Originally Posted by
Inisfallen
I don't know. It happens, unfortunately, here in NYC. And crime, including violent crime, is on the rise. It's a byproduct of a lot of things -- the pandemic-induced economic disruption, which had all kinds of unpredicted effects over and above a huge rise in unemployment, and the protests over the killing of George Floyd and the resulting police disengagement from the city.
And sometimes it's hard to outrun someone on foot. I'm over sixty, multiple joint replacements, and I ride an undergeared folding bike.
I finish work around 11:00 pm. I've had some moments riding home. Yes, I know that it's possible to be surprised on the West Side greenway, and have insufficient time (and space) to get away from the situation.
Fair enough--the biggest key to self defense is to know where your strengths and vulnerabilities are. I have at least one bike path I avoid because I think it would be easy for a mugger to set up an ambush. Mostly, I rely on my speed and evasion skills to keep me out of trouble. I did pull the "I have your license plate and called 911" bluff once when a driver stopped with the clear intent of ambushing me, he drove off really fast. That was after the first time he tried to cut me off on the right side of the road and didn't anticipate my going to his left and running a red light to get away from him.