can we all just agree that riding bicycles is dangerous enough without people in cars deliberately backing into you?

for pete's sake, dudes. i watched it happen today; this dude in a car got really really really angry at a cyclist for no good reason, and pulled over to fight him, i guess...but then changed his mind (maybe because his kid was in the car?) and decided to back into him instead and then drive off really fast. that was not cool. not at all.

if you drive, be nice to bikes. sometimes cyclists might not see you, and sometimes they might be real jerks...but seriously, cut them a break, okay? geez.

update: so that situation was totally lame, but then later last night i ran into the same guy (the cyclist, not the scary driver) and got to chat with him some more. and gave him a "good-job-you're-alive" beer and hooked him up with a mechanic friend who said he'd look at his bike. so yes, it was lame, but it was really good to see him.

update #2: i've talked to the cyclist a few times since this happened, and the police don't appear to be moving on it at all. which is lame. they have the license plate number, which seems like it would make it a lot easier to, you know, FIND THE DRIVER (or at least the owner of the car) and have a little chat. sheesh.