neospazzy

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.

RT

Man, that sucks. I know if that happened here in Colorado Springs, I'd be more than bothered as I like it here and don't want to leave.

socalrider

the influx of hoodlums and gangs are happening all throughtout so cal.. I ride quite a bit a night and have only had a couple of issues. Just to be safe you may want to carry some pepper spray. If you go that route buy some law enforcement grade pepper spray, it will put someone down just in case you need it.. Good local online source..

https://www.lapolicegear.com/sapede.html

making

Pepper spray just pixxes them off. Colt .45 Taruaus, very light. I remeber Irvine in the 80's being a very nice place. Bad people are everywhere. just be smarter than they are and pay attention to everything.

jupiter422

Sounds like Norristown PA. Thug country for sure, which is why I always, always carry when my ride route goes anywhere near there. One strategy they use is to throw a box of roofing staples on the bike path or road, wait for you to double flat, then just beat the crap out of you and take your bike.

maddyfish

I don't know about Irvine specifically, but my experience win Ca. is you are never more than 3 miles from a den of dirtbags.

socalrider

the weird thing about so cal is that you need to find a couple of good routes for training rides and stick to them for night rides.. It is true you can go a few blocks in either direction and be in a bad neighborhood quickly..

making

try to vary your route and time though, the bad guys can wait for you if you do the same thing every night.

kill.cactus

That's F'ed up.

I'd recommend if this happens to a lot of people in your area to organize group night rides. Maybe turn this into a bloods vs crips thing, right?

No but seriously, it is really disappointing to know that you can't go out safely without being harassed. Good thing you're in shape and can bike fast, why not work on staying in shape in case you need to do anything, and organize a few friends to do bike rides. If it is a regular thing random acts of idiot violence won't try to do anything (on the other hand if they're specifically targeting you guys it might be a problem).

Sorry

brianlt228

Here is what i consider a sound piece of advice, not just for cyclists ( which i am very, very new at), but for anyone walking upon the face of the earth. First of all...learn to defend yourself. It is not difficult as most people have little to no formal training and if you were to acquire some, having a thug beat you up and steal your stuff would be a non issue. Secondly, the reason I decided to carry a frame pump, even though I have the CO2 pump, is that it is a quick and handy weapon, if you were to require it. I do not advocate violence, however, the need for self preservation tops all and you must do what you must. You will not always be able to out run the "bad guys". The world is a violent place...trust me..I am a Soldier, a nurse, and a Drill Sergeant, I have seen a lot of it. Road Bikes and your gear cost a bunch o money, no need to lose it to an idiot who doesn't even know what to do with it.

kill.cactus

There is a point at which you have to realize that fighting a theif might land you in the hospital though. So I mean, be smart about what you do as well

RichinPeoria

Yes! finally a gun thread on BF

jupiter422

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.

merlinextraligh

use the search function. there are a couple of long and spirited ones.

making

ammo is too heavy if you are a weight weenie.

sonnyred

Maybe a little heavy for the weight weenies....I carry a Taurus 25 ACP....fits in a jersey pocket or small handlebar bag...no bigger that you're palm. In Illinois a first UUW offense is a misdemeanor...I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6. All B.S. aside....I would only use it to defend my self from deadly force and as a last resort...
Sonny Red

SeanMA

I prefer my sawed off shotgun. Cuts down on that potential weight, and lets em know who's packin the real heat. Sure, I look even more ridiculous, but something's gotta give. Anyone have any extra american flag bar tape layin around btw?

kirkcubs

Nothing says 'Thug Ride' like a Honda Element.
Does anyone know of a .44 made of carbon? I simply refuse to carry anything that isn't carbon.
...but seriously folks- as much as us 'men' hate to admit it, sometimes just riding away and getting the f--k out of Dodge is the safest thing to do. Sure they were young men but their was two of them, and you never know what they had with them. Wise choice.
I'm glad I live small town USA where the criminals could care less, and more importantly wouldn't know, that I'm riding a a $3000K+ bike. Now if carbon was an essential ingredient to meth, well that would be a different story.
Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "ride safe."

making

Yes but it has been awhile.I love em.

jupiter422

If you saw all the other crap I carried with me (commuter), you'd see the .44 isn't that big of a deal. What's a pain is all the rules surrounding the use of deadly force in PA. They're trying to relax them in favor of victims now, but for the time being, I can only use lethal force in defense of my life (not my property i.e. the bike) and only after attempting to flee.

They are currently trying to change the law to extend the "secure in one's home" provision to personal vehicles as well, which would allow someone to use lethal force to prevent aggravated theft of their vehicle i.e. carjacking (and bikes are vehicles in PA). Then, I'll be golden. I hope.

Until that happens, if the assailant is unarmed and just tries to take the bike, he gets 2 million scoffield units of pepper spray. If he's armed and I am unable to flee, he get's a patio window in the back of his head.

jupiter422

That is absolutely, positively right, and many jurisdictions, mine included, require an attempt to flee before lethal force is authorized. I hope I never ever ever ever ever have to use it, and I will make every safe attempt possible to flee (with or without my bike) before taking someone's life. I will if I have to, but only if I really really have to. I'm not dirty harry, and I'm not Arnold Schwarzenegger. But, I do have the right to defend my property with any necessary non-lethal force to prevent immediate interference and taking, and I have the right to prevent the taking of my own life or grievous bodily injury with lethal force if necessary.

One question this brings up that I need to ask my lawyer about is: if a group of thugs pours roofing staples all over the ground to flat my tires and effectively immobilize me, is that a de facto prevention of my fleeing, therefore triggering the ability to use deadly force? Interesting...

making

If I reach for my handgun I am already convienced I am about to be killed and ahve exhausted all other possibillites. There for rules dont matter. In Indiana I can pretty much shoot anything I am scared of (ok let me rephrase) I have to be in fear of my life. Having said that I rarely carry anymore.

roadiejorge 

Fortunately there have been very few incidents biking in NYC even when I rode through sketchy neighborhoods, my defense was being faster than the people chasing me which was always the case and that's when I was on a mountain bike with knobbies.

RichinPeoria

never mind

douchebagonwhlz

That is funny! Framingham can be real bad any time of day.