BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

hmm, must be some way to engage these kids...

i was hit with a gross mix of mud snow and ice at this same intersection during the snowy season, except i jumped off my bike and threw snowballs until i got bored of it... probably the same kids, though, they definitely were being malicious.

After a punch in the face, I'd think it would be fair to engage them with some pepper spray.

I've had a couple different occasions of them jumping out in front of my bike as well-- hit the kid or veer into traffic- not fun. I'm with you though, David. Gotta be something.

I rode through that intersection not more than 15 minutes before that happened. Scary.

He probably didn't file a report cause he likely lives here, sees these punks every day, and the cops wouldn't do a damn thing about it anyway. He'd just become more of a target by these hoodlums. Stop snitchin', and all that.

I will avoid Negley from this point forward...

least favorite intersection in the city.

"Stop snitching" is just a form of intimidation and my overdeveloped sense of justice would never allow me to not report punks like this. I've been assaulted twice and each time, even though there was little chance of them being caught and the lackadaisical cops told me as much, I insisted that a report be made. NThey can't know there's a problem that needs fixing if no one tells them about it.

I just wonder - realistically - what would come out of filing a police report. Are the cops going to take action against some middle/highschoolers who have assaulted a bicyclist? Doubtful. Would the cops go to their parents and tell them? Also doubtful, and do you think the parents would even care? Sure they can't fix a problem if they don't know about it, but how will they fix it? I hate to be so fatalistic but I've lived through this BS so much that I see the patterns. Pepper spray? Yeah, you maybe teach the assailant a lesson but then the rest of his crew teach you a lesson while wailing on you. It goes from one kid showing off to the rest of them "sticking up" for him. It's a bad scene. I can't wait to move out of this neighborhood. I should be worrying about the people in cars, not the effing kids on the side of the street.

Filing a report at least puts it out there. You might get lucky & talk to a cycling-friendly cop. I've had 2 positive experiences within the last year with the cops when filing a report (filed when I was forced off Negley by a construction truck & I got the plate, one filed on a guy who repeatedly harassed me on Liberty). Nothing came out of either incident, but they did the footwork & got things on record.

I'll 311 the assault at least and send along to Stephen Patchan.

As for the pepper spray, it's overkill & not practical... I know. Bad idea to escalate when any one of the kids could be carrying a weapon. Never know. I live a block away, have been in the neighborhood for 10 years. It was really a lot worse then, got better for a while, and seems to be going the wrong direction at times... but overall there's been progress.

I don't know. To me there seems to be a huge difference between the action that law enforcement can take against a licensed, registered driver, and a teenage kid.

the kids in Garfield, even though a lot of them are closer to 20 than 10, do this kind of shit all the time.

They are really good kids at heart but they are bored out of their minds all day. There is nothing to do except make others suffer with them. period.

Part of our responsibility as vulnerable targets is to pay close attention to our surroundings and try to be aware of who's walking by etc.

Sorry about your friend quizbot

I wasn't laying condemnation on them)

> I just wonder - realistically - what would come out of filing a police report.

If nothing else: statistics. Staffing levels, patrol routes, funding and lots of other things that support public safety are based not on any individual report but on the collective information. If there are lots of reports in a certain area, even if they are not cleared (that is, if no arrests are made) the reports are still tallied in the statistics and decisions are made based on them.

As to pepper spray or other active defense, that is a consideration for an individual. What risks are you willing to take? Are you willing to take a chance defending yourself or would you rather take the risk of just lying there and taking what they dish out? For myself, I will vigorously defend myself. I travel armed and will escalate if necessary (and have).

Kordite,

Point taken: re statistics. That is a long-term way of thinking that I hadn't considered.

Re: pepper spray... like I said that depends on the individual and their situation... but if there is a group of them such as in this case, and one takes a swing, what good does escalating the situation do? It's possible (and hopeful) that it would give them pause, send a message that bicyclists aren't to be f'd with, and earn you some respect a 'la the proverbial bully on the playground scenario, but at the same time, it could result in a total beatdown, and nobody wants that...

I don't think anyone wants a total beatdown but some people are willing to risk one to make a point. And if it's a good point, good on them.

If I am assaulted, I won't respond to make some sort of philosophical point. It will be to 1) Deter them from continuing the attack. 2) Make their attack, should they choose to continue, so costly so as to have them break off before someone gets really hurt. 3) Inflict sufficient harm upon them that they will be unable to continue the attack.

Having them think twice about messing with crazy cyclists in the future is only an unintended side benefit.

*bump*

for future reference in light of Memorial Day attack with serious injury