Stopping someone trying to steal your bike

[woosey]

I'd avoid any of those traffic-free cycleroutes after a certain time at night. The old Peckham canal route is very nice but I woudn't go down there after a certain time - you are totally alone. I reckon early in the morning quiet is OK though - the ner-er-do-wells will probably be sleeping the night before off and won't be hanging around somewhere so boring.

I know someone who was mugged twice on one bit of nice London traffic-free bike engineering/landscaping.

Yeh to be fair it's commuting so will never be down there *to* late.

 

[Kookas]

If I were to let fear of muggers dictate where I do and don't ride, my 'mental map' of Birmingham would consist of a couple of main roads in Edgbaston and a small patch of land outside my own flat.

 

[Andrew_P]

Since restarting cycling back in December, my main aim was always to commute, but one thing that has always been in the back of my mind, is how safe is the route and this topic just brought it home, having grown up and lived in Ilford and now living a couple of miles down the road, my route will take me through Leytonstone, Maryland and Stratford and then into Canary Wharf, in all honesty it's the one thing I do think of and it's actually caused a mental block to get on the bike quicker and commute.. I am going to do it but i am not sure how I would tackle someone or a group of people trying to halfinch my bike!

I wouldn't worry about it, most of the muggers haven't clued up on them and wouldn't know how to move it on. Much easier for them to convert ipads\Iphones\Smartphones in to cash.

Hope it stays that way

 

[sheffgirl]

I'd avoid any of those traffic-free cycleroutes after a certain time at night. The old Peckham canal route is very nice but I woudn't go down there after a certain time - you are totally alone. I reckon early in the morning quiet is OK though - the ner-er-do-wells will probably be sleeping the night before off and won't be hanging around somewhere so boring.

I know someone who was mugged twice on one bit of nice London traffic-free bike engineering/landscaping.

I ride down some very quiet roads on my way home, but only when its light, in the winter I stick to the main roads. It usually doesn't bother me but there have been occasions when I see another solitary person and I think 'what if'.

 

[Nebulous]

You know something folks?

I just cannot see myself in a place where someone would try to steal my bike with me on it or near it. I've had stuff nicked, including a burglary a long time ago which was very annoying, but I just don't inhabit a world where people would accost me and grab my bike.

I'm not sure whether this nice place of mine is only in my head, or if this actual patch of earth I inhabit is that nice friendly place, but whatever it is I like this bubble I'm in and I don't want anyone to burst it.

 

[Mange-tout]

I was once, sort of, mugged for my bike. I had leant it against the wall of the TSB on Salford precinct (just the word Salford should send shivers down your spine) and put a lock through the wheels. When I came out of said bank, having withdrawn my last £5 (I was only young and in my first job) a bunch of teenagers jostled me as soon as I had undone the lock. One cycled off on my Trek 800 MTB whilst the others 'impeded my forward progress'. I was mad as hell, and chased after them screaming ' help, thieves' but no-one helped.

I ran around the mean streets of Salford, casing the ginnels and alleys for ages seeing whether they had dumped it or at least dumped my trusty Carradice pannier, and book of the moment by Stephen King (The Stand) that I couldn't wait to get home to finish. Things you remember.

Eventually I gave up and walked into the police station to report the loss, only to realise I had been running around Salford in a cycle helmet but minus bike. Must've looked a right twerp .

I still haven't forgiven the little bu**ers, more so for the embarrassment than the loss of the bike.

 

[Ciar]

My issue is having driven for the last 6 years I have been out of the general population so to speak, so getting back into it is taking me time,on top of that courtesy of another chat member I have ridden the greenway, but only once I need to do it more, just to get used to the route.. As for being mugged at 6ft 18.5st hopefully can handle myself I would hope, but would rather avoid the issue to begun with, but as someone already said its the look and you just get that feeling.

Find out soon as I will be going regardless.