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I got robbed on my EUC !!


Pingouin

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Hi guys,

I wanted to share this recent adventure, and give you some advices so that the same thing won't happen to you...

So I was riding alone, getting some fresh air as I always do during hot evenings, I had my gotway MCM4 that tops at 22km/h (this is important for after). After riding for about an hour in the forest, the dark was here, at about 10pm. I was heading back home on a bike lane, passing next to an inhabited complex for moderate revenues, when out of nowhere 6 youngsters came out and started yelling at me (can't remember exactly what), then started chasing me.

I accelerated as fast as I could. I didn't even hear the final alarm but it must have been very brutal, because the EUC had no more power to keep me balanced and I fell off it, luckily I was able to run, the EUC rolled into a bush, and the 6 guys catched up with me.

One of them threatened me with a knife, another had a cutter, they asked for my cellphone and money, I gave them what I had on me, but couldn't find my cellphone. The 6 guys where taller than me, and even though I had an electric shocker, I didn't use it because I was too afraid to get stabbed.

They left very quickly, luckily they didn't take my EUC, after a while I headed back home, my legs where shaking from the stress, I have already had some agressions on my EUC but they never succeded until now. I filled up a complaint today at the police station, but without a good description (I wasn't able to remember the faces of my agressors because it was dark and I was under stress) they told me there almost no hope to find them.

From now on, I won't go out at night with a slow and weak EUC, I think that if I had my ACM for example I would have gone away, I need to avoid some areas but I couldn't guess it would happen in this particular one, so I'll look out for groups of people. I highly recommend to ANYONE to be aware (in France at least) of these things happening. I'm glad they didn't take my EUC, I guess they thought it was broken..and it didn't sustain any major damage, I had some padding around it.

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Sorry to hear that, but glad you're okay.  Sometimes these guys get rough no matter what.

Glad you got to keep your EUC too.

I'm leery of iffy neighborhoods myself, and believe that anything unusual or attention-getting in them is a bad idea.  And a EUC is certainly both of those.  

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:efee96588e: Oh man, glad to hear that you and the wheel are okay.  22 kph isn't enough speed to make a good getaway as it's only a fast jogging pace.  We've had some coyotes here attack dogs out for a walk with their owners.  It's sad that people are often far worse than wild animals.  That's how the world works unfortunately.  Carrying mace (pepper spray) is apparently legal in France, but against six attackers I don't know how effective it would be.  Maybe a larger can of it would work... or try riding with a buddy/buddies late at night.

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I agree that if you're against a group of attackers, you shouldn't fight back if it's only money on the line, unless you figure they're going to kill you anyway.  You won't have a serious chance of winning.and you'll just enrage them and give them the ridiculous excuse a bunch of sick idiots needs to act like beasts.

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Damn, that could've turned real ugly. We're all glad you made it out okay, you made the right decision. Just stay away from suspicious area's especially after hours. Yep, you need a fast EUC with a good battery to haul ass if shtf. Take good care buddy.  

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52 minutes ago, Pingouin said:

I need to avoid some areas but I couldn't guess it would happen in this particular one

That's tough, I hope you are getting more aware of the places that are not as safe and can avoid them in the future.  Sometimes, though, an area that might be safe in the day is completely different in the dark of night.

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1 hour ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

:efee96588e: Oh man, glad to hear that you and the wheel are okay.  22 kph isn't enough speed to make a good getaway as it's only a fast jogging pace.  We've had some coyotes here attack dogs out for a walk with their owners.  It's sad that people are often far worse than wild animals.  That's how the world works unfortunately.  Carrying mace (pepper spray) is apparently legal in France, but against six attackers I don't know how effective it would be.  Maybe a larger can of it would work... or try riding with a buddy/buddies late at night.

Thank you guys for the support. We can't carry mace legaly, we can only have it at home..but whatever I do have a big mace container for bears that I can carry, but I wonder if I would have the time to take it out. I felt that if I were to strike back, it could end badly, I thought about running, but leaving my EUC behind was not an option, in my head I hoped that a police patrol would come by.

I already avoid most "dangerous" places but apparently I missed this one. I'm thinking about getting rid of all my "slow" EUC to buy another "fast" EUC, for safety purpose :)

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Damn Pingouin you have been really unlucky, sorry about what has happened to you. Lucky you were not hurt badly, I can't believe France is so bad nowadays last time I was there I felt pretty safe even 10 pm at night but that's probably cause I am a tourist and I was in a touristy area.

Those scumbags will get what they deserve sooner or later, in the mean time keep safe. 

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3 hours ago, Pingouin said:

I highly recommend to ANYONE to be aware (in France at least) of these things happening. 

Glad your ok! My God...6 attachers! You did the right thing to give them your possessions! Things could have turned ugly! Unfortunately these tragic events occur frequently in my country at any time of day! You just need to be cognizant of your surroundings at all times! It becomes much more difficult when your in a secluded area such as a forest. Hopefully you can shake off this bad experience. 

