Gangs targeting Bicyclists?
Thread started by
skd at 07.31.08 - 9:25 am
Last week my friend was jumped on his bicycle in Hollywood. He had $80 in his wallet and a $1500 camera in his bag, yet nothing was stolen.
The perpetrators jumped out of a car and pummeled him. Chipped his front tooth and cracked a couple of ribs.
A couple of hours later another bicyclist was jumped and beaten near Los Feliz. Again nothing was stolen.
LAPD told my friend that it is a "gang initiation". Where prospective gang members are encouraged to beat up strangers, in an effort to show loyalty.
If you are being shadowed by a car of people....get your U-Lock ready. You might have to crack some heads.
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This reminds me.
Did the group buy of Mace/Pepper spray ever happen?
Eric Hair07.31.08 - 9:50 am
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I don't think so. I've kinda been waiting for that. Until then I guess we need scary water bottle juice and U-locks.
imachynna07.31.08 - 10:00 am
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Haha....keep one water bottle full of pee and the other full of your beverage of choice........CRAP, which one's which
Eric Hair07.31.08 - 10:02 am
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or just ride in your living fortress of fun and fabulousness.......100 people deep WERD...
if you try to jump CRANK Mob you'll end up being pulled into a dance pit
Eric Hair07.31.08 - 10:03 am
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no it hasn't taken place yet. i've been so slammed with stuff i dropped the ball on it. anyone want to head the group by for me?
brassknuckle07.31.08 - 10:05 am
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I love the gangs in LA.
"Yo man...you wanna be my brother? You want my protection?!?!!! Go beat up that biker!!!"
FTW? Can't this all be taken care of over a 40 and a game of bones? Maybe a Halo 2 battle? I guess until then, I'll have to rely on my kung fu. It is strong.
DetroitRider07.31.08 - 10:05 am
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With all due respect....the notion that gangs are targeting bicyclists is just flat alarmist. This reminds me of the time in the nineties when everyone was all worried about gang initiates shooting unsuspecting people who flash their high beams at carloads full of lurking gang members. I am not afraid. I got jumped in Venice last summer. No money or property was stolen from me. And, I'm pretty sure gangs weren't initiating new members at my expense because I have a bike.
tern07.31.08 - 10:08 am
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FYI...if you are ever in my part of town (Long Beach/Lakewood/Cerritos/Hawaiian Gardens - 605 fwy, south of the 91)...
There have been numerous reports of riders getting jumped along the bike path/riverbed located parallel to the 605 fwy, specifically at the Carson Street area. Riders are getting jumped, beaten, and then their bikes are stolen. =(
Be careful out there...
katerpillar07.31.08 - 10:08 am
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"if you try to jump CRANK Mob you'll end up being pulled into a dance pit"
Ahahahaha. Oh, I can see it now....
imachynna07.31.08 - 10:12 am
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It seems the only time we are safe, is when we are in a mob.
I ride home alone a lot at night, never had a problem yet. My friend is a skinny, lanky guy. So if three guys want to jump someone, I guess it is better to choose a 5'9", 140 lbs guy than the 6'1" 190 lbs guy.
Be careful out there, everyone.
skd07.31.08 - 10:18 am
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Tern is right, alarmist. Tern, please visit the thread formally known as 'Drinking & Cycling'
BrassBuns, email me any info, contacts, suppliers that you compiled. Also, if you got a rough total of people requesting a buy-in that would be helpful. I'll try to follow this thing through.
Eric Hair07.31.08 - 10:18 am
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are these legal in Los Angeles?
http://www.crimehalter.com/collapsiblebatons.html
Ive always wanted to make a holder for one of these on my bike under the top tube.
thegodofthor07.31.08 - 10:29 am
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No, they are a felony to carry a collapseable baton in CA.
A handgun, on the other hand, is a misdemeanor (so long as it's registered to you and it's your first offense)
seanbonner07.31.08 - 10:41 am
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Kater,
I live in Cypress and ride under Carson on the River trail all the time.
I have never seen any sign of lurking gangs, but thanks for the heads up.
i will be vigilant.
Creative Thing07.31.08 - 10:47 am
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ok, and U-locks are not illegal.
Ill stay with the ulock
thegodofthor07.31.08 - 10:53 am
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if we add an "a" and an "e"...
to that sentence... we will have:
i will be a vigilante
(I agree with Tern...let's be watchful...but this whole culture of fear that we live in is getting to be quite annoying...)
adrian07.31.08 - 10:58 am
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I better start carrying a Ulock to take care of those scary earthquakes!
imachynna07.31.08 - 10:59 am
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Richie carries a tazer gun.
I should know, he tazed me.
Joe Borfo07.31.08 - 11:06 am
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Where is the video, Borfo? hahaha!
tern07.31.08 - 11:07 am
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@ Creative - you're welcome! see ya on the roads...and not around Carson... =)
katerpillar07.31.08 - 11:10 am
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detroit rider is the shit. my kung fu is not strong... but i think i'll manage and my ulock will make sure of it.
