Gotte

Relates to this on UK roads:

https://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/...le_152443.html


That's dated October 29. I've read a later report that says there been six such incidents over a couple of counties in the south of England. So it seems like it's spreading, and it seems there's talk of them being akin to "happy slapping", which I assume means the people doing it are probably videoing it on mobile phones.

Anyway, while riding back home last night, I was thinking how you could lessen the damage to yourself should such an incident occur. Of course, without it happening, it's almost impossible to know what strategies would work to keep you up or lessen the damage if you come off.
I wondered about attaching a mirror for one, so you could see who was coming and how close they were (they'd have to be pretty close, I figure, to push you), and also to maybe put off any wouldbe assailant (they might think twice if they thought you'd got a look at them). I also wondered about simply riding with your hand over the rear brake so you could jam it on should you be pushed.
Maybe you should try and steer out of it if you have the room. I'm guessing instinct would have you put your foot down, but I'm also guessing that would just pivot you over.

Luckily for me, I live in Manchester, and so no where near the areas described, but the drivers up here can be pretty anti cyclist, and I know how these things are apt to spread.

Of course, I suppose riding on the pavement would be the safest thing to do, but is it better to give up the road and avoid what could be a pretty nasty injury if pushed into a stationary car, or stand your ground and hope for the best.

I don;t know, as if commuting wasn't dangerous enough...

knobster

I think a mirror would help a lot in this situation. I hear a car coming from behind and I immediately start watching it in my mirror. If the car doesn't move over then I simply move off the road or take more of the lane. I had a side mirror touch my jacket once and since then, I ride much more cautiously.

thdave

Sad tale.

I don't know what strategies could work against such a fiend, except faith--that the system will work and the guy will get caught or stop, and that you'll do your best to react quickly if he comes for you.

Sounds like a helmet will help, and possibly a mirror.

ilikebikes

I figure you can always kick someones ass for doing it, or shoot em in the leg? Im sure that will keep them from doing it to somebody else.

ax0n

Only criminals have guns in the UK, though. Doesn't work too well for law-abiding cyclists.

Some kids drove next to a friend of mine, then threw a broomstick javelin-style right into his front wheel as they took off. That was a mess. I also read of someone who had a passenger open a door into a cyclist while passing to knock them over. My defense for such asshattery as this is to keep 360-degree situational awareness at all times. You'd probably see someone sticking their head, hands , or object out a window, see a door opening up, or have some other hint that something was wrong before it happened, as long as you're paying attention. I let my peripheral vision take care of what's off to the side of me. It also lets me know when things are in my mirror. I always observe what's coming up behind me, even if just for a moment.

In the end, however, there are no guarantees anything would work. If someone wants to cause you problems, they can probably do it, and there's not much you can do. In my opinion, it's not worth living in fear of it. You have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting happy-slapped off your bike. There's very little you can do to control what happens in a situation like that.

ilikebikes

That kinda suck for the law-abiding cyclists/citizen and its a point most legal gun owners here in the states are trying to make. they cant get the guns away from the criminals so they think it makes sense to take guns away from legal gun owners? yeah, that will even things up! Im sure your right when you say,"there are no guarantees anything would work" there are a lot of useless skin sacks out there using up our oxygen!

ax0n

For what it's worth, here in the good ol' USA, packing heat is a legal option in many states. The problem then is that it still doesn't deter this kind of stunt, it just gives you a potentially lethal retaliation option, assuming you still have the wherewithal to safely aim and fire after taking a header.

While I love my second amendment, I can't say that a gun is going to help in a situation like this.

lil brown bat

The real solution is to find out who did it and lay a hurt on 'em. Legal, physical, whatever. Ugly and public. This kind of "fun" becomes a lot less fun when it's got consequences.

CliftonGK1

I'm not sure about how well it would work if someone were pushing your from behind (which is what the article made it sound like) but I've had people pull up next to me and try to push me after yelling and harassing me. One time I simply grabbed the guy's arm and yanked on it, trying to pull him out of the car. The other time I smacked a guy with my frame pump.
Thankfully it's only been twice in almost 20 years of serious riding that this has happened. I can cope with it if people are only severe a-holes to me an average of once a decade.

Sixty Fiver

Spacial awareness, a mirror, and a helmet are a good start.

I have never had a problem like this here (bike tipping) although some driver's behaviour has caused me to get off my bike and if I have to get off my bike there's almost a certain guarantee that it isn't going to be pretty for you or whatever you might be driving.

Attempts to injure and threats of violence will get me off my bike and I'm thinking that if someone tried to knock me off my bike and failed they would wish they had taken the bus.

I don't take well to things like this and once had some rednecks (of whom I was acquainted) toss an empty whiskey or beer bottle at me while I was riding...it missed me by inches and had it struck me instead of a street sign I probably would have been seriously injured.

Imagine their surprise when they stopped and left their truck and discovered how fast I can ride when I am pissed off. Their surprises didn't end there as they made me get off my bike and took great offense to my kicking the ever loving crap out of their POS truck.

I offered them a choice... it was either the truck (it was actually pretty shiny) or them and they unwisely chose both.

What can I say... I was twenty and not the calm and peaceful person I am now.

Mind you...there's a guy driving a rather dented Expedition around the city right now as he tried to run some cyclist off the road at an intersection and for some reason the now 42 year old cyclist did not take well to that at all and still has some mad skills on and off the bike.

As always... YMMV.

