Hill-Pumper

I don't know how many of you have actually had someone harass you while where riding, but I have had it happen, and it dis consorting to say the least. In my case 3 guys in a pick-up truck (read rednecks here) yelled at me as they passed by. That would have not bothered me if it had stopped at that. They then tuned around and this time they slowed way down and started getting quite vocal as they got next to me. Then they pulled away only to stop in the middle of the road. I thought that they were going to pull around again, but for some reason, they drove off before I got to them. While this incident happened some years ago, I still think about it when I am riding now. I did at the time consider getting a firearm to carry with me, but I thought better of it. I was wondering if any of you carried anything with you in case of an incident like this. I have thought about carrying pepper spray, but I was wondering what your thoughts were.

cudak888 

The Zefal pump sitting here did me quite well against dogs, and I dare say it would be just as good to save your neck from human attackers:


Unfortunately, it also flew out of the frame at one time to be flattened by a following vehicle (it is squashed in the photo above, if I am not mistaken), so I presently use this Zefal fpX2, which does the job, but isn't the sturdy metal-cased pump that the earlier Zefal was. No sense in carrying it around unless it can serve both functions:


-Kurt

P.S.: And, of course, the cellphone. The pumps are for use only for defense in the case of direct attack.

Machka 

Someone yelled at you, and you want to shoot them. And not only that, but these people yelled at you years ago, and you're still dwelling on it. You're well named!! Have you ever given some thought to signing up for an anger management class.

Get over it!! Sometimes people yell. Big deal.

donnamb 

I carry my cell phone and keep it handy. Anytime I feel threatened, I whip it out as if to dial 911 and the person who is scaring me leaves me alone. It's all the "weapon" I have ever needed.

ShadowGray

U-locks work well.

I would get a concealed-carry just for the fact that philly isn't the most friendly city... only a few more years left to go..

mike

I am with donnamb on this one. I carry a cell phone. If a truck full of rednecks yelled at me and then turned around to come at me again, I would use the agility of the bicycle to evade the truck.

These days I do seem to get a number of young men driving up close to me and shouting in order to scare me. School is out and these guys have not yet properly turned into men, so they don't know what to do with themselves.

For whatever reason, my body doesn't respond, so they don't get their jollies. I just look at them like "did you go off your medication today?" and the non-verbal communication is that they look silly and are embarrassed. Think about it - a young man hanging out of a car window yelling silly things in order to frighten a bicyclist. Really. This is what they have to do with themselves?

Carrying a gun or any other weapon for this kind of incident is absolutely the wrong thing to do. A bicycle can out-manuver nearly anything except MAYBE a motocycle gang. I have never heard of a motorcycle gang harrass a bicyclist except maybe in some 1970's Kung Fu movie from Hong Kong.

I think you will be OK with a cell phone, your bicycle, and common sense.

TeleJohn

Common sense.

TeleJohn

and several guns of various sizes.

Az B

A cell phone is handy for a lot of situations, but I do carry mace. The main reason is for dogs, not that I've had a big problem with that in the past, but I ride through some shadier neighborhoods sometimes and pit bulls seem to be the pet of choice. I don't have much problem with people around here, mostly just the passive-aggressive close pass. But you never know...

Az

mandovoodoo

I generally carry a cell phone. Commuting I sometimes carry a Sig Sauer .380 with hydroshocks (avoids having the bullet carry on through and hit something else). I don't attract harassment. I think some people do, although I'm not sure how. I think a sense of humor is probably the key thing to take cycling. That and the ability to obey hunches and get off the road.

dobber

And what exactly would you have done with the firearm? Waved it around in the air, screaming like a five year old? Or popped a couple of rounds into a parked car to "show em you mean business"?

A couple people yelled at you. Big deal, get on with life.

kjmillig

You didn't read the OP did you? 3 guys in a pickup yelled, turned around to come back for a 2nd go, then stopped in the middle of the road. I call that threatening behavior. If the only thing you can think of concerning a firearm is to wave it around in the air screaming like a five year old or shoot randomly into parked cars, PLEASE do not get a firearm. I legally carry a concealed firearm and and have the training to know how and when to use it. In the OP situation, when they stopped, I too would have stopped and waited to see what they were going to do while dialing 911. When they drove away, I too would have continued my ride but kept a watchful eye out for that truck.
I'm sorry for those who have unreasonable fears of guns.

Certified NRA Instructor
Concealed Firearm Instructor

chipcom 

I am a vet, ex-cop and ex-NRA firearms instructor. The best weapons to protect yourself while riding a bike are your wits, awareness and common sense. If those are inadequate to deal with 99.9% of the situations you come across while on your bike, a firearm isn't going to help much.

genec

Is it unreasonable fear of guns, or fear of unreasonable use of guns.

Bringing a gun into a situation instantly raises the situation to the potential of deadly.

dobber

Three guys supposedly yelled at him, turned aroung and then departed?

Well that's entirely different. I'd have probably evacuated my bowels then immediately curled into the fetal position.

At what point did we turn into a nation of ******* and whiners.

Certified Red Cross Life Guard
Invisible Underwear Inspector

chipcom 

About the same time the ******* and whiners gave up their liberty (by accepting defacto registration) to gain the false security of being able to legally carry a concealed firearm to compensate for their insecurities and fear.

st0ut

I am pro gun but i dont think i would carry a firearm on a bike. the potentail for the rare situation where this may e required is outwiehghe by the damge a firearm can do to the cyclist in a fall.

Additinally the weight... do they make a carbon fiber gun?

SlimAgainSoon

A cell-phone is a lot lighter -- and it seems to scare more people!

San Rensho 

Barking dogs don't bite.

If the rednecks had really wanted to f@ck with you, you never would have seen it coming. They would have run you over or hit you with something. A gun would never protect you in that situation.

Bringing out a gun only would have escalated things, either getting you killed if you hesitated when they brought out a gun or getting you arrested for brandishing a weapon.

genec

Probably true on all points. +100

maddmaxx 

After hearing many of the enraged cyclists stories on this forum, the concept of cyclists carrying guns for self defense fills me with a feeling of dread. How many vets post in this forum who have actually had occasion to shoot a man? What say you?

st0ut

I am a vet 1st gulf wr and several other conflict's. It would take ALOT for me to carry a friearm on my bike.

Ed Holland

Oh dear oh dear.

chipcom 

Yes, sweetie?

gcottay

Well said. Thank you, sir.