Southern California - another cyclist shooting

it's getting crazy out there
http://ktla.trb.com/news/local/ktla-bikewallet,0,484038.story

My first thought:
I wonder if they were cyclists on a late night training ride, bicycle commuters coming from from work, or gangbangers who just happened to be on bikes in the middle of the night?

My first thought:
I wonder if they were cyclists on a late night training ride, bicycle commuters coming from from work, or gangbangers who just happened to be on bikes in the middle of the night?

Every time I see this I think the same thing.

1:40 am in South Central, hmmm. Sounds like crack dealers to me. A lot of dealers ride bikes so their expensive cars don't get impounded.

1:40 am in South Central, hmmm. Sounds like crack dealers to me. A lot of dealers ride bikes so their expensive cars don't get impounded.

Now how can you say that, I'm sure it was just some locals training for an upcoming crit, after all, there's not as much traffic at that time.:rolleyes:

1:40 am in South Central, hmmm. Sounds like crack dealers to me. A lot of dealers ride bikes so their expensive cars don't get impounded.

its tragic that these guys got shot...but seriously, in South Central L.A., shootings are not uncommon.

the man shot in the buttocks was wearing pants or shorts, seeing that his wallet stopped the bullet. This leads me to believe he probably wasn't wearing cycling shorts.

I'm just curious as to whether this was just a guy on a bike...or a cyclist.

I doubt that it was a "random" act. And yes, shootings are far too common in that area. I work in that area and Everyone tells me not to ride my bike to work . . . for just this kind of reason. Not sure how valid it is in the "big picture" but incidents like this one tend to reinforce that mindset.

Rick / OCRR

i was reading that random drive-by gang initiation style shootings are up like 300% so this year.

i was reading that random drive-by gang initiation style shootings are up like 300% so this year.



When I read stuff like this I get really creeped out about living in LA. It does seem likely, though.

particularly gnarly right now is around echo park and silverlake and west of downtown. i know lots of people ride in that area so it's just another thing to be aware of.
i used to roll solo from the beach to the mindinte ridazz and back through some sketchy hoods, i'd be a little nervous doing that right now.

I'm just curious as to whether this was just a guy on a bike...or a cyclist.

Don't you just love the Lance pic on his TT bike? Very old pic on his Litespeed Blade painted in US Postal blue and labeled as a Trek with his Mavic Cosmic Carbone front wheel (vintage '99 Tour) . Ummmm...this picture is not typical of a gangbanger....BUT then again this story is not about a cyclist either.

I guess good marketing ...selling the hype. They got us to read the article and then discuss it here. Can't fault them for that.

I think it's amusing that there is "KTLA" and "News" in the same addy.

I live in Anaheim and work in Gardena, with a workshift of 10AM to 8PM (if crisis control doesn't keep me later). Not driving myself would require my bike and two different transit systems. Is it any wonder I drive?

I think it's amusing that there is "KTLA" and "News" in the same addy.

:roflmao:

particularly gnarly right now is around echo park and silverlake and west of downtown. i know lots of people ride in that area so it's just another thing to be aware of.
i used to roll solo from the beach to the mindinte ridazz and back through some sketchy hoods, i'd be a little nervous doing that right now.

Whoa!!?? I commute through Silver Lake to & from work. I haven't noticed anything but then I don't watch too much news or get the paper. What am I missing?

1:40 am in South Central, hmmm. Sounds like crack dealers to me.

Or me, riding home from a show or a Midnight Ridazz ride. If I turn up dead one of these nights, y'all can console yourself with the fact that my presence in a historically underserved neighborhood on a bicycle after midnight automatically makes me a criminal.

Or me, riding home from a show or a Midnight Ridazz ride. If I turn up dead one of these nights, y'all can console yourself with the fact that my presence in a historically underserved neighborhood on a bicycle after midnight automatically makes me a criminal.Can I have your bike?

Can I have your bike?

Hehehe

good one

Can I have your bike?

:roflmao:

I don't think anything good happens if you are out and about between the hours of 11:00pm and 5:00am especially on a bike.

Yes, by all means, live your life scared. There's plenty of good stuff on TV!

(You guys don't want my bike. Most of you couldn't ride it.)

Yes, by all means, live your life scared. There's plenty of good stuff on TV!

(You guys don't want my bike. Most of you couldn't ride it.)

When I grow up, I want to be as cool as you think you are.

Admit it, you'd go right over the handlebars.

(You guys don't want my bike. Most of you couldn't ride it.)

Why?

Admit it, you'd go right over the handlebars.

Yeah right, like you kids think you invented fixed gear bikes. I was riding that stuff before you were born!!!

Yeah right, like you kids think you invented fixed gear bikes. I was riding that stuff before you were born!!!

We need pictures...maybe old Super 8 footage, too? ;):)

We need pictures...maybe old Super 8 footage, too? ;):)Regular 8mm....:p

Yeah right, like you kids think you invented fixed gear bikes. I was riding that stuff before you were born!!!


