Cyclist Attacked on Ballona Creek Trail ...AGAIN

Thread started by
KY at 08.21.08 - 12:12 pm
Heads up guys.
http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/08/21/cyclist-attacked-on-ballona-creek-trail/
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WOW ............. That shit sounds pretty Fucked up. The cops need to take this more seriously now before somebody gets killed.... I know they are under staffed most of the time but all it takes is for them to have a presence there for a while to scare off the so called " bangers" so that more people could use the Path. ...................
Freeekeone08.21.08 - 12:49 pm
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This is one of the many reasons why I think bike paths are dangerous and a bad idea.
vladster08.21.08 - 12:58 pm
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oh my god that is awful! i've been thinking about trying out this trail...now i'm not even going to try. how sad.
tomato08.21.08 - 1:05 pm
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Scary, I've taken this path on my way home from work a few times, at around 7-7:30
jonnyboy08.21.08 - 1:24 pm
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WE SHOULD GET SOME OF THE BIGGEST RIDAS, THAT HAVE A PAIR, AND REGULATE OUR BIKE PATHS, CUFF THEM, BEAT THEM, THEN TURN THEM IN, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT LAPD DOES.
eddieboyinla08.21.08 - 1:33 pm
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I like Eddie's idea. We could have a "clean up the bike path" ride.
I am partial to zip ties and mace.
NixonTwin08.21.08 - 1:53 pm
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ALWAYS RIDE IN A GROUP, OR AT LEAST WITH ONE OTHER PERSON WHEN YOU GO ON THE BC BIKE PATH. GANGBANGERS WON'T FUCK AROUND WITH EQUAL NUMBERS, BUT HAVE YOUR WEAPON OF CHOICE READY JUST IN CASE ;)
X-Large08.21.08 - 2:00 pm
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I'm all for defending myself and my property, however, if you're risking your life for your bike you need to get your priorities straight. Some of the accounts report that the muggers wielded knives among other weapons. A while back I was reading the LAPD blog and came across someone who was shot to death by gang members after they were confronted for putting graffiti on the side of a building.
That being said, I'm going to hit the path with my weapon of choice... my camera. Although, some gadgets from a place like selfdefenseproducts.com might not be a bad idea...
thayr08.21.08 - 3:06 pm
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you know, it might be interesting if maybe as a group we contacted local law enforcement and maybe local politicians and ask them if we could work together to patrol and clean up this path.
Might actually give MR a good name, not only do we test your traffic light cameras at night but we clean hoods off the Bike path.
I would be totally down with helping keep that path safe and I don't even live near it, But i travel to it to enjoy it.
that being said, I rode that path this weekend and there is no exit north/east of Duquesne Avenue untill feb 2009. So if you don't notice the signs you can get cornered up there.
be careful out there
thegodofthor08.21.08 - 3:22 pm
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I'm all for a take back the trail ride. If someone organizes it let me know and I'll try and get some press, or maybe someone from Rosendahl's office to come out with us.
daymen08.21.08 - 4:46 pm
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i love this trail.. so i am in.. wherever, whenever..
gotta protect our own and our grounds.. Ride On!
bondink08.21.08 - 4:48 pm
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@godofthor
I hop those fences....
But now I'm nervous about taking that path! I think we should have a group stampede and let the gang bangers melt in the creek.
sezdaniel08.21.08 - 4:51 pm
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OK, SO ITS ONLY FAIR TO WARN YOU GUYZ, AND NOT TO GET YOUR PANTIES IN A 'BUNCH', BUT SOME MOTHER -FUCKING GANGSTERS CARRY GUNS TOO.
BE WARNED, THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY, AND THINK DEEPLY ABOUT IT.
eddieboyinla08.21.08 - 4:51 pm
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Crazy that it happened in broad daylight.
cabhauler08.21.08 - 6:02 pm
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Can we challenge them to a bike joust?
ephemerae08.21.08 - 10:44 pm
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This is a bummer.
I use this path on a near weekly basis. around 5pm and after 10pm.
I have never had a problem on the BC path.
Many times at night, I never see a person.
Sometimes I think about the chances of getting jumped at night.
But I also think about the odds of getting randomly slammed by a car.
So far, I have way more close calls from stupid drivers then I have had from any gangbangers.
Still this story gives me pause.
I'm pretty sure that reading this is going
to give me the impetus to start exploring other routes home.
Which is a bummer, because I love the rolling hills of the BC path, and its lack of red-lights and traffic.
What's a bigger bummer, is that I feel like the path is most dangerous when it is underutilized. The more people that use the path, the safer it is.
trickmilla08.21.08 - 11:26 pm
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"That being said, I'm going to hit the path with my weapon of choice... my camera."
+1
Although I do wish I had pepper spray/ a Ulock/ intimidation. Haha. ;)
imachynna08.21.08 - 11:29 pm
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how about not riding the bike path at all. my brother had gang bangers throw a stick in his spokes years ago and he had to run out of there carrying his bike....they threw bottles at him as he was running.....
i f'n hate cats and assholes...sorry knittens....
barleye08.22.08 - 12:59 am
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I like daymen's idea of getting some publicity, some City Council involvement. Because if this was happening to cars, it would be all over the 5 PM news.
But it's happening to bikes, and as far as I know, the Argonaut isn't even reporting it.
Maybe we should have two rides, the vengence/retribution ride, and the friendly bicycle good publicity 'take back the trail' ride.
alexkenefick08.22.08 - 9:33 am
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