I remember last year a BF member started a thread here about how he got knocked off his bike and roughed up while some others from the group of assailants made off with his ride. If memory serves, he got his bike back from a guy who bought it from the thief, and he even got his medical expenses covered by generous donations from sympathetic BF members. Even though his story had a somewhat happy ending, I'm sure there are both physical and emotional scars left from the incident.
His story left me somewhat shaken and even though crime levels here in my conservative Canadian hometown pale in comparison to what he faced, I took his experience to heart: I make sure to vary my route, keep a vigilant eye out for questionable groups/individuals, and always try to give myself an escape route. I believe that violence begets violence so, while I am willing to defend myself and my property, I leave the pepper spray and the Glock at home. I also keep in mind that no bike is worth my life and they can have it (and my wallet, phone, etc.) if it comes to that.
Last edited by irclean; 10-16-10 at 04:44 PM.