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Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid
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 2006-07-14 4:15 PM |
Champion  6931      Bellingham, Washington |  Subject: Strange Encounter with a Doofi KidI was out for an easy countryside ride. Trying to burn off a vino headache from the nite before. I'm riding on this two lane service road that runs next to the Interstate. It's one of those asphalt pea gravel road surfaces. Very rough in spots from the pea gravel, but then you have smooth spots from tire traffic. There is a white fog line and after that the surface just fades into the ditch and weeds, not a good shoulder. Very little traffic on the road, a few Semi's and stuff. Well I'm tooling along on the fogline or in the farthest right tire groove where it's somewhat comfortable. As I get around a corner I see a Ford 4x4 pickup truck stopped on the side of the road and a skinny teen kid with long blond hair flagging me down. Plus he was moving to the middle of the road when I moved to the other lane.....I'm thinking he needs help or going to ask if I have a cell phone..... As I get abreast of him, he ask if I can stop and talk to him? (I've never seen him before or even recognize the truck) so I do a circle in the middle of road and loop back. And unclip one foot. The kid starts to ask me why I didn't give him the courtesy of the lane? That he had to slow down. Kept saying Why didn't I do this? Now remember, I'm at mile 28 of a ride that is burning a hangover off. And I'm thinking,, oh ok, I must have been in the right tire groove or on the inside portion of the fogline. I told the kid that I wasn't riding on the shoulder since there is alot of crud/nails/glass and it is crappy surface. I guess that wasn't good enough. He Kept saying Why didn't I give him some courtesy and how he always give us people room to ride? I clipped back in an started to ride off but he kept talking to me and I did another circle in the roadway saying I had to go and I might have said sorry about him having to slow down or something to that affect. And I continure to ride up the road. Well I hear flopping of shoes running after me. The Doofi kid is running after me all the time saying He wants to talk to me (blah blah blah) and I kept saying I gotta go. (What else was I suppose to talk about?) . I didn't sprint away, just a steady pace and the kid kept about 15 yards behind still babbling. Now I started to get a little concerned. Didn't want to stop, since he might grab at me and being clipped in and falling is not good. Plus if the kid is that adamant about talking about something STUPID like me making him slowdown in his pickuptruck ......well that is STUPID. I just kept going another 100 yards where the interstection was and I could go over the interstate and get back into town. Than I started to think that Doofi might get in his truck and follow me. and who knows what was going through his mind. Got on to residential streets (I got paranoid) did some looks over my shoulder to see if he was coming. Never saw him again. But the last 7 miles home were kinda nerve racking. Kept going over in my mind trying to remember him passing me? What was I doing? And though about how it could have escalated if I decided to stop and talk....
Edited by BellinghamSpence 2006-07-14 4:16 PM |
| 2006-07-14 4:20 PM in reply to: #483158 |
| Crystal Lake, IL | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid |
| 2006-07-14 4:20 PM in reply to: #483158 |
Champion 10668 Tacoma, Washington | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid I would start by informing said Doofi that Washington traffic code states that bikes are to be ridden "as far to the right as is SAFE and REASONABLE" and that said interpretation is left to the RIDER. And if he has any doubts, he can look up the traffic code himself. Takes all kinds, I guess. |
| 2006-07-14 4:21 PM in reply to: #483158 |
Master 2299 New York | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid I don't think there's much more you could have done. You tried to help the kid out, in case he was in some sort of trouble. Once you found out he was a whack job, you didn't leave him in the dust (possibly giving him motivation to follow you) but you didn't stick around to explore the depth and breadth of his insanity. Some people are just crazy for crazy's sake - I'd maybe steer clear for a few days or a week. Still kinda freaky though. |
| 2006-07-14 4:21 PM in reply to: #483158 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290 The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid Knowing and citing the law might help, but I doubt it. Law in our state says that cyclists must ride as far to the right as "practicable," (sounds like you met that requirement), but other than that have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists. The dude sounds a little unbalanced, per your description, so I would have done the same as you: smile and nod, then ride off into the sunset. |
| 2006-07-14 4:23 PM in reply to: #483158 |
Expert 963 | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid Sheeesh! I'd say you did the best you could. Some people are just weird. |
| 2006-07-14 4:25 PM in reply to: #483158 |
Elite 3687 | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid I would have got the hell out of there. I am never comfortable meeting up with a loner in the middle of nowhere acting strangely. Ever see somebody wacked out on meth? I have plenty of times. I'm not saying that was the situation, unfortunately it is just a cold reality of what could have been. I have been involved in many conversations with meth users and many of them sound a lot like what you just explained. Pretty incoherant and unable to let things go. |
| 2006-07-14 4:25 PM in reply to: #483158 |
Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid Yea, that kid does sound a bit doofy. Have to agree with you there. But at least he stopped and tried to talk to you, vs. trying to attack you by throwing something out his window in frustration. I think I would have pointed out to the kid that you have as much right to be on the road as his car does. I would have also pointed out that by him slowing down, he can say that he didn't kill someone today (you!). You already told him why you weren't on the shoulder, which was good too. You did the best you could in an odd situation. Thank goodness he didn't come after you. I tell you what though, as a woman (me), I would have called 911 the moment he started asking me why I didn't move over on the road. I might not have ridden off with him still wanting to talk, seeing how I would be fearful of him running me down. |
| 2006-07-14 4:25 PM in reply to: #483158 |
| Pro 4054 yep, | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid Man interesting encounter, you tried your best to reason with the kid but he didn't want to hear anything from you but glad you sort of got away from the Doofi and didn't proceed it any further, I mean he has a car and you have a bike. I know an orange  |