Jazzy Phat Nastee07.31.08 - 11:11 am
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No, they are a felony to carry a collapseable baton in CA.
A handgun, on the other hand, is a misdemeanor (so long as it's registered to you and it's your first offense)
AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS, SCRATCH THAT, KNOWS, THERE'S SOMETHING WRON WITH THAT STATEMENT? HOW THE FUCK IS A COLLAPSEABLE BATON A FELONY BUT A CONCEALED GUN A MISDEMEANOR??? THE U.S. IS GOING STRAIGHT TO HELL... WE NEED TO GUIDE IT BACK ON TRACK.
Jazzy Phat Nastee07.31.08 - 11:19 am
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I'm going to stick with my earlier statement from the other thread.
If you shoot a gangbanger, are the cops really going to take the type of thing seriously?
These are the types of people that most likely already have priors and are already viewed as "Fucking up and picking up speed".
The only persons who will probably be giving two bottles of piss will be his momma(who's too blind with motherly love to see that the son is a damned prick of a child), and the county/state psychiatrist that thinks every cop is crazy, and every murderer can be saved(Why don't you quit your job and be a Evangelistic preacher?).
I'll just say if the police/sheriff's dept. is slow on this crime, but hard on meaningless infractions, then it's time to step up and throw out the trash.
I'm just tired of all the pussy-footin' that's been hovering around this issue as of late.
bentstrider07.31.08 - 12:31 pm
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someone getting beat up randomly on the street is not a high priority for the police.
spiraldemon07.31.08 - 12:38 pm
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No, spiraldevon, I'm implying that a gang-banger, or some other violent individual with prior counts, will not be much of a concern to everyone else if they suddenly go missing overnight.
I mean, I just don't see the need for a police-force to round up a search/rescue party to locate a missing, presumably offed, gang-member.
As far as I'm concerned, there are enough law-abiding, non-murderous people that are a part of MR as it is.
If one of us goes missing, you'll notice UH-60's, CH-53's and the 82nd Airborne themselves trying to get to us within that first, 48!!!
bentstrider07.31.08 - 12:52 pm
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@bentstrider - Umm...so, we should all make like Batman and clean up the streets of Gotham? I'm willing to give most anyone a second chance and can't just write off any gang member just because they grew up in a shitty situation. We have all made stupid ass mistakes at some point and we shouldn't just glock 'em because some 13 yr old has been told that a gang is his family. Impressionable minds make stupid choices. That's why I'd prefer to whip their ass, something their dad probably never did.
"Gimme yo' wallet!!!"
- "What? Sigh..."
*removes belt, bends kid over my knee, spanks*
Now back on topic, just ride smart. I've taken to riding with spurs on my shoes so I can either scare attackers into thinking I'm part of the Village People or I can use them to spur their face.
DetroitRider07.31.08 - 1:25 pm
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Q: What do a U-lock, a can of pepper spray, and a collapsible baton have in common?
A: All are equally useless against a carload of gang members, at least one of whom is guaranteed to have a gun. If you're being shadowed by a car full of bangers, start looking for an escape route where a car can't follow.
PC07.31.08 - 1:33 pm
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lmao...that was hilarious...
"let me get you..."
"whaaa?...that wasn't part of the agreement.."
FMontanez197407.31.08 - 1:39 pm
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I think we should all get some now.
The TAZER RIDE!
Joe Borfo07.31.08 - 1:43 pm
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MR CLASSIC:
SpiralDévön
Fluffa's porn alias.
Eric Hair
07.31.08 - 4:14 pm
LOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
eddieboyinla07.31.08 - 1:46 pm
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@detroitrider
-Yes, second chances, only if this is the first time they've been caught and need to be brought under, before they spiral out-of-control.
But, the people I'm referring to are the ones who've broken into a car, or knocked some random person out for the umpteenth time!!!
I mean, how long is Dr. Steinpezdorgsmith gonna keep on saying the criminal needs to be reformed until the criminal is clearly beyond giving a shit?!?!?
I say either lock them up and let the inmates in Block-D have their way with him, or allow an armed property owner to dispose of them properly.
Either way, I don't want to have deal with "Mr.10-offenses-on-my-record" because there's some potential ability within them.
I'll take my chances with the people like myself who are still trying to understand hard-math.
bentstrider07.31.08 - 1:56 pm
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"if you try to jump CRANK Mob you'll end up being pulled into a dance pit"
hahahahahah!
