Dan Littell was crossing Las Olas bridge as part of last night's Fort Lauderdale Critical Mass when a police vehicle whizzed by him and his fellow riders. He knew bridges were particularly dangerous places for cyclists in an already inhospitable town. In the past, Littell had been hit on both Sunrise Bridge and an overpass on Broward Boulevard near I-95.
So seeing a cop car flagrantly speed down a bridge crowded with cyclists compelled him to say something. "Slow down!" he shouted at the driver, just as he would have with any other person making the road unsafe.
See also: Leader of Fort Lauderdale Critical Mass Hurt in Bicycling Accident
But when that didn't work, Littell says he moved in front of the car, forcing its driver to keep his pace.
"There were kids on the ride," the 30-year-old explains. "Anyone could have swerved in."
See also: South Florida Bikers Sliced and Diced by Unsafe Drawbridges
Tempers flared once the car reached the end of the bridge. "The cop slammed on his brakes to try and get other bikes to hit him," Littell claims. "And when the ride slowed down, he tackled me."
