lacollins4

Hello,
I recently bought a hybrid and have been working on getting fit. I really want to commute to work. Its 11 miles one way. My problem is that my commute will take me into a not so great neighborhood. Its only the last 2 miles. I've been driving the route i would take and it looks good until i get close to the office. Concerns me because I'm a solo female rider. Anybody ride through sketchy places? Any advice?
Thanks

RALEIGH_COMP 

hello fellow Orange County resident! i know what you mean, OC is VERY diverse. i go from Anaheim to Fullerton,(7.5mi) and it goes from nice to not so nice like 4 times on my route. Is this neighborhood totally unavoidable or would it add too much time/distance to find and alternate route? Aside from just kinda braving it, i'd think that an alternate route would be best. maybe carry some pepper spray or something like that if you felt it was necessary...?

Just curious, what city/ neighborhood is your "not so nice" area?

MichaelW

Try an figure out an alt route, maybe loop around.
If you do find yourself in dubious neighbourhoods, don't stop. If you really have to stop, look around before stopping, the usual personal security stuff you would use. Stay away from the curb and keep in a lowish gear so you have some acceleration.
Try and find 3 or more regular routes and vary them.
Fit some tyres with very good puncture protection such as Schwalbe Marathon Plus.
Keep phone, wallet and keys on your person not the bike.

Cfiber

Just ride a beater bike, look homeless, and wear sunglasses.

lacollins4

I dont think there is much of an alternative route. I live in Cypress and i work in Anaheim/Fullerton. Right by Harbor and La Palma.Raleigh_Comp I'm sure you are familiar with that area.

the sci guy 

solution:

Dress like this


(or how about a buddy system? phone relay?)

zacster

I rode through the south Bronx yesterday, the epitome of bad neighborhoods, but it was fine. I'm a 58 year old guy, but I did pass a 20 something along the way and she looked totally out of place.

Would I do the same in LA? Probably not.

WonderMonkey

I am male and taller so my fears are different than yours. I do get a few "HEY WHITE BOY!" type remarks but I think it is mostly people entertaining themselves.

My advice to you is the same as if you were walking to your vehicle in a parking lot. Be aware of your surroundings. Know the bad spots to be caught in that give you less chance to pedal like hell to get out. If you are riding along are there places that if there are people (bus stops, etc) that it would be better to be on the other side of the road? Always know what is around you. Look at maps and know the area in case you need to turn down a street to escape a vehicle. Don't be afraid to go through a stop light if you know it is safer than an alternative. <- That one is dangerous so use with EXTREME caution. Do you have a loud whistle you can wear around your neck? Pepper spray? Wear subdued colors. Don't hesitate to give up your bike if it means you escape.

Don't respond if spoken to. If approached to ask for directions just go. Leave. Don't react if called horrible names. Just go. Leave.

And on and on. Over prepare in knowing the area and get through quickly and make yourself a harder target.

Cfiber

Not responding when spoken to can also get you beaten up, the next time you're seen.

IMO, if you look like prey, you'll get treated like prey. Just try to feel relaxed, look confident, but have few words or expressions. A casual nod will be just fine. However, don't allow it to be interpreted as a snear. If you look like you can handle yourself and don't look afraid, you'll be respected for that alone. You don't have to look like you love anybody. Just act like you respect everybody. You know. Just follow the golden rule. Don't look friendly or unfriendly. Keep a poker face while wearing sunglasses.

You could also carry a walkie talkie and have someone on the other end use police lingo, during a certain time frame. Dress accordingly.

Also sunglasses work. Mirrored glasses work even better! They make you harder to read.

WonderMonkey

That can be true. I can also invite more attention. Game-time call. For example in the "Hey do know how to get to ..." question ... what should you do? So many potential outcomes.

Rhodabike

I sometimes ride through a part of town that is mostly poor and aboriginal to get to a pool that I swim at on weekends. People don't really notice me and many of them are also riding bikes in this neighbourhood. Just keep pedalling, be relaxed yet confident. If you look like you're minding your own business, they'll probably mind theirs.

wolf33

Don't know what the local laws/regulations are in CA, but can only assume they're as bad, if not worse, than MA. My suggestion would be to pickup some bear spray/mace. You could literally attach it to your bike and most people would assume it was a bike pump or some other tool, wouldn't think twice. The only caution would be to make sure you're wearing sunglasses if you have to use it. It should at the very least buy you enough time to get away and hopefully restore some confidence.

Erwin8r

I too commute into a very bad part of town from a very nice part of town (relatively speaking). I've lived in these "bad part of towns" all my youth. Follow Cfibers advice: look unimpressed, like you belong, wear shades, and if anyone ever talks to you (doubtful), short answers and nods work well. But keep pedaling. Ignoring, or outward display of "weapons" only encourage rudeness and possibly worse. Just chill, keep pedaling, and ride a subdued bike. If the homeboys ever ask for your bike, give it to them. If they say "nice bike," say "thanks," and keep pedaling. If your commute is rush hour, I'd say you'll be fine. There is some stupid sense of honor among the typical Ana-crime gangster, and that generally means leaving "civilians" alone--but there are no rules with the meth heads...

