Attacks on cyclists in the area

[xuth.livejournal.com]

About an hour ago a friend of mine was pelted with eggs and beer cans while riding her bicycle on Boston Ave. While this isn't specifically Davis Square, this sort of thing has happened to me and several of my friends in this area over the past couple of years, typically at night but not exclusively. Usually it's just eggs (but even those can do damage or cause you to wreck) but I've second hand knowledge of significantly worse.

So among other things, this is a warning to cyclists in the area.

But I wonder if people can do things about this.



I'm guessing that if people were to call the police immediately after this happened there would be a decent chance of the perpetrators getting caught. Especially if they're in a car that can be described. But normally people wait until they get home and are less wound up before calling the police at which point the people involved are typically long gone.

There are many really cheap digital video cameras around, some are even waterproof, that can be attached to a bicycle or helmet. It might be worth doing so.

Anybody else have any ideas?

Comments

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

at night, there are few cameras that have sufficient resolution and night vision to be worth it, unless you have $$$.

it's not just cyclists. my car has been pelted several times, at various places. usually at bridges. there is permanent paint damage on my car.

it might be interesting if they pulled this in NH ;)

#

[spud.livejournal.com]

*begin snark*

Don't ride a bike.

*end snark*


Seriously though... the best thing to do is pull over (assuming the perpetrators have gone or you have passed the area where they were), and immediately call the police to report it. If they were in a vehicle, then describe the vehicle as well as you can, and tell the police which direction it was headed. If the perpetrators were on foot, describe them as best you are able, and the exact location the incident happened.

You may think initially that the police won't catch up with the perpetrators, but people who perform these acts usually don't stop with just one person. If the police see someone in the vicinity who matches your description, your report may save someone from being assaulted as well. It's well worth it for everyone.

[motive-nuance.livejournal.com]

Don't ride a bike.

Why stop there?

The sensible course of action is to hide under your bed with an IV drip and a catheter. In the meantime you should of course keep a vigilant eye on your assault rifle. Those darned evil ninjas are sure to break down your door eventually.

[somervilleguy.livejournal.com]

Where abouts on Boston ave? It's a really long street.

[lillibet.livejournal.com]

I was egged a few months ago, on Kidder, while I was getting my daughter out of the car. It hit me and bounced off to break on the inside of my door, which was a major PITA to deal with, but I was most upset because I was in the act of lifting my daughter out and a second later, they would have hit her instead. I saw the car (old grey Nissan sedan) but didn't get a plate, so I didn't call it in.

Mostly I just wanted to make the point that it's not just bikers getting pelted.

[whaler.livejournal.com]

This makes me really angry :(

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

They'll do the same thing to pedestrians. It's not about being a bike-rider, it's about being a drive-by bully. They think you can't catch up with them so there won't be any consequences.

The way to stop it IS to call the police immediately. Might not do anything, but it's the best course of action.

[turil.livejournal.com]

I got hit with a can of fizzy drink one time, called the police and reported the description of the truck, and the police said that there was nothing they could do if I didn't get the plate number. Makes you wonder what they do if a perpetrator is on a bike instead of in a car, or even on foot...

[clara-girl.livejournal.com]

we were egged by central sq a few months back.

we didn't catch the car or anything and, in fact, i'd completely forgotten about the incident until right now. we were walking down the street, not biking. i bet the egging was just a drive-by asshole and not a bike-specific drive-by asshole.

[mrboboto.livejournal.com]

The egg - a symbol of life

http://blip.fm/~a9u88

[dougo.livejournal.com]

The egg is a symbol of the soul. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxbVEIvKu8A#t=3m0s)

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

That's awful. Way back when I was in school, I was nearly hit by assholes throwing eggs from a car, and a fellow student was hit.

All I can think of is to try to catch the license plate, or for the really adept, take some cell phone pictures and then call the police.

[turil.livejournal.com]

My solution? More meaningful jobs. More interesting and valuable activities for people to do with their free time. More compassion in the world. Government services that are focused on making sure everyone has their basic needs met (warmth, clean air, clean water, nutritious food, freedom to express themselves, and being a part of a healthy, supportive community).

Give people a sense of self-worth and hope, so that they are inspired to add good stuff to the world.

That was what I came up with after years working hard in the bicycle advocacy field. And while it may seem too hard to do, it seems to be worth putting the effort into making happen, since it solves so many of our biggest social problems all at once, rather than lots of little bandaids like cameras, cell phone 911 calls, and defensive tactics. It's bicycle advocacy taken up a notch. :-)

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

I just threw up in my mouth a little.

[pjmorgan.livejournal.com]

Is this post satire? There are jobs out there. (My opinion is) Giving people something for free and telling them they don't have to work doesn't make them good citizens or make them start making good decisions in their life. Actually it makes them go bad, then their kids see their parents don't work hard and they get by fine, and a culture develops. These kids are probably the ones who did the egging.

Well I guess I'd like to make the above paragraph softer, basically I just wanted to make the point that I've known troublemakers and I think you have to set expectations for them and not call them victims, they have to help themselves.

All good idea but....

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

The basic truth is that there are too many idiots out there. When one has an IQ lower than 100 (50% of people out there), probably the activities one find interesting include throwing eggs at bikers.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

a few months back someone threw a pastry at my car at the corner of highland and central.

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

Did they think you looked hungry? (a pastry seems a terrible waste for ammunition, not that eggs are all that cheap right now either..)

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

And yes, I'm entirely kidding, though bologna is the worst for this sort of thing (takes your paint off, I hear)

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Yeah, not just bicyclists. I've seen people throw eggs at cars and pedestrians.

People need to stop throwing eggs, full stop.

[natef.livejournal.com]

Here's a foolproof plan: we all carry unconcealed eggs. If everyone is armed with eggs, nobody will dare throw one, right?

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

Though what will the vegan throw? WHAT WILL THEY THROW!?!*



*cause tofu just isn't the same

Re: Carpunching

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

One day they'll develop directional electromagnetic bombs that are small enough to be portable. Then pedestrians may have a good way to retaliate.

Taking the law into your own hands.

[tequilamckngbrd.livejournal.com]

Police are busy handling bigger things than catching a few thugs throwing things at people/bikes/cars. The best thing to do is form a community watch (or livejournal watch), and track what's being thrown, where it was being thrown at, what time of day and day of the week, and the description of the party that was doing the throwing.

Once there's a few reports of the activity written down, you can send it into the police and see if they can do anything about it. If afterwards nothing stops, and more reports are written down by the community, send the reports and the reports given to the police to the mayor (he'll probably worry his city will smell like rotten eggs).

I guess if nothing happens and it keeps going on, take the law into your own hands. Find out where the bastards live, and send a group to pelt them with eggs, making sure to pelt their car, bike, house, and anything else of theirs you can think of. Once you know where they live, and you do something back to them, they will likely never do the shit again.