I'm surprised nobody has posted yet about the possible connection between yesterday's hit and run homicide and the recent Craiglist's 'rants and raves' posts from a road rager driving a white Ford F-150... as recently as last week saying things like:
"I'm in a white F-150, and I'm always on Wash.Blvd...... and I fucking dare you to fuck with me.....I will pull over and shove your helmet up your ass."
"White '01 Ford F-150, gray metal ladder rack (with yellow ladders) orange extension cord hanging from ladder rack, tailgate has Steeler and Sunoco stickers, Penguins sticker on bumper. (I'm not stupid enough to post my plate) I'm Caucasian, 41 years old, brown hair, brown 'stache.
I'm on Wash.Blvd and ARB daily. I'm often on Freeport Rd and Highland Park Bridge AND I'm constantly held up by you fag bicyclists.
Next time you see me just ask: "are you the Craigslist guy?" I'll say yes, and invite you to pull over .... then I'll beat the fuck out of you."
"You are forgetting something though......dead bicycle riders tell no tales!
Once you have been run over...if there are no witness's....you cant do anything about it."
Although everything doesn't match up completely, gotta think it seems a little strange. I called PGH homicide this morning when I saw the story. Hopefully they'll be all over a sys admin at Craigslist soon.
The driver description doesn't match. The driver in the Oakland accident had grey hair, and might have been a little older. More importantly, the truck doesn't match. The Oakland vehicle had a bed cover (like a tonneau cover)but no mention of a big old ladder rack.
Still, these ranters certainly give me pause. Why so much hate?
Why is there so much hate in these people? I mean really, so okay.. there might be some dicks riding around in the city.. But what are we talking about here?
A bike taking up your lane and making you slow down for 30-45secs tops until you can pass them.. wow.
doesn't craigslist have some sort of policy against death threats?
A lot of 41 year-old men will describe their hair color as "brown" when others might describe it as grey.
Although I have to say this rant looks like it might be a set up done by an enemy of that F-150 owner. It's pretty much an invitation to trash the guy's truck.
Mick
Anonymous posting on the internet is nothing more than an open invitation for trolls. It's entirely possible that a 12 year old kid posted that. Under the blanket of anonymity, people will say things they would likely never, ever say in person.
Just got off the phone with a FBI cybercrime investigator... gave him the thread with the collated craigslist posts. The posts could come into play locally if PGH police catch the guy and find a connection during any investigation. If there is no connection, it's not likely that the FBl would look into the threats. He didn't rule it out entirely though.
@erok - craigslist term of use has a policy about threats:
7. CONDUCT
You agree not to post, email, or otherwise make available Content:
a) that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory,
libelous, invasive of another's privacy, or is harmful to minors in any way;
So.. if everyone marks that guys posts as prohibited.. shouldn't they get de-listed?
In Rants and Raves? I can't imagine what you'd have to say to get yanked. Plus, as a practical matter, you probably don't want them pulled, if you wish the cyber-crime investigators to read them.
Of course, relying on information in Rants and Raves for criminal investigation is roughly akin to relying on Letters to Penthouse for dating advice.
Those dont work?
Still, I'll be on the lookout for a white pickup
One of the news stations said that there is an investigation about the CL post possibly being related.
I'm sure some TV news editor is wetting his pants over the chance to connect this to the "Craigslist murders" story.
I went ahead and flagged the rants anyway. I know we want to see the rants so we can identify the jerks, but it seemed appropriate to let CL know that it I found the ability to post such things disturbing, and personally threatening.
Just knowing there is anyone the stupid out there is depressing....typical lazy jacka$$ tough guy with his Ford Truck....Steelers/Penguins logos....self loathing yinzer jerk. Likely would not last two seconds in any hand to hand battle anyway becuase he is so damn lazy and out of shape. Sorry I simply can't stand people like this because I know they exist.
If any of those end up being related, I think it would also make this a hate crime, and premeditated murder.
The thing about a truck is that you really feel tough when you are sitting in one. I hope to meet this guy someday
I don't want to meet this guy. Ever.
But I would love to see his face on the 6 O'clock news.
Mick
I have a feeling if this guy confronted my, there might be another ulock incident on youtube.
I just don't get why people assume guys on bikes are weak/not masculine/not tough... etc. A lot of the guys I know that ride bikes are a lot tougher/stronger than most of my suburban truck/suv friends.
I think threats like that are not acceptable in anyway. If you want to threaten one person because of an incident, that is one thing (although, still not acceptable), but generalizing a group of people by a common mode of transportation is ridiculous. Would it be acceptable to threaten the lives of all police officers on the internet because you had an issue with one?
I am glad the FBI is involved, and even if the CL guy isn't related I hope he gets charged. In today's world, people need to realize they are accountable for what they say online.
