Bicycle quote: “Sick and tired” of cyclists….

Updates: April 26, 2011 — Probation, no jail, for Colorado attack on bicycle

March 5, 2011 — Guilty verdict in bike-beating incident

“I'm sick and tired of you old guys from Boulder coming up here and acting like you own the road.”

That's how a roadside argument started on a county road south of Loveland, Colorado, between a motorist and a group of three cyclists last July. Before it ended, the motorist had poked at a bicyclist with a baseball bat and smashed his bicycle with it.

The incident shows how easily a dangerous road rage incident can begin.

The batsman, Bryce Barker, 24, of Berthoud, Colorado is in court facing charges of felony criminal mischief and menacing charges. He pleaded not guilty.

Court testimony

The Coloradoan.com reported Monday's testimony of the bicyclists, Joe Stevens, 52, Alison Dickson, 51, and Mike Mettler, 58.

The three testified that they were on a 60-some mile bike ride when a motorist honked and told them to get out of the way on County Road 6. Stevens admitted that he made a “rude hand gesture” and Barker passed them, pulled over, and got out of the car with a baseball bat.

They argued, then Barker drove off, braked his car, and Mettler accidentally hit it with his bicycle. Barker got out of the car again and started poking at Stevens with the bat. As he raised the bat over his head, Stevens picked up his bicycle, which took the full force of the swing.

The carbon fiber bicycle, valued at $4,800, was unrideable after the attack. As another motorist pulled up, Barker drove off, but was later arrested by police.

Update: March 3, 2011 —  Bike beater testifies in his own behalf. Blames cyclists for altercation and claims one intentionally ran into his car wiith his bike. Also, scratches on car that he blames on bicyclists are a different color than his bicycle.