Cyclist charged with throwing keys of driver who hit him down drain
cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/cyclist-charged-wi...
cbc.caPosted Sep 25, 2015, 10:40 PM UTC
138226
cbc.caSo, I totally expect to be downvoted, because that's what happens when a car driver posts on r/toronto, but here it goes;
I was at Bay and Bloor in my car, going south, and a driver turning left going north decided to ignore the fact that we had a green light an just started to turn in front of us. A cop was walking across the street and saw this and stopped the foot traffic to let the car pass so that we could continue and get out of the intersection. Unfortunately, all the other people behind the driver turning left thought this was their opportunity to turn left also, continuing to block us from going straight. The light turned yellow, then red, and I'm still in the middle of the intersection. Helpless, I look to my left and there's a biker, knocking on my window, shouting "You're an asshole!". I tried to slowly creep out of the intersection, but everyone thought I was doing something wrong, even though they saw what happened. It made me feel really crappy, even though I did nothing wrong. Months later I still think about that biker, I wish I could just talk to him in a calm, sensible manner and explain what happened.
What I'm trying to get across here is that both car drivers and bicyclists can be jerks, just because the person that wronged you drives a car or a bike doesn't mean they're not human. Let's all take a minute to realize that we're all people sharing the same space and be a little more compassionate. Yes, the guy was wrong for hitting the biker, and the biker was wrong for throwing his keys away. In my opinion they're both pretty big jerks. Please let authorities handle these matters instead of escalating them.
55
I too dream of a world where our people are no longer at war.
24
I agree with you except the fact you said that the driver and the cyclist are both jerks. The driver actually got out of the car to check on the guy, that is when he took the keys and threw them in the drain.
I've been driving since I was 16 and I'm 24 now, so 8 years, I never have once gotten into an accident that was my fault. However, when someone did hit my car I did not get out of my car and throw his keys down the drain, nor did I yell at him.
I told him to park into the parking lot nearby so we can exchange insurance. Accidents happen and it should not be a war between two human beings.
16
The article seems to imply that the cyclist reached into the car and pulled out the keys with the driver still inside.
6
I remember once making a left turn into that street where the buses enter yonge & Eglinton station. I saw a break in the crowd of pedestrians crossing so I made my turn. As I'm at that point of no return and cars going straight are barrelling towards me, a cyclist suddenly emerges from the crowd of pedestrians, like a bat out of hell, traveling on the sidewalk, going against traffic. Naturally I nearly hit him, as I avoided being t-boned by an SUV.
Of course he's flipping out, cursing at me, and banging on my car even though he's the one who was at fault. Right as a cop on a bicycle pulls up. Cop sees cyclist kicking and denting my car, cop hears the cyclist's story, believes it 100%, sends him on his way, then begins berating me, threatening violence on me, then gives me a ticket. Didn't even wanna hear what I had to say.
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The traffic can see you, and they have brakes. In that situation, just stay put. No one is going to hit your car.
-3†
I'm not sure why this is downvoted, because it's true.
If your car is stationary in traffic... other cars aren't just going to drive into it. Why the fuck would people just drive into stationary vehicles for no purpose? For fun? For insurance? I mean, come on...
3
Some people are stupid and not paying attention. That's how most accidents happen.
5
The worst assumption you can make when driving is "they will see me and stop" because 99% of the time that's true but the 1% of the time they don't (think idiot texting and driving) has pretty severe consequences.
There is no harm in waiting to make a turn even with an impatient jerk laying on the horn because he thinks you should have made a turn.
5
You really expect to be downvoted posting from a drivers perspective on r/toronto? It's like we're living in different universes. I either see comments from drivers with advice on how cyclists should behave, or cyclists who start with "I'm a cyclist and I think cyclists are the worst". Or, sometimes you see "both sides and wrong and should learn to get along". Here's the thing - drivers and cyclists are not symmetrical. When a cyclist isn't paying attention, he could get himself killed. When a driver isn't paying attention, he can get someone else killed. It's a basic asymmetry that people like to ignore.
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I really hadn't thought of it from that perspective before. Thank you!
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You really expect to be downvoted posting from a drivers perspective on r/toronto[1] ?
Only if I said I drove a taxi for Beck.
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No such thing as drivers and cyclists, just a bunch of people out there - and a lot of them act poorly.
Especially in high stress situations like commuting.
6
The problem with this post is that it wishfully hopes that people can be empathetic. Sadly, people are mostly self-interested with a egocentric view on life. Think of the countless anecdotes you can think of where humanity sucked, and compare it to when it shone.
Individuals are amazing, but people suck.
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People will also blindly down vote any post here as well as those that begin by complaining about down votes. Pro tip. Votes don't matter.
1†
Votes don't matter.
Of course they do. If your post gets downvoted, it won't get read.
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I love reading downvoted posts!
7
Do you think you represent the majority?
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The cyclist, having just been hit by a car, might have been in shock. So he threw some keys down a drain. At least no one else was hurt. Not a big deal, really. I've seen people start fights over far less. If i hit someone with my car, I'd consider having my keys tossed down a drain as getting off easy.
-1†
You've missed the point entirely.
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What I'm trying to get across here is that both car drivers and bicyclists can be jerks
That's the point. My point is, if someone is in shock after being hit by a car, they might not think or act rationally. I wouldn't call that being a jerk. I'd call it being a human being in a state of shock.
But it's nice that you came out to make your claim without any explanation to back it up. Tell me, how did I miss the point?
1†
Would you elaborate the point then?
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creddit
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This sub goes Meta all the time.
5
Is it just me, or is this headline super awkwardly phrased?
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It's not awkward at all. The driver clearly hit the cyclist down drain.
55
OH! He hit her so hard that she got smooshed into the drain and shredded into gore! It pleases me very much!
