After a road rage argument, a driver intentionally hit a cyclist downtown and then fled, according to the police report.

The cyclist, a bicycle messenger, and the driver were on Spring near 5th Ave. on Wednesday when they had some kind of road dispute, the cyclist told police. The driver then passed the cyclist, stopped, opened his driver's side door, and backed-up in attempt to hit the biker with the door. The biker moved to try to avoid getting hit by the door and was struck by the right rear bumper of the vehicle and knocked to the ground.

The driver then fled the scene. The biker received only a minor abrasion and declined medical treatment. Police have the license plate number and are investigating.

Unrelated to this report, I was nearly hit by one of those tour vans while riding downtown the same day. I rode up next to the van at a stop light and knocked on the window. He rolled it down and I told him he almost hit me. His response was, "Well, you should be looking out for me. I'm a lot bigger than you." I then proceded to point out that he almost killed me and then called him a bunch of names and embarrassed him in front of the bus of paying customers.

It was fairly satisfying.