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.

[somervilleguy.livejournal.com]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[whaler.livejournal.com]

This makes me really angry :(

[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

[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...

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Even if you can't get the plate number, it's a good idea to let the police know. If a vehicle matching that description does something else/worse later in the night then it'll help them put together a timeline.

[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. :-)

[turil.livejournal.com]

It would be nice if the police could see that line of reasoning, too. Alas, they actually often refuse to even write up a report, saying "What's the point?" I've offered the point of having records of crimes for use by the government in deciding where to focus community police officers, and where to direct funding, but that sort of stuff tends to go over the heads of people who really don't care about anything and are just doing their job for the money. But yeah, I do tend to submit a report whenever possible.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

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

[lillibet.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I was shaking, I was so furious.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

I just threw up in my mouth a little.

[dougo.livejournal.com]

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

[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.

[turil.livejournal.com]

Maslow's hierarchy of needs. People who get their needs met for health (mental and physical) are more able to, and more inspired to, be valued members of their community. People who don't aren't. It's not about blame of victimization, it's about the facts of human development. If you don't get your needs met, you become ill.

[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)

[pjmorgan.livejournal.com]

OK, but I guess I feel that its not hard to get your basic needs met in this country over the last 50 years. Food/shelter can be had for 1,000 a month (yeah that doesn't include going out to restaurants and having your own place, but people have to make choices). Its not hard to earn 1,000/month. And the people doing the egging often do it from cars. *I* don't have a car, so I don't know why I should subsidize their lifestyle. They could the money they spend on the car and enroll in a community college class or something. Everyone in this country gets a free public school education, if people want to blow it off for 12 years when the teachers are begging them to not act out in class, then its hard for me to feel sorry for them.

Anyway, I do think community centers and what not will help, so I'm not arguing against that per se, just saying the idea that we have failed them and if we just provided them with more free stuff they wouldn't egg us strikes me as scary. If you want to provide positive direction for young people that's good, but you can't make it a candy store and not set behavioral expectations.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

there were bits of pastry filling that lasted thru a couple of car washes, surprisingly.

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

Perhaps that speaks to the dangers of high fructose corn syrup? That sucks though, I've had egg (not out here though) and I thought that was bad =(