jpconrad

Watch it out there, guys...

Bicyclist Wounded In Pasadena Drive-By Shooting

(CBS) PASADENA, Calif. Police sought the assailant of a 37-year-old bicyclist shot in the stomach by an occupant of a late-model Chevrolet Impala, authorities said.

The shooting occurred about 11:10 p.m. Wednesday on North El Molino Avenue near East Claremont Street, said Pasadena police Lt. Randell Taylor.

The victim was with two friends, both men in their 20's, as he rode northbound on El Molino Avenue, Taylor said.

Just before Claremont Street, a silver Impala pulled up next to them and words were exchanged between the people in the car and the three men on the street. One of the vehicle's occupants pulled out a gun and fired a single shot, striking the bicyclist in the stomach, Taylor said.

The vehicle sped away, he said.

The victim was taken to a hospital in stable condition and was expected to survive, Taylor said, adding that no one else was hurt.

The shooting was not believed to be gang-related, Taylor said.

https://cbs2.com/local/local_story_235040850.html

bigdraft

Thats one area you don't want to find yourself in at that time of night. It's not your Beaver Cleaver sort of neighborhood. In fact it is da hood

hope the cyclist is ok

jpconrad

It's borderline, but it's not that bad of an area. Go further West, however...

bigdraft

When I taught at Pasadena HS, some of my students lived in that area and they had no problem flashing their favorite gang signs. But things have been changing in that area, simply because the value of almost any real estate here has helped shake out some of the riff raff

urbanknight

I've only been here for 2 weeks, but it seems that most of the area west of Lake isn't the best part of town. If there aren't any gangs, there is definitely gang mentality. When I was waiting for the gas man to turn on our gas my first day here, I saw a kid about 14 years old tooling around on a bike, stopping at every car door to see if it was unlocked.

But thanks, between this and the mountain lion being back, I might just become paranoid.

bigdraft

urbanknight, Pasadena has so many positives going for it, sometimes it's easy to overlook the negatives.

Btw, you're right about neighborhoods that lie west of Lake and above Washington, it's best to be heads up and take the necessary precautions so as not to enable those who would like to redistribute you're wealth into their pockets.

merider1

You know, I live in Sherman Oaks, and there are cars broken into and smashed into all the time. And I am awakened at least once every three months by helicopters flying around the neighborhood with the spotlight on. Point being, this can happen anywhere!

I feel badly for the cyclist and hope he fully recovers.

roadfix

That's a weekly occurance in mi barrio, usually preceeded by the sound of gunshots.

jpconrad

I ride through there frequently on Woodbury, but usually I go up Altadena when crossing through. I end up dropping down Lincoln frequently, too, but head west at Woodbury.

I don't like riding by the liquor stores at night, though.

heresy

I dare say most of us are not riding in that neighborhood late at night. I ride through that general area most Saturdays and it is ok during the day. Certainly a lot of cyclists passing through on the weekend.

spingineer

I used to live in Pasadena, and El Molino and Claremont is not one place I'd like to be, even in bright daylight (especially on El Molino, north of the 210 freeway).

urbanknight

That brings up a question. I usually ride Woodbury to get to the Rose Bowl or any points west. It seems pretty safe and well populated. Is that a good choice or am I just being naive? And yes, I do these rides in the light of day.

Oh, and the people on Lake buzz by me closer than any other street around here. Too bad that's how I have to start almost every ride.

spingineer

I would say Woodbury is fine, it's just that particular area by El Molino and Claremont is reallly dicey.

jpconrad

Woodbury by Fair Oaks blows, at least by the liquor store.

El Molino and Claremont isn't that bad.

merider1

I rode from Sherman Oaks all the way to Chantry Flats and back last Saturday. I hoped on Huntington (wide, wide road that was great). But on the way back, I couldn't find the side street I had hoped off onto Huntington from, so I inadvertently kept going. I got all the way to Monterey Ave. before I realized what I had done. THAT area seemed very sketchy to me. Where was I?

jpconrad

Don't you have a Garmin?

merider1

Look it, I only use that stupid *$#%@#$ garmin for the basics. I still don't know how to use the GPS function.

spingineer

I must have a memory leak in my head ... if you see some brain cells on the road, it might be mine. Oh well .. I guess it has been a while ... 9 years ...

spingineer

You might have been in El Sereno ... you really were off the mark. That area is okay in the daytime, but at night??? At least you made it back okay, that's what's most important.

merider1

You know? I do recall seeing a sign that said El Sereno. Is that near downtown? Near Hollywood? I was turned around at that point and just didn't know where I was.

Mo'Phat

I have to ask...well...I don't have to, but I want to, so I will ask:

Was this a 'cyclist', ie: a roadie, in cycling gear on a ride, or was it just some guy on a bike riding around his neighborhood?

What I'm saying is that it doesn't sound like the shooter was targeting some random cyclist in the middle of a 30 mile workout, but maybe it was a guy who didn't like another guy, and that other guy just happened to be riding a bike.

/just curious...as the 'bike' angle seems to be played up in the news more than it should be...sometimes a guy on a bike is just a guy who doesn't own a car, or is drunk, or has a suspended license, or whatever. But the news always says, "cyclist", which has an entirely different connotation to people that consider themselves cyclists, and not just a guy on a bike.

Turtle1

Congrats, you survived riding a bike through my hood. Yes, that's El Sereno and it's utter crap. It borders Highland Park and South Pasadena.

I knew if I followed this thread long enough, my hood would be mentioned




-Erik

Turtle1

I agree Mophat, but the part that leads me to believe that he could be a roadie is that he was with 2 other buddies. When I see dudes on DUI specials, they're usually riding solo. I dunno but there are just some places I won't ride after dark.

-Erik

merider1

Or, maybe they were Midnight Ridazz on their way to/from a ride, having a good time and some guy in the car with a 'tude and a gun decided to smart lip them - they smart lipped back, and "bang! bang!"

Turtle1

You've got a great imagination. I'd prefer to think that it was a group of dudes leaving their mandatory AA meeting that were all hopped up on coffee and cigs and would take no smart lip from the gangsta mobile's occupants. violence ensued.

BTW, when riding through sketchy areas I try to "sprint" to the safe part of town with the mindset that my life depends on it.