A participant who took part in the Fourth of July Doo Dah Parade in Columbus, Ohio today drove the route with a particularly vitriolic message towards cyclists.

Spencer Hackett (@velospence) posted the photo of the motorist taking part in the parade who had a poster stuck to his door with the message: “I’ll share the road when you follow the rules.”

In addition, he had also stuck a bicycle to the bonnet of his car with a pair of legs sticking out of his sun roof.

Doo Dah parades take place in a number of locations throughout the United States at different times throughout the year. The Columbus parade takes place every fourth of July. On their website, they describe the parade as being “about Freedom of Speech, through humor.”

Doo Dah Parade

61 COMMENTS

  1. I fail to see the humor in this. This portrays violence against others, and the children see this. I’m certain he has a flawless driving record. Never rolls thru a stop sign and has never texted while driving. He always keeps his eyes on the road and never drives over the speed limit. He shares the road with other vehicles who are all just as flawless of drivers, why so angry at one type? Bikes don’t even cause damage to the road, pollute the air or make noise. This is just someone who’s angry about something and taking it out on cyclists.

  2. He had cyclists with him (not pictured). This was actually geared towards the every day idiots in vehicles that think they own the road.

    • This is a false statement. We have statements and photos from fellow cyclists that were there and say this is not true.

  3. This was actually geared towards the every day idiots in vehicles who think that they own the road.

  4. I’m really just speechless about this. First, it’s not funny. The parade is supposed to be about Freedom of Speech through Humor. I can think of any number of ways he could’ve attempted to get his point across without the impression of violence. Second, think about the impressions he made on the spectators. People are going to think he’s right. Others may think he’s an “a-hole”, but they’re not going to do anything about it.

    The whole image and its’ theme is quite disturbing.

    • I’m afraid that many of the century-old brigade of motorists do not adhere to rules like the speed limit and yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk.

      • A bicycle is not a pedestrian. You don’t get it both ways. You can’t occupy a lane and also be considered a pedestrian. You can’t complain about speeders when cyclists routinely disobey stop signs or traffic lights.

        I don’t condone this message being a trail cyclist myself. But, I have my own way of making myself feel better. When I see a road bike on a car behind me, I sometimes drop down to 10MPH or slower. When they pass by yelling and swearing at me and calling me a stupid b!&@#, I say “Sucks, doesn’t it?” On the plus side, its only going to take a few more fatalities before cities realize that for the sake of safety, cycles will no longer be able to share roads. It will happen. We lose privileges all the time in the name of public safety. Think of the lives that can be spared!

        • Wow. You’re classy. Please stay on the trails. There’s a pecking order for safety and rights of way. A cyclist is treated like a pedestrian to a vehicle when it comes to right of way. And yes, a bike is slower than a moving car many times, but how hard is it to wait a few seconds and pass safely?

        • Sounds as if you need to study up. “Bicycles shall ride a close to the right side of the lane as is safe and practicable. When conditions are not safe or practicable (road debris, damaged pavement, etc), the bicycle shall take the lane.”

          • Safe and practicable is at the riders discretion so if they feel unsafe at any time the have the lane. This includes drivers passing to close or unsafly. And drivers have as much right to run a red as a cyclist thay choose to stop bc it’s unsafe to go through. Also the amount of damage that can can do to other road users is much grater then what a bike is possible to do. Bikes have no forward blind spots so at intersections are able see more and even use other senses that drivers can’t. Cyclists can hear cars wow

  5. Must feel like a hero, the size of his vehicle would indicate he doesn’t have the right package to call himself a man. Freedom of speech or not only a wanker would display this in front of young children.

  6. No. No. Death is funny. You should mow down people who aren’t you. Yes. The portrayal of killing people who wear lycra and ride funny, human-propelled machines is hysterical. Or people with any other attributes or activities that you don’t like. Golfers, sailors, bowlers, or a religious or racial group.

    Making America Great Again! (Feeling queasy!)

