Kimmitt 

European countries average about a third the murder rate of the US. Whether or not their system is good for us, it's obviously working for them. Not something to complain about.

That said, knives and guns are terrible for locking bikes up; they're very easy to defeat, usually with simple bolt-cutters.

Artkansas 

No, but I had a bike stolen during the infamous L.A. Street Scene in September of 1985 while attending a Midnight Oil concert where armed police on horseback charged the stage in the middle of "Power and the Passion".

The thieves took the bike with a bolt cutter but left the lock and chain. All of downtown L.A. was in a riot that night, so I inserted the lock through the ends of the chain and walked back home ready to use it as a weapon if needed.

mastertongue

Two summers ago was riding downtown when some plump chick cut me off pretty fast in a honda civic, pushing me into the traintracks/where cars also ride over. almost lost control, barely missed the tracks themselves with my tires...I sped up in traffic, mashed the pedals for all i was worth, and drew my Krypto mini from the backpocket. Approached passenger side window when she was @ the red light 5 or 6 blocks up from where she cut me off, piled behind a few other cagers. One fast whack (even with the weaker left hand!!!!) completely destroyed her window. I heard the most angry blood curdling scream as i continued through the redlight. My adrenaline was pumping and i truly felt victorious.

and last night had a situation similar only this time I happened to flip off the driver after cutting me off (bad move on my part). He slammed on his breaks ~30 feet in front of me, and moving pretty quick myself, had to swerve for the 2nd time. He got out of the car calmly and approached me without saying a word, I drew the mini again and had it ready. he got back into the car, no problems...

mrrossh

Can only remember one incident when I was younger involving a U-Lock...

I was a teenager in the late 90s and I had a brand new bike - a Giant Boulder in two-tone silver/red. (I still miss that bike 20 years later) I was riding down a marked cycle lane on the seafront promenade, it was early Sunday morning and virtually deserted - except for one crazy guy who ran over and tried to hit me with a wine bottle as I passed by him.

I immediately assumed it was an attempted mugging or something - so I yanked on the brakes and skidded round 180, leaning the bike on the railings and grabbing my U-lock out my backpack - a big hefty cast iron thing with the 'U' wrapped in bar tape so as not to scratch my frame - which made a convenient grippy handle as well.

The guy who had swung at me looked shocked as he saw it, and started walking backwards away from me as I got closer. I broke into a run with the lock raised over my head and as he turned to try and run, I caught him square in his back and sent him flat on his face, then jumped on his back whilst he was down.

I remember thinking to myself "If I aim for his head, that's attempted murder." - so I pinned his arm down with my knee and smashed the lock repeatedly into the back of his hand and fingers, and once into his wrist for good measure. He started screaming in pain so I figured I had at least broken a couple of his fingers. I got up off him and walked away, I issued a couple death threats as I left. I was worried about getting arrested after that, but the cops never came for me.

indyfabz

The zombie apocalypse is upon us!

Cyclist0084

LOL!!!

thumpism 

This is a pretty resilient thread. There are comments on page 2 about its revival back when it was only four years old. I have nothing more to contribute here since I use cable locks.

02Giant 

A bizarre first post in a forum. Not only digging up a 12 year old thread albeit the last posting prior was only 7 years old, to the internet search topic that found this forum and compelled one to join so they could boast about assaulting someone.

jack pot 

>>>> OPERATION WEREWOLF

AlexCyclistRoch

Considering that U-locks have diminished considerably since this thread was opened, I assume that there are a lot of unused old Ulocks around that would appreciate being used for anything at all.....

LiquorLad

Apparently you don't live in a major city.

AdvXtrm

Actually knowing how to fight without using any weapons besides your own body is far superior, and a lot more practical and effective in most situations. Someone that actually knows how to fight will be able to neutralize most weapons, especially heavy slow ones like a U-Lock quickly and easily. And pulling a weapon on such a person, could get you killed, or at least permanent maimed and disabled.

JanMM

I wish someone would use a U-lock on this thread.

mrrossh

You can flame me all you want, we'll see how you react when you are cycling through a sketchy hood minding your own business and someone jumps out and tries to swing a bottle in your face. I'm not the one who started a thread asking if a U-lock could be used as a weapon. And if you are a cyclist under attack, is the U-lock not kind of the obvious choice?

Was my reaction that day questionable? Yeah, maybe. I had a choice to make at the time and I made it. I grew up learning how to fight back, it's what I believed in at the time - and to a lesser extent, what I still believe in.

Cyclist0108

AdvXtrm

Attempted murder. Anyone that blocks you in like that needs to be run over.

Talkinghalls

In all seriousness I hope if anyone here has used a U-lock as a weapon they wouldn't brag about it on an open forum... Talk about opening yourself up for a law suit.

cb400bill

Great idea.

Thread closed.