Violent Bicycle Thefts
Thread started by
pavetheplanet at 10.18.09 - 7:34 pm
Everyone please be alert and careful out there! Bike thefts are way up and they are getting more and more violent. I took care of a kid in the ER the other day who was riding near Lucas and Beverly when a car pulled up next to him and a guy in car hit him in the chest with a baseball bat at speed. He flew of his bike and went through the windshield of a parked car. The bastards took his bike in the back seat and drove off. This was in the middle of the afternoon. There's some messed up and desperate people out there, so always stay alert! Be safe everyone.
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that's really fucking scary.
i hope the kid is okay.
coldcut10.18.09 - 7:58 pm
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these stories are making me really regret selling my truck. I'd rather keep my bike and drive. damn.
la duderina10.18.09 - 8:06 pm
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He's OK, was really lucky that he didn't get hurt worse, all things considered.
pavetheplanet responding to a
comment by coldcut
10.18.09 - 8:07 pm
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christ. i hope that guy is okay.
why are thieves viciously attacking cyclist? is it to make sure they don't get caught? why?
mechazawa10.18.09 - 8:08 pm
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"why are thieves viciously attacking cyclist? is it to make sure they don't get caught? why? "
Because they're not smart enough to buy bolt cutters or a sawzall, and don't understand the difference in jail time between a non-violent theft charge and and the combined charges of robbery and assault and battery, assault with a deadly weapon, and/or attempted murder?
Buy a helmet mirror, it can give you a little warning when something unpleasant is coming up behind you.
JB responding to a
comment by mechazawa
10.18.09 - 8:42 pm
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Wow wow wow. They do it cause they can. You think the cops have the resources to catch bike thieves? Hell no. It's gonna keep happening until we riot an march on city hall en masse and demand that something be done. And even then nothing will happen. Los Angeles is a shithole of broken infrastructure. The courts the cops the hospitals the roadways. Can't wait to get back. I'm buying bear spray.
Roadblock responding to a
comment by mechazawa
10.18.09 - 9:07 pm
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There is no Lucas and Beverly in los angeles.
User110.18.09 - 10:24 pm
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It's where Beverly turns into 2nd st. at least that's what I presume
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=lucas+and+w+2nd+st&sll=34.060161,-118.258939&sspn=0.01543,0.029011&ie=UTF8&cd=1&hq=&hnear=W+2nd+St+&t=h&z=17
Foldie responding to a
comment by User1
10.18.09 - 10:26 pm
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Under the bridge, right by the marionette theater. Beverly turns into 1st, Glendale turns into 2nd, and Lucas starts there.
pavetheplanet responding to a
comment by User1
10.18.09 - 10:35 pm
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fuck... that intersection gets heavy bicycle usage
snowcone10.18.09 - 10:41 pm
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That really fucked up cause that's a well used intersection. Hope he's alright.
I'm sure the Oven can set him up with a replacement of some kind. He just has to go talk to Joseph.
User1 responding to a
comment by pavetheplanet
10.18.09 - 10:42 pm
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True its because they can, but then like you said there are no repercussions for doing so unless they are caught...by the police.
I for one like to see cyclist en masse storm city hall as well. its easier said than done. its making people believe their voices are important is the hard part getting them to go out and fight.
can you get bear spray duty-free?
mechazawa10.18.09 - 11:01 pm
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people could also drive by pedestrians easily and hit them with bats or just run them over.
they don't do it because they can... they must have other reasons.
i know one of the reasons is the resentment drivers have toward cyclists.
can you describe the person that was hit?
was the person between the ages of 15 - 30? was the person wearing a helmet? was the person wearing spandex? any information like this would be good.
what i find is people respect you more when you are an older cyclist, wearing a helmet, and even more if you're in a spandex get-up.
snowcone10.18.09 - 11:16 pm
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drivers assume that ridears wearing dull gear have money thus, most of the time, leave them alone
mechazawa responding to a
comment by snowcone
10.18.09 - 11:35 pm
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Um, they were
thieves. Though I'm sure "respect" figured into their decision at some point, I'd think it would be way down the list from such questions as "does this person have something of value?" and "can I take it from them?"
And this also applies to your point about pedestrians. Cyclists are easily identified as having something of value. They're riding it. Pedestrians are not so easily identified.
nathansnider responding to a
comment by snowcone
10.18.09 - 11:39 pm
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i doubt drivers consciously think about it
snowcone responding to a
comment by mechazawa
10.18.09 - 11:39 pm
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Dam thats sucks hope that guys recovers well. Thats really some shit though. Im telling you guys these thieves are upgrading quickly. They left the bolt cutters for guns and cars w/ bats. This is really getting out of hand. Is there a way we can bring this to the attention of the police in a big scale or is it people arent reporting crimes that happen?
