Frank Selker

IMO re. Rock Creek:

- This problem is exactly what law enforcement is for. Leave the
implied force and confrontation to them - try not to get personally sucked
in. Any judge would would quickly determine that, regardless of any
argument he wishes to make, his behavior is unsafe, threatening, and not
consistent with civil society. Everyone who has a run-in with him (or
anyone else out there) must call the police (his suggestion of 911 is a fine
one) and file a police report. Pictures or video would be great. They need
to see a pattern and that they have a loon who is being a problem and needs
guidance, starting with a nice talk and then moving to citations, a civil
suit, or jail time. If anyone experiences any injury or bike damage as a
result of his behavior, consider legal action. Use police and the law.
Someone should also update them on the history.

- Media is a risky route. You don't control their message, which
could be unfavorable depending on the reporter, and it may bring out of
other crazy bike-haters.

- Community building should not focus on people with hardened and
emotional positions like him, but to show normal people that cyclists aren't
bad. But I have low expectations - one whacko shows up at the meeting and
it's a wasted and unpleasant experience. My experience with Mt. biking
activism is that hardened opponents aren't interested in talking but are
interested in, and able to, sabotage such efforts.

- As a distant second to involving law enforcement, I would
consider figuring out who owns his company (could be him), and ask them if
this is the kind of thing they want assocaited with it. They make
specialized glass for eye surgery. Any cyclists up at Casey Eye institute?
Be careful to not commit libel or slander (lawyers - advice?). Stick to
your opinion, what you feel, your concern. Could mail carefully crafted
things to their customers. It's something of a "scorched earth" approach
that could create allies for him out there, but if nothing else is working
and lives are at risk, I'd consider it.

- He and others need to see that they are better off sharing the
road and ending their crusade. It has to become a legal problem for them to
act out.

Frank Selker