1. 

   Michael Snyder
   

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   http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=564612

   What he said:
   "I was riding home on the Ballard Bridge in Seattle just a little while ago and I felt a sting in my left cheek. I thought that I must have been hit by a rock that had been run over by a car. I went down to feel it and there was a four inch dart sticking out of me!! I did hear a little "pop" sound right before I felt it too.

   By the time that I figured out what it was, I looked up to see if I could tell who did it, but there were 4 or 5 cars that it could have been and all were speeding away from me. I got to the end of the bridge, stopped to make sure that I wasn't bleeding then rode home and called the cops. I figured it didn't matter if I called them from the scene or from home since I have no idea who did it. They won't be able to do anything, but I figured I'd at least let them know that some ******* is out there doing this. "

   If anything knows anything about this, please contact the police!

   Posted 1 year ago #
2. 

   chopper 74
   

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   When did this Happen? And can we know if it was S. bound or N. bound? Holey cow, I can't believe that someone is capable of this.
   Geez, was the dart recovered and tested????

   Posted 1 year ago #
3. 

   Michael Snyder
   

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   From his post on the bike forums, it looks like it happened yesterday evening sometime before 8pm.

   Posted 1 year ago #
4. 

   Barbara
   

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   Right. I haven't a clue how this kind of assault could be prevented. I hope he went to Swedish (?) or Harborview (?) to get tested in the event the dart is infected.

   I'm glad we have a forum and a MyBallard.com to share good and bad and ugly posts. It's my choice over the newspaper for real time news where we can support and lend a help to somebody every now and again.

   Posted 1 year ago #
5. 

   jeffo
   

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   for all the car/bike antagonism out there, it was only somewhat recently that I was quasi-assaulted by a car while I was riding my bike. I was riding down 28th ave, near the community center, when a car swerved directly at me. there were two guys inside laughing although a bit disappointed that I didn't fall trying to elude them. it happened so fast I was incredulous.

   now to hear this happen really takes the cake. I usually go over the locks instead of that deathtrap of a bridge, but now I'll be extra cautious. thanks michael for spreading some awareness of these sorts of events, and bike stuff in general.

   Posted 1 year ago #
6. 

   SPG
   

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   I for one place immediate blame on the cascade bicycle club and anyone who wants a bike trail! They must be responsible for this somehow!

   In seriousness, this sucks. People can be really clueless F___tards, and think it's funny to throw things at cyclists because they hear other people complain how bad cyclists are.
   This is also why I ride with a phone and don't hesitate to call 911 right away. Just because they didn't kill you on the spot, doesn't mean the next person will be so lucky.

   Posted 1 year ago #
7. 

   Barbara
   

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   Good advice everyone. I'm reluctant to ride anymore. I don't like to be a victim without having sustained any harm; but. . .how do we get the upper handle bar on these few jerks, I'd like to know.

   Posted 1 year ago #
8. 

   Edog
   

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   Actually, peds had better watch out too. Years ago, when I lived in DC, some F_______tards drove around with dart gun just shooting at people.

   Posted 1 year ago #
9. 

   chopper 74
   

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   Ya know, SPG, that's exactly why I don't choose sides. Most times it someone uninvolved that takes the heat, and it's one of us. Red or Blue. Bike or Drive. Walk or Run. One of us.
   That being said, I'd really like to know more of this incident, only because these types of events are seldom singular. Have a good day, all. (oh, and 'hydrate', sorry BB)

   Posted 1 year ago #
10. 

    Michael Snyder
    

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    I know our police force is understaffed and over-taxed, but for things like this I wish we could have even more bicycle patrol officers regularly riding our bicycle commute routes.

    Frankly, I've never seen an officer riding on the trail, but we have many hundreds and maybe even thousands of people bicycling down the trail every day. We need police to remind us to obey the laws and to keep an eye on all of our traffic just as much as we need police monitoring 15th Ave. It would help our helmet usage and bicycle vs. pedestrian issues too.

    From the other forums, it sounded like the victim talked to the police and then went to the hospital where they gave him a tetnus shot. So far I don't think there is anything to be too worried about, just keep your eyes and ears open.

    Posted 1 year ago #
11. 

    Gilman Girl
    

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    Eyes and ears open, youch!
    Sounds like these are the type of cruds who would blow dart your animal too...