-9
THEN WHO WAS DRAIN???
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Throwing super in front of words is awkward.
-3
You got him!
2
Reaching into a vehicle is risky at best," Stibbe said. "And you never know what the person inside that car is going to do to you when you do that.
I bite.
Probably the driver should be charged to counter. But it sounds like the biker was OK if he could get up, get the keys and thrown them down the drain.
Also keys are expensive nowadays as they have computer chips in them and if the car had to be towed off the street... the bill could be close to $1000 maybe?!
9
My dealer said $200.
Of course, my house keys, work keys, parents keys, GFs keys, friends keys, and office keys are all attached to the same key ring. Some of them are $150 security keys, Medeco keys, and RF keys. I also have a $50 USB stick attached.
Replacing them all would probably cost $1000-2000, so maybe you're right.
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We did it r/toronto !
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Good for catching and charging the cyclist. Did the driver get charged?
If the driver got reprimanded for striking the cyclist it is a "turn not in safety" and $80 fine. I was hit by a car and sent to the hospital for an instance exactly like this and all the driver got was an $80 fine. Pity.
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Brace for everyone being a legal expert......
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... and a doctor "The adrenaline / shock made the cyclist methodically enter the car, remove the keys, walk over to a sewer drain, and then cycle off! It's justified!"
-3†
I don't think anyone would ever claim such a silly thing!
0
I still think it's hilarious though
2
Where in the article does it say that the Cyclist was charged. Even CBC can't come up with better titles?
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It's in the first sentence. But the title is horrible.
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Basically this news article is adding commentary between Reddit responses.
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Good.
4†
damn right good. talk about making a bad situation worse for the driver and the city. the car blocked the pedestrian side walk and road as well ...brilliant
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Brilliant
2†
Glorious
-1
So who's the cyclist?
3
Once we banned all of the ingrates things just keep getting better.
-4
Shameful that the the cyclists they interviewed said they would do the same thing. So when a cyclist blows through a red, it's ok to rip the chain off?
2†
If the cyclist blasts a red and runs you over, then yes it is.
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Only thing is that most chains need a tool to separate the links. So there's that... There's always unchaining! Though the grease...
2
I'm just imagining someone trying to carefully align a chain tool on someone's bike and slowly twisting the screw to pop out one of the links.
3
Practice makes perfect... :D
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Picturing someone in a fit of rage trying to yank the greasy chain off a bike would be pretty funny.
2
Nope, kick the tire in so it bends.
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When was the last time that a cyclist blowing through a red actually injured you?
-21
I've never been hit but there have been plenty of very close calls, both in the car and walking.
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So, never? I've been injured by drivers. I've never been injured by a cyclist.
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I have permanent eye damage from being hit by a cyclist when I was 7 years old. Asshole blew right by the car door as I was getting out and ran me over. It happens.
9
And that gives you the right to steal their property and let an intersection grind to a halt?
3
Did you immediatey commit two crime right after?
0
Happened to me a few years back. Knocked me back and the people behind me. I didn't rip off his chain because you know... I'm not as asshole... Plus he sped away.
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Examine the injury rate due to cyclists, compare it to the injury rate due to drivers.
Cyclists are not the ones you should be worried about. Also, that driver didn't blow through a red, he actually hit someone, with his car, which would be a deadly weapon if it wasn't a ubiquitous piece of status transport. That's the point.
-9
"A ubiquitous piece of status transport"
Get a fucking grip dude.
10
Really? I thought the point was that people thought its okay to commit vigilante attacks after an accident.
If you're going to be on the road, there's always a chance of accidents. That's the risk you take when you operate anyvehicle. You shouldn't expect some sort of entitlement because your on a bike. If 2 cars crashed it wouldn't be okay if one of the drivers did what the cyclist did and then drive off. And likewise, the cyclist was in the wrong after the accident.
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People have been killed by cyclists blowing thru reds. Get your head out of your ass.
-1†
Never said they hadn't, Sparky. Do you get all your exercise jumping to conclusions and making shit up?
-1†
So what's the point of your idiotic question "have you ever been injured by a biker blowing a red?" No I haven't. But people have been killed by bikers doing that. So... Go on and finish your thought. Oh... You didn't have one. Okay.
-1
So you are saying I can break the law anytime as long as no one gets hurt? So drivers can blow through red, speed as fast as they can and do whatever as long as they don't injure anyone? ...
Good logic
-2†
Yeah, that's what I said, and not a complete strawman fabrication on your part at all. No, not one bit.
/s, in case you missed it, like you missed the point prior.
1†
+10 for pointing out u/yourappreciator's logical fallacy
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I wonder if the cyclist could say something like that he was in shock and that he thought the driver was drunk, so he ditched his keys.
2
How did he get caught, did he turn himself in? This article added literally nothing to the original thread :/
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Second sentence of the article:
The cyclist then left the scene but was followed by police before being stopped, Const. Clint Stibbe told CBC News.
3
Looks like I need new glasses, thanks.
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Another one bites the dust
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What's his reddit user name?
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Tilly Bogle says she would do the same thing after hearing that a cyclist who was hit by a car allegedly threw the driver's keys down a drain.
Tilly is looking for an asswhuppin.
0†
Tilly is an armchair badass.
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Is the driver being charged for assault with a weapon? Of course not
0†
The driver wouldn't have hit the cyclist if, after doing so, the cyclist didn't throw the keys in a storm drain!
0
They wouldn't have hit any cyclist if they didn't have access to a car. The cyclist who was hit made sure that they won't hit any more cyclists.
2
Mods probably banned them in the meantime.
I was hoping to find a link to the original Reddit post with pictures here
probably racist
looks at username
That's hilarious
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