On Monday, September 14, 2009 around 6pm I was on my way home from work on my bike as I do every work day. Except on this day, I not only got verbally harassed, but racially harassed by two men in a BMW. Seriously! As I was riding down Embarcadero, I heard a car honking and some guys yelling. I ignored it not giving it much thought. A few seconds later the car pulled up next to me and the men in it started yelling at me (every other word was fucking or bitch or both) and telling me to stop at red lights. I crossed an intersection (Embarcadero and Battery) on a red light seconds before it turned green (I know but I made sure no cars and pedestrians were inconvenienced in any way and as soon as I started peddling the light turned green). The verbal assaults didn't stop there. They continued to follow me down Embarcadero driving erratically and yelling at me calling me a "fucking Asian bitch" and that "behind a bad driver is an Asian driver" and that they "wished that I died" over and over again. They swerved into the bike lane from time to time trying to scare me or cause me to fall off my bike. I yelled back but at this point I'm really upset and frightened. Eventually, fearing for my safety, I got off my bike and walked up to them in the middle of the street. I was very close to punching them but realized that if I did, nothing would happen to them and I would end up in court. At one point the car passed by me so I got the car's license plate in case the car did hit me. Here's what I'm asking of you, please note this car and warn as many bicyclists/people as possible. The car is a dark silver BMW m3, two doors, and looked very new. The CA license plate is: BYE GIRL (I'm serious that was their license plate).More here: A San Francisco Bicyclist's Terrifying Commute Home. This is for bicyclists and Asians alike in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. There are a couple of racist assholes driving around in a dark silver BMW with the California license plate BYE GIRL.
I've been harassed many times as a bicyclist in San Francisco. I've been harassed for my race/ethnicity and gender many times. Most of the times for no reason at all. However, this time they went way too far. Yelling at me once is fine. Following me in their car, driving into the bike lane, yelling racial epithets, and wishing death upon me is not fine.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Danika
Bicyclists get a hard time from motorists all the time, but this time, these guys went too far -- following Danika, driving into the bike lane, yelling racial epithets and wishing death on her. Not cool. Watch your back out there.
