mjclarklmc

Yesterday about 2:30 PM I was riding the Santa Anna River path from the ocean to Hwy 91 and back. I made good time to the 91 and turned back to the beach to meet my wife. I was buzzing along at about 14 mph and if you ever have ridden this path you know that about every mile there is an auto overpass over the river and a underpass for bikes below the bridge. As I was rolling down the the grade to the 1st street underpass I noticed three punks standing along the side of the path with an old bike. Not really notable lots of people are always along the trail.

They tossed the junker bike right in front of me as I was rolling pretty good on the downhill and over the bars I went. Then two of the thugs started kicking and punching me while I was down letting the third one who was also showing a knife make off with the bike. They got my new Madone 5.2, my cell phone and bike bag. I got bumps, scrapes, and a jammed wrist, bike helmets take kicks pretty good.

Watch were you ride, I certainly was not in an area not well travelled by cyclist. The thugs just had a spot were they were hidden from view by the overpass and could see up and down the trail, they also had a escape route to get away with the bike. Santa Anna Police were super and tried to find bike using my iPhone and helicopter. They told me that this was the second mugging involving an expensive bike in the last 16 hours. They are not happy with tourist's getting mugged and robbed.

CbadRider

I'm sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, two other members here had the same thing happen. Their attacks were in the evening, though.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...on-1-30-7-15pm

spinerguy

2:30 pm?? Ugh, these cockroaches are getting bolder and high on what seems to be a 100% success rate.

I rode by a couple of hrs earlier, this is just unnerving dammit. Avoiding that section is just not an option for many of us.

Surfer34

This has happened so many times now that its a derilict of duty that the local PD hasnt done a sting operation.

wcoastbikr

I couldn't agree more. After hearing of all the people that have been attacked and mugged it's clear it's the same group of people. And on a Saturday at 2:30...it's one thing if it happens at night, but at mid-day it's ridiculous that more isn't being done about this. I understand that the trail is a long stretch to cover but law enforcement has a duty to do something about this.

I know a handful of people that ride SART regularly. My girlfriend lives in Huntington Beach and has been wanting to go ride the river with me for a while but after hearing all these stories I can't bring myself to put myself and herself in danger. It's a damn shame the river trail can't be better policed. Maybe have a stronger police presence on bikes or cars?

Whoever these people are have found a nice spot to rip people off and easily get away with it. It's obvious it's going to continue until something is done with it. $1000+ a bike is a big chunk of change. It's a lot easier when there's no one around on the trail where it's difficult for police to enforce than it is anywhere else. They've made it obvious they have no intention of slowing down what they're doing.

LOGICK ONE

Dude, so sorry to hear this **** happened. It's been happening way too often, and this why I stopped bike commuting to work—and probably stop riding this at all.

The problem with this is the trail can covers a lot of different cities, so different cops have to cover their stretch of the trail.

I'll admit, I've seen on multiple times (especially in Santa Ana) cops cruise and patrol the SART.

That being said, there's SO many different places for people to hide if the cops do come cruising and if something does go down, there's even more places they can stash items because in the south end of the trail, it's a lot of parks and residences you pass.

Mr. Beanz

We must have been ridign through the area right after the incident. 6 cop cars all within a mile. Pretty feaking upsetting that one can't even ride during the day now.

But for what it is worth. I had some illegal shove ashoppng cart down at us from ahigh cement bank. We were onthe tandem. I saw him and knew he was up to no good. Not even close ass hat!

I looked up at him then he took off running laughing. If I had been on my single, I would have chased him and he would have been waiting for the cops in a choke hold. But I never take my eye off any of the people in that area.

Another place to watch is just north of Edna Park (golf course area). LewisAClark ( member) has been shot by a pellet gun in that area. Couple of hood ass hats with nothing better inlife.

LOGICK ONE

Yea, the kids there are just punks up to no good, I was waiting for a friend to catch up near the 17th street entrance and I saw three punks just walk through tossing screws on the trail and laughing.

I kicked the screws off the trail and verbally warned a few cyclists that passed.

Just be careful folks.

Mr Sinister

And if you were on your single what happens to Mrs. Beanz when you chase after him, and say he has a couple of friends around the corner? ( Not saying he would have, but allways a chance he could have.) I am the type with a temper, and have learned to think of others before I act as of late.

This is just sad. I mean I live on the other coast, but I would have expected this more often in my area, as kids hang out more on the bike paths around here. I have never seen this type of crap in my area, and I hope this ends in your area too (knock on wood). I tend to ride alone 90% of the time.

Oh and they use the pellet guns more on the highways out here, happens all the time.

Mr. Beanz

I should have been clear, I used to ride alone alot at that time. If Gina is with me, I don't leave her alone.

Rimmer

Were they Mexicans? I think people ought to know what these crooks look like for their own safety.

Surfer34

I am a resident of another state but I spend about 4 months a year in California. I have a CCW but its not valid in CA. I am pretty sure that if it was there would be a few fewer bike thiefs in CA.

bored117 

Only reason I wasn't riding there that day was because I was training in local hill. (No hills on SART after all). Considering I frequently ride there Saturday morning alone... It just feels like I got lucky missing one of these incidents. Pretty sad if you asked me. I guess I will just stick around local hills from now on.
PS) I am kind of glad no one was permanently injured. Speedy recovery I hope mjclarklmc... (and welcome to the forum!)

rekmeyata

Dude, man that's tough, sorry to hear about the bike being stolen, glad you seem to be ok though, it could have been a lot worse on you especially since one guy was flashing a knife.

