A clip showing a frightening road rage incident on Tampa's Bayshore Boulevard has sparked anger online.
The viral video highlights a wider trend: riders of clean transportation, such as bicycles, e-bikes, and EVs, often face hostility from frustrated motorists.
(Click here to watch the video if the embed does not appear.)
In the footage, a 19-year-old e-biker yells, "The speed limit is 35," as a white pickup truck drives beside him.
The truck driver then stops, storms out of his vehicle, shoves the teen off his bike, and hurls threats. The enraged man urges the boy to fight and even shouts, "Do it and I'll … shoot you."
The cyclist backs off, warning, "You just assaulted me for no reason … it's all on camera."
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A bystander steps in, "It's not worth it. Drive away," as the teen calls the police.
This type of confrontation isn't new, with other reports of diesel pickups "rolling coal" in front of Teslas, or EV charging stations being vandalized out of anti-EV spite.
Yet from an environmental standpoint, electric travel always wins out. EVs emit far less carbon dioxide overall. Studies find that the average gas-powered car emits approximately 350 grams of CO2 per mile, compared to about 200 grams per mile for an EV.
Over a year, a typical gas car spews about 12,600 pounds of CO2, compared to only around 2,800 pounds for an EV. Not to mention, EVs produce zero tailpipe pollution, which benefits local air quality. Even when considering pollution and land degradation associated with mining for battery materials, electric vehicles are far better for the environment than gas-powered cars.
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Shorter commute to work 🚴 This incident highlights why respect for bike lanes and EV drivers is essential. Every aggressive driver who deters a new EV buyer or cyclist can slow our shift away from dirty fuels, making it harder to clean up our air and meet climate goals.
Commenters on the Reddit post overwhelmingly sided with the e-biker.
One wrote, "It isn't just about you at this point. … Who knows what could happen to the next person?"
Another said, "Yeah, if someone is threatening you with a gun and physically assaulting you, I'd think 911 is an OK use here."
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What would it take to sell your car and start riding a bike?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
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