Careful if you use the fallowfield Loop Manchester

[fossyant]

Even GPS says I was going faster - accelerated from 15 mph to over 19 before they tried to get me

 

[rogerzilla]

SOP if anyone tries to stop you is to accelerate (according to Richard's Bicycle Book). Well done.

 

[All uphill]

Glad you're OK @fossyant and hope the adrenaline levels are back to normal now.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Well, it had to happen. Just east of Athol Road but under the bridge at Princess Parkway. Me this time.

On approach to the bridge, I could see four lads on bikes. I could see they spotted me then moved to the sides. Bit odd I thought. Spidey senses kicked it. Upped the speed and as I got to the bridge, one tried to swerve in front of me. I twitched left, but then a lad on the left threw his bike straight into my path. Argh. I eased off my grip and rammed into the bike. Just had to hang on as the old 90's MTB ploughed through the MTB that was in my path and over it I went. Accellerated away and warned everyone coming down to watch out.

The scum bags will be after students or commuters. The gall of it as it was peak rush hour at 5pm, and people passing every minute or two. I assume they were expecting that no-one would stop to help.

Could have been nasty as I was going fairly quickly, 18-20mph, but it takes a lot to stop 'the tank'. I'll be on to Work's cycling page and security to send warnings out to students and staff.

Sorry to here that and glad it worked out. A work warning is good, have you considered a 101 Police Report about the attempt?

On a lighter note you should now start teaching defensive riding classes, perhaps whilst wearing a utility vest and dark sunglasses 😎

 

[fossyant]

SOP if anyone tries to stop you is to accelerate (according to Richard's Bicycle Book). Well done.

Well they tried to stop me. The throwing a bike in front of me (a mountain bike) may not work ramming it in anything other than a 90's cro-mo MTB. I always accelerate if I see dodgy lots - most back off, but tonight I could see their movements meant something - it's a bit shoot when you have to think about that every ride. Tonight, I could see from a distance they were loitering, and when they registered my front light (i.e. typical commuter) they moved out to the sides, and one them tried to block me, I just jinked to the side last minute as you do if you are 'experienced', then a mountain bike was pushed out in front of me. I just had to let mine do it's job, I had no option. I thought I'd be going down, but it smashed the other bike out of the way and I went over part of it.

This would not have worked with the fixed gear road bike I used to have for the same commute.

I don't want to think about what might have gone on if I'd gone down. I do know I'd be up, well versed with falling, well practiced, and I'd be very angry.

 

[fossyant]

Sorry to here that and glad it worked out. A work warning is good, have you considered a 101 Police Report about the attempt?

On a lighter note you should now start teaching defensive riding classes, perhaps whilst wearing a utility vest and dark sunglasses 😎

Reported it on-line and twittered Friends of Fallowfield loop and the GM Cycling campaign.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

If this was routinely happening to motorists, there would be action...

 

[united4ever]

Shocking that. Like you say your instincts would be to be very angry. Good chance they have knives though. This is how you could end up in the national news as the latest stabbing victim. Even with no knives, if there is a few of them surely you come off worse. Though not sure I would be any different.

Had a much less serious happening on the Roe Green loop last week. Theres a section in Little Hulton with a very short steep hill that brings you down to walking speed at the top. A few lads at the top, one moved sideways very close to me and reached out for my pannier as I passed. Missed and I cycled on. Not even sure it was a genuine attempt, maybe more just doing it for a laugh, but got me thinking. If you pull the handle on an ortlieb pannier they just come off dead easy and he could be away with my phone and wallet in there. I would probably chase him on my bike, angry, how does that end? Also, does that happen much, seems like an easy option for a thief.

 

[fossyant]

Shocking that. Like you say your instincts would be to be very angry. Good chance they have knives though. This is how you could end up in the national news as the latest stabbing victim. Even with no knives, if there is a few of them surely you come off worse. Though not sure I would be any different.

Had a much less serious happening on the Roe Green loop last week. Theres a section in Little Hulton with a very short steep hill that brings you down to walking speed at the top. A few lads at the top, one moved sideways very close to me and reached out for my pannier as I passed. Missed and I cycled on. Not even sure it was a genuine attempt, maybe more just doing it for a laugh, but got me thinking. If you pull the handle on an ortlieb pannier they just come off dead easy and he could be away with my phone and wallet in there. I would probably chase him on my bike, angry, how does that end? Also, does that happen much, seems like an easy option for a thief.

I used to use a bungie on my Ortliebs as my commute is off road in places and the bottom clip would pop out. I've added another clip that stops this, and the pannier has to go on at an angle, before the top clips can be engaged.

 

[mjr]

If you pull the handle on an ortlieb pannier they just come off dead easy and he could be away with my phone and wallet in there.

Don't you tuck the release handle between pannier and rack, or is it just me that's that paranoid?

Phone and wallet go in pockets, or the handlebar bag where I can see them, never on the back.

 

[united4ever]

Don't you tuck the release handle between pannier and rack, or is it just me that's that paranoid?

Phone and wallet go in pockets, or the handlebar bag where I can see them, never on the back.

No, I will look at the tuck method though. Some of the tops I wear are not cycling specific and don't have pockets and hate cycling with things in shorts pockets.

 

[fossyant]

Police followed up on Saturday, but I've just had a call and they are coming out to my workplace this afternoon to take a statement. The 'community' policing team think they know who they are, and their "MO" is to throw bikes into people's path. Watch this space.

 

[fossyant]

Police have taken a statement and they are hoping they can arrest and detain some of them once they have a case. There have been a few instances of these assaults.

 

[fossyant]

I showed them my strava trace of me speeding up. One of the officers lives near me and cycles to work. Oh and we chatted about Sur-ron riders...

 

[mustang1]

One of the things I teach is defensive tactics for cyclists.

About 10 years back a certain park in town had a terrible problem with robberies at night, people being robbed of phones, iPod, wallets etc. In the end I went to the Inspector and said id go out at night, stagger round pretending to be drunk, waving a mobile phone about, see which scumbag took the bait. Lurking in the shadows would be large burly officers with nicknames like The Swede, Pit Bull, etc, so I was pretty happy id be on the winning team.

My idea was knocked back because of "health and safety", yet to this day they don't bat an eyelid sending unarmed officers to offenders with knives, one officer I know being stabbed just last night. Let coppers do the coppering, and those who never could copper in the first place should just be sacked, not promoted to Inspector or above. That way scumbags like this would be quickly caught and dealt with.

It's like that movie, Death Wish. When the guy is walking around swinging his SLR camera about.