Bullies attached Rider

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

It's interesting reading about the different viewpoints both of which have valid reasoning behind them.  Here's some more reading from both camps:

http://crimeresearch.org/2016/09/uber-driver-in-chicago-stops-mass-public-shooting/

http://concealedcarrykillers.org/ohio/

 

[steve454]

On 4/26/2017 at 7:05 PM, MaxLinux said:

they picked up my hoverboard and ran off.

And hopefully tried to ride it and it shot out from under them and they all got a good concussion.  Mike Tyson style!  Might have been a good thing for you to have that hoverboard taken away.  Those things are more dangerous than EUC's by far!  At least for heavy adults like me  36 volts, Pshaww!  Not enough.  They never put enough battery in those things, except for maybe the good ones, like the Minipro.  

But I feel for you, that should never have happened.  But they were pissed off that you had something that they couldn't afford.  It runs deep.

[RooEUC]

On 2017-04-26 at 8:05 PM, MaxLinux said:

It's very possible one or more of the attackers could pull a knife or a gun, but thanks to the Lord they did not.

 

It's super nice of the Lord to help you out like that. If only he was able to use his infinite and unlimited power to stop you from being assaulted and robbed in the first place. 

On a serious note though, that kind of attack makes me so annoyed.  Some people out there should be still-born.  I'm glad you were not seriously harmed.

[kour]

On 5/6/2017 at 6:47 PM, steve454 said:

Almost bought one, but then realized the attacker would be likely to take it from my wimpy person and use it against me  Would be of good use if I knew how to fight, though.  I'm thinking non lethal, like pepper spray.  That way, even if the bad guy takes it from you and uses it against you, the weapon itself won't kill you.

yeah, i guess that's always a risk - but if you were to get a good whack in, especially if the tip were to impact, they'd probably reassess things... unless they were super-tolerant or high as kite. yeah, you can make your own pepper spray, too...

[kour]

On 4/28/2017 at 9:14 AM, kour said:

 

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

Are these batons really that effective?  I know the police seem to have them on hand, but it just looks to me like trying to hit someone with the bottom end of a camera tripod leg (ie. mini monopod).  It just doesn't look like it has a lot of mass to do any damage?

[Dingfelder]

8 minutes ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

Are these batons really that effective?  I know the police seem to have them on hand, but it just looks to me like trying to hit someone with the bottom end of a camera tripod leg (ie. mini monopod).  It just doesn't look like it has a lot of mass to do any damage?

I haven't held one of these things in decades.  Back then, the spring mechanisms were ridiculously shoddy and the expanded steel tubes clanked and clacked loosely together, swaying with every swing.  No way could you count on them to open, it was hard to guess whether they would hold up, and at the same time they were illegal, so packing them was doubling down on risk in a big way.  Just not worth it.

They were such a popular concept with the police, though, that they still caught on big time.  I would be surprised if they were not a lot more sturdy now.  Everything I've read about them says as much.  But probably I haven't read enough.  I'd find it hard to believe, though, that the squeaky rinky dink springs and overall poor quality of years past didn't get fixed once these batons became popular around the world and sold in the millions to law enforcement.  

 

 

[tadrossi]

This is why I very rarely stop for people calling me and try to ride in areas with as few people as possible.( If you have to kill some one its a lose, lose situation.) The best defense you have is good judgement and awareness. We had a similar thread before and people said negative things when I expressed my viewpoint about not stopping for people and using deadly force if necessary. I ride for my pleasure and stress relief I don't want to interact with you unless your a pretty girl. I know what can happen if some genius decides that he wants to take your wheel. Best wishes to the guy who was attacked. Another reason I ride a wheel that will hit at least 20 mph. 

[tadrossi]

On 4/26/2017 at 1:45 PM, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

Man that's crazy.... it sounds like he was riding at night time.  Hope they catch those attackers soon.  It looks like one of those being in the wrong place at the wrong time events...

I only ride at night.  There are less people out and about and by the time they realize what I,m on I,m gone. I get sick of people trying to stop me and ask me questions.

[RooEUC]

1 hour ago, tadrossi said:

I get sick of people trying to stop me and ask me questions.

I'm with you on this.  

[kasenutty]

I just yell "Yeah, its fun" when I ride by people. 

