Bike Jackings Kent / Surrey borders

[Red17]

Seems to be a real problem at the moment with moped riders mugging lone riders for their bikes in the Kent / Surrey borders area - links to a couple of articles in the last few days, and I am aware of more cases


View: https://www.facebook.com/OrpingtonGossip/photos/a.380599818740498/2747190145414775/


https://road.cc/content/news/another-cyclist-targeted-motorbike-riding-muggers-294087

I know there are a few CC members in this area so take care out there.

 

[Brandane]

I mostly ride alone, so such incidents are of concern to me. Today Kent/Surrey, but news spreads and tomorrow it could well be Costa Clyde. I hear there are already similar problems in Edinburgh with gangs on mopeds. One of the few advantages of living in an area of generally shite weather is that mopeds are not very popular among the yoofs; and neither are bicycles!

I have in my head a plan if I ever find myself in such a situation, and that is to be initially compliant. Then, as I dismount the bike, I will kick the back wheel as hard as I can and hopefully render it unrideable. Try and escape on my bike now, moped pillion rider! Of course in reality, I might not be so brave when faced with the threat of a stabbing.

The other side of this is that as covered in another thread, the stupid prices of second hand bikes which we experienced last year has in part fuelled the popularity of bike theft. Hopefully as prices return to normality, bikes will become less attractive to those looking to make enough cash for their next bag of crack. Some visible Policing might help as well (how old fashioned of me ).

 

[Cerdic]

Talking of visible policing, in one of those links they mention Leyhams Road being one of the danger areas. Ironic that the Metropolitan Police Dog Training School is half way up that road and should be able to furnish a copper or two (with dogs!) in an emergency…

 

[Venod]

Its easy to find quiet roads round here, on one such road a couple of blokes in a van mugged a lone rider and stole his Cervelo, it makes you a bit apprehensive at times.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Throw your bike as far as you can, and then when they go after it, nick their vehicle.

 

[ianrauk]

Seems to be a real problem at the moment with moped riders mugging lone riders for their bikes in the Kent / Surrey borders area - links to a couple of articles in the last few days, and I am aware of more cases


View: https://www.facebook.com/OrpingtonGossip/photos/a.380599818740498/2747190145414775/


https://road.cc/content/news/another-cyclist-targeted-motorbike-riding-muggers-294087

I know there are a few CC members in this area so take care out there.

Poverest Road is literally 200 yards away from where I live. There's also been reports of muggings in Star Lane which is the same area and also in West Wickham about 5 miles away.

 

[wafter]

Unfortunately a sad hallmark of the state of our society / economy going one way and the price of bikes going the other it seems.

Got to be an ideal scenario for thieves - a lone, slow moving and potentially tired individual accompanied by something that's easy to identify as high-value; I imagine the scallies are probably only bothering with obviously high-end bikes and people with all the gear..

 

[cougie uk]

I mostly ride alone, so such incidents are of concern to me. Today Kent/Surrey, but news spreads and tomorrow it could well be Costa Clyde. I hear there are already similar problems in Edinburgh with gangs on mopeds. One of the few advantages of living in an area of generally shite weather is that mopeds are not very popular among the yoofs; and neither are bicycles!

I have in my head a plan if I ever find myself in such a situation, and that is to be initially compliant. Then, as I dismount the bike, I will kick the back wheel as hard as I can and hopefully render it unrideable. Try and escape on my bike now, moped pillion rider! Of course in reality, I might not be so brave when faced with the threat of a stabbing.

The other side of this is that as covered in another thread, the stupid prices of second hand bikes which we experienced last year has in part fuelled the popularity of bike theft. Hopefully as prices return to normality, bikes will become less attractive to those looking to make enough cash for their next bag of crack. Some visible Policing might help as well (how old fashioned of me ).

Don't they just carry the bike on the moped ? I'm not sure your tactic will do anything except annoy them.

 

[Dogtrousers]

The organiser of an Audax I've entered sent this link. Dated 6 Jul

Areas of particular concern are Beddlestead Lane between Addington and Limpsfield and various more urban roads around Orpington, ​

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/n...ents-in-London-and-the-South-East-0#gsc.tab=0