KiMS107.31.08 - 1:58 pm
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Assuming this is gang activity may even be a stretch. I beaten with a basebal bat in a gas station by a 'gang' of frat boys doing the initiation thing. I thought I had lost them and was asking the gas station employer to call the cops when they pulled in behind me and hit across the back of the neck with a bat. They then tried to drop one of the drink fridges on me, but I managed to get behind it. One was arrested and numerous people wrote down the license plate. The cops couldn't have cared less. The guy they caught they locked up for public drunkenness and they claimed they "lost" their notes containing the license plate the next day. I pointed out that at least one person had scribbled it on the side of one of the gas pumps and if they wanted it, I would be happy to go back and get it for them, but they werebn't interested, since I wasn't grievously injured. They literally couldn't have cared less that a random passerby was beat with a bat and nothing ever came of it. Had the been maybe 6 inches higher with that first swing, I could have easily suffered brain damage or death. As it was, I was lucky to get out of it without a broken neck. And these were 18 year old rich white kids in dockers and button down shirts.
ideasculptor07.31.08 - 11:19 pm
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https://store.udap.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=P&Product_Code=12&Category_Code=BS
Bear Spray!
Read the testimonials from people who were attacked by bears - http://www.udap.com/testify.htm
I'm guessing that would at least give you a few moments of stunned gangbangers while you hopped back on your bike and GTFO.
JB07.31.08 - 11:23 pm
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"I've taken to riding with spurs on my shoes so I can either scare attackers into thinking I'm part of the Village People or I can use them to spur their face."
HA
imachynna08.1.08 - 3:22 pm
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The solution to all this is so simple. If you believe a confrontation is gonna happen, just soil yourself. Whoever comes near you won't be able to run away fast enough. SIMPLE!
bananaphone08.1.08 - 3:24 pm
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LOL! GOOD ONE JEFF!
WHAT ABOUT BICYCLIST TARGETING GANG BANGERS?
eddieboyinla08.1.08 - 3:32 pm
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that's only ONE of the reasons I have no girlfriend, Jeff. :P
bananaphone08.1.08 - 3:41 pm
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Frog: You screwed up now, man... You joined a gang.
pb73408.1.08 - 4:04 pm
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Sorry for anyone who gets jumped. That totally blows getting jumped by a bunch of frat guys. The mindset of some of these people just amaze me.
For the record, I was wearing Hagar slacks, not Dockers.
DetroitRider08.1.08 - 4:57 pm
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"No, they are a felony to carry a collapsible baton in CA.
A handgun, on the other hand, is a misdemeanor (so long as it's registered to you and it's your first offense) "
There's a simple explanation for this. The collapsible baton lobby ain't got no game!
cabhauler08.1.08 - 6:23 pm
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i ride around by myself and look for gangsters to jump.
d-styles08.1.08 - 6:26 pm
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"No, they are a felony to carry a collapseable baton in CA. "
unless you have a permit from the state 8)
Little Evil Eddy08.1.08 - 7:48 pm
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this is why i roll with a kel-tec p32 in my seat bag when solo.
dert08.2.08 - 12:07 am
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be very aware of your surroundings.
Gangbangers, real gangbangers won't waste a strike on assault and battery, they have much better things to do you know like killin and stuff. It's the wanabees and meth heads you have to watch.
Funny thing happend on a ride last night, a suburban puled up next to us and asked what we were doin, to which we replied just ridin, the car then cirlced around and on its way back had a guy fall out of the vehicle while he was holding an egg. At first we thought he was a cyclist so we went over and called 911. His friends were less than helpful and the guy reaked of alcohol. He was knocked out by the fall on the head. Sadly the egg didn't make it.
dannyzuko08.2.08 - 9:09 am
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@dert:
"this is why i roll with a kel-tec p32 in my seat bag when solo."
This is just kind of silly. If you are going to illegally carry concealed, you may as well keep it where you can actually get to it in a hurry. Do you take your seat bag off whenever you park your bike or how do you deal with transferring your gun to your pocket? I certainly hope you don't leave a gun unattended and dangling under your seat - it ain't gonna do you much good there, and if your bike gets stolen, it could do a lot of bad. Get a fanny pack designed for CCW so you can get to the thing in a hurry. Not that I advocate carrying concealed without a permit and appropriate training.
ideasculptor08.2.08 - 12:22 pm
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Gangs! Oh noes!!111oneoneone!
The chances of this type of thing happening are vanishingly small. Violent crime is still very rare, despite all the crap you see on T.V. or hear from fear mongering gossip queens you hang out with.
Why not worry about being hit by a car at an intersection while it turns right? It is more likely to occur.
I'm going to guess that, like the b.s. "Wear A Helmet" freaks in the bike scene, that this type of "warning" will continue to pop up.
When hubris attacks, and I get jumped by a "gang" this week - you can all rest easy, since I took my knocks for the other 5,000,000 people who will not have that happen to them.
ubrayj0208.2.08 - 12:57 pm
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I wonder what the penalty is for carrying around a bullwhip?!?
Tear some hands off with that sucker!!
bentstrider08.2.08 - 3:10 pm
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