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1 hour ago, Hatchet said:

Were these the newcomers who are bringing "cultural enrichment" from the ME with them by chance? No-go zone?

Not ME; West African.

Ask the OP. 

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5 hours ago, steve454 said:

That's tough, I hope you are getting more aware of the places that are not as safe and can avoid them in the future.  Sometimes, though, an area that might be safe in the day is completely different in the dark of night.

Absolutely.  The difference can be very surprising.

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3 hours ago, LanghamP said:

Not ME; West African.

Ask the OP. 

I was shocked when I saw the extent of the people smuggling recently. You have Médecins Sans Frontières and other NGOs openly working with human trafficking groups in Libya, it looked like there was 10 or more ships involved. I don't understand why they aren't arresting them.

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6 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Glad your ok! My God...6 attachers! You did the right thing to give them your possessions! Things could have turned ugly! Unfortunately these tragic events occur frequently in my country at any time of day! You just need to be cognizant of your surroundings at all times! It becomes much more difficult when your in a secluded area such as a forest. Hopefully you can shake off this bad experience. 

It does occur quite frequently, it's a shame that we can't (here in my city) go around town without being in danger, except when we ride in a car...

The forests are much safer than some suburbs here, and even when nothing really bad happens, I always get some idiots screaming out the window of their car to make you fall while passing buy, or some mean comments..here we just have to live with it, respect is gone :/

6 hours ago, Hatchet said:

Were these the newcomers who are bringing "cultural enrichment" from the ME with them by chance? No-go zone?

I think we could say that, but I'm not saying they're all like that, but some are definitely ass holes..this kind of stuff never happened from natives (this is just a statement no trying to be discriminant here), I've already been robbed in the past by the same group of people but once in a tramway, and once on a bike, it's not specific to EUC, but EUC drags attention.

I'll continue riding EUC, but I can now say that like @Marty Backe I really love fast EUC but not for the same reasons :D

 

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1 hour ago, Pingouin said:

It does occur quite frequently, it's a shame that we can't (here in my city) go around town without being in danger, except when we ride in a car...

Which town are we talking about? It seems to be relevant to know!

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1 hour ago, Pingouin said:

The forests are much safer than some suburbs here, and even when nothing really bad happens, I always get some idiots screaming out the window of their car to make you fall while passing buy, or some mean comments..here we just have to live with it, respect is gone :/

 

This actually worries me, perhaps more than most people, and it worried me when I used to ride a bike, too.

I've done a lot of things to overcome fear in my life, and I'm actually quite good in emergencies because I can step back from emotion quickly.  I can deal with pain and I can make up my mind.  

But I startle easily.  

I think it's just the frequency a person's soul is tuned to.  Years of both martial arts sparring and meditation didn't change that in even the smallest degree.  If anything it might have made me even more sensitive by making me a more highly turned instrument.  I react to everything.

So I fully suspect someone might be able to shout me into a ditch from a passing car.  

It sounds completely asinine, I know.  Cowardly, too.  But it's not even really fear.  It comes before fear.  It's just an automatic reaction, and by the time I realize being startled is even part of my world, it is too late and has already passed.  Then I can get down to business, sure.  But the initial jump and jolt?  For me, there seems to be no getting around it.

Example:  I've been a huge fan of horror movies all my life.  Jump scares?  Get me almost every time even when I know exactly when they're about to happen and how.  People laugh when they happen and I laugh afterwards too ... but only afterwards.  In the meantime, the cheapest jump scares work on me nearly 100%.  

 

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and that's cool you have a shocker, even though this time around it may not have been the best course of action. personally, i'd rather have the option. if i ride around someplace at night you can bet my baton will be within reach

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Shocking story @Pingouin! Glad you came out the other end unscathed, although I know these kind of events can leave an emotional scar, at least for awhile.

You don't need me to tell you this, but I would stick to your ACM or Monster for future rides where aggression is a possibility. They never would have caught you.

These recent stories such as yours is disconcerting. Maybe I'm naive, riding in the greater Los Angeles area as I do, but I really have no such fear. If I ever pass young people in a semi-remote area (like the bottom of our cement rivers) I do give a leisurely wide berth, and put on the speed! Fortunately all of my wheels are nice and fast.

EUC's are not unknown in France - they are not an oddity among most people it would appear. In Los Angeles, even the gang-bangers have never seen one, so they still exhibit awe when I pass by, and maybe forget any aggression that otherwise would be on their mind. At least I like to think so :)

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Ugh! I am very sorry to hear about your ordeal. I think your instincts along with some love from Lady Fortuna saved you from a terrible ending.

Though a faster wheel may help, I wouldn't put my trust on that. Instead I would think about where, when and how I ride.

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44 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

EUC's are not unknown in France - they are not an oddity among most people it would appear.

I think it could've been one of the reasons, as generally e-mobility is considered luxury even by some of us :/ A shiny MCM for a robber would be like a shiny golden bling or flashing an iphone

 

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