| 2006-07-14 4:25 PM in reply to: #483158 |
Master 1661 Newbury Park, CA | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid You could have honestly said "Hey wackjob, I'm an Ironman. You want to go?!" |
| 2006-07-14 4:26 PM in reply to: #483158 |
Extreme Veteran 347 Sturtevant, WI | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid Um...yeah. That kid sounds scary. Who knows what he would have done if you would have gotten off of your bike? He should have accepted the apology and let it go, even thought I believe you weren't in the wrong. Definitely don't stop and let him get too near you, and get on some residential streets like you did. |
| 2006-07-14 4:32 PM in reply to: #483158 |
Master 1359 South of SLC | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid I would ride away faster if you were afraid that he was going to catch you. You never know who he had in the ditch waiting for you. If I were him, I would have had my pal hide in the ditch and when you had your back to him, he may have rushed you. They might have done it just for fun. You never know what someone's motivation is and when they can catch you unaware, who knows what they will do. Really, be careful. Carry your cell phone with you just in case so you can always call the police. You have to decide ahead of time what length you are willing to go to so that you can be "right". Would you go to blows? Do you have a chance to win a fight? Would it be worth the hassle if you really hurt someone? I made the call a long time ago to just walk away, especially when I am running or on my bike. If it involves my family, that is a different issue. But you never know what someone has in their car and how for they are willing to go. Posturing is dumb and some people can get lost in the moment. Is it really worth going to jail if you get into a heavy altercation with some punk kid? Not for me. Mike |
| 2006-07-14 5:14 PM in reply to: #483175 |
| Extreme Veteran 392 Northern California | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid mndiver - 2006-07-14 2:25 PM I would have got the hell out of there. I am never comfortable meeting up with a loner in the middle of nowhere acting strangely. Ever see somebody wacked out on meth? I have plenty of times. I'm not saying that was the situation, unfortunately it is just a cold reality of what could have been. I have been involved in many conversations with meth users and many of them sound a lot like what you just explained. Pretty incoherant and unable to let things go. I agree with mndiver. Sounds like the kid might have been on Meth. I also deal with a lot of people on Meth, and this sounds eerily familiar. They can be incoherant and paranoid. The kid also might have been trying to get close enough to you to take your bike. I'm just saying MAYBE, but I've seen that sort of thing happen more than once. So that's just the way I think when I'm out on the road, running or riding by myself. I KNOW.. now I sound paranoid. But I've been trained to expect/prepare for the worst, and be happy when it doesn't happen.  Also, something to think about and a small piece of advice: I don't know how it works in other states, but where I live, if you call 911 from a cell phone you get connected to the Highway Patrol. Frequently there is a wait on hold before talking to a person, THEN the HP has to connect you to the Police Department whose jurisdiction you are in (unless you are on the freeway). There is a significant time delay to all of this: and that is just to tell someone you need assistance. Then there is the time it takes for the cops to actually get there. Anyway the advice is this: find out the direct phone number for the PD or Sheriff dept's dispatch center for the jurisdiction you are in and program that into your cell phone. It can significantly decrease the time it takes to get help for any situation. Or strap an AK47 to your back while you ride. Probably no one will mess with you. |
| 2006-07-14 5:53 PM in reply to: #483214 |
Master 1938 La Crosse | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid bshehan - 2006-07-14 6:14 PM Or strap an AK47 to your back while you ride. Probably no one will mess with you. I totally stand by my sarcastic thread! http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp... |
| 2006-07-15 4:53 PM in reply to: #483158 |
| Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid People like him are why I am a proponent of retroactive abortion. |
| 2006-07-15 5:16 PM in reply to: #483158 |
Extreme Veteran 396 Peachtree City, GA | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid Wait....did this guy have a RED truck??? Don and I were out riding today and this kid in a red truck beeps his horn, sticks his hand out of the window and waves....then shoots a bird (I call it voted us #1). Kelly |
| 2006-08-06 12:40 AM in reply to: #483158 |
Champion 6931 Bellingham, Washington | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid I always try to keep my cellphone with me. So far I'm riding to the South of Bellingham. |
| 2006-08-06 1:48 AM in reply to: #483158 |
Elite 2661 DC Metro, slowly working my way to NC | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid Sounds like a potential meth-head to me. One guy I used to work for got stabbed 6 times on a trail stopping for folks to appeared to be in distress. This is why I go with thumbs up/down when I ask "All OK?" - if you don't know those basics, forget it, I'll call someone for you. |
| 2006-08-06 2:16 AM in reply to: #483214 |
Pro 5153 Helena, MT | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid bshehan - 2006-07-14 3:14 PM mndiver - 2006-07-14 2:25 PM I would have got the hell out of there. I am never comfortable meeting up with a loner in the middle of nowhere acting strangely. Ever see somebody wacked out on meth? I have plenty of times. I'm not saying that was the situation, unfortunately it is just a cold reality of what could have been. I have been involved in many conversations with meth users and many of them sound a lot like what you just explained. Pretty incoherant and unable to let things go. I agree with mndiver. Sounds like the kid might have been on Meth. Yeah, he was high. Wouldn't even have to be meth... maybe he's mildly obsessive anyhow and smoked a ton of pot. Lots of things might make one unreasonable and cause one to dwell on things. In any case, he likely won't remember you. I wouldn't worry about except to carry mace and a cell phone. Edited by kimj81 2006-08-06 2:17 AM |
| 2006-08-06 3:22 AM in reply to: #483158 |
Pro 4189 Pittsburgh, my heart is in Glasgow | Subject: RE: Strange Encounter with a Doofi Kid I think the solution is to give that too-noticable Orbea to me in Pittsburgh, and I'll give you a nice subtle red raleigh in exchange...that man won't bother you again |
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