awesome.
2010-10-04 19:04:18
24
Man Robbed While on Bike
From the CMU Police:
"On Monday, October 4, shortly after midnight, a strong-armed robbery occurred off
campus on Ellsworth Avenue, between Devonshire and Clyde streets. The victim, a
Carnegie Mellon University student, was riding his bicycle home from the Giant Eagle
in Shadyside when he heard someone run up behind him. One of the suspects knocked
the victim from his bicycle and both suspects punched the victim while demanding
that he give them his possessions. The victim complied and was robbed of his wallet
and cell phone. The victim suffered two minor lacerations and bruises. The victim
said the suspects were black males, with one possibly wearing a white baggy t-shirt."
2010-10-04 17:58:43
Terrific, right by my house.
2010-10-04 19:52:16
how difficult would it be to create a jacket that looked like the pgh bike cop's jackets?
You can buy souvenir NYPD shirts (and I'm sure LAPD and various other PD shirts/whatever) and as long as you didn't actually start DOING cop things, the jacket with an appropriately holstered and lifelike water gun might go a long way towards discouraging this behavior.
Of course it's ruined if you're on a fixed gear or have a crate bike. Maybe. I dunno. It was the second thought in my head.
2010-10-04 20:33:02
"What could possibly go wrong?"
2010-10-04 20:41:22
How about Bike Pgh nunchucks?
2010-10-04 20:45:05
Lyle - never said it was a good idea, just that it was the second idea in my head, and I found it interesting / entertaining. Maybe the jacket alone would be better, less the fake weapons.
At least they didn't steal the bike.
2010-10-04 20:51:33
Yeah, I think you're better off with either real weapons or none. You might try impersonating a security guard instead of a PPD officer.
I'm beginning to be more interested in this "castle doctrine" bill I'm hearing about 
2010-10-04 21:07:21
I think it's time for a PPD Bait Bike operation (and its pedestrian equivalent). I'm sure CMU would provide a nice, shiny bike and some logo apparel.
2010-10-04 21:53:20
dooftram
I was calling for that back in June when people were getting regularly assaulted in HP/ELib...
2010-10-04 21:56:55
ELB is a pattern. Repeated assault, probably with many of the same assailants
Ellsworth? So far, it's a 1-time thing.
2010-10-04 22:14:52
Sucks. Glad there were no major injuries.
2010-10-04 22:30:15
Ya'know. the Castle Doctrine legislation is out of committee and on the floor in Harrisburg for a vote.
I emailed Rep. Perry a few months ago requesting clarification on whether it is "vehicle" or "motor vehicle." Here's the language in the bill up for a vote:
10 (4) Persons residing in or visiting this Commonwealth
11 have a right to expect to remain unmolested within their
12 homes or vehicles.
13 (5) No person should be required to surrender his or her
14 personal safety to a criminal, nor should a person be
15 required to needlessly retreat in the face of intrusion or
16 attack outside the person's home or vehicle.
12
13
This guy is effing nuts!
2010-10-04 22:57:14
I didn't understand how it could help us, because the force could be used against someone who has entered the home o0r vehicle. But later it says this:
20 ...or is attempting to
21 unlawfully and forcefully remove another against that
22 other's will from the dwelling, residence or occupied
23 vehicle.
Is a bicycle an "occupied vehicle"? That could go either way I guess. In any case, if someone is trying to remove you from your bike, I'm thinking any harm that comes to that person is justified by self-defense.
2010-10-04 23:44:18
re: ejwme, I think someone round here (Kordite?) said they got their biking jacket from a cop surplus catalog. It looks just the same but no logos or badges. Probably does a decent job of keeping evildoers away.
2010-10-04 23:57:50
2010-10-04 23:59:34
I would again like to point out that as far as I know, nobody wearing lycra has been assaulted
2010-10-05 00:34:56
I was probably wearing lycra when I was chased down hamilton. Though it's hard to imagine being caught by a pedestrian.
@mick - elb and ellsworth are close enough that I wouldn't consider them independent tevents.
2010-10-05 00:48:50
I was wondering about that vehicle aspect to the Castle Doctrine.
2010-10-05 01:01:15
12
13
Could be a horse, bike, skateboard.
2010-10-05 01:17:05
- elb and ellsworth are close enough that I wouldn't consider them independent events.
ELB is the kids home turf. Ellsworth at Clyde is a distance - nowhere they can run home to. ELB a big group, this was a pair.
ELB looking for kicks, Shadyside looking for money.
It might be the same people, I suppose, but, to me at least, it has a way different feel.
2010-10-05 04:00:35
Nice. Kordite's coat + blinkies should do nicely this winter, time to shop.
2010-10-05 12:56:11
So, I guess the guys were not after the bike... I wonder if the guy was able to ride home?
2010-10-05 19:23:30
The story mentions them taking his wallet and cell phone and doesn't mention the bike either way.
2010-10-05 19:29:03