[kour]

On 5/21/2017 at 6:00 AM, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

Are these batons really that effective?  I know the police seem to have them on hand, but it just looks to me like trying to hit someone with the bottom end of a camera tripod leg (ie. mini monopod).  It just doesn't look like it has a lot of mass to do any damage?

hell yeah - if ever (and i hope it never has to occur) i felt i had to whip it out and THAT wasn't enough to deter the aggressor, i would make great efforts to NOT swing near their head precisely because of the force it generates

[RooEUC]

6 minutes ago, kour said:

hell yeah - if ever (and i hope it never has to occur) i felt i had to whip it out and THAT wasn't enough to deter the aggressor, i would make great efforts to NOT swing near their head precisely because of the force it generates

Without sufficient training in using a baton as a self defence tool and how not to lose possession of it it's often safer to carry no deadly weapons at all. Perhaps just pepper spray is more useful as it's unlikely to kill us when turned against us .  I used to think I'd be safer carrying something like a baton. Just brandishing such a weapon would scare off the bad guys, I thought. I grew out of that mentality when I learned more about real life attack encounters. If we pull that out we need to make sure we have the skill and the confidence to use it effectively. 

[kour]

29 minutes ago, RooMiniPro said:

If we pull that out we need to make sure we have the skill and the confidence to use it effectively. 

true true

[LanghamP]

Everytime I've had runs in (I think six times now, including one time where they actually caught me and beat the crap out of me--black eyes and everything), it's always been a group of at least three young men.

Dunno what you can do about that unless you have a showstopper like a pistol. I don't carry anything for self protection. I do cross the street if I spot a group of young males looking aggressive, but if they don't have an aggressive swagger then, sure, I'll stop and chat with them.

I don't smile, though. Smiling at people is a submissive trait, and I notice when people smile at me it makes me want to smack their stupid grin off their face. Stop smiling at people! Don't smile and don't be aggressive.

[Maximus]

I know there are certain realities in life and I certainly don't want to be naive, but I encourage my sons in the totally opposite direction.  Maybe it's different for kids or maybe not, but I certainly consider riding these wheels as having a certain level of responsibility to be friendly and receptive to those who are inquisitive.  We always try to smile, wave, and say hello to those we are passing on trails or sidewalks.  We haven't talked to much about identifying people who might be out to harm us or don't look friendly, instead we've talked a lot about trying to make sure that we answer questions that people have and encourage passers by to try it out (although not on our wheels ).  I'm sure that will get old at some point and it won't take too many bad encounters before we are more guarded, but for now, that's been our approach.  Hopefully I don't follow up in a few weeks singing a different tune 

[kasenutty]

Maybe people are just nicer in the upper corners

[Marty Backe]

1 hour ago, LanghamP said:

Everytime I've had runs in (I think six times now, including one time where they actually caught me and beat the crap out of me--black eyes and everything), it's always been a group of at least three young men.

Dunno what you can do about that unless you have a showstopper like a pistol. I don't carry anything for self protection. I do cross the street if I spot a group of young males looking aggressive, but if they don't have an aggressive swagger then, sure, I'll stop and chat with them.

I don't smile, though. Smiling at people is a submissive trait, and I notice when people smile at me it makes me want to smack their stupid grin off their face. Stop smiling at people! Don't smile and don't be aggressive.

Man, wherever you are riding, it sounds very depressing. Fearing to ride past groups of people, not smiling, etc.

I live in the greater Los Angeles area and I've never been fearful as I ride past people, and I smile all the time. Wave too.

Of course there are places here that are best not ride, but those are certainly easy enough to avoid.

Here's hoping that you can find safer places to ride, where you can smile and wave at people 

[Maximus]

1 hour ago, kasenutty said:

Maybe people are just nicer in the upper corners

To be fair, I haven't done a lot of riding in highly populated areas...mostly hiking trails and in pretty affluent neighborhoods.  My guess is that the more city riding I do the more I'd be cautious, but so far it's been a great experience.  I certainly appreciate articles like this one being posted and other people sharing experiences to at least open my eyes to the possibilities.

[kasenutty]

I live in a crappy part of town. The part where all the RV's park and people live in them on the side of the street. I've got lots of homeless and drug addicts that I ride by. They don't bother me, except for annoying questions. Once in a while one will sketch me out enough to go around them pretty wide.

