Robbed and Beaten on SART 2/04/12 at 2:30 PM

[Garfield Cat]

I was the guy jacked at 2:30 on Sat, Feb 4th. After a couple weeks of thinking about what happened and returning to the crime area I am pretty sure the thugs had a look out on the overpass bridge or the other side of the river with a phone. The lookout could see up and down the path and make the setup perfect for the thugs. They knew what to do, went right for my jersey pockets as they kicked my head. Within 5 min's the cell phone in my bag was off and never re-started. Arrests have been made but I do not expect the Madone to be returned. With bike, gear, iPhone, Node 2 speedometer, helmet cracked, clothing ruined, and tax $4482.00.

I spoke to the resident of the underpass and thanked him for the help he gave me the day it happened. He was nervous with me around and I slipped him a twenty and thanked him again.

Let us know when you're getting a new bike.

[mjsocal]

I was the guy jacked at 2:30 on Sat, Feb 4th. After a couple weeks of thinking about what happened and returning to the crime area I am pretty sure the thugs had a look out on the overpass bridge or the other side of the river with a phone. The lookout could see up and down the path and make the setup perfect for the thugs. They knew what to do, went right for my jersey pockets as they kicked my head. Within 5 min's the cell phone in my bag was off and never re-started. Arrests have been made but I do not expect the Madone to be returned. With bike, gear, iPhone, Node 2 speedometer, helmet cracked, clothing ruined, and tax $4482.00.

I spoke to the resident of the underpass and thanked him for the help he gave me the day it happened. He was nervous with me around and I slipped him a twenty and thanked him again.

I'm glad you were able to go back to the crime scene for your own mind's sake. Hard to explain what I mean. You're prob right about the lookout. That's what people have been saying and it seems you confirmed it.

That's quite a loss you've had...over 4K on top of being assaulted. It's just f'd up. Sorry.

[mjsocal]

Damn, glad you're alive and well. Yeah, the homeless residents are nothing to worry about and are extremely harmless—from what I've seen, just people down on their luck. It's those thugs I'm afraid of—especially since they're getting smarter and realize more and more that the SART is seriously just like shooting fish in a barrel.

That's why I'm currently trying to buy an older steel frame and will build a beater/lockup I can ride to work. Basically something that won't look expensive, even though I'll probably have my spare 6700 group on it.

Yeah...homeless people are usually harmless. In fact, statistically, they are victimized more than the general public due to mental illness and/or drug abuse. It's messed up.

Anyways, good idea about your "junker bike." More people should do this.

[ZippyThePinhead]

[...] Trying to take someone prisoner is a really, really, REALLY bad idea.

There have been more than a few bad ideas shared in this thread.

[rubic]

This thread is still going? It's sort of like an easy target, a softball.

[Rimmer]

But I wonder what would happen if you knew you might be in trouble, sped up and tried to run one of the guys over? You might get hurt in the ensuing crash, but you might get hurt in the attack as well, so either way there's going to be pain, but at least you have a chance of hurting one of them really bad. And if you break the bike in the process their leaving without it so at least you have the components. And the other good part about hurting one of them is that they could all flee in fear, or still try to take the bike, but now there's one less person trying to beat you up and maybe, just maybe had a chance to defend yourself better depending on the outcome of the impact. Also maybe if you hurt someone bad enough that person can't flee but the others do, now you have a prisoner, whip out the zip ties and tie his thumbs together!! Obviously this is all just speculative, nothing in situations like that work out the way we want it to. But at least you weren't killed.

I wasn't there so I can't say if the rider had a chance to turn around and flee the other way. or had a chance to hit one of the assailants, or was so surprised he could do nothing.

But I agree with another poster that the hoods probably had a lookout some place.

Thinking of countermeasures is good. Just wondering what would happen if you tried to run over them going say 15 or 20 mph?

[toobspunk]

Countermeasures: http://www.eta.co.uk/2012/02/13/stol...ked-covert-gps

[Rimmer]

^ That's amazing.

[zenout]

sart is a drag....i go no where without a 380 in my seat pack....i keep an extra clip too......this is so cal....its war zone...sadly

[zenout]

screw the law.....let them arrest me....380 semi always with me...yes ill be in trouble with the law but ill be in trouble while being alive on pch riding near county. line.ive had enough of these thugs and i ready for one or more...its enough

[ocsawdust]

disturbing thread as it is just a couple of miles if that from me. i have not rode the sart recenty, but know there are many scarey spots, tunnels, narrow areas, blind spots. if a shopping cart was pushed in front of me...... wasp spray might be my spray of choice.

[Flying Merkel]

screw the law.....let them arrest me....380 semi always with me...yes ill be in trouble with the law but ill be in trouble while being alive on pch riding near county. line.ive had enough of these thugs and i ready for one or more...its enough

Unless a gang takes you out by surprise and takes the .380 away. Gun in the seat pack just means our little friends get a bonus.

