And the conversation goes off the rails again. The color of the teens' skin is irrelevant (the new "race-neutral" description of the original incident works just as well as the original), as is whether crime in NOLA is on the increase or decrease. The OP got into a distressing incident while on his bike, which looks like it'll affect his cycling activities and enjoyment. That's what's relevant. He's looking for some feedback from other cyclists as to how to respond going forward.