Leaving Car Free Far Behind; Increasing Bike Theft & Even Jacking Changes The Reality
#76
Sophomoric Member
That's because the average person who carries a gun has no real life combat experience. And has never been in a situation where their life was threatened. Unlike seasoned criminals who are very much used to living on the edge. I think situational awarness is a much better strategy, although sometimes honest citizens just can't help it and they find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time with wrong type of people around them.
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#77
Prefers Cicero
Also in Artkansas's case there were several of them, and already carrying weapons, unlike eg. the ones who accosted B Goetz.
#79
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#80
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I have fantasized that I could slow down time so that nobody could attack me. Stupid, yes. But not much less realistic than the gun carriers who fantasize that they will be able to hold off seven armed guys who are trying to steal their bike.
Guns are great offensive weapons for criminals. They are less effective as defensive weapons for honest citizens.
Guns are great offensive weapons for criminals. They are less effective as defensive weapons for honest citizens.
#82
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I have fantasized that I could slow down time so that nobody could attack me. Stupid, yes. But not much less realistic than the gun carriers who fantasize that they will be able to hold off seven armed guys who are trying to steal their bike.
Guns are great offensive weapons for criminals. They are less effective as defensive weapons for honest citizens.
Guns are great offensive weapons for criminals. They are less effective as defensive weapons for honest citizens.
#84
Senior Member
This is what have always worried me about relying on a bike for my travels, even my daily commute to the train station to get to work. The amount of bikes I see still chained up, but missing there tires, or having their frames and spokes bent completely out of whack is frightening.
#85
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If one can't bicycle anymore then move to a small 50 cc scooter. They're just as short as a bicycle and can be locked to bicycle racks. They just go much faster than the average bicyclist can go. They're also faster than criminals can run. Though a strong racer type on a bicycle can briefly sprint faster than a 50 cc motor scooter. A 150 cc motor scooter can go 55 mph and isn't much bigger. This solution is more expensive than buying a pistol and taking martial arts lessons.
#86
Banned.
Thread Starter
What people don't understand is that it's much harder for women to be bike dependant and carfree in this country. Most will take the bus or spend their last dime on motor transport before they use a bicycle for trasportation. I give FF alot of credit for keeping the struggle for so many years.
#87
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I don't blame the OP for taking a break. Getting mugged on a bike has always been a huge concern for me. Over the past 40 years of urban cycling, 25 of which are car free, I have taken evasive action a number of times successfully. I could go long stretches without any trouble, then experience two in one evening.
In the past few years some things have changed and gentrification of some popular (and previously sketchy) routes has taken place. Still not impossible to get mugged, I had my last attempt this past winter. But things seem to be heading in the right direction slowly.
Hopefully the OPs situation, or environment, will experience a change for the better in the near future. I never thought it could happen in my city, but it is progressing. Why or how I continued through the danger I can not say. I would love to call it bravery but am more tempted to label my actions risky and stupid. I survived with extreme vigilance, paranoia, and cycling speed.
In the past few years some things have changed and gentrification of some popular (and previously sketchy) routes has taken place. Still not impossible to get mugged, I had my last attempt this past winter. But things seem to be heading in the right direction slowly.
Hopefully the OPs situation, or environment, will experience a change for the better in the near future. I never thought it could happen in my city, but it is progressing. Why or how I continued through the danger I can not say. I would love to call it bravery but am more tempted to label my actions risky and stupid. I survived with extreme vigilance, paranoia, and cycling speed.
#88
Prefers Cicero
Maybe you, if you are a trained military type, but would you have advised Artkansas to draw a gun if 7 men with 2X4's forced him off the road and surrounded him? How many of them also had guns?
#89
Sophomoric Member
I don't blame the OP for taking a break. Getting mugged on a bike has always been a huge concern for me. Over the past 40 years of urban cycling, 25 of which are car free, I have taken evasive action a number of times successfully. I could go long stretches without any trouble, then experience two in one evening.
In the past few years some things have changed and gentrification of some popular (and previously sketchy) routes has taken place. Still not impossible to get mugged, I had my last attempt this past winter. But things seem to be heading in the right direction slowly.
Hopefully the OPs situation, or environment, will experience a change for the better in the near future. I never thought it could happen in my city, but it is progressing. Why or how I continued through the danger I can not say. I would love to call it bravery but am more tempted to label my actions risky and stupid. I survived with extreme vigilance, paranoia, and cycling speed.
In the past few years some things have changed and gentrification of some popular (and previously sketchy) routes has taken place. Still not impossible to get mugged, I had my last attempt this past winter. But things seem to be heading in the right direction slowly.
Hopefully the OPs situation, or environment, will experience a change for the better in the near future. I never thought it could happen in my city, but it is progressing. Why or how I continued through the danger I can not say. I would love to call it bravery but am more tempted to label my actions risky and stupid. I survived with extreme vigilance, paranoia, and cycling speed.