  7. Ok so he’s a jere. What does he do to other motorist that also don’t follow the road rules for motorist? Does he run over them as well?
    I’d be willing to bet that more motorist dis-obey traffic laws more than cyclist

    • Or how would this douche feel if a semi truck driver thought it was okay to mow him down for not following the rules of the road while driving his big SUV?

  8. This gentleman has gone to quite elaborate lengths in order to fantasise about killing someone. It seems deeply sinister.

  9. After the loss of life in Kalamazoo last month I find it disturbing that the parade organizers would give this kind of vitriolic crap a stage.

  10. Well, if it’s about the freedom to say anything, then he is free to show himself to be an ass. I would imagine if he does actually hurt someone in the future this pic would make it’s way into the civil portion of action against him and would act as a fine multiplier.

  11. Sir — You are legally as well as ethically bound to share the road with all manner of fools who aren’t following the rules. Much as you might enjoy it you are not allowed to run them down or beat them up, not even a little, be they pedestrians, motorists, or cyclers.

  12. He is pointing out how sick this attitude is(which a large number of motorists have) and how absurd. T This man is a avid cyclist.

  13. It’s satire. It’s making fun of the people who say this crap to us day in and day out – while also conveying the message that if you actually participate in this kind of thinking, you’re going to get somebody killed. I thought it was very apropos for our progressive parade of bicyclists, vegans, hippies, etc.

  14. Does this mean that he follows the rules? Never rolling a stop sign, never speeding. Just because you drive a car doesn’t give you special privileges.

  15. FYI- The organizers of the Columbus Doodah parade neither control nor censor entries. Marchers are not required to register- they just show up and go. That is the whole point. This guy showed his ass with his entry, and that is the whole point of the parade- it is supposed to shock.

  16. I’d like to meet that fellow in the car…I have a few things I would like to tell him…and show him…

  17. This parade would make more sense if the spectators were allowed/encouraged to egg the cars with particularly offensive themes.

  18. I’m cyclist myself. Both in the car and while on the bike, I’ve seen cyclists run stop signs and lights. It is infuriating. It’s not a relative of relative size or power. It’s simply a matter of respect. I have chased cyclists who run lights down (on my bike) to tell them that their behavior is what gives us all a bad name. Rather than get angry about the violent image, perhaps we should consider that the reason the bike is on the grill is that the driver is suggesting the cyclist ran a light.

    I have also been the victim of motorists trying run ne off the road. We have no shortage of stupid yet egotistical people.

    • You are so sensitive and insecure that a bicyclist rolling a stop sign, which will harm no one, infuriates you to the point of chasing them down and suggesting a 2 ton moving vehicles aggression towards the flesh and bone of a father, daughter, or wife on a bike is justified? You sir are the problem. Get over yourself please because your sense of entitlement is what ultimately drives the matter forward… And more and more cyclist are killed as a result… But of course the most outraging part “Are those damned disrespectful cyclists!!!!”… The ones getting mowed down. You are the victim, not the children without a dad, of course.

      • So who is exhibiting entitlement when a cyclist cavalierly blows a red light, putting everyone in danger?

        • I see more drivers “blow a red light” every day than cyclists in a year. I suppose you have never run a red light, broken the speed limit, or followed too closely, or failed to signal a lane change or turn. I live in Austin. There are a lot of cyclists on the road. Most are law abiding. On the other hand, there are a lot more cars and trucks on the roads, and most are not law abiding. Also, don’t forget you are talking about human beings here. There is no justification for striking another road user with your vehicle, no matter whether it is a cyclist, motorcyclist, pedestrian, or truck driver. If you take a life, you are entirely responsible for it. No excuses.

  19. You guys are idiot’s move to Columbus Ohio and see how the bikers break the laws daily. They have bike lanes but don’t use them, cut in front of you in traffic. Very understandable.

  20. Basically the guy who did this hates his life. Most people that have that much hatred directed at something (or things) are just miserable people trying to deflect it onto others.

  21. I want to know when they’re going to make drivers take a test to prove that they know the rules of the road and carry some kind of insurance to cover the cost of people’s cars when they hit them. I’m sick and tired of people driving around like they own the place and that the rules don’t apply to them. Running stop signs, driving drunk speeding, texting, crashing into cars, people, houses, and pets. How many children do drivers kill each year?

