Cyclist attacked

[Pooh_bear]

I heard from three sources that swear that last Sunday morning at about 10 near the Welgevonden (Stellenbosch) road on the R304, a cyclist was attacked and apparently injured because he would not let go of his bike, they took the bike and his cellphone.

 

I don't know if it was a local person or not, but I called both the Stellenbosch and Cloetesville police stations, both claimed not to know anything about the incident, thus according to ichops, if a cyclist is attacked on the road, but no one knows about it, it did not happen.

 

I'll continue to try to get more information, as I feel safety should be out of concern to all of us. But first I need to go for a ride, before the wind picks up.

 

P.S. I don't like riding with it, it's damn uncomfortable and hot as hell, but if my life depends on it ...

Edited January 3, 2014 by Pooh_bear

[ichops]

I heard from three sources that swear that last Sunday morning at about 10 near the Welgevonden (Stellenbosch) road on the R304, a cyclist was attacked and apparently injured because he would not let go of his bike, they took the bike and his cellphone.

 

I don't know if it was a local person or not, but I called both the Stellenbosch and Cloetesville police stations, both claimed not to know anything about the incident, thus according to ichops, if a cyclist is attacked on the road, but no one knows about it, it did not happen.

 

I'll continue to try to get more information, as I feel safety should be out of concern to all of us. But first I need to go for a ride, before the wind picks up.

 

P.S. I don't like riding with it, it's damn uncomfortable and hot as hell, but if my life depends on it ...

Now ichops is happy >>> here are some facts which ladds substance to the OP, and maybe if more cyclists that are attacked reported these issues, the police would be more willing to do something about it - like the patrols on the cycling path at the bridge ???

[FrancoisC]

Shoot to KILL Pooh Bear.

Then phone me - I will gladly fly down to come help you dispose of the body.

My wife was attacked in our home last year, with our little baby.

Thank GOD she had my firearm and got a few shots off.

Cops told us it was a pity she didn't kill the f****n lowlife.

NOTHING has come of it.

Cops are tired of the scum and government enforced red tape too.

That's why they just opened fire in Marikana....

Wake up people - your government wont make this country safe for you - its YOUR responsibility to look after your loved ones and your property.

I am NOT keen to take a human life, but these abominations are NOT human, so I will not lose a moments sleep over eliminating scum that try to hurt my loved ones or take what I have worked very hard for.

[Tractor]

Lack of training !!! Bikes was used in Nam in the early 80 .

 

Whatever - huge difference between an R4/R5 slung over your shoulder than a pistol in a holster.

 

You're also missing the point - the SANDF could let rip in a contact situation because they were at war; as a private citizen you are not afforded the same protection or rights as they are. Opening fire on someone who is running away in a war situation is totally acceptable, in real life in almost all cases it's a free "go to jail" card.

[Kranky]

A lot of people advocating lawlessness in this thread. Viva anarchy viva!

[VicanZA]

Guns don't kill people, people do! But adding more guns to the pot doesn't help.

 

We need good education and job creation. Government should be looking at tax breaks for SME.

 

Let them take ur bike, I have had 3 in the last year but life I only have one of.

[Pooh_bear]

I called the police and hospitals in the area, none of them helpful. I'll continue to monitor news and report and will try to follow up with my sources.

 

I did not intent for my post to spark controversy, I cycled without the holster today, had a great time.

 

Thanks guys, I will keep you posted.

 

 

[Yusran]

Reading this thread, it saddens me to realise that according to the majority of posters, we have become so used to being robbed and hijacked that we just hand over our possesions. The criminals own us. What can we expect, our very own president is a man of questionable morals.

My wife was attacked whilst running last year.

She pepper sprayed the low life maggot.

It was close to our house, she phoned me and told me what had happened.

I was there within minutes.

The attacker was laying on the ground screaming like the coward he is.

Then he started talking about my wife assaultimg him with the pepper spray

So I gave him a beating so that he really had something to report.

He never did.

I will fight back with everything I have in me. It is my property, I worked for it. They will not take it from me.

 

Similar situation happened to me back in 2009 when I started studying.

 

Walking a well-used route to Woodstock train station by myself (because my travelling buddy had a date with his lady), and two guys came out of their house and held me up at knife point and the one says, "Give me your phone or I'll stab you."

What do you do?

