I am just going to go out on a limb and say this, I am not surprised to see a video like this come from Alabama. Cyclists riding in Alabama often have trouble with car drivers who get annoyed because they are stuck behind a cyclist and in their opinions, all cyclists should be banned from the road. Well, one driver decided to take his frustrations over cyclists and videotape his actions and post the videos on Facebook. These videos landed him in jail.
Keith Maddox lives in the Piedmont area, and uses DeArmanville Road to get to work. Keith decided to videotape his bad words and actions when he encounters anyone riding a bike on the side on the road. Other than the cuss words, he said cyclists are making it difficult for him and other drivers to get to work. And he said “God, I hate bicycles.” Basically, Keith was endangering other cyclists on the roadway, and the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department had to take action, and they have arrested Keith Maddox and charged him with reckless endangerment, which is a misdemeanor charge. Keith’s bond was set at $3,000, which is too low in my opinion.
MUG SHOT: Keith Maddox, Piedmont man arrested after expressing his rage about cyclists online http://t.co/eXsCb4GEEC pic.twitter.com/W8rUXmcTie
— WBRC FOX6 News (@WBRCnews) May 23, 2014
The video above has gone viral, and many cyclists across America have seen the video. Cyclists are so angry at Keith, I have seen his address, phone number, and where he works posted on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, and in the comments of the story on other websites. No, I am not going to post Keith’s address, phone number, or place of employment on this site. Keith went to his personal Facebook page to apologize about the video, but many in the cycling community are not buying it. I mean, when Keith said “Run ’em in the ditch” to one cyclist on the side of the road, and throttled his engine and went way above the posted speed limit to go around another cyclist, it means this driver was about to do something not too good to a cyclist. Maybe the arrest and jail time will force the driver to think twice about cyclists.
https://twitter.com/MMinSC/status/469798144729812992
Some people are now placing criticism on the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department, for arresting someone like Keith, instead of going after the real criminals. Some people have used this story to complain to all cyclists riding on a public roadway and tell them they should ride on a bike trail or sidewalk instead. And yes, some people have agreed with what Keith Maddox has done, and they want all cyclists taken off the roads forever. So let’s get things straight, the sheriff’s office/district attorney investigated the video, and they determined he was endangering a cyclist, so a judge signed off on a warrant, and they made an arrest. And two, cyclists have every right to ride a bike on a public roadway in Alabama. Here is the code from the Alabama Constitution.
Section 32-5A-263
Riding on roadways and bicycle paths; right side signalling.
(a) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.
(b) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
(c) Wherever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and shall not use the roadway.
The plain and simple truth is this, Keith illegally used a cell phone while driving, and recorded himself harassing cyclists riding on the side of the road. Even if this was a joke and he was making fun of others, like some have said on Facebook, this was a serious matter, and action had to be taken. Hopefully, Keith has learned a lesson from this, and he will be respectful to other cyclists in the future. Now, for the ones who say all cyclists should be banned from public roadways, you need to be re-educated, or taken back to driver’s education. Cyclists have every right to ride on the road. Cyclists ride bikes to train, run errands, and go to work. Cyclists have to deal with drivers often who throw trash at them, say bad words, and even try to run them off the road.
https://twitter.com/emilyhawk/status/469541058075197440
We can’t just add sidewalks or bike lanes to every road in America, so if you encounter a cyclist on the road, slow down, and give the cyclist three feet of passing room when you pass them. In the video above, you can hear the Rick And Bubba show, and the guys are originally from Anniston Alabama. I hope the guys have seen this video, and they will talk about cyclists and the need to protect them on our roads on their radio show. Alabama is known to be better than this, cyclists have every right to ride on a road, if you don’t agree with that, you need to turn in your driver’s license and quit driving, end of story!
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Categories: Interesting Stuff, News Talk Stuff
I don’t agree with what he did but you making assumptions that all people who live in Alabama are the same is pretty lame….I am just going to go out on a limb and say this, I am not surprised to see a video like this come from Alabama. <<<Enough said on my part. You showed your true colors right off the bat. Have a great day.