They make bikes with freewheels and gears now..... ? huh you kids are spoiled!

I often ride in the midnight hours because I'm returning from a night ride, or I'm just taking advantage of the low traffic. What makes it particularly dangerous (I think) is the fact that there are few people around to help you if you are attacked.

Riding Your Bike at Midnight is Not a Crime

Night riding is scary and peaceful at the same time.

Night riding is scary and peaceful at the same time.It all depends on the neighborhood.
I wouldn't ride in mi barrio at 2am.

It all depends on the neighborhood.
I wouldn't ride in mi barrio at 2am.

Yup, a little common sense isn't so common to everyone.

What's hilarious and sad at the same time is how certain posters just assume that anybody riding a bicycle in south LA late at night must be a criminal. Because it's not like any of Those People from Over There have night jobs, right?

It's an easy assumption to make because some dudes on bikes past dark are up to no good. I know firsthand. So, assuming that they are just riding to a night job is hilarious and naïve too, unless the night jobs you mean involve baggies. And do buses not operate at night to and from jobs?

What's hilarious and sad at the same time is how certain posters just assume that anybody riding a bicycle in south LA late at night must be a criminal. Because it's not like any of Those People from Over There have night jobs, right?

http://www.glarkware.com/productcart/pc/catalog/main-chip.jpg

It's an easy assumption to make because some dudes on bikes past dark are up to no good. I know firsthand. So, assuming that they are just riding to a night job is hilarious and naïve too, unless the night jobs you mean involve baggies. And do buses not operate at night to and from jobs?

I'm not assuming anything. That's my point.

During my own rides through those parts of town late at night and in the wee hours, I see an awful lot of guys on bikes who don't look like they're slangin' anything but dishes. Admittedly, this is profiling on my part, but...well, like you, "I know firsthand" the difference between a banger and a guy riding home from his job at a restaurant.

As to your second question, the answer is pretty much no after midnight (and often before). The few overnight buses that Metro operates tend to have headways of about an hour. Add that to the fact that Metro discontinued its discounted night fare in July of last year, and you can see why somebody who lives within five miles or so of his job would ride a bike.

You have to admit that the difference between me and the poster making the assumption is that I'm not going on what I see on television.

You have to admit that the difference between me and the poster making the assumption is that I'm not going on what I see on television.

no you aren't, but my suggestion is that no assumption be made either way. We don't know why the victim was on the bike and it will doubtfully ever be revealed. thanks for the 411 on the buses. I did assume those ran after midnight. ****ing ridiculous that they don't

No assumptions, yes. Exactly (see my first paragraph, above). :)

Some buses do run after midnight, but with really long headways (that's transit jargon for the interval of time between buses on a given line: if the 445 comes by your stop every fifty minutes, it has a "fifty minute headway"), or they stop at 1:00 or 2:00.

So if you live, say, four miles from your job, you get off at 1:30, and the bus comes by at 1:20, there's not going to be another one until forty or fifty minutes later, if at all. You'll get home a lot quicker on your bike even if you don't haul ass, not to mention saving $1.25 a night.

Anyway, that's one example of the sort of person, other than a crack dealer, who might be out and about on a bike in south LA after midnight. Needless to say, I chose that example because it's the most unimpeachable one. Now add to that the people who can't afford cars, or can't afford insurance, or have a DUI, or who have cars and licenses but choose to ride bikes because they fully intend to get lubricated at the bar, or are just passing through, or just like to ride bikes late at night for the hell of it (contrary to popular opinion, such people exist outside of Silverlake and Echo Park) and the picture gets a good deal more complicated than "anybody in a poor part of town on a bike after midnight is a drug dealer."

No chippy shoulders here, I just get weary of hearing the same tired stereotypes bandied about by people who show no signs of knowing what they're talking about.

This thread is so full of fail.

I can go anyway, way I choose
I can live anyhow, win or lose
I can go anywhere, for something new
Anyway, anyhow, anywhere I choose

I can do anything, right or wrong
I can talk anyhow, and get along
Don't care anyway, I never lose
Anyway, anyhow, anywhere I choose

Nothing gets in my way
Not even locked doors
Don't follow the lines
That been laid before
I get along anyway I dare
Anyway, anyhow, anywhere

I can go anyway, way I choose
I can live anyhow, win or lose
I can go anywhere, for something new
Anyway, anyhow, anywhere I choose

Anyway
Anyway I choose, yeah
Anyway I wanna go, I wanna go 'n do it myself,
Do it myself
Do it myself, yeah
Anyway, way I choose
Anyway I choose
Yeah, yeah
Ain't never gonna lose the way I choose
The way I choose
The way I choose

If I told you what it takes to
reach the highest high,
You'd laugh and say 'nothing's that simple'
But you've been told many times before Messiahs pointed to the door
And no one had the guts to leave the temple!