Tech CEO on bike arrested in California road rage beating

[Newsjock]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

A Marin County technology executive was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after he got off his bicycle and beat a motorist unconscious during an alleged act of road rage in Mill Valley, a city police official said.

Witnesses reported that Jeffrey Smock, 40, of Kentfield was the aggressor in the April 16 altercation and refused to stop beating the 55-year-old motorist after he was down - even as onlookers shouted and honked their car horns, said Mill Valley Lt. Ken Dunkel.

Smock, an avid cyclist, is the founder and former chief executive of Iron Data, an Atlanta software company now headquartered in Arlington, Va. Prior to that, Smock ran LightNetworks, an Atlanta-based telecommunications firm. Efforts to reach him were unsuccessful.

The alleged attack occurred in the evening at the busy intersection of East Blithedale Avenue and Camino Alto. According to police, Smock and the motorist were at odds over whether the truck's mirror had struck Smock's bike as both men traveled along East Blithedale.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Tech-CEO-on-bike-arrested-in-Marin-road-rage-5429625.php

[upaloopa]

1. Some bicycle folks can really kick the stuffings out

of you. They have lots of leak muscle so be careful.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

6. What's "leak muscle"?

Something to do with incontinence?

[usspicard]

2. well

I hope the victim sues for millions

[Hoyt]

3. The biker has a problem, but motorists like to intimidate bikers too.

Plenty of motorists like to see how close they can come to you, blare on the horn when they are right next to you, yell, throw things, etc. And that's when you are riding right on the edge of the road.

Doesn't justify beating someone, but giving an inconsiderate motorist a verbal lashing can prevent issues/tragedies in future. A bicyclist is all but helpless in a confrontation with an auto.

[arcane1]

4. Exactly, there are assholes on both sides. Makes it tough to be a pedestrian in SF, for sure!

[rafeh1]

5. I sold my car and live off my ebike

Today I got passed 3 times by same guy with around 18 inches gap. Then I followed him to his house and politely gave him a piece of my mind. He lied and yammered and blamed me but was clearly surprised at me show ing up on his driveway ss he pulled in. He blamed me for not being on the edge of the rosd but I think he got the message