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Ugh, Philly isn't too safe either, which is why I try to avoid riding down dangers paths at night. I prefer to stick with the main avenues and have to deal with traffic and cops rather than these idiots.
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Originally Posted by kirkcubs
(Post 6685583)
Nothing says 'Thug Ride' like a Honda Element.
Honda Element usually says 'gay'. <-- Honda Element owner lol |
S&W 38 Special with 1&7/8 Barrel. Very small and powerful.
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CCW+P3AT FTW
I guess I have to type a lot of extra lower case stuff in here so that it doesn't make that lower case as well. |
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This is one situation where being 6'-3" and 260 actually helps on a bike.
Thug-like guys give me a wide berth when I'm riding sometimes. |
I keep a CETME strapped to the top tube. My jersey pockets are just the perfect size for the magazine.
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Originally Posted by jupiter422
(Post 6685424)
Hey, .44 magnum hollowpoints don't give the thugs very many options except to flee or die (either one is fine with me). The only difficulty is concealment under spandex/jerseys. I usually just keep it in the backpack in a very accessible way.
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Originally Posted by NickExxon
(Post 6686869)
Ah, the old G27. I have a G26 for that purpose without the mag extension. I hope that with 3+ years of USPSA experience 10 rounds of 9mm will be enough.
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Originally Posted by neo****zy
(Post 6684703)
This past Sunday, 5/11/08, I went out for an early evening ride around 8pm when the sun went down and the weather was nice and cool. About a mile and a half into the ride, a Honda Element drove up next to me and a loud voice yelled "F- YOU!" right out of the front passenger window. I could hear the guy laughing as the car sped off. It scared the hell out of me because it was so unexpected. Then about 17 miles into the ride, two young men on what looked like Huffy MTBs rode towards me and tried to play Chicken. Hence, I was forced off the shoulder of the bike path and I almost fell into the reservoir ravine. Then one of them piped up "Yo man, let me see your bike, ese!" These guys looked like trouble since they weren't wearing any bike gear and wearing white T-shirts and jeans. Without saying a word, I continued pedalling away and one of them shouted "Yo, let me ride your bike F-ker!" and the two turned their bikes around started chasing after me. I high tailed it outta there reaching speeds close to 30mph on the flat bike path. Those *******s were no match for the "Intrepid" and ended up eating dust.
What the hell happened to my city? I live in Irvine, supposedly one of the safest cities in the USA, only to be yelled at and chased by a bunch of hoodlums. The last time something like this happened was during high school when I grew up in Los Angeles. Back then, some freaking *******s jumped me and stole my bike and left me with a broken arm. The second incident really got me thinking twice about riding at night, even in a supposedly-safe city like Irvine on the bike paths. Irvine bike paths have great scenery and are great rides during the day, but at night, it is totally a different story. I am disappointed ... especially when I wanted to take advantage of the cooling summer evenings here in So Cal. :( |
I ride at night in Van Nuys! (That's about as Los Angeles as it gets.) When I ride at night (frequently) I find myself passing by all the undocumented workers as they ride their squeek-trap-MTB's home from day labor jobs. Never have I been or even felt threatened, not even once.
Reminds me of a funny incident the other day though. On an afternoon ride I passed one of the above-mentioned hard-working individuals as he rode along, probably between jobs. He was wearing corduory pants, beefy suede waffle-stomper shoes, no helmet, t-shirt, etc. His bike was squeeking like a hampster wheel, and the back wheel was wobbling and low on air. I passed him at Sepulvida in Van Nuys, going east on the bikeway near Oxnard street. I figured that would be the last I saw of him. He kept pace with me almost to Lankershim Station in North Hollywood. ...That's about seven miles. Brings a whole new meaning to HTFU. |
These hoodlums just had no respect for cyclists or for any human beings for that matter. I am 34 years old and I consider myself a pretty fit guy. It wasn't like I was a scrawny high school student of back when. These hoodlums were younger than me, that's for sure. What gets me mad is that Irvine isn't the type of city where people like these would want to hang out. The city is comprised primarily of a lot of office buildings and upper-middle class homes. I live in a neighborhood where people can leave their front doors open without worry. Now I am not so sure.
