longbeachgary

Dude, I think I'm gonna ride with you from now-on.

Gabbo

So two violent attacks in less than seven days with basically the same MO. Hopefully the Santa Ana police are noticing the same trend develop.

calamarichris

Sorry for duplicating this suggestion here, but consider our sensible options and real solutions:
1) Report every incident to the police, so they are aware.
2) Avoiding the area when alone, or grouping up with other riders before passing through that zone.
3) Have your cellphones/cameras ready.

You'll never have to wait long at a safe spot on SART before another rider, or group of riders comes along. And instead of all this talk of kicking ass, baseball bats, and using this as an excuse to kick off a SART arms-race, all we really have to do is stick together and have our cellphone-cameras ready. If one of us gets knocked down, the others stop and get photos and be ready to book when they try to get your cameraphone evidence.
Digital photos are more powerful than baseball bats or pepper spray. Once you've got someone's pic or mpeg doing something like this, his game is over; bad guy neutralized. And you don't need a CCW to carry a camera or phone.
What about stenciling something on the bike path?:
"Caution:
Mugging Area Ahead!
Do Not Ride Alone!"

Any other real solutions that don't involve escalation and eventually one of us ending up shot in the head?

mjsocal

This is a good idea because it can't easily be taken down like the signs have been taken down, however, it could be painted over during the night.

I think it's possible that the PD will get involved if it escalates and enough attention is drawn to it, particularly if the victims are not from the area. They could get pressure from other jurisdictions.

calamarichris

Another one:

Everyone (even if you don't ride SSRT):

Take a series of pictures of your bike RIGHT NOW including all distinguishing chips, nicks, dents, and lot #'s on your bottom bracket.
Pictures are a lot more easy to memorize than bike descriptions.

Also, write on several slips of paper: THIS BIKE IS STOLEN. PROPERTY OF (YOUR NICKNAME) PLEASE CALL: 949-123-4567

Put one of these notes in your seat-tube, under your seat, and another one in your saddlebag, folded up with your tubes & levers.

I hope none of us every has to endure what MJClark and Notabikedork did, but if we do, at least we can contribute toward being the last and putting these losers in the house of waiting and cellmate love.

LaurettaFetta

The cell phone camera thing is a good idea in theory, but it takes FOREVER for a cell phone camera to load up (have you seen how slow my phone is?). Plus, with all the hype going on, it would be really hard to get a good shot. And they might just take the phone anyway...probably would. It would be great, but really hard to execute.

I think the "This bike is stolen" stuff would be a good idea. But, there is a good chance they would rummage through the saddlebag and clear that out.

Thugs, man. Effing messed. Pisses me off.

MTB_dave

Add to the stencil "REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY TO SAPD 714-245-8665"

Lets do it!

weshigh

949-123-4567 is a floral shop in Irvine. Are they the secret bike clearing house?

toobspunk

see other thread for updated info

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post13828129

CB HI

Amazing that you really believe it is easier to stop and take focused pictures of the bad guys than it is to just shot their ass.

sakeed123

I rode up to the bridge and back down to Segerstorm were my buddies shop is twice the early evening. just you typical traffic with a few younger punks here and there.

You can add 867-5309 for Jenny I got your number (old school joke)

zimbozim

I just rode on the trail yesterday, 5/15/2012.
It was my first commute to/from work.
I read the forum at work yesterday after a buddy at work alerted me to be careful.
I realized my ride on the SART is exactly through the Santa Ana gang zone
Looking around yesterday, as I was approaching the 5'th Street underpass going north, I saw an old bike high up the ramp and did see what looked like a gangster crawl out from behind one of the bridge supporting pillars. I realized all the stuff talked about here and the events are real.
I tried grouping with other bikers but over a long stretch is not always easy, some go faster, others slower.
It's so easy for muggings to happen. Thank God it didn't happen to me.
sakeed123, next time you're there, stop by the 5'th street underpass, get off the bike, climb up the embankment and see if there's anybody hiding/hanging out there. I surely won't do that, but if you have the guts.
Wow, I can't believe there aren't police officers on bikes patroling the area.
I'm not sure I want to ride to work anymore....

TrojanHorse

Well, you can die standing still in your own back yard. Drown in a pool, get hit by a car, meteorite land on your head...

I'd suggest keeping your wits about you while you ride through that part of SART but don't let the bums win!

rooftest

Sounds to me like you've confused "gangster" with "homeless guy."

Jan Feetz

If this is truly going to keep you from riding the SART, perhaps find an alternate route on the street were the police are, you probably wont get mugged, but IMO, the chances of you getting clipped by a car while riding on the street, is greater than getting mugged by a criminal on the SART. View a SART mugging just like any other hazard one may come across while cycling:
Glass
Pot hole
Crazy Driver(s)
Crazy unleashed Dog
Crazy cyclist
etc.
Dont worry! Just ride safe and keep alert.

sakeed123

I was looking through old post since I have not been on this site for almost two years, and then not for 8 years before that little stint. I got a notification on a Raleigh post and signed on to my old profile to see what I actually talked about on here years ago- kind of fun looking back at thing........anyways, I had to laugh when I saw this post. Aprox a year ago I ended up getting jumped by two ass wipes on a So Cal bike trail, (Not Santa Ana, and I do not want to say because frankly one of them may not have survived...or at very least is using coloring books.
I was tucked on my aero bars so this homeless look guy stand up on the side of the bike path on my right facing me walking slowly could not see my size. I slow up from probably 18mph to aprox 12 getting ready to sit up for so rough terrain wigglies under a train bridge and this idiot bee-lines the shopping kart at me at a 45* angle across my path. I lock the bike up and come out of my left pedal and hit the cart with my left knee grabbing it to stabilize myself...him still hanging on to it and a look of surprise I did not go down as he was come over the top of it almost touching head like he hit a brick wall. I quickly grabbed his wrist with my left arm and followed a quick right laying him out cold. I then kicked the bike with my right cleet to remove it and drop the bike to the ground and I drew a little "friend' shall we say at the next guy running my direction form about 10 yards uop to my left. I yelled at him get your F***king ass down but he turned and ran and scaled a chainlink fence down into the bush section of a local river canal where I could see him the entire time high tailing 150ft across and up the other side. No way I could chase his ass down because I have cleets on.

I turned back and to the POS laying a sleep on the ground next to the cart and my bike, picked up my bike, and kicked this MF'er in the ribs with a guaranteed trip to the hospital if not morgue. I was on a 4 hour ride and 45 mins into it. On my return route I took a wide berth blocks outside my path to make damn sure I avoided any investigation lets just say. Ironic I had talked about this a decade prior. Calif is a f'ing cess pool right now and getting worse by the day. This idiot will never jump anyone ever again, I promise you that.

skidder

You do realize this was 10 years ago? No problems with violent gang attacks since then, and the homeless have all but been cleared away.

Garfield Cat

It takes a joint effort to relocate homeless people just about anywhere, even the streets of Los Angeles. The various river trails I would think are no exception. In fact, a secluded place with very little or no law enforcement routine detail. Perhaps its not city jurisdiction, although river trails run through the cities.