That happened to some old man a couple of weeks ago and he shot and killed one of the punks, and the others were arrested. It's amazing you hear all the cry babies screaming that the old man had no right to kill or defend himself yet he could have been the one to die that day. So I'm glad your ok.

I assume you checked with your homeowners insurance? They will cover the cost of brand new bike minus the deductible, just have a police report.

I ride alone about 99% of the time and only once had an iffy situation in Los Angeles at Echo Park. A group of 8 or 9 gang bangers walked toward me while I was watching a RC boat race, and the lead banger said to me: "I think I found myself a bike." in that gang banging type of mexi voice. As soon as he said that I started laughing, not sure why, just thought the way he said it and the fact they were all wearing trench coats in 85 degree weather struck me funny! They all looked at me kind of funny and kept walking past me. About the time they got about 300 or 400 feet from me I decided it may be a good idea to leave and leave fast before they changed their minds. But in over 40 years of riding alone and in remote areas as well as large cities that was the only time that something could have happened...thank God.

Mr Sinister

Smart man, maybe a little smarter than me. I might start out after him first, and think second...

Mr. Beanz

Gina constantly tells me to go ahead when friends take off. Says he will be alright and meet me down the road. Uhh no! Racing my buds is not nearly as important as making sure she's safe.

Rarely do I leave her behind, minute or two at most. But now knowing that one minute can make the difference, she'll never be more than 10 seconds behind.

Mr Sinister

(sappy voice) Ooooooohhhhhhh, that's so sweet. I hope she sees that.

volosong

I think I'm done with SART. Too many "horror stories" lately. The few times I've been on it, it was well worth the effort to make the trip to ride it. I'll spend my "tourist" dollars elsewhere.

jimxyz

We must have just missed this - rode through around 1:00 and I recall thinking that it seemed quieter than normal and there were some punks hanging around. I am over SART - other than riding north from Fullerton, I'll take my chances on the road until the police clean it up

LOGICK ONE

I wonder if they have look outs further up/down the trail that notify the others as to when an expensive looking bike is coming through.

Joe360

We must have been ridign through the area right after the incident. 6 cop cars all within a mile. Pretty feaking upsetting that one can't even ride during the day now.

But for what it is worth. I had some illegal shove ashoppng cart down at us from ahigh cement bank. We were onthe tandem. I saw him and knew he was up to no good. Not even close ass hat!

I looked up at him then he took off running laughing. If I had been on my single, I would have chased him and he would have been waiting for the cops in a choke hold. But I never take my eye off any of the people in that area.

Another place to watch is just north of Edna Park (golf course area). LewisAClark ( member) has been shot by a pellet gun in that area. Couple of hood ass hats with nothing better inlife.

I'm very sorry to hear about all this bad stuff going on. There is no getting around that.

However, I feel both of you are being a bit racists. Why do you have to ask if they were Mexican. Are all latinos Mexican to you? That shows quite a bit of ignorance on your part. It is a very big assupmtion to make. I'm sure that there are very many ethnicities around the SART. I've seen pleanty of white bums around the SGRT and one of them, a regular, has threatend my brother with a knife before.

Mr Beanz, I would like to know what you meant by Illegal I dont whant to assume that you ment an Illegal Immigrant because I do respect your opinion on the 41, and this would greatly change my idea of you.

I understand that when we are mad we may loose control and make remarks that we may not normally. I would just like to remind all of us that one bad apple does not make all of us bad. I lived in the U.S. for 23 years as an undocumented resident and have never been in trouble with the police. I was brought to the United states as a child of 3 and LOVE it as my mother country. I'am curently in Mexico finishing my immigration proccess. Although I am glad that I will soon be able to officially say that I am a U.S. resident, I do feel a bit ashamed of the racisim and hatred that is still present.

P.S. I am very sorry for the gramar and misspelling. I am using a PC that is in spanish and every word is showing up as misspelled and it would be very froustrating to correct them all.

mjsocal

This is pretty sweet Mr. Beanz. What a good hubby to have.

Seeing as how these are assaults and are escalating, the outcome could be worse in the future. Would inundating the SAPD with calls work to get that sting operation going?

I agree this doesn't need to get racial. Another member on the forum in a different thread mentioned a particular gang? Is it this gang that is responsible for all the assaults? That's probably where the racial comments come in, although it's unnecessary. It's a correlation. Does anybody know if they target high end bicycles or just any?

There are good trained riders out there with less than desirable bikes in good working order. I know of a snobby woman who mistakenly judged a cyclist (who was certified) by his bicycle and attire. I found her idiotic profiling in poor taste but I digress.

blarnie

Perhaps, it's time to set up a sting. Community policing is more effective than the post incident policing that occurs now.

Visible deterrence also should be employed. Pepper spray in hand and eye contact with potential perps.

Akin to keeping your hands up. Being situationally aware.

Part of not becoming a victim is not appearing as a potential victim.

No guarantees, but it can make a difference.

But, most important is putting the idea forth to criminal culture that they are the minority and can be dealt with in a heavy handed way. We must remember to make this a priority and not shy away from dealing with it ourselves because we have a police force to deal with the aftermath. It is our community. It does not belong to three punks with a cheap knife.

Jed19

I wonder how effective pepper spray could have been under those circumstances. Could it have made the thugs more enraged, thus leading to a shooting/stabbing? I once saw two taggers on the SGRT one Sunday morning defacing a bridge overpass by spraying what I assumed was gang graffiti on the bridge, I kinda looked at them, did not say a word, and one of the punks slightly lifted his shirt to show me a peek of a gun butt. This was around noon.

himespau 

Wow dude. Bummer. Glad you're not more hurt than you were. Did they track your iphone?