Glue:.10.18.09 - 11:42 pm
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i agree with you. i still want to understand who are being targeted and by whom (in terms of profiling).
so are they targeting people riding flashy bikes? did this person have a flashy/nice bike?
or do they think all bicycles have some value?
snowcone responding to a
comment by nathansnider
10.18.09 - 11:44 pm
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both. i think they would target those with flashy bikes more so than others. its makes it easier for them to get more money and at the same time regular bikes are still perceived as having some value. its a lose-lose situation. it doesn't really matter.
sadly, this is the second time i heard someone being attacked with a bat. A young lady had to have surgery on her face after the assualt.
mechazawa responding to a
comment by snowcone
10.19.09 - 12:07 am
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I really want to go ahead and say that it's because he had a fixie [I'm assuming he had a fixie, if not my hypothesis is done for]. Because they have been so popular, fuckshits like those would go to any length just to get one.
Alfredo10.19.09 - 1:53 am
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on craigslist, im sure they could have gotten between $200-500 for a used fixie or conversion.
tortuga_veloce responding to a
comment by Alfredo
10.19.09 - 2:24 am
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Time to start putting "dead-man" switches on bikes, or anything of heavy value for that matter.
It gets taken away from you, then there's no way in hell the thieves are going to get anything out of it either, except some shrapnel wounds and a bunch of dye all over them.
bentstrider10.19.09 - 8:09 am
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The only motive, as far as I could tell, was theft. Pure and simple. I don't think that social class or race or anything else played a part. How much does a hot Pista fetch on the open market?
pavetheplanet10.19.09 - 10:45 am
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we should not rule anything out of the question without enough evidence
we need to collect as much information about these incidents as possible so we can start to identify patterns so that we can avoid these situations and possibly trap or capture the people who do this
the bike doesn't have to be valuable, but if it's flashy it will look valuable to potential thieves.
what other details can you tell us about the incident?
snowcone responding to a
comment by pavetheplanet
10.19.09 - 10:56 am
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+1
Their sole motivation is money. It doesn't matter what you are wearing, it matters what you are
riding.
Don't want to get jacked? Don't ride a trendy bike or a bike that looks expensive.
la duderina responding to a
comment by pavetheplanet
10.19.09 - 11:10 am
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no one knows exactly why.... except a few maybe...
1. Maybe the kid stole the bike, and the people in the car wanted it back (revenge).
2. Maybe it was some gangsta shit
3. Maybe thieves have always existed
4. Maybe this is no different than when people were getting robbed/killed for their sneakers (Jordans baby).
5. Maybe it has nothing to do with Bikes per se, but just $$$$$. Bikes are in...
6. Maybe this is why it dangerous to ride a flashy bike
7. Maybe pedestrians get robbed/ beat too.
8. Maybe people will start car jacking in the future... if this trend continues
9. Maybe this isnt such a mystery.
md2 responding to a
comment by snowcone
10.19.09 - 11:35 am
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Once a city council member's kid gets his head beat in while riding, only then will anything really change.
Joe Borfo10.19.09 - 11:38 am
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since people are getting seriously hurt, and could possibly be killed, this is not a matter to be taken lightly. if we can help prevent such incidents in the future, we should make an effort to do so. we cannot afford to make assumptions about why this happened and remain ignorant of our predators. i don't care to argue with you guys, i just want information about the incident from witnesses.
snowcone responding to a
comment by md2
10.19.09 - 11:42 am
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it's called logic.
9. Maybe this isnt such a mystery. -md2
+1
la duderina responding to a
comment by snowcone
10.19.09 - 11:43 am
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If the bike hadn't been stolen I could see why you would wonder but it says in the OP that they stole the bike. This isn't the first time a bike has been stolen. Why do people steal? for money. I mean come on. it's not fucking rocket science. Don't ride something that is liable to get stolen if you don't want this shit happening to you. not hard to figure out.
la duderina10.19.09 - 11:45 am
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ESP with the economy in the state that it is in.
la duderina10.19.09 - 11:46 am
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pavetheplanet
do you have any way of getting in touch with the victim? could you give him my email address, and let him know that i am interested in collecting information about what happened. my email address is alloutofgas at gmail
thanks
snowcone10.19.09 - 11:46 am
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also, the stealing of the bicycle could have been an afterthought.
driver sees cyclist, has negative disposition toward cyclists
decides to take out anger on cyclist
grabs baseball bat and hits cyclist
realizes he could take his bike and sell it
takes bike and drives off
snowcone10.19.09 - 11:56 am
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"Street robbery is not just about money
in the UK"
try again.
la duderina responding to a
comment by snowcone
10.19.09 - 11:57 am
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If the motivation is anything BUT money, then there is little you can do to prevent it and you might stop trying to over analyze it. this shit happens every day.
