Scary Driver in Fitchburg

Executive Summary

May 8, 2002

Fitchburg resident Scott Pulver is reported to be a serial bike assaulter. He drives a gray/gray-green Ford Bronco, which he uses to threaten cyclists. He believes that cyclists should always ride single file (he is ignorant), and further believes that it his duty to enforce the law by force (he is dangerous).

Multiple cyclists have experienced this behaviour. Perhaps more disturbing is the response by the Fitchburg police. At this time, bicycle activists are waiting to hear their response to a second reported incident.

Dave adds this comment:

A word to the wise, whenever you have a confrontation with an individual following them to their personal residence probably will lead to nothing but trouble. It generally will escalate and it will be your word against his (and probably his neighbors).

John's report

While riding south on Seminole Hwy I came upon two slower riders (man and a woman*) also going south riding in single file. Before passing them I looked over my left shoulder to make sure it was safe to pass. There was a vehicle coming but it was far enough back to allow me to pass the slower riders. With no oncoming traffic to impede the coming vehicle to eventually pass us I proceeded to pass the slower riders. Just as I passed first slow rider I was nearly run down by the motorist driving in the same direction in a gray (1994) Ford Bronco. This encounter was extremely blatant and dangerous. I recognized the vehicle from similar situations on previous occasions. I knew where this person lived (on Seminole Hwy) from the previous stunt he pulled, while I was biking, just prior to him turning into his driveway. So recognizing the Bronco I knew he lived just over the hill on Seminole Hwy and proceeded to catch up with him as he was walking away from the Bronco. I asked if he had just been driving down Seminole Hwy and he acknowledged that he had. I then asked if he knew he had endangered my life as he drove within inches (less than a foot) and at a high rate of speed past me on my bike. He told me that I needed to learn how to ride my bike and that I wasn't riding single file. I let him know that 2 abreast is legal and that a three foot minimum distance was a required distance for a motor vehicle to pass a bicyclist. He then got in my face and told me I needed to get off the roads and learn rules.

From here on the conversation took a dive. We swore back and forth arguing about it for a minute or two. He told me to get off his property and I told him to call the police. He then chased me off his property and as I passed his Bronco I spit in the direction of the truck and it hit the window. At no time was there any physical contact between the two of us. Getting myself back on Seminole I looked back to see him getting in the bronco and I thought he was going to come after me so I high tailed it out of there and got off the road to settle down and collect my self. I sat in someone's driveway to rest for about 5 to 10 minutes and decided to ride to the Fitchburg police department to let them know what had happened.

On the way there I spotted a patrol car and waved it down. I told the officer what had happened focusing mainly on what had happened on the road with the Bronco passing me very closely at a high rate of speed. I also told them of the other situations with this same vehicle. I asked what the rules of for riding on Seminole Hwy were and officer Carrie Jacob told me she didn't know. She asked for all my information and was told that they would contact me later that night.

That same night at 9 PM the officer knocked at my door to give me a Disorderly Conduct violation. I was shocked and upset to find out that the driver of the Bronco got nothing. She(officer Carrie J. Jacob) brought along a hard copy of the Wis. statues stating the rules of the road for bicycles and explained to me that I was not able to pass another biker when a car was coming in the opposite direction. I told her there was no oncoming car so that shouldn't matter(found out later in the police report the driver said there was an oncoming car - the lying coward). I couldn't understand why I received a ticket and the driver that drove recklessly endangering bikers lives with an extremely large vehicle at a high rate of speed could end up being the victim. I also asked the officer if the driver had any other complaints against him dealing with bikers. The officer said she hadn't checked but could do that. I wondered why that wasn't done before a ticket was even issued.

Since then I have contacted a Sergeant Thomas R. Schmit of the Fitchburg Police Department to try to get my ticket dropped and to find out why nothing was done to the driver. His response was to fight the ticket in court. The incident on the road ends up being my word against the driver and since the stories don't match nothing can be done. I'm still working on both issues.

Any help legally, financially, morally or otherwise would be extremely helpful. If anyone has ever had a problem with a gray Ford Bronco in the past please let me know. I urge anyone that has any bad experiences with drivers to please report them. If the two riders I passed are reading this please contact me. If anyone happens to know the two riders please contact me.

the best i can remember is that they were probably in there early 40's. the woman had a mirror on her helmet or handle bar. she was wearing black tights with a black and red long sleeve top. i think the guy was wearing a wind breaker type outfit. i believe they were riding hybrid bikes. the only thing said between us was hello and then the truck went by and i said "that focker has done that to me before" and i stood up and sprinted to his house.

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