Lacumo

I put this in the NE Regional forum, but I'm putting it here also in the hopes of getting it in front of a larger number of readers.

https://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...MPLATE=DEFAULT

I guess the moral of the story is to always keep your eyes open, think preventively and defensively and never let your guard down when you're on bike paths.

anthonybkny

the crazies are everywhere!

kingsqueak

The sick part is, since he wasn't properly dispatched on site, he'll be processed through the system and freed because he is "ill" and we don't do anything substantive to contain the insane anymore.

When people have nothing to lose or live for, family, a house etc they can just keep repeating this type of behavior. The system forgives it. The system only works on people who have something to miss.

Whatever Giuliani did and whatever Bloomberg stopped the city from doing, the homeless are starting to pop up again lately.

Murray Missile 

That applies EVERYWHERE, not just on bike paths.

anthonybkny

You always hear about bums lashing out and doing crazy stuff like this. I always watch these dudes

Jed19

Yep.

UnfilteredDregs

The homeless popping up again has more to do with the economy than who is mayor. If anything the city has become safer during Bloomberg's admin; of course he took over wher Giuliani started. Rudy did an amazing amount of work to knock crime down here.

UnfilteredDregs

People often are oblivious of their surroundings when indulging a leisurely activity. Sadly, it's good to always be on watch; situational awareness is paramount.

Murray Missile 

I find that this condition expands well beyond leisurely activities, a good portion of our population is just plain oblivious to anything beyond their own existence and in some cases I have doubts about even that.

UnfilteredDregs

Agreed.

WonderMonkey

I think we are all open for these types of attacks at various times of the day. It's easy to point fingers at those less enlightened than us uber aware bikers when in fact if someone wants to take you off your bike they are going to do it and chances are you won't see if coming if they don't want you to. I seriously doubt all us "in the know" ride around with our heads on a swivel aware of every fly and analyzing each and every person and potential situations, etc. If you don't think so the next time you are on a path or road when you go by someone standing there or you pass them ask yourself "Could they have taken me off the bike?". The answer is "yes", most likely.

We can be "reasonably cautious" and that's all we can do, else you just stay inside and hide in your room.

vol

Maybe it's a good idea to try to keep strangers beyond arm's reach at all time?

Lacumo

Kingsqueak---Your statement that "we don't do anything substantive to contain the insane anymore" is unarguably correct and it's correct with regard to far more than just the whack-O's like the one in the news story I posted. As I look at the present administrative travesty in Washington, I see uncontained, dangerous and insanely irresponsible behavior regarding which your statement is also totally applicable and correct. The inmates are literally running the asylum while American society is sitting idly around, watching television and allowing this lunacy to go on.

chaadster

Yeah, take capital punishment, for example. It's not a deterrent to someone whacked-out enough to shoot a bunch of innocent people, but it sure as hell would be a deterrent for me if it were applied to things like jaywalking, expired parking meters and speeding!