Pepper spray seems like a good idea. It's light and I can probably carry one in my jersey. I would love to practice my 2nd amendment rights, but that would probably land me in a place full of sodomizing hoodlums if I got caught carrying a piece in public ... if you know what I mean. Luckily being on a road bike has it's advantages of speed and agility, assuming you are in shape for it. Outrunning the two guys on the mountain bikes was easy. I just fear the ones in cars when I am not on a bike path. I learned growing up in a tough neighborhood in LA to just ignore and just go about your ways when dealing with these punks. If you get stopped and they threaten you with a weapon, just give them what they want, keep your mouth shut, and don't stare. Your life isn't worth gambling over money or valuables you may have on you. The only exception to this rule is when my wife and daughters are threatened. Then it is no-holds barred, baby! Daddy is taking the laws into his own hands! |
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Originally Posted by fthomas
(Post 6687056)
What path were you on? I'm in S. Ca not far from you and can say that it isn't safe at night around South Coast Plaza or SART for that matter. Neighbor out for a walk was held up at gun point on Sunflower.
If I ride at night, I should avoid riding Friday-Sunday when these places are busy. |
There's this scene in "Munich" where the hit men killed someone with a gun disguised as a bike pump. Humm, me wonders if there's not a market for these things.
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I get yelled at all the time while riding here in Texas. It's still surprises me everytime. Where is all this angst against cyclists coming from?
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Originally Posted by kirkcubs
(Post 6687266)
There's this scene in "Munich" where the hit men killed someone with a gun disguised as a bike pump. Humm, me wonders if there's not a market for these things.
from the main tube of the weapon. As for tactics in dealing with gang-bangers, there is simply nothing that works every time with all of them. Being meek will cause some of them to torment you more, to goad you into "being a man," while responding aggressively may or may not trigger rage. A display of firepower will not always work, especially if they are packing iron themselves. Even though I tend to pack heavy when riding at night, or in the daytime for that matter, I still try to avoid conflict if at all possible. (Until last summer, I was required to be armed at all times with a handgun of minimum .380 power; a policy change has made it optional, though .380 is still the minimum.) |
OC spray / pepper "gas" - watch the wind!
Oleoresin capsicum, a.k.a. pepper, in spray or stream form, can be extremely effective, but watch out for the wind! As has been true of chemical warfare since it was invented, the user can catch a dose of it himself. Even with little to no wind, there is still back-scatter or back-splash. Protective eyewear certainly helps; better to merely have tingling lips and a runny nose than to have all of that plus being blinded.
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Originally Posted by Rex G
(Post 6687472)
Oleoresin capsicum, a.k.a. pepper, in spray or stream form, can be extremely effective, but watch out for the wind! As has been true of checmical warfare since it was invented, the user can catch a dose of it himself. Even with little to no wind, there is still back-scatter or back-splash. Protective eyewear certainly helps; better to merely have tingling lips and a runny nose than to have all of that plus being blinded.
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Originally Posted by making
(Post 6687477)
Aint no blowback with a .45.:rolleyes:
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That sort of thing happens about every other ride where I live. Consider yourself fortunate.
... Brad |
While I am tempted to say thats what happens in sunny california, the truth is that could happen to anyone anywhere. And for those of you tempted to carry a weapon, you should know that statistically the person most likely to be injured by that weapon is...... you guessed it, you. As for the frame pump, load up a co2 cartridge and blast the jerk in the face, that would be a pretty good deterrent i should imagine. Mostly just be careful and trust your instincts, if they tell you a situation is not good, it probably isn't and you should get the heck out of dodge.
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sorry to hear about this, but kids growing up in OC are too spoiled. Granted yes, I was spoiled, I won't say I have no taken my part in mischief, but I have never done anything like this. I used to just go TP a house or other sorts. I have seen this done, I was driving and got egged, too bad the kids were ina stupid jeep and too slow to get away form my car and all 3 were arrested and paid for repairs and did community service.
Things like this happen all the time, it's a sad world. If these little ****s grew up in downtown LA they would be a lot more grateful for what they have. Things that involve potentially physically hurting others is out of the question, you should've just used your carbon soles and hit them... then hi tailed it out ;) |
If anything like that goes down with me or my friends, I'll have to start buying and carrying guns again. Big holster, outside the jersey (so it's not a "concealed" weapon).
I'm glad you made it out the other side. Keeping your head about you is a good thing. There's no way some gang-banger is going to keep up with a trained cyclist. Another alternative... I had some kids playing chicken with me one day, so I opened up a full sprint right at them, showing teeth and grunting at 38mph... |
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