Guided Busway attacks. Around Addenbrookes, Cambridge.

[semislickstick]

Just a warning to anyone that cycles/jogs/walks around there especially as soon as it starts getting dark, there have been a few reports of a group of 4-5 teenage lads (sometimes on bikes/scooters themselves) harassing and beating cyclists along that route. Which has ranged from spitting, trying to knock people of their bike to demanding a wallet after punches were thrown.
It sounded like, from the descriptions, it was mostly happening along an open stretch around the hill/road over the guided busway.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

That's my commute and my time of day but I've not noticed anything out of the ordinary. How long has this been going on for do you know?

 

[semislickstick]

Incidents have been popping up in the last two weeks or so. (although it has been mentioned it's an on going problem in that area) Sounds like they wait for a quiet moment to pick on someone?

 

[I like Skol]

Just needs a bit of a nutjob cyclist to beat the crap out of them.... but the little shites obviously won't pick on someone who might fight back

 

[rogerzilla]

The Bristol-Bath railway path has been like this for years. Around Staple Hill Tunnel is bandit country.

 

[semislickstick]

I think there is a bit more info on "stolen bikes, cambridge" facebook group, if anyone here is on facebook.

 

[I like Skol]

TBH this isn't specific to Cambridge. We have had reports of similar in Manchester on the Fallowfield Loop for years.

I have used the track many times and not had any problems, but I am a big, ugly, angry, mildly frightening male. Perhaps others are not so fortunate.

 

[icowden]

I have used the track many times and not had any problems, but I am a big, ugly, angry, mildly frightening male. Perhaps others are not so fortunate.

Sometimes that's absurdly useful. When I was at uni one of my best pals was big and vaguely scary looking - particularly as he was colour blind and had very pale eyes. No-one made trouble when he was around. Lovely bloke though - although he was also very strong and did martial arts so he could also very much hold his own in a fight. Did a lot of bar work and informal bouncering attendant upon that profession ( twas before the era of professional bouncers on pub doors).

 

[semislickstick]

New report of a cable tied across the DNA path in the evening, between the fences, last night
Have your good lights on.


Edit: The person that got caught up in it added a photo. If you know the spot.

 

[Solocle]

Last time I was heading up that way the guided busway was flooded, but not by bandits. So I thought the A1307 would be a good choice.

Except it wasn't finished between Bar Hill and Swavesey...

No, I was leading a group, we ignored the "road closed", with the final act being riding the wrong way up the eastbound on slip at Swavesey (briefly to get between two lines of cones).

 

[Etern4l]

Just needs a bit of a nutjob cyclist to beat the crap out of them.... but the little shites obviously won't pick on someone who might fight back

I guess a smidge of copper presence would be too much to ask for...

 

[Ming the Merciless]

New report of a cable tied across the DNA path in the evening, between the fences, last night
Have your good lights on.


Edit: The person that got caught up in it added a photo. If you know the spot.

At least they will have the criminals DNA