Southern California - Another Attack on Ballona Creek Bike Trail

From www.cicle.org (LA County Bicycle Coalition?):


Over the years people have written in with reports of being attacked on the Ballona Creek bike path. Luckily, these incidents do not happen daily, but let this recent report serve as a reminder to cyclists (and other path users) to be careful out there.

The account below was submitted to us by one of the cyclists that was attacked on the Ballona Creek bike path near Mar Vista yesterday, August 19, 2008, between 1:00 and 1:30 in the afternoon.

"I was riding west on the BC path at a little after 1pm yesterday, when there was actually fairly heavy traffic on the path. Under the 405 two gang members (this is what the police believe) threw another bike in my path, causing me to crash, and then sprayed me with pepper spray and took my backpack. I rode to the LAPD station on Culver Blvd., despite barely being able to see, and reported the incident since it was clear that there would be more victims. The attackers then used my backpack (which had a heavy On-Guard lock in it as well as several books) to assault at least two other cyclists (and possibly more, according to the detective I spoke with), pulling a knife on one (this is also what the police told me). My backpack was recovered by one of the victims who turned it in and called me. It turns out this is the second time he has been attacked in this manner on the BC path, this first time being left unconscious for nine hours."

--A.P.

Use this path all the time. Keep alert.

it's gotta be the same little punks that live right there in the housing projects. i just don't use it anymore east of lincoln. i wrote two culcer city councilman last time this came up, more people need to do the same. it's ridiculous.

I hear about all kinds of issues on this trail, I'm glad its not my local MUP.

For a while there will be some more visible police presence, then it disappears until it happens again. The attackers just wait till the police presence goes away and start all over again.

Well, it's my local MUP.

Keep riding it, all. I'll be out there tomorrow, ready to find out whether my bunny hop's progressed to the point that I can clear another bike. :)

I think that Culver City and the city of Los Angeles should drop a bomb on the neighborhood adjacent to the path where all of the little gang bangers live. Just lock the gates around the "neighborhood" and set it ablaze. Anyone running out gets shot. I am so sick and tired of these little *******s assaulting people and throwing stuff at cyclists as we ride by. To Hell with them all.

I posted previously about being assaulted on Ballona Creek. I now carry weapons and avoid the projects. I exit near Sawtelle and take McDonald, which parallels the creek on the opposite side. I re-enter near Centinela.

I think that Culver City and the city of Los Angeles should drop a bomb on the neighborhood adjacent to the path where all of the little gang bangers live. Just lock the gates around the "neighborhood" and set it ablaze. Anyone running out gets shot. I am so sick and tired of these little *******s assaulting people and throwing stuff at cyclists as we ride by. To Hell with them all.

I've always thought the "NO TRESPASSING" signs that ring that s*ithole are facing the wrong way.

Wow. I ride on that path but I only go inland about 5 miles before heading back to the beach. I have no idea how close that is to the 405.

I think that Culver City and the city of Los Angeles should drop a bomb on the neighborhood adjacent to the path where all of the little gang bangers live. Just lock the gates around the "neighborhood" and set it ablaze. Anyone running out gets shot. I am so sick and tired of these little *******s assaulting people and throwing stuff at cyclists as we ride by. To Hell with them all.

I think the non-gangbangers that live there might object to the bomb plan

Make your bike like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythed_chariot

I think the non-gangbangers that live there might object to the bomb plan

"you're either with us, or with the terrorists/gangbangers."
-gw

This rider fared better than the two racers on Mandeville Cyn, that's for sure. They both ended up in the hospital, one almost lost his nose.

Who'd have thought that doctors were more dangerous than gang-bangers?

I rode there today, and as usual, saw nobody that worried me. I was extra vigilent, and will continue to be in the future. The more of us that continue to use that path, the better. I will not give up the path to the goblins.

What a bunch of scumbags. I usually ride that path when I visit my parents in west L.A. I've never had any problem but it does get a bit dicey in certain areas.

