Lovely. I was cycling from the CBD to Claremont via Sir Lowry Rd at 13:00 on 30 Dec 2012. Just passed the Good Hope Centre, under the overpass, three young black guys were sitting. One on the left side and the other two on the other side of the road. As I got closer to the overpass one of the guys got up and started sauntering across the road, I didn't think anything of it, when I was closer he stopped in the road and started doing a little dance, similar to when you meet someone on the pavement and neither person knows which way to pass. By the time I realised what was going on he had grabbed me and thrown me to the ground and was tugging at my backpack, an experience not dissimilar to a zombie trying to get at you. I was up in a flash and ready for a fight. Thankfully his two mates were too drugged up or weary of traffic to come to his assistance. Two cars stopped, one a taxi and they slinked off into the scenery. I was very very lucky, this time. No weapons were visible and it appeared to me to be nothing but an opportunistic attack. Things could have easily gone another way though. A thanks must be said to the two motorists that stopped, one a minicab who escorted me a little bit of the way out of the hot zone. Some expletives using the K word were used, I'm not proud of that, but stuff it, I was fkn livid, fkn zombies. Apart from some scrapes and many bruises all over my body, I'm ready to fight another day. Tips: - If possible don't cycle alone, it's not worth it. I had no choice in this instance as I was commuting, not riding for pleasure. - Always wear a helmet. You're going to come off at some point. - Always wear gloves. You're going to come off at some point. - Always report a crime. - Be vigilant. - Get some pepper spray.