Cfiber

I've found that most "bad" neighborhoods aren't really as "bad" as most people expect. Also, don't forget the fact that more good people live in "bad" neighborhoods, than "bad" people. There are also more "bad" people in "good" neighborhoods, than you might ordinarily expect.

lacollins4

Thanks for all your advise. I'm going to give it a go tomorrow. I put some gatorskins on my bike last weekend so they are better than the stock tires i had. I'll be riding around 7:30am and there are lots of moms walking kids to school at that time.I plan on staying on major streets and i have my sister on stand by just in case. I'm looking forward to the adventure and a little scared. I like the whistle idea! and will pick up some mace in a couple of days.

Cfiber

I suspect that it's really not that bad. I can only hope that you're slightly over reacting. Good Luck!

tarwheel 

That's a tough call, particularly since you are female. My advice would be to keep moving as much as possible at a good pace. Make sure your tires are in good shape and well inflated. I would try not to make eye contact or engage in conversation with people on the streets. Anyone trying to talk to a cyclist, when you have to stop, is probably up to no good. Just smile and keep moving. Also, I would vary your route. Criminals will usually target or case their prey. If you follow the same route every day, at the same times, that would make you an easier target.

I ride through one "iffy" neighborhood, but it is probably like suburbia compared to LA. The neighborhood is a grid, so I can actually follow several different streets through it -- or avoid the it altogether on another hillier route. I try to mix up my commute through that neighborhood so I am not passing through the same streets at the same times every day.

robert schlatte

My experience with bad neighborhoods is you don't have to be too concerned in hours that you will be going to work and coming home. The bad actors that will give you trouble are still asleep in the morning and have not come out for the night on your way home. Plus, in the afternoon there are too many people out and about that will deter the bad guys from doing anything that could be witnessed. Whistle is a good idea though.

Leisesturm

Bear/Pepper Spray? Sunglasses? Street Scowl? Adventure? You know what I think? I think this thread is a thinly veiled attempt to get "sketchy" parts of town and "homeboys" into the discussion once again. I mean... it doesn't sound like the o.p. is just passing through this 'not so nice' part of town, it sounds like s/he supposedly works there. Who better to know the lay of the land and know whether this is a sensible plan or not. I saw this post when it had 12 responses. I've held my fire even though there has been just one inane response after the other. Typical for this kind of common sense topic. One poster observed that in the worst neighborhoods there are mostly good people just going about the business of life. I'm not sure what the gender of the o.p. is supposed to elicit. Concern? Why? Is **** of commuter cyclists a common phenomenon? There is plenty to discuss about commuting without having to drag the underprivileged into the discussion.

H

WonderMonkey

That's true I've found. However those few bad people are the ones to worry about. Also it's good to over-prepare and have nothing happen than under-prepare and have something happen that could have been dealt with.

WonderMonkey

Underprivileged? Where in the thread does it talk about that? I get more trouble along a certain stretch of my commute than I do others. Who says they are "underprivileged" people? YOU made that assumption. And at what point have you interviewed all the people in that area to find out if they are "underprivileged" or not? I think the vast majority of people are as "privileged" as the next. What you do with that privilege is up to the individual.

The OP has a right to be concerned. Females are in a different position than a males when it comes to attacks. Who is more likely to get attacked, a 5'5" female or me, a 6'2" male? The female. So it matters.

If you want to drag an honest question into some sort of society soap box then you are in the wrong forum. Go somewhere else and preach and find ways to turn conversations into something they are not.

Number400

Jeez, we all know ignorance comes in all colors and communities...if the OP does not feel safe, they do not feel safe, get over it.

So, read up on safety tips and create a plan of action in the event that you find yourself being harassed or a possible victim of a crime. Does not have to be fancy, just a few things you can memorize or practice to draw upon in a stressful situation.

A few that I follow:
- Create distance. In bicycle terms, it means putting the bicycle in between yourself and the aggressor, weather it is a person or an animal.
- Make noise if you are uncomfortable. Even if you just yell "Thief", or "Call the Police", if you feel that you may be in danger. It might offend someone who is coming up to ask you for directions, but better safe than sorry.
- Ensure that your co-workers know when to expect you and which route you take. You could have someone call you during your ride to check your progress.
- Have an escape route/safe haven. This could be frequently noting the nearest open business or largest group of people that you see each block. You can also look up business and their hours along the route ahead of time.
- Take a basic self defense class at the Y, or local community center.

You cannot account for every situation you may encounter but you can at least have some preparation for the basics. I have been attacked on the street in a totally random act of violence. I was only 14 at the time and was walking down the street with my 9 year old brother when a man stepped in front of me and asked me if I owed him something. I said "what?", and then was hit in the face and knocked down and kicked in the head while my brother was frozen there, terrified. There was no warning, no reason, no nothing. That experience taught me a few things about life and I have prepared and walk/ride/run confidently and with full awareness everywhere I go because of it. I don't carry a pistol (I used to, but got over that pretty quickly), and honestly, don't ever want to have to make a life or death decision.

On top of other things, check out the Kimber Pepperblaster II. It is non-lethal personal protection in a solid, sturdy, and stable form. You can also buy a training version to get comfortable and accurate using it.

RALEIGH_COMP 

So why did you?

lacollins4

Wow. Seriously. It was just a concern and wanted to know how others handle going through different parts of town. Safety tips, etc...Are certain members just waiting to post there suspicions of individuals and there negative views? What a shame. I was excited to get to work and post how it went but after reading some comments. why share...

fietsbob

What is the History of how it came to be not so nice?

it used to be Orange groves, an orchard.