    How much is a blow dart? = How much are these cruds spending on each dart blown?
    Thanks for posting about this MS.

    Posted 1 year ago #
12. 

    mksprout
    

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    I was also hit with a dart in Ballard. 7/20 at 6:00 pm. Riding Northbound on 8th ave between 50th and 51st. I have reported this to the police and encourage others to do the same.

    Posted 1 year ago #
13. 

    eric
    

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    so thats 2 seperate incidents? boy, some people take bike vs car thing a little too far. i mean, this is a dangerous moron we are talking about here. could easily kill someone.

    Posted 1 year ago #
14. 

    avram
    

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    mksprout and all,

    That was my thread from bikeforums.net. I was heading northbound on the east side of the bridge, just north of the bridge operator's tower. Mine also happened right around six. I'm guessing that they took a right at the end of the bridge, then left on 8th where they found you.

    The dart was recovered, because it was stuck in my ass cheek! I filed a report with the police and he left the dart with me to see if the hospital wanted to do any tests. I went to Swedish to get a tetanus shot, but they said that testing the dart wasn't something that they do.

    So far, I feel fine, so I'm guessing that there was nothing on the dart.

    Be safe out there.

    Posted 1 year ago #
15. 

    pwhee
    

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    Next headline I hope to see:

    "Blow darter hit by 9mm slug"

    Sucks avram - don't let it discourage your biking.

    Posted 1 year ago #
16. 

    eric
    

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    or bike lock, at least...

    Posted 1 year ago #
17. 

    blueben
    

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    What's worse, I'll bet the people who did this think it's just a joke. That nobody could ever really get hurt. Except it only takes one lucky (or rather, unlucky) shot into an artery, kidney, liver or other major internal organ to cause a life threatening infection. Stupidity and carelessness know no bounds I guess.

    Great. Now I can't bicycle to work without my wife worrying up a storm. There goes my primary exercise regime and my gasoline bill...

    Posted 1 year ago #
18. 

    avram
    

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    pwhee, don't worry, this won't keep me off my bike...maybe just off Ballard Bridge! Of course, I also ride up and down 8th all the time as well, so who knows. I've got an interview with Kiro TV today, so look for that later.

    Posted 1 year ago #
19. 

    IStream
    

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    I'd suggest that while this is alarming, it's not any reason to get off the bike. Your odds of getting hit by a car are much higher than getting hit by a blow gun and the severity of a collision is likely much worse than the threat posed by a couple of idiots with a blow gun. If you've already come to grips with the danger inherent in riding with cars, the incremental risk of the blowgun is very small.

    Posted 1 year ago #
20. 

    tobyf
    

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    I live on 8th Ave and I have a camera set up pointing towards the street to (hopefully) catch taggers. Wouldn't it be great if I got some video of one of these blowdarting weasels and their license plate number? I wonder what kind of charge they'd get for this. Aggravated assault?

    Posted 1 year ago #
21. 

    nwcitizen
    

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    Good rant:
    Cyclists hit by blow darts? It's time to do something about perilous city streets
    http://seattlepostglobe.org/2009/07/23/hede-needed

    Posted 1 year ago #
22. 

    Jules
    

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    The kind of a**hole who would do this is the same kind who throws rocks off overpasses at passing cars. There was recently an incident in Tacoma; the miscreants were caught: a 23 year old man and a 18 year old girl. On TV, the guy was interviewed and he said "he just liked the sound of the rocks crashing on the pavement." Fourteen cars were damaged, and it's a miracle no one was hurt or killed. I'm very sorry this happened and I hope that they catch the culprits.

    These are the same sort of people who point lasers at jets flying over Seatac- my guess is that they will find it's some 17 year old kid and his cronies in a car who think it's "funny." Considering the difficulty of aiming from a moving vehicle to a moving target (speaking as a fromer archer) it is nothing short of a miracle that the dart didn't hit someone in the eye, or heart, lung, kidney, or artery. Hope they catch these guys.

    Posted 1 year ago #
23. 

    keyboardcat
    

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    The problem is that the SeaTac laser pointer kids have the support of the local community who is not happy about the new runway. A few people have id'd the folks responsible, but locals are giving them alibis.

    Protip: Don't buy property near airports and complain about it later, its generally a noisier and cheaper place for a reason.

    Posted 1 year ago #

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