fthomas

As I get over the flu, cold or whatever it is I took the time to do a little more research into the Santa Ana River Trail and personal safety concerns.

I stopped by a bike shop, Bicycle Discovery, on Warner and spoke to a guy there about SART. He told me that a couple of people working there have been mugged at night for their bike's. on SART after leaving work late in the evening.

I additionally contacted the Santa Ana Police Department and spoke to a really nice Sgt who has been on the force for 23 years and heads up the records division, I believe. He told me that the SART is not as bad as it was 10 to 15 years ago, but that he would not recommend riding it at night. He says that they have had numerous muggings recently for people's bikes and that most of the "bad guys" can spot a good bike a long ways off. He went on to say that many of the "bad guys" are carrying guns, so it could easily escalate to something far more catastrophic. We joked about a cyclist carrying a weapon of some type and both agreed that was not a good idea. I can see myself pedaling into a cloud of bear spray that I just unleashed on the bad guy(s). Not a pretty picture. Personally, I look at it as the bad guys are armed and we are defenseless victims. Not good in my books.

He also talked about the problem with the homeless building shelters under the overpasses. He said that Santa Ana had even put up concrete barricades, that had just been turned into four walls for them. He went on to say that they were not the primary criminal element on the SART, but can be a problem for bicyclist.

On my ride home he suggested I ride the trail to the country club an then take surface streets the rest of the way.

I guess I have reached my conclusion: SART is not safe to ride on at night.

Lastly I asked him if he thought there was anything that the bicycling community could do by pooling our efforts together and make SART a safe corridor at night. He laughed and said: "Light the whole thing."

BikeDork02

I ride it from the beach in HB to Anaheim Angel Stadium every time I ride to work. Like Ive said in previous posts, I suggest a very good light. I use the NiteRider Evolution Smart. The thing is very bright and it blinds most people in front of me I turn it down for oncoming cyclists though. I dunno about North of Anaheim Angel stadium but south of it Ive never heard of any problems. The transients are usually always in the same place so if you just move quickly through there I wouldn't imagine any problems.

fthomas

That is interesting. The Sgt. said that he didn't think there would be a problem riding from Placentia to the River View Golf Course, but after that would take surface roads. From what you are saying you are getting off just north of the River View Golf Course at the Anaheim Angel Stadium.

For me that would cover the whole route with the exceptions of surface roads for about a mile on each end.

alicestrong

More lighting would help on all the trails...BUT...everything you just said that you were told about the SART I could say I was told about the SGRT or any other LA bike path. (why do they always say that it was worse ten years ago?) Yet people still ride those trails at night. They ride alone during the day. You will talk to someone like me who has ridden the SGRT for years without incident..(I do carry pepper spray when I'm alone, I personally choose to NOT ride at night, also I'm female if I was a guy I might be less cautious I don't know)

Are the police going to tell you the trail is safe? Once ONE person is bikejacked, can they still tell you the trail is safe?

About ten years ago my neighbor had someone try to snatch her purse in the local grocery store/strip mall parking lot. Then a shopkeeper was killed in a robbery a couple years back...

Do I decide the store parking lot is just too dangerous? What about all the times that I have shopped there...without incident. All the thousands of other people who have shopped there...without incident.

I'm not sure what exactly I'm trying to say. I guess it's just that we are in an urban environment here. You can't really expect crime not to happen. Still, no one can tell you if you will be lucky/unlucky. Because sometimes it is just a matter of bad luck if you are the victim.

Rick@OCRR

[QUOTE= I'm not sure what exactly I'm trying to say. I guess it's just that we are in an urban environment here. You can't really expect crime not to happen. Still, no one can tell you if you will be lucky/unlucky. Because sometimes it is just a matter of bad luck if you are the victim.[/QUOTE]

Alice's last paragraph sums it very well.

Back when I worked for GT (Santa Ana) and lived in Garden Grove, I used SART on a daily (and nightly) basis. Yes, I used good lights, but regardless, I didn't have any problems, incidents, or anything negative the whole time. And even though the law of averages are definitely on the side of the cyclist . . . anything can happen.

Pretty much like the rest of your life, really .

Rick / OCRR

cole505

+1
Bad guys have weapons and the element of surprise. Lets face it we are all potential victims of a crime. In my case 3X over, not on SART (I never said I was smart )

axelfox

Well, there goes my plan of commuting on the SART.

Jed19

I agree that anyone can be a crime victim at any given time. That said, I think one owes it to him or herself to try decrease the odds of him/herself being victimised by criminals. I use to take night walks at the Huntington Beach beachfront when I first moved to SoCal, but I remember the stabbing of a jogger there many years ago, and now I don't do it anymore.

My main points are these:

i)I have seen shady characters on the SART at daytime, and I really cannot say what can happen when it's dark. I once saw a guy deliberately break bottles on the SART bikeway, and I really do not want, nor wish to find out what this kind of person can or will do when it's dark.

ii)There is a drug pandemic out there, in case no one has noticed. I suppose not all drug addicts are prone to criminal behavior or violence, but some wouldn't think twice about mugging a cyclist or some old lady so as to enable a quick "fix".

In conclusion, I submit that one should try all one can to not place him/herself in potentially "dicey" situations.

I say ride the SART daytime, and the streets at night.

Regards,