F*** keith maddox… His acts and words are those a psycho!!! If it were a video of a black guy talking about shooting people or running them off the road all hell would be broken loose right now! F*** hillbillies!!
Thanks for commenting. I know you are angry about this, but he will learn his lesson, and maybe we will all learn about respecting cyclists on the road.
It’s not just Alabama, it’s all over the country, but we always hear of something weird involving cyclists coming from Alabama. Thanks for commenting!
That’s my point. It can and does happen all over the country. Not all people in Alabama act as such and to me thats an insult tossing that in there. Sorry thats just how i feel. I for one am not a redneck or hillbilly and no i don’t chew tobacco or sleep with my kin <another of those things a lot of people like to say happen or they hear about coming from alabama.
I know what you mean. What is needed is education about why people riding bikes are allowed on roads. And to teach drivers about how to deal with cyclists the right way while on the road.
I don’t mind sharing the road with cyclists. In my opinion they are mighty brave because yes I’ve seen how cars/trucks drivers act. Wouldn’t catch me on a bite on the highway…no sir re-bob! I don’t think Ive ever seen a cyclist taking a selfie or texting as they peddle along and i see it all the time with cars. People putting on makeup…reading the paper. Its just crazy.
bike ^^^
Maybe this is just what us Cyclist need. A Viral video here in the US that stirs some controversy. In every argument or controversy such as this laws are always brought out. The way I see things as a cyclist is just the basic lack of knowledge that “Cagers” (a derogatory word for people that drive vehicles) have for the rules of the road. Here in NY I have been told that I am on the wrong side of the road and I should ride against the flow of traffic. Or better yet that the roads were built for cars and not for Cyclist. And lets not even get in to the fact that almost no one out of the cycling community knows about Merrill’s Law here in NYS. (The law that states you must give 3 feet of clearance from your outside mirror to the out side of the handlebars when passing a cyclist). The fact that there is no education is just horrendous.
Every day I see commercials from lawyers stating laws for Passing Motorcycles, or car laws. but not 1 commercial or billboard for cyclist safety or education to the public on why cyclist are doing what they are doing on that road. Heck in the comments of Keith Maddox’s facebook feed his friends did not even know that it is legal for them to ride 2 abreast (I just like saying Abreast). It is the ignorance that is spawning the evil due to drivers think that when you buy a car you own the road and not the car.
Here in the US we really need the laws to be preached as it seems like “cagers” just do not know what the laws are and think that we are out there doing what we like however we like on the roads that they feel like they own. That is why I feel like something like this can be and should be used by all media outlets to educate the masses as to what the laws really are. Am i saying that I know every law for my bicycle? No I do not. Heck I just found out that in NYS to travel on roadways I am suppose to have a horn, or bell on my bike. But in the end what part of this is being used as a positive spin? none of it. It is like listening to politicians argue. Nothing good is coming out of it but someone that is not them is getting hurt in the end.
Yep, some people do some really crazy things while driving. Most cyclists steer clear of highways, this video took place on a backroad, where cyclists are more common.
Every state has laws that allows cyclists to ride on the road. Yeah, there needs to be more education about cyclists on the road. And drivers must give cyclists breathing room when passing them. I think a public campaign to teach everyone about cyclists on roads is what is needed here. Thanks for commenting!
Choccolocco Rd is not a back road nathan. Its always busier then Hwy 9.I have to go to Oxford everyday almost and I don’t dare travel Choccolocco because its so busy and speed limit is only 50. I see lots of bike riders on hwy 9 has well but its eaiser to pass them because the road is straight and not nearly as busy.
I am talking about DeArmanville Road, where this video was taken, and it’s nowhere near busy as Choccolocco. Choccolocco Road does not cross any railroad tracks. Anyways, yes Choccolocco Road has a lot of traffic that commutes between Anniston and the White Plains subdivisons. And at times, it is hard to go around cyclists. But you can not simply ban them from the road. AL-9 is quieter and straighter, one can ride a bike there but has to deal with some traffic. Most of the cyclist stories and harassment from drivers have come from Choccolocco, there are plans to widen the road, when it’s going to happen, who knows!