    I’m sure that when we require mandatory licensing and insurance for people who drive, it will cut down on this behavior.

    Because people in cars don’t break the law.

    http://nbc4i.com/2016/04/10/pedestrian-critically-injured-in-north-columbus-hit-and-run-crash/
    http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/03/29/4-killed-in-wrong-way-crash.html
    http://www.10tv.com/article/charges-filed-deadly-drag-racing-crash
    http://accidentdatacenter.com/us/ohio/columbus-oh/mount-gilead/16/07/03/larry-claffey-63-killed-and-kathy-claffey-60-injured-single-vehicle-crash-state-route-61-mount
    http://accidentdatacenter.com/us/ohio/columbus-oh/16/07/02/brittni-elliott-31-greg-elliott-32-and-three-children-injured-single-vehicle-crash-i-70-fayette
    http://accidentdatacenter.com/us/ohio/columbus-oh/columbus/16/06/19/one-person-killed-and-one-injured-car-wreck-rt-33-columbus-ohio
    http://accidentdatacenter.com/us/ohio/columbus-oh/westerville/16/06/02/infant-micah-ferebee-killed-pedestrian-collision-westerville-road-westerville-ohio

  22. Obviously, no one here gets the point. He was actually on the side of cyclists. The message is “Be careful on your bikes. Be aware.”Because this is what the average driver thinks about bikes on the road. he is preaching safety to people on bikes from his own POV as a cyclist.

  23. Do all tou people have gigantic vaginas or what? Get a grip. Sensitive ass people like you deserve to be made fun of for wearing the cyclist clothes and having the attitude of me first. Now im going out of my way to hit any of you i see…. now who’s first

  24. Can’t help but wonder If the driver would appreciate the satire and irony if one of their children was hit by a like minded driver out to ‘teach a lesson’ about ‘the rules’ to anyone who ‘impinges or impedes’ on “their road”.

  25. Whether this guy is a douchebag or a cycling advocate trying to make a point, the fact remains that flagrant disregard for safety is the hallmark of many cyclists. Blowing red lights, riding against the flow, weaving like maniacs, show a maddening and cavalier disregard for safety. Of course I would never advocate running them over—duh —but I would love to see more warnings and tickets issued, including mandatory bicycle safety classes. BTW I am an avid cyclist and have always believed that any vehicle in traffic should be subject to the rules of the road. After all, how many of us have almost been mowed over by some jerk on a bike?

  26. Have you read the description of the doo dah parade? A satire, a parody, a chance to make fun of the silly things happening around us. I was at the parade, and I cheered loudly for him. It was funny. Everyone is so quick to judge, but as others have said, he had cyclists with him. Stop complaining about with the children saw. Their parents brought them to this parade. The parade where it is encouraged to be outrageous, outspoken, and downright ridiculous and raunchy. I can tell you firsthand, that there were plenty of other groups that marched that had way dirtier/raunchier/ more vulgar references. Someone could have just as easily dressed up in bandages and march in the parade with a sign saying “a motorist ran a stop sign and did this to me.” I bet a lot of you would be singing a different tune if that were the case. Look, I get it. Not all cyclists are idiots. And not all motors are idiots. But there’s always a few in every group that create a bad name. After reading all of these comments, I have to place money on a bet and say that none of you have ever laughed anything that was slightly off kilter or offensive – not even a political cartoon or meme. Hey! That was sarcasm! Maybe I should post a picture of bondage Bert and Ernie from last year and give people something new to talk about

  27. Are you serious. With kids looking on you have a bike on your hood with a body inside the car as if you purposely hit someone. Not only is this wrong, but it’s sick. You are telling kids it’s okay to hit cyclists because they are in your way. Would you run over another motorist who isn’t “Following the Rules?!?” I am guessing no. Or how about when you are on the highway in front of a semi truck and not following the rules of the road. Is it okay for the semi truck to ram you down in your vehicle as is described in this float? I hope to God that I never encounter your kind on the road. You sir are a grade “A” jerk off!

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