You can't prevent random crime because it is just that..random.
la duderina responding to a
comment by snowcone
10.19.09 - 12:01 pm
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have you read anything i said? when did i say random? how is anything where there is TARGETING random? if it was random, it would not be targeted at cyclists.
oh yeah, things in other countries bare no semblance to things in anywhere else.
snowcone responding to a
comment by la duderina
10.19.09 - 12:08 pm
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snowcone...
your post is really off dude...
If I pick up a rock and skip it across a lake, yes, I intended to pick up a rock. The rock I picked up could have be any random rock.
When someone is on the prowl to steal... sometimes it is random. You find random targets. Get it?
Okay...
Now, bikes have existed for a long time. People have stole them in the past, and will in the future. No one is arguing that there isnt a reason behind increased theft and violence to cyclist... its that people are saying:
we pretty much know why.
Sure there are exceptions, and this may be one. But no one on the thread thus far, knows much more than others... that is except for you... we all know more than you.
Welcome back... i thought RB's friendship had helped curb you... but anyhow... I missed your wacky posts.
md2 responding to a
comment by snowcone
10.19.09 - 12:38 pm
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This is really messed up. How is the rida doing?
CrazyPenis10.19.09 - 12:43 pm
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Your determination to compile information about these incidents is admirable, but you've been giving every impression that you're just trying to shoehorn the (anecdotal) evidence in to fit your assumptions.
You've already told us that you "know" that one of the reasons behind these thefts is "the resentment drivers have toward cyclists." So naturally I suppose we can also assume that the pedestrians who recently robbed a cyclist at gunpoint were driven by the resentment that pedestrians have toward cyclists? Or is it merely the gun owners who have a this resentment? Or is it human beings in general? Excuse the excessive questions; I'm just trying to figure out how deep this persecution complex goes.
The fact that you're able to write "we cannot afford to make assumptions about why this happened" without your head exploding from irony is a testament to the power of cognitive dissonance.
nathansnider responding to a
comment by snowcone
10.19.09 - 12:47 pm
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Solution: Higher Bentstrider to be driven around behind you while riding. Bentstrider will be in the shotgun position of this Urban Assult vechicle shot in this
sexy10.19.09 - 12:48 pm
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i think this is an insightful article that is applicable to los angeles even it's from the UK. We were attacked on a wolfpack ride by some gangsters from the Ave's. They were just looking for a fight. they had no interest in taking bikes. They threw full beers at our heads, when that didn't work they started swerving their SUV, when that didn't work they used their SUV to attempt to crush a rider against parked cars, when that didn't work they got out and said "come on you !@#$?s...blah blah..." There was no plan.
It was pure ultraviolence like in clockwork orange. Some of the gangsters i've known just did stupid shit because they felt like it.
onemanstrash responding to a
comment by snowcone
10.19.09 - 12:54 pm
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While others would trick out their trucks with useless shit like chrome and Flowmaster exhaust upgrades, this is part of what I would actually want to do with any motor-vehicle titled to me.
Except I would go with a 3/4 ton chassis, a 6-speed OD-standard, and a 7.3 IDI Diesel with a silenced exhaust.
bentstrider responding to a
comment by JB
10.19.09 - 2:54 pm
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The kid was a paitent of mine in the ER, so I don't really feel that's it appropriate getting in touch with him for stuff. I do know that he filed a police report, so I'm sure that the fine officers of LAPD are diligently following all leads. All the details that I know that are appropriate to make public are in the first post of the thread. The kid was riding by himself in the afternoon when a car pulled up next to him and someone in the passanger side (I don't know if front or rear) struck him in the chest with a baseball bat. He fell off his bike (Bianchi Pista) and went through the rear windshild of a parked car sustaining multiple lacerations. He saw someone put his bike in the back seat of the car and they sped off. The kid did not appear to be gang affiliated or obviously hipster, just a kid from the neighborhood. Oh, one interesting detail... The people who assaulted him were in a Mercedes, I assume stollen as well though I don't know for sure.
I think that this can happen to anyone, and we all need to be vigilant. There is safety in numbers, but even this does not always protect you. If I remember the other thread correctly, the girl that got hit in the face with the bat was with several other people... What ever reasons that these horrible things are happening, we all have to be careful and alert for danger.
pavetheplanet10.19.09 - 9:45 pm
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Thanks for the heads up Ptp.
Alfredo responding to a
comment by pavetheplanet
10.20.09 - 12:00 am
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thanks for providing us with as much information has you could, and it's great to know that through our network of cyclists, you were able to notify others of potential danger.
snowcone responding to a
comment by pavetheplanet
10.20.09 - 9:44 am
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Thanks for the thorough update. And keep up the good work in the ER.
0gravity responding to a
comment by pavetheplanet
10.20.09 - 9:56 am
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Ridazz Roulette!
THIS IS GOING TO STOP.