JeffS

Puhleeeze... more people are shot accidentally, or by spouses, or because a gun was already in the house than by "criminals"

You might want to do a little more research on crime statistics and a little less knee-jerk defense of your "rights" if you want to make an informed decision.

I'm neither pro nor anti-gun... but I do know enough to realize that the "I'm safer with a gun" argument is inaccurate.

makeinu

Someone tried to do this to me last month. It was two pedestrians. They said, "Give me that bike!" and pushed me as I was riding past.

I stopped, picked up my bike to swing it at them and they ran away. I'm worried what might happen if future assailants have a gun or knife. It seems the only way to stop people from pushing your side is to aim for them, but I can't ride around aiming for pedestrians and there is no way of telling whether or not they are going to attack me until it is too late.

cccorlew

I'm always amazed with these retaliation tales. It takes me some work to get my frame pump off the bike when I'm not moving, what with the velcro and all. It isn't going to happen fast enough o ever get a chance to "weaponize" it. And dragging a guy through a window while I'm on my bike? No way. Not that I wouldn't like to.

I do rather like the idea of beating up a car, but again, my frame pump isn't going to cause much damage, nor is anything else i commute with. I could squirt water at offenders, but again, by teh time i get the water bottle out they're generally long gone.

Maybe I should watch more James Bond movies for action hero tips. Or consider a handlebar mounted always-at-the-ready rocket launcher.

newbojeff

I stopped keeping my U lock bracketed on my bike because a) I was sick of hauling it around (I now leave it at work) and b) I was getting close to launching it through someone's back window. I'm much calmer now.

Industrial

Doesn't sound like there is anything you could do to prevent this. You could commute in full futuristic body armor?


Extreme freeride/dh people typically wear this stuff. Doesn't look too uncomfortable but I don't know how practical this would be. Kinda like wearing a bullet proof vest all the time in the US.

evblazer

I remember riding a few days with brass knuckles on after getting hit by a mirror, someone slapping my back, yelled at and then slushied all in one or two days. Being at the ready starying at my mirrors had to be the most stressful few days I've ever had. I didn't have a ulock at the time nor is mine accessable that I have now.
Similar to these but had more bulk on the outside of the fist for denting/breakage.

I've never been pushed by hands though that is crazy. It isn't a big step from some folks leaning out of windows and then screaming right behind you as they drive realy close to pass you. I even put my halt away so I don't think about spraying at those folks when I catch them at a light.

I always have at least a finger or two on each brake and try and make sure I know where all vehicles/peds are when where they are going.

ItsJustMe

Camera so you could identify the assailant.
Mirror - I watch EVERY car that's coming up from behind me, and if they look suspicious or like they're not moving over enough, I keep an eye on them.
I was going to suggest something like a bag of steel balls to toss in front of their windshield if someone tries to do a drive-by; hopefully you'd break their windshield. The problem though is that unless you have convincing camera evidence, they could stop and say that they didn't do anything, you just threw something through their windshield for no reason.

Honestly I think using a mirror and keeping awareness, and if you think there's an increased likelihood, run a camera.

GCRyder

I am reluctant to get into this, but to put it gently, that's nonsense. I've been studying crime reports and statistics for years, and can guarantee they won't support that absurd statement about accidents and spousal shootings. (And last I checked, shooting your spouse usually makes you a "criminal.") That statement sounds suspiciously like the specious product of a "study" from Connecticut that was a favorite of the Bradyites for several decades, but which turned out to have been mostly fabricated. (And WTF is "because a gun was already in the house" supposed to mean? That's a motive I don't recall ever seeing in the Uniform Crime Reports or the National Crime Victim Survey.) If anyone warrants a condescending "Puhleeeze," it's people who so readily blurt out such nonsense.

One can't make an "informed decision" on this issue from crime reports. Prevented crimes don't get reported. Crime stats that are kept don't tell how often a crime was brought to an end, or kept from escalating, by someone's legal, armed response or intervention. Those who actually study such things for academic and forensic purposes have found that legal, preventive/defensive use of guns occurs hundreds of times more frequently than accidental shootings.

Of course, if you believe having a gun in your house would provoke haunting, paranormal forces that could compel you to shoot your spouse, then by all means, don't have one. Same goes if you're a hot-head who would blast away at the neighbors' house because their TV is too loud. But please don't assume that the rest of us have the same problems.

CastIron

I don't think is much you can do on the prevention side other than picking your route and being hyper aware of your surroundings. Fact is, being on a bike in public does entail a certain amount of risk. So does getting out of bed in the morning.

Your likely better off pushing your elected officials towards a more global solution and getting more press for those caught and prosecuted. Simply put: the world is full of poorly raised children.

CastIron

Good grief. A guns isn't a viable option for the OP's scenario/locale. Leave it be folks.

kyselad

Exactly. The gun issue has been beaten to death on these boards. Unless you have a magic 6th sense that prevents you from getting pushed over/knocked out in the first place, the gun doesn't influence this situation one way or the other.

BikingGrad80

I agree a grenade or rocket would be much more appropriate.

Sixty Fiver

Having Spidey sense helps too.

wethepeople

Eventually karma catches up with them, and we can only hope when it does they are stupid enough to have it on film.

Like these fools:
https://www.youtube.com/results?searc...ilter=1&page=3

DieselDan

As for the gun: Using one to prevent a violent criminal act is acceptable. Using one to retaliate after the crime has been committed is a crime itself. A gun will not be a deterrent in most situations like posted.