Dub,

The underpass next to the projects where all the crime seems to be occurring is the underpass under the 405. It seems that nearly all of the crime activity I've read about has been here.

DScott,

Yeah, you have the right attitude. The more people that ride that area, the safer it will be. Keep vigilant, though. Ride with attitude. Watch out for others.

Yep, that's my local path. It's not an MUP, btw, bikes only. I only ride early in the morning there, so I've never seen any trouble.

It's always good to carry pepper spray and cell phone.

I think the non-gangbangers that live there might object to the bomb plan

Well, then tell both of them what's going on.

I think the non-gangbangers that live there might object to the bomb plan
If their not the gang members then they are the parents that created them. Either way, burn it.

So where are the people who clean our houses and offices, take care of our lawns, and raise our children supposed to live?

;)

I think that Culver City and the city of Los Angeles should drop a bomb on the neighborhood adjacent to the path where all of the little gang bangers live. Just lock the gates around the "neighborhood" and set it ablaze. Anyone running out gets shot. I am so sick and tired of these little *******s assaulting people and throwing stuff at cyclists as we ride by. To Hell with them all.

I hate, really do hate to resurrect this post, let me say- but I feel it might be worthy just to let know that this has changed my mind about it and it's a good thing it was still around.

I've just started biking again, and biking in Culver City for the first time, and I've been taking the path from Sepulveda down to the beach and on towards Redondo etc, and even driving through those projects at times freaks me out- and I've lived here my whole life. I second that the projects should just be blown out or lined with solid electrified fences..

Thanks to the guy who mentioned exiting Sawtelle and reentering around Centinela, I think I might start taking that route because it's better to be safe than sorry. I for one am not wanting to crash on my carbon fiber bike and have to buy a new one thanks to some punks.. yes I'm thinking about my bike before my own well being- hahaha... but yea. Even after a solid week-2 of riding every other day, I haven't seen anything there other than one unsavory looking guy and it's better not to chance it when I ride alone I think.

Thanks again for the heads up- coincidentally, I just found the post because I was looking for people looking for riding partners around Culver City :P

I used to commute on that trail in the 80s. I can't quite remember if I got on east or west of the 405. I lived on Sawtelle near Venice at the time.

Oh geez. Any of you need directions back to namby pamby land? :thumb:

You're more likely to get flattened on the street by some dumb-**** soccer mom driving and texting and drinking coffee in her SUV than you are to get mugged on the bike path. There are regular street-sweepers and police cars that patrol the path, ferchrissakes.

seconded^

been riding there for a few weeks and feel safer there than having all the cars trying to hit me on the roads in the area. but thanks anyways for the heads up.

-0dd

I prefer riding the streets than going thru Mar Vista on the path. There's a nice mup down Culver Blvd from Overland to about Lincoln.

I happen to live on that stretch of Mcdonald between Sawtelle and Inglewood that you folks are talking about as a detour. (In fact, there is probably a good chance that you've seen me working on my bikes in my driveway as you ride by). I have been riding the Ballona Creek Bike Path for nearly 30 years, and have never had a problem. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Obviously, it has happened to some people.

I recommend using some common sense. It's true that when problems have occured, they usually have been near Mar Vista Gardens, so taking the bypass isn't a bad idea. Also, try to avoid it in the pre-dawn hours or after dark. The one time I found a certified crazy person in the last year, it was under the Lincoln Avenue overpass. It was just some looney shouting at thin air. As it happens, I ran into a LAPD squad car on the bike path about ten minutes later. I let them know what was going on, and they immediately went to check it out.

I've ridden that path countless times with my wife and kids, and I'm thankful that it's there.

BTW, please feel free to stop and say "Hi" if you see me working on my bikes. You can't miss the house. It's a two-story house with a large RV trailer in the driveway. The license plate on my tow vehicle says "MrBcycl." I usually drag my park stand out of the garage and work on my bikes in the sunshine and fresh air. I also sit and drink my coffee every morning out there to keep the neighborhood cats company.