Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

DC-area readers are wondering whether police bias was at work after a cyclist who claims to be a victim of road rage was ticketed by police in a hospital emergency room.

Evan Wilder says this image was shot from a video camera mounted on his bike. The driver of the truck, in this image, had lifted the bike and was throwing it into the bed of his truck. Photo: GGWash
Evan Wilder says this image was shot from a video camera mounted on his bike. The driver of the truck, in this image, had lifted the bike and was throwing it into the bed of his truck. Image via GGWash
false

Photojournalist Evan Wilder tells David Alpert at Greater Greater Washington an enraged driver cut him off suddenly, forcing him into a rear end collision. Police ticketed Wilder for "following too closely."

Here's the account from Wilder, published at GGWash:

A driver came alongside me on a narrow, sharrow painted part of the R Street bike route just before the entrance to the Metropolitan Branch Trail.

He should not have tried to pass me, since there was no way to pass and give me the required 3 feet minimum. What he was doing was intentional because he kept pace with me then moved to his right in order to broadside me.

I braked hard in order to avoid a collision, but the driver had stopped at a stop sign as he swerved right, so I ran into the back of his truck.

He then got out and berated me, yelling and screaming that I shouldn't mess with his truck and that I should be in the bike lane. When I said I would call the police he picked up my bike and threw it into his truck. The bike bounced out and landed on the other side of the truck in the road.

MPD officers arrived and I told them what happened. EMS took me to the ER, and while I was waiting, the MPD officer gave me a $100 Notice of Infraction for "following too closely." The driver got nothing.

Wilder reported his side of the story to police. But the police report also details the driver's account, which makes no mention of an altercation. Apparently, police found the driver's story more compelling.

Wilder recorded the incident on a bike-mounted video camera. He hasn't released the video yet, but Alpert says he's seen it, and says it corroborates Wilder's story. The above is a still image from the video that shows the bike in midair being thrown into the bed of the truck.

Elsewhere on the Network today: The Bike League gives the Senate's new transportation bill proposal a B+. Delaware Bikes says the fine for failing to yield at a crosswalk in the First State can be as little as $2. And The Wash Cycle reports more curb-protected bike lanes are coming to Washington, DC.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Monday’s Headlines Are Dragging Their Feet

The Trump administration claims the Biden administration left them with a backlog — but they've actually been far slower at getting transportation money to states than their predecessors, a new analysis finds.

July 14, 2025

These U.S. Communities’ So-Called ‘Complete Streets’ Policies Don’t Even Deserve the Name

Any city can call itself a "Complete Streets" champion. But not all of them are walking the walk — and if they don't, a top organization says they'll no longer give them a platform on its esteemed "best of" ranking.

July 14, 2025

Communities Rally To Reclaim Streets From ICE Terror

"This is an attack on Los Angeles. This is an attack on California. On all of us."

July 11, 2025

Friday Video: The London Neighborhood Where Bikes Outnumber Cars

...and how they got to that impressive milestone.

July 11, 2025

Friday’s Headlines Battle Galactus

Like the Marvel supervillain, U.S. interstate highway system seems to eat up everything in his path. A new book explores how to stop it.

July 11, 2025

New Report Shows Pedestrian Fatalities Drop — But Experts Say Not Enough

The Governors Highway Safety Association report showed a 4 percent drop in the number of pedestrian deaths last year, putting a slow on a dangerous trend — but advocates say the drop isn't nearly big enough.

July 11, 2025
See all posts