I am very happy that for totally unknown reasons, crime rates in almost every part of the world seem to be going down dramatically. Of course I'm not going to let my guard down too much!
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#90
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I simply REFUSE to have any low life try to relieve me of property which I have worked long & hard for, without bleeding for it first...
#91
Senior Member
There's no question that driving is a temptation. It's just that when you think about falling deeper and deeper into a habit where you have to deal with traffic and parking issues and you aren't getting exercise when you're busy with other things, it's depressing to think about driving exclusively. Still, I have to admit that I've had moments where I got a sense that driving was really going to wane away and I thought it would be a sad thing if that would happen. The reality is, though, that driving is never going to go away and you're just lucky if you can manage a lifestyle where you can avoid being stuck in traffic for any amount more than you otherwise would.
Do you think many people realize how much of their life they spend in traffic on the inside of a vehicle?
Last edited by tandempower; 07-26-13 at 08:52 PM.
#92
Senior Member
We are moving to a time where good people will wall and gate themselves away into communities, entire cities, into which outsiders are not allowed. Everything, including work will be inside the gate and unless the person entering has a clear criminal background record and has paid the "clearance" tax, (s)he will not get in. A sign on the road in, no hoodies, no saggin, no guns, no criminal background, no illegal status, no drug arrest record, nothing. LC
#93
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We are moving to a time where good people will wall and gate themselves away into communities, entire cities, into which outsiders are not allowed. Everything, including work will be inside the gate and unless the person entering has a clear criminal background record and has paid the "clearance" tax, (s)he will not get in. A sign on the road in, no hoodies, no saggin, no guns, no criminal background, no illegal status, no drug arrest record, nothing. LC
https://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/29/ju...-violent-crime
#94
Prefers Cicero
We are moving to a time where good people will wall and gate themselves away into communities, entire cities, into which outsiders are not allowed. Everything, including work will be inside the gate and unless the person entering has a clear criminal background record and has paid the "clearance" tax, (s)he will not get in. A sign on the road in, no hoodies, no saggin, no guns, no criminal background, no illegal status, no drug arrest record, nothing. LC
#95
Prefers Cicero
It would never occur to me to want to kill someone for trying to steal my bike. Obviously in an armed assault there is also the threat they will harm or kill you - that would be the only rationale for using potentially lethal force as I see it - not the easily replaceable and fairly inexpensive (compared to a life) bike.
#96
Senior Member
It would never occur to me to want to kill someone for trying to steal my bike. Obviously in an armed assault there is also the threat they will harm or kill you - that would be the only rationale for using potentially lethal force as I see it - not the easily replaceable and fairly inexpensive (compared to a life) bike.
J
#97
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I agree fully. That said, I am for stiffening the theft laws for bicycles. Some people count on them as their only mode of transportation, stealing a bicycle is not a victimless crime. Especially in a world wear people ride bicycles that cost upwards of 6,000 dollars, it is a real crime.
J
J
How likely is it that someone who counts on a bicycle as his/her only mode of transportation is riding a $6000 bike? Or even a $600 bike?
You might do better to argue that a $100 bike from Walmart represents probably more than a week's take home pay for minimum wage workers who may be dependent on a bicycle to get to and from work
#98
Sophomoric Member
Not trying to make light of bike theft but I suggest you come up with a more coherent argument for stiffer penalties for the crime.
How likely is it that someone who counts on a bicycle as his/her only mode of transportation is riding a $6000 bike? Or even a $600 bike?
You might do better to argue that a $100 bike from Walmart represents probably more than a week's take home pay for minimum wage workers who may be dependent on a bicycle to get to and from work
How likely is it that someone who counts on a bicycle as his/her only mode of transportation is riding a $6000 bike? Or even a $600 bike?
You might do better to argue that a $100 bike from Walmart represents probably more than a week's take home pay for minimum wage workers who may be dependent on a bicycle to get to and from work
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#99
Senior Member
Not trying to make light of bike theft but I suggest you come up with a more coherent argument for stiffer penalties for the crime.
How likely is it that someone who counts on a bicycle as his/her only mode of transportation is riding a $6000 bike? Or even a $600 bike?
You might do better to argue that a $100 bike from Walmart represents probably more than a week's take home pay for minimum wage workers who may be dependent on a bicycle to get to and from work
How likely is it that someone who counts on a bicycle as his/her only mode of transportation is riding a $6000 bike? Or even a $600 bike?
You might do better to argue that a $100 bike from Walmart represents probably more than a week's take home pay for minimum wage workers who may be dependent on a bicycle to get to and from work
Look, I am not going to get into a "coherent" argument about the relative harm of theft that goes down some strange rabbit hole of relativism and anecdotalisms and arguing the definition of what is, is or means. Stealing is stealing and I did not say or mean to imply that people who count on their bicycles ride 6,000 dollars bicycles but why does it matter. If something belongs to me or you, it is not for somebody else to take. I am sick and tired of people making excuses for bad behavior.
J
#100
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