Now this is worrying...

[Beeping-Sleauty]

Did everyone see this ?:

BBC NEWS | England | London | Cyclist attacked by moped riders

i truly hope this is not some emerging trend,

saddening,
beeps.

 

[nigel]

Nigel

Theirs only one word for people like that SCUM they need a good kicking to see how they like it COWARDS cant imagine what their upbringing was like if it happened to me i would go down fighting even though it saddens me to say i would use my bike as a weapon i hope that poor girl will be allright.nigel.southampton.

 

[flecc]

It's the first time I've known the victim to be a cyclist, but in London we've had this type of robbery of pedestrians for quite a while now, done from light motor cycles, mopeds and even bikes. This sort of robbery seemed to have been common some years ago in holiday destinations, Spain in particular, but somehow migrated here.

London is full of people, but something must have prompted their selection of her, and the message remains as always, don't carry visible valuables or wear obviously expensive designer gear, since they are often the trigger for an attack. We accept we have to lock our homes and bikes, so by the same token we should take sensible precautions to protect our persons.

 

[electric.mike]

first let me say my sympathy goes out to this person ,but lets hope it doesnt get to much press coverage, remember what it did for happy slapping.

 

[flecc]

first let me say my sympathy goes out to this person ,but lets hope it doesnt get to much press coverage, remember what it did for happy slapping.

Good point!

 

[Flying Kiwi]

I hope the victim recovers quickly and fully. As for the culprits, it's possibly an environment where they were treated like scum that's cointributed to them going off the rails in this way. If that's the case, more of the same is unlikely to correct things, although I can understand the desire for retribution. Hopefully justice will take its course and the book will be thrown at them. Even though the culprits were on mopeds, they still only have 2 wheels and can be pushed over just like bikes. It may not stop them escaping but would slow them down a bit.

When my mum was in her late 60s she had her handbag snatched by a young thief around the local shopping area. From then on she always kept her handbag hidden away while she was out with it. Thieves have a hard time snatching any valuables from you if they cant see any. They may still try though as I found out when watching a street performer in Cape Town a few years ago. I had my rucksack on and felt a slight force on it and was aware of people very close to me. I turned around to interrupt a person in the process of undoing the zip on it (before he got to what was inside - my Pentax Zoom 60 camera and coat). On looking around I saw he had some lookouts working with him and later I saw them walking in a group together. No police were to be seen unfortunately.

 

[Tim]

Just worked out that this happened about 1/2 a mile from where I live. Hope she pulls through.

 

[flecc]

Tonight's ITV local news carried a report and video of a gang of the other types I mentioned, those cycling around and robbing people. Seems to happen in spates in London.

 

[Miles]

A cyclist was killed in Greenwich, last year. Shot or stabbed, can't remember which. Anyway, it was just down the road....

 

[flecc]

I have the unenviable record of three friends murdered at different times during the last 21 years, and in September last year, my outer London borough managed to have eight murders in the month, three of them within a mile radius of my home.

None of them were cyclists though, so maybe cycling is still the safest option in city life.