I offer up a smile to almost anyone who crosses my path, unless they have one of those Dick-faces, you know what I'm talking about, fuck those guys. People who wear a scowl 24-7 (is that you Langham? ) can fuck right off. They don't get my beautiful smile. 

 

I am certainly very glad that I don't have to spend my days fighting for my right to exist on a sidewalk every single day like some of you guys

 

 

[LanghamP]

1 hour ago, Marty Backe said:

Man, wherever you are riding, it sounds very depressing. Fearing to ride past groups of people, not smiling, etc.

 

"Escape from New York" was filmed here as it needed virtually no work in order to look blighted and dangerous. It continues to look that way.

Fortunately I'm a dark-skinned Hispanic and white mulatto with a broken nose so I'm not often the target of wildly hostile young male minorities. Still almost got rolled last week. On the other hand I was accosted by two teenage crack-hos asking if they could come home with me a month ago, cause I look sooo fine.

Never stop when a group of young men ask you for the time. I cannot emphasize that enough.

[Marty Backe]

4 minutes ago, LanghamP said:

"Escape from New York" was filmed here as it needed virtually no work in order to look blighted and dangerous. It continues to look that way.

Fortunately I'm a dark-skinned Hispanic and white mulatto with a broken nose so I'm not often the target of wildly hostile young male minorities. Still almost got rolled last week. On the other hand I was accosted by two teenage crack-hos asking if they could come home with me a month ago, cause I look sooo fine.

Never stop when a group of young men ask you for the time. I cannot emphasize that enough.

Love that description  Sounds like you're a survivor 

[Dingfelder]

2 hours ago, kasenutty said:

I live in a crappy part of town. The part where all the RV's park and people live in them on the side of the street. I've got lots of homeless and drug addicts that I ride by. They don't bother me, except for annoying questions. Once in a while one will sketch me out enough to go around them pretty wide.

I offer up a smile to almost anyone who crosses my path, unless they have one of those Dick-faces, you know what I'm talking about, fuck those guys. People who wear a scowl 24-7 (is that you Langham? ) can fuck right off. They don't get my beautiful smile. 

 

I am certainly very glad that I don't have to spend my days fighting for my right to exist on a sidewalk every single day like some of you guys

 

 

I get this a lot less now that I no longer live in a big city.  The ugliness of life isn't piled on so deep in my small town.  That's a core reason why a lot of the people here that I know or have casually met moved here precisely from very big cities.. They had spent enough of their lives living like that, in a sea of too many sour faces.  They went from a place where nothing you put down and turned your back on for a moment was really yours anymore to a place where people don't lock their doors.

Too bad it's the least safe and least friendly places you usually need to go to in order to make a decent income.  There are always trade-offs and they tend to be huge.

Anyway, I encourage people to explore the idea of living somewhere they can enjoy and relax in, maybe somewhere beautiful, if and when they come to the point of being financially secure enough to do so.  It often takes a lot less money to live outside a big city anyway.  I haven't known many people who wound up regretting the change.  Far more often I see not just happiness but a sense of huge relief at having escaped.

[Dingfelder]

3 hours ago, LanghamP said:

"Escape from New York" was filmed here as it needed virtually no work in order to look blighted and dangerous. It continues to look that way.

Fortunately I'm a dark-skinned Hispanic and white mulatto with a broken nose so I'm not often the target of wildly hostile young male minorities. Still almost got rolled last week. On the other hand I was accosted by two teenage crack-hos asking if they could come home with me a month ago, cause I look sooo fine.

Never stop when a group of young men ask you for the time. I cannot emphasize that enough.

Or cigarettes. I just tell them I don't have a watch or I don't smoke and keep moving.

Theirs is a classic move to make you lose focus and relax long enough for them to make a move.   It's like when Floyd Mayweather makes a friendship move, touching gloves with the other fighter after a foul or something .... then punches them as soon as they drop their guard.  He's done it so many times but it works over and over again even on the professionals.  "Protect yourself at all times," as the referees instruct.  It's just hard, as Floyd knows, to refuse to take a moment to be a good guy when the other guy is friendly to you first.  

[kasenutty]

Yeah, I got a cigarette, it's inside the barrel of my pistol, go ahead, take it out with your mouth.