door.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: At that point, he
did not come into contact with
you.
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: And you turned
around and said something to
him.
At that point, there's been no
contact, just either somebody
not paying attention or somebody
paying attention but not having
some forethought to say, "Well,
maybe I should go around, maybe
I should slow down," or somebody
just walking out into the street
too fast to get into their car
and didn't think enough to wait
a second for you to pass.
Either way.
But, at that point, there is no
contact.
>> Yes, no contact.
>> Judge Judy: But you were
annoyed because you were sort of
pushed out.
Because he opened the door, you
were pushed out into the car
lane that was moving.
>> I was not annoyed.
This happens all the time.
I just said "thank you" and I
went on my merry way.
[ Laughter ]
Because I just -- Anything other
than "thank you," it just
escalates with drivers.
It just does.
>> Judge Judy: So, you turned
around and you said a snide --
I mean, you're not an idiot.
If you say nothing, that's fine.
If you say "thank you" and you
say it nicely, that means you're
an idiot.
I mean, because you weren't
really thanking him.
You felt as if he was being
discourteous.
So, if I believe you, which I
don't, that you turned around
and said to him "thank you," you
said it in a snide way.
>> I just always say "thank
you."
I know it sounds maybe hard to
believe, but if you say anything
else, it just escalates.
>> Judge Judy: But that's not
what I said.
Let's say I believe you that you
said "thank you."
You said it in a snide way,
because if you said it as
someone would say, "Byrd, may I
borrow your pen?"
And you say, "Sure, Judge."
And I say, "Thank you."
That means "thank you."
And if I said, "Byrd, may I
borrow your pen?"
And he said to me, "Use your own
pen," I would say, "Thanks."
[ Laughter ]
There's a difference.
Do you understand?
>> I understand.
>> Judge Judy: All right.
>> If I may, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: I didn't ask you
a question.
>> Pardon me.
>> Judge Judy: And then you kept
driving.
>> I just kept -- Yes, I kept
going.
>> Judge Judy: You kept going.
>> Eastbound in a bike lane.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Hope, on the
other hand, according to his own
answer -- But I was actually
quite surprised, because even if
he called you and your mother
every name in the book, you're
in a big car.
He's on a bicycle.
So I was rather surprised that
you, in your answer, swore to me
the following.
I was surprised, but now having
met you and having exchanged a
few words with you like this,
I'm not so surprised.
You said, "He yelled something
with an expletive and said,
'Close your door.'"
Expletive deleted, "close your
door."
That's what he said to you.
Don't shake your head.
It's making me nauseous.
I don't care what you said to
him.
>> Okay. Sorry.
>> Judge Judy: Then Mr. Hope
says, Officer Byrd, "I'm a
community leader and a strong
bike advocate.
I support the building of new
bike paths.
I felt the plaintiff's bad
behavior did not reflect the
majority of the responsible
bicyclists I know, and his
behavior would adversely thwart
a community effort.
So, he got into his car, and I
proceeded to follow him so we
could discuss the issue.
[ Laughter ]
"When we both stopped at a red
light, I got out of my car,"
which means, Mr. Hope, I'm using
my imagination here.
But, you know, I'm 74 years old
and I mix imagination with
common sense and with physics.
So, which means that he's
driving by.
He just called you a blank,
something, and told you to close
your blank door.
So your door was open.
Now, you had to get into your
car, close the door, if you're a
responsible motorist, put on
your seat belt, turn on your
car, put it in gear, pull out of
the parking space, and tail ass
after the bicyclist so you could
discuss the building of bike
lanes in your community...
[ Laughter ]
...and how his bad behavior is
going to negatively impact on
people who might not want to
build bike lanes in the
community.
Now, a