I gave him my phone and the thought runs through my head, what right do you have to just take the things that we work so hard for? Not the best reaction, but I went blind with rage and chased them, had bricks and rocks thrown at me and closed in enough to beat the one with my phone with a 1,1m section of a carbon windsurfer mast that I kept my drawings inside.The second guy ended up throwing a brick into his buddy's back and ran away, I chased the guy with my phone and managed to do some damage to him arm when he blocked a strike to his head. I chased him into his house and continued to swing with all I had, until I snapped out of the blind rage completely unaware as to where I was or what I was doing.

At that stage the local community were screaming and shouting in the streets, "Don't hit him!" and,"Stop it!"

He threatened me with a knife and took my property?

Afterwards an elderly woman pushed the perp out of the front door and he threw my phone at me, it smashing against the sidewalk. Poor sidewalk, Nokia's were awesome back then. Went home, and came back after calming down to report the incident at the Woodstock police station and identified one of the people in a picturebook, took them to the hosue etc.

Anything could have happened, I'm lucky to have gotten out alive and in one piece and that day they never got it as easy as they thought. Hopefully my resistance made them less likely to target the next person.

 

Since that day now 5 years ago, I carry pepperspray and an extendable baton on my persons when commuting and just pepperspray when I cycle.

 

 

After all of this, I recommend everyone who rides and feels the need to carry protection best carries pepperspray. It fits in your jersey pocket, quick to reach and robs the target of their sense of sight, destroys their sense of smell, attacks the lungs and burns the skin.

 

Note: you want to use the one that sprays a jet, not a mist. You don't want it to be used against yourself, so be prepared and assess the situation. Self-defence is not for everyone, know what type of person you are before carrying potentially dangerous things. It is often the best choice to hand over your posessions and to run away at any given oportunity - when I say hand over I mean if they want your phone and money, throw it on the floor a safe distance from yourself if you can, they are likely more interested in your possessions than they are in you and use that chance to escape. If they want to take your bike, I don't know? Best hand it over (or crash it into their vehicle or spin a U-turn into the oncoming and sprint - actually don't do those those things, even though I personally would). Be alert, and be careful.

 

It kind of goes against the reason why we go for beautiful and scenic rides, but it does give some peace of mind to some.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Yusran

[michael]

kill someone who wanted to take your bicycle?

yes. its not theirs. period.

[MTB_Roadie]

Rinaldo Kruger was robbed there about 2-3 weeks ago, they took his bike and cellphone.

 

It was 4 people who attacked him, it all happened so fast when he got back up they were gone. They tackled him off the bike, scratched in his pockets and took the bike...

 

I dont think this is the same incident but defenitely happened at the same spot. R304 Welgevonden robot.

 

Bike stolen: Black Giant TCR Advanced and Blackberry phone

Edited January 6, 2014 by MTB_Roadie

[Sepia]

yes. its not theirs. period.

Might as well start somewhere.

If we all put up a fight against these thieves?

We are making it too easy for the robbers to help themselves. This thread proves it.

Time to fight back.

[ibruegge]

yes. its not theirs. period.

 

I agree, and didn't say I don't advocate breaking their legs and feeding them the contents of my Pepperspray container into their rectum. But I wouldn't want to live with having killed someone. All I'm saying.

[ccc2]

ride in a group. if you have to ride on your own try and figure out a safe route. Stellenbosch is a no go area for cyclists on their own.

[Scooter69]

Unfortunately we live in a country where the law favours the criminal---There is no getting away from this unpalatable fact.

 

BUT we as a nation have become soft and readily intimidated by authority.

 

There are still a very few Police officers around that care, but they are also intimidated from higher up, and cannot perform their job adequately.

 

Each crime is unique and requires rapid assesment by the victim, this is almost beyond the ability of most people.

 

BUT, there is universal maxim that always applies:-

 

"THE BEST FORM OF SELF DEFENCE IS ATTACK"

 

I concede that this is not always possible of even feasable in any given situation.

 

As long as the South African Law remains as is we are screwed people.

 

I will fight back whenever I can, you should do the same.

 

The Late Great Jeff Cooper, as always had it right.

 

Jeff's summarised "Principles of Personal Defence" are:

 

ALERTNESS.

DECISIVENESS.

AGGRESSIVENESS.

SPEED.

COOLNESS.

RUTHLESSNESS.

SURPRISE.

 

Sorry for the long post, but I had to get this off my chest.

 

FIGHT BACK PEOPLE.

[Li Mu Bai]

be clear what you are doing and be fully prepared to use your gun or you might find yourself on its sharp end.

make sure you have witnesses that will corroborate that you used it to protect your life, otherwise you will be charged.

[Louis for real]

this might be an uninformed post but i think we should start mugging these bastards when we encounter them in our local riding spots take them for what they have so they too can feel what it feels like