particularly helpful in low-light situations like early mornings and at night. Come to a complete stop, if necessary.
• Move Further into the Left Lane – Typically, drivers are looking down the road for other vehicles. If you are afraid of being hit, because you are afraid the driver doesn’t see you, then mover further over into the lane so that you are unmistakable.

Contact a Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyer at Shakeshaft-Gorman Law Firm, LLP

Have you or a loved one been injured as a result of a road rage incident or car-related bicycle accident? If so, the Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyer with Shakeshaft-Gorman Law Firm, LLP is ready to advocate your rights, help you recover financially and ultimately help you put your life back together.

We’ll be happy to set up an initial consult to discuss what options are available to you. To contact our car accident attorney, dial 719-635-5886 or (800) 383-5886. You are also able to send him an email him using the contact form on this page.

Our offices are located in Colorado Springs, but we also take cases throughout the state depending on the type of case you are involved in.

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¹“Cyclists say their lives are at risk from road-raging motorists” published in the Colorado Springs Independent, March 2017.