OBoile

1. Never been assaulted while riding.
2. I don't take any measures to defend myself.
3. I would still ride there at that given time.

88Tempo

Pepper spray is the gift that keeps on giving. I've been hit with it once and it was rough for probably 20 minutes or so. The worst part was 5 or 6 hours later I jumped in the shower and the warm water activated (or lack of a better term) it again, but I think it was worse. I'd much rather be tased any day that's only a 5 second ride each time.

Oh and whatever you do don't wipe your pepper sprayed forehead with a gloved hand and then touch any sensitive parts of your anatomy it will transfer.

KraneXL

There is nothing inherently evil about division of the sexes; and all threads don't have to be politically correct. You can always make a similar topic dedicate it to women, if you feel the need for equal time.

Skipjacks

You get used to pepper spray. It's pretty mild compared to some of the military/police grade stuff out there.

If you spray it on someone who is used to it (which can happen if we're talking about someone who's assault a random stranger) odds are you're just going to make them angrier.

88Tempo

There were probably 40-50 of us that got sprayed and only 4 or 5 it didn't really bother. I couldn't open my eyes, but I could of wrestled someone as long as I could of grabbed them.

Buddy of mine was smoking a cigarette not 20 minutes after catching a shot right in the face. He hated the taser though which I didn't find that big of a deal.

bakerjw

OT... I cut habeneros without gloves once. Learned the hard way.

MMACH 5

Evil? How did you get that from my post?

The OP started this thread with an antagonistic sentence about being a man or a little boy. Seems like an absurd way to invite reasonable discourse. And no, I don't feel the need to start a topic asking if women have outgrown their little girl panties based on how they would handle a personal assault.

KraneXL

Palms are pretty thick in most cases. Just don't forget to wash your hands. If you rub your eyes you'll be sorry.

Getting use to it doesn't mean it has no effect. It just might not be as intense as the first time. I recently cooked up a batch of pepper spray to rid pests from my garden. The tiny vapor particles alone were enough to send my nasal passage into full running faucet mode.

I shudder to think how it would have effected me had I been hit in the face with a direct dose. This stuff was powerful, and I was only using medium grade habanero I had grown. You correct in that its effects are not instantaneous, unless you get hit in the eyes.

ThermionicScott 

It's just curious that the OP chose to scope the question that way. Sounds like he's feeling his manhood was challenged by the incident and he's looking for reassurance along those lines.

Otherwise, the question would be as simple as "How would you defend yourself?"

88Tempo

1. Never been assaulted while riding. Worst thing that ever happened was someone threw a mason jar at me. I'd got in a fight with him and his brother a few days earlier. I was in high school at the time. I knew where he was going and headed there, but he left before I managed to pedal my way up the hill.

2. In this case I was going to give the guy a good beat down.

3. Discretion is the better part of valor. Back in my younger and considerably wilder days a fight wasn't a big deal today it's a last resort kind of thing.

Skipjacks

The worst part of pepper spray is the shock value. If you've been hit with it multiple time you can overcome the shock value and just ignore the snot faucet for a minute while you continue to attack. (Speaking from the perspective of an assailant)

And we're not even talking about the assailant who's on certain drugs. Someone who's high on a variety of things may not even know you hit them with the pepper spray. They will just keep coming at you.

Now, personally....I try to avoid areas where people who are tripping on PCP and bath salts hang out. It's not like they are on every corner. But they are in some places that people ride. And you can't bank on pepper spray stopping them.

Flip Flop Rider

so, the question in my mind is has the OP (original poster) ridden the same mup since the incident, and were the same yutes encountered?

rseeker

I've never been tased nor pepper-sprayed, but getting tased while standing looks like a great way to fall over and lose teeth.

Edit to add: But you were talking about the level of pain.

88Tempo

I've seen video of people getting tased at a dead sprint and you're right it looks like it could be very painful.

shelbyfv

Sorry! He initially said one slapped him on the shoulder and another slapped him on the back of his head. I confess to skimming the rest of his backpedaling so guess I missed it if he described worse treatment. Whatever the situation, he was clearly frightened enough that it's still worrying him.

Clyde1820

... where one has every right to be, you mean?

Putting down violent assaults against us isn't so-called "vigilantism." It's survival in a situation NOT brought upon us via our own actions, not requested. The mere fact someone continues to go about his/her life irrespective of the potential for threat doesn't make that person a "vigilante" nor a criminal. (Except in states that criminalize "failure" to do everything in one's power to run from such felony attackers who cross our paths. [aka "duty to retreat" states. Thankfully, not everyplace is so draconian about one's right to live one's life.])


Consider this:

Suppose it's one path across town for which one has a dozen legitimate alternatives. But, suppose it's one's own street. Is a person somehow "vigilante" across town but, going about one's legitimate and lawful business, doing the same on one's own street is different? As though a person causes it if over yonder, but not somewhere else? That mixes up the perpetrator with the victim, right there.

shelbyfv

Maybe we need a 50+, big boy swinging and packing ride to help OP take back the MUP. I'll bring the Wagner.

flyjimmy

So to be clear. One is the victim of assault. Then as far as we know does not file a police report or take any legal action. He then goes on a public forum for advice alluding to defending himself and what lengths others would go to. He then is contemplating returning to the same place at the say time which he fully expects would lead to a second altercation. Is it self defense? Or something else.

flyjimmy

Pedestrians have a right to cross at the the crosswalk. It wouldn’t be prudent to step into the path of a speeding car.

squirtdad

really dumb insulting way to start a thread if OP wants input....

1) Had an apple thrown at me, otherwise no. while walking I did get mugged with a 38 snub nose under my ear once (in the Bronx, in a connected neighborhood)
2) completely situational, you have to read the situation and know your capabilities.......getting away from the situation is always the best...... 38 under ear with a nervous teenager.... no defense, total calm, give them the wallet. If it is serious and you have no out fight dirty....knees, balls, eyes, earrs.
3) Assumes people are waiting at same point every day...if so call cops, If not just ride..... if dark lots of lights. Drastic measures, could get you in more trouble and or jail. look at all the time police have shot, tazed, pepper sprayed people adrenalin and drugs can make some hard to stop...... and if who ever it is you are fighting is a really a hard person....then they probably have had more fights than you......experience counts. Again Avoidance

BillyD

In case you haven't checked, this is a bicycle forum. We can extend our sympathies to a downtrodden rider, and bemoan unfortunate incidents, but digression to dwell upon off-topics is not encouraged.

squirtdad

you can be sure is someone went vigilante and had posted about it prior, the posting would indicate pre-meditation which would be a problem for that someone. either in criminal and/or civil court.

KraneXL

A perfectly normal reaction on every front. Think of the sharing as therapy.These things take on a whole different meaning once you've experienced it first hand, rather than something hypothetical.One can look for support in all types of places, and what better place to look for that support than where there are others of the same accord?No, it is not.

ThermionicScott 

Unless I'm missing something from yet another thread (possibly deleted), that is all that happened, no "got the crap kicked out of him."

Not that it's necessarily relevant. Bullies like to intimate that they could be doing worse. It would shake me up for sure.

Leisesturm

You can't have it both ways my friend. If you are going to take a logical, Liberal minded view of the o.p.'s situation you prove yourself to be better than the misogynist mouth-breather deplorables. So don't spoil it. There IS something inherently evil about dividing a public discussion by gender. Even if no woman I know would touch this thread with a 3.05 meter pole.