[TJClay]

screw the law.....let them arrest me....380 semi always with me...yes ill be in trouble with the law but ill be in trouble while being alive on pch riding near county. line.ive had enough of these thugs and i ready for one or more...its enough

Sounds like another internet tough guy........

[Creakyknees]

sart is a drag....i go no where without a 380 in my seat pack....i keep an extra clip too......this is so cal....its war zone...sadly

if you are going to carry, at least get some training and think it through... no way you can get a pistol out of a seat pack in time to counter what happened to MJClark.

[treebound]

In before the thread lock

Anyway, to the OP, sorry this happened and glad you survived physically intact for the most part.

I used to live in Costa Mesa back in the 1980's to early 1990's. There was a section of the river trail that went through a tunnel/pass-under right near the Santa Ana and Costa Mesa border. I stopped, looked around, and decided that I'd be safer riding on the roads than through that. Never did get to ride the whole river path. It is a shame that an otherwise nice bicycle thruway can be so affected by criminal types.

And, for the record, thieves come in all shapes and genders and colors and nationalities and appearances. If I've learned anything in my life, you truely can't judge a book by it's cover, although the cover and surroundings and mannerisms can give one cause to consider taking a different route.

May your next ride be safe and uneventfull.

(not subscribing due to living elsewhere now, just posting because the subject line caught my eye on the main page. carry on. )

[Jed19]

I wonder whether a "Take Back the SART" ride can be organized on the SART. I am envisioning a weekend ride from somewhere north SART to the Beach. We can send invitations to the news media (newspapers, radio and television stations) for publicity.

The SART is too valuable a cycling resource to abandon to thugs. Maybe the publicity can intimidate the goons.

I still won't ride the SART when it's dark, but a 2:30PM attack on a weekend is still unbelievable to me.

[rekmeyata]

Thinking of countermeasures is good. Just wondering what would happen if you tried to run over them going say 15 or 20 mph?

Good chance the person being hit at 15 to 20 would either be killed or in the hospital for a long time. Of course the rider may have their own problems with injuries, but something tells me I would rather be the one on the bike not the one receiving the bike.

[rekmeyata]

Gun in the seat bag...right, you just got knocked off your bike now you're going to fumble around and try to get to your seat bag while their kicking and punching you, maybe stabbing and shooting you too. I have a pretty good bet your never going to make it to your gun, and like another poster said, they get your bike and your gun...NICE.

[eugenek]

Armed robbery even with enhancements usually gets something like 2-4 years. Probably serve even less now.

Armed robbery by itself is 2, 3, or 5 years. Criminal street gang enhancement (if the robbery was done for the benefit or at the direction of the gang) adds 10 years. Aggravated battery gives 2, 3, or 4 years, served concurrently with the robbery. Multiple victims mean multiple terms, though potentially served concurrently as well (depends on the lenience of the judge).

A term of 2-4 years is theoretically possible, if they get lucky with the judge and the prosecutor fails to prove the gang connection, but 10+ years should be more likely. When they get out, they will be in their thirties if not forties, and at that age people are less likely to reoffend.

[trip221]

Has anyone ridden the SART since the events? I'm looking at commuting to work a couple days a week and would be starting near Lincoln and going south to MacArthur. Would be around 6:30am so I would think it'd be pretty safe, but I guess you never know. Of course the benefits of commuting on the bike would not be worth being robbed and beaten. I'd be driving home and would think the hoodlums would be more likely to be trolling in the afternoon/evening. I'm pretty nervous, but have been wanting to commute for a long time now. Probably my only way to get weekday rides in.

[Rimmer]

And, for the record, thieves come in all shapes and genders and colors and nationalities and appearances. If I've learned anything in my life, you truely can't judge a book by it's cover, although the cover and surroundings and mannerisms can give one cause to consider taking a different route.

Why do you even bother saying that? Do women commit anywhere near as much crime as men? Hardly. Is an 85 year old man going to **** my butt? I don't think so.

[rooftest]

Good chance the person being hit at 15 to 20 would either be killed or in the hospital for a long time. .

Wut.

[John R]

Commuted home on SART every night this week. Three times from Costa Mesa to Yorba Linda and Twice from Westminster. My usual time coming home is 7pm. I have had no problems, but am super aware of my surroundings.I carry a can of Bear spray (mace). This stuff is more potent than pepper spray and can take out multiple assailants from a distance of 20 feet. It's available at Big 5 or most outdoor camping stores. It cost around $35.00.

[Mr. Beanz]

Is an 85 year old man going to **** my butt? I don't think so.

No, but he could be the spotter for the attackers (mentioned earlier). I've seen some 85 y/o dudes that would be more than happy to take 10% of the cut..

[chefxian]

sart is a drag....i go no where without a 380 in my seat pack....i keep an extra clip too......this is so cal....its war zone...sadly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP0OaUOQGCg