As I was leaving Causey Dam and heading back home from a fabulous day I was moving to pull onto HWY 39 to head back to Ogden. I saw a group of motor cyclist and waited for them to pass before getting on the hwy behind them.
It just so happens this year I've been conscious of sharing the road with bikers and cyclist because if the recent deaths of regarding cyclist and bikers in the Salt Lake Valley. I remembered the signs saying something like "SHARE THE ROAD."
As I was driving I found myself catching up the them pretty quickly. I kind of thought that if I were on a motorcycle I would be a little nervous if a car or truck rolled up on me to the point where it felt like tailgating. So I kept a pretty good distance back, at lest a car length.
(Yes I took a picture because I thought it was cool watching the formations of the bikers going up hill and around corners.)
You couldn't help feeling a little jealousy watching them ride synchronized like a well orchestra ballet. It was such a great day for a roadtrip, couldn't ask for better weather or scenery.
I'm in my car with the air conditioning blowing away and singing at the top of my lungs to the radio.
Out of the corner of my left eye I saw a truck passing me. My heart caught in my throat as I looked in from of me because there was no room for him to go especially at the rate of speed he was traveling. This truck passed me as if I was standing still so I slowed down allowing room for him between me and the cyclist.
This JERKHOLE was going so fast that he didn't immediately slow down. He had to run of the shoulder and slam on his breaks 2 or 3 times so as not to run into the bikers. And even after doing that he was still tailgating them. From behind it looked as if he wss inches away from the 2 bikes directly in front of me. You would think with narrow roads, blind curves Mr Jerkhole would have caught a clue and slowed his row. But nooo, not mr Jerkhole. As soon as an oncoming car passed he ,not even fully in the oncoming lane passed the two bikers he was tailgating and jumped in front of the next group of bikers. When he passed he was very close to the bikes he was passing. I couldn't believe how dangerous this guy was driving. I kind of kept a distance waiting for him to make another dumb-ass move.
We drove without further incident until we got to the main intersection that would direct us back into the Ogden Canyon.
What happened next was like scene from a movie: One of the motorcyclist slowly road up to the side of the truck and said something to the truck driver. Next thing I know the a fist comes flying out of the truck. The biker backed up so as not to get hit. Then dude started backing his truck and then turns towards the one biker who scrambles out of the way. Then the truck turns and starts reversing towards the other group of bikers in front of my car. They have to scramble and reverse out of the way which means the truck is now backing up towards me.
IT JUST GOT PERSONAL! I was minding my own business trying to stay out of other people's business but this Dumb-ass just put me in their business.The truck suddenly stops and dude jumps out and charges the bikers and starts swinging on them.
I guess I got my other dumb-ass move. One of the bikers took one swing and then blood all over. By this time the intersection is blocked: Because dumb-ass' truck blocked most of the road, and cars were stopping to call the police and stop the fighting. Dumb-ass truck driver suddenly jumps back in his truck and drives away. I pull my car as much as I can to the shoulder and flip my hazards on. Another spectator called 911. We gathered on the side of the road waiting for authorities to show up. I decided if police were getting involved I wanted to be a witness.
Someone from the parks and forest services showed up first. He got the details of the situation and radio'd the Sheriff's department. He asked everyone who had stopped what the situation was. Most stopped because of the fighting in the middle of the intersection. Since I saw everything from the time jerkhole passed me until the time he pulled away hw asked if I would stay to give my statement to the police. I didn't have one problem getting someone like that off the roads, before he kills someone. I was able to get some of what happened on my camera.
Within a few minutes a police showed up and everyone began to relay the experience to him. He let us know they were able to find Dumb-ass and he was in police custody down the street at the Chevron and asked if we all wouldn't mind driving down there to speak to the over officers.
We drove to the Chevron and there was a paramedic, firetruck, police car and a man in hand cuff's around the side of the building.
(Dumb-ass is being blocked by the officer giving him a drink of water)
The officer who was with us at the intersection went and spoke to the officers who had dumb-ass in cuff's around the other side of the building. After a few moments he asked to speak to me and wanted to know what I witnessed. I relayed to him what happened. After asking the group if they wanted to press charges he asked if I could give an official statement. I agreed. It appears Dumb-ass said the reason he jumped out of his truck was because the biker who rolled up to his window threw a punch at him.
Does this make sense to you: A man sitting on a motorcycle sitting at least 2 feet lower and 3ft away throwing a punch at someone in 1/4 ton pick up truck? I DON'T THINK SO!
The officer agreed. In time 2 other officers would come and ask me again to relay to them what happened. Each time they asked me if I was sure Dumb-ass threw the first punch. Dumb-ass jumped out of his truck swinging. There was really no question who the aggressor was. The motorcyclists were pretty much on their bikes the whole time until he started swinging on the 2 women. I believe the Biker who connected to his fist to dumb-ass' nose was on his bike when he did it. (but I'm willing to be wrong)
Finally 2.5 hours later the police had the evidence and statements they needed make their reports. They asked me to be prepared to be summons back to Huntsville if dumb-ass keeps being a dumb-ass. I'm prepared to do that. Because we also find out during this whole process Dumb-ass had an "opened container." While driving. WOW, REALLY! BONUS! That's just icing in the Dumb-ass cake if you ask me.
I think most people would have just went along their merry way with a story to tell. I believe if more people stopped minding their own business when things like this happened the country wouldn't be going to hell. We have an obligation to stand up to those dumb-asses in the world and let them know we're not going to just stand down and let them get away with stuff like this. All the devil needs to get ahead in this world is for good people to stand around... and do nothing.
The good thing about this whole incident?
I met some really cool people, who, just like me, were Cruisin, on a Sunday afternoon!
1 comment:
I was SO glad you put up both posts on the same day, I would have died if I had to wait. Kudos for stepping up and getting involved. I agree wholeheartedly that society needs this!
On a side note, my 2 girls just got back from a 14 day Euro trip, wherein they too stepped up. They were in Brussels and witnessed 2 men stealing in a shop, 1 daughter followed them into another store and shot cell photos of them in the act there as well, while the other informed the storekeeper, and called the cops. They spent the night being interviewed and writing down the specifics, turning over cell phone photos for evidence, and generally i.d.-ing they 2 bad guys face to face. Not an easy thing to do, but they were appalled that someone would steal. They were offered a reward, and I am proud to say they replied with a polite "No thank you. We don't want the bad karma. : )"
Stand in all places and at all times!
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