Held up at gunpoint on the Spruit this morning - 7/11/2019

[Uni]

To add to the spruit.

Two friends new being Wayne(Kiwi) from Rapide got held up at gun and knife point this morning closer to Emmarentia

Dam this morning.

So it seems like spruit is going through the less popular phase that it did a few years ago.

Unless the authorities can blitz the place again.

Just so sad.

Oh ****..I hope Wayne and your other friend is ok. I guess it just hits home a little harder when it's someone you actually know

[MudLark]

I think he's referring to the cops allowing a guy to bleed out rather than help.

 

Though I dont personally give a **** myself

It is pretty rough. But you'll find that the paramedics don't try too hard either.

[Kenty]

Saddest comment in the thread. We should not be grateful that there were no injuries, we should not just be able to replace things.

 

This cr@p should just not happen, we should be safe.

AGREED!!!...WTF!!..cant we ride we we want too...I mean within reason....and yes...we have become that as long as I am not harmed OR worse killed then just take my stuff!!...NO!!...Its MY stuff!!...and I DONT WANT to replace it !!...HORRIBLE!!

[Andrew Steer]

AGREED!!!...WTF!!..cant we ride we we want too...I mean within reason....and yes...we have become that as long as I am not harmed OR worse killed then just take my stuff!!...NO!!...Its MY stuff!!...and I DONT WANT to replace it !!...HORRIBLE!!

This is a lovely notion, but you live in South Africa - life is cheap here, being a cowboy is not going to change that anytime soon... if you want to be a Cowboy, make sure you are a very good one and you know what you are doing.

 

I'll tell you a little story... last year I was in Cape Town for the Argus, on the Friday evening before, I went with a friend to Long Street for a few drinks for my birthday - it was a short walk from our spot in Sea Point, so we skipped catching an Uber in. As we got to the bottom of Long Street, three gents bumped into us, one ripping my Garmin Fenix off my arm. Two bolted, but I grabbed the third guy and refused to let him go until my watch was returned. It's a busy street and very soon we had bouncers and every Tom, Dick and Harry in a big scrum on the side of the road. I would not let this guy go, no matter how many times he told me he did not have my watch... (something he was shouting from the moment I grabbed him, and even before I had a chance to say what was missing)

 

After a couple minutes my watch made a miraculous return and everyone left 'happy'

 

Fast forward a year or so, and I caught a post on Facebook from a women who had lost her child... her son had tried to defend some girls from a mugger on Long Street and got stabbed for his efforts, and sadly died as a result.

 

That could so very easily have been me, a husband, a father of two beautiful girls... and for what? A watch I have insured?

 

I 'happily' handed my bike over to gun wielding bike-jackers a decade plus back...

I don't know what changed since - it was a moment of instinct I guess, but luckily it ended well

 

I won't make the same mistake again.

 

Either be a good Cowboy who can control a situation like this and come out on top 9 times out of 10, or be insured and remember that your possessions are replaceable - to your loved ones, you are not. 

[Kenty]

This is a lovely notion, but you live in South Africa - life is cheap here, being a cowboy is not going to change that anytime soon... if you want to be a Cowboy, make sure you are a very good one and you know what you are doing.

 

I'll tell you a little story... last year I was in Cape Town for the Argus, on the Friday evening before, I went with a friend to Long Street for a few drinks for my birthday - it was a short walk from our spot in Sea Point, so we skipped catching an Uber in. As we got to the bottom of Long Street, three gents bumped into us, one ripping my Garmin Fenix off my arm. Two bolted, but I grabbed the third guy and refused to let him go until my watch was returned. It's a busy street and very soon we had bouncers and every Tom, Dick and Harry in a big scrum on the side of the road. I would not let this guy go, no matter how many times he told me he did not have my watch... (something he was shouting from the moment I grabbed him, and even before I had a chance to say what was missing)

 

After a couple minutes my watch made a miraculous return and everyone left 'happy'

 

Fast forward a year or so, and I caught a post on Facebook from a women who had lost her child... her son had tried to defend some girls from a mugger on Long Street and got stabbed for his efforts, and sadly died as a result.

 

That could so very easily have been me, a husband, a father of two beautiful girls... and for what? A watch I have insured?

 

I 'happily' handed my bike over to gun wielding bike-jackers a decade plus back...

I don't know what changed since - it was a moment of instinct I guess, but luckily it ended well

 

I won't make the same mistake again.

 

Either be a good Cowboy who can control a situation like this and come out on top 9 times out of 10, or be insured and remember that your possessions are replaceable - to your loved ones, you are not. 

Well on that note and hear what you say..AND sorry IF Ive repeated this on BikeHub...

 

I was stabbed multipile times while out on a training run last year March...fight or flight??...well I fought , he was a big brute and tough as nails , spose from many hours fighting in the the townships etc etc...BUT I was NOT about to let my bag n stuff be taken...I broke his arm BUT he pushed me down and still made off with my running bag ...I proceeded to give chase and then realised I had a more serious problem at hand...i was breathing through my chest...

 

In hindsight???...I shoulda fought smarter NOT harder...should never get in that situation ...evade and avoid...my theory

[Madcap]

Ask Garmin if they can track the watch.

 

They can't.

[Cotic]

There is the daily blog I watch on you tube called active self protection.

The biggest lesson that John Coriea gives is situational awareness.

If you constantly are aware it makes a difference.

And to avoid is paramount ,but if you are forced to fight then you have to give 110% or the outcome is negative.

I tell you guys this,

We still live in the best Country in the world,and global there are these issues we just need to think a thing through.

[GustavFourie]

The crime in Emmarentia is drastically rising. There was a man stabbed to death this past Friday evening while he was fishing at the dam.

[Furbz]

There is the daily blog I watch on you tube called active self protection.

The biggest lesson that John Coriea gives is situational awareness.

If you constantly are aware it makes a difference.

And to avoid is paramount ,but if you are forced to fight then you have to give 110% or the outcome is negative.

I tell you guys this,

We still live in the best Country in the world,and global there are these issues we just need to think a thing through.

 

being constantly aware is really stressful and tiring. 

i can say when i was held up, i had no hope of defending or fighting off.

 

since that day i can tell you exactly where everyones hands are at all times (even when in malls!), if they are walking funny, if they are looking at me.

its not fun having to constantly monitor every person as a possible threat.

Edited November 11, 2019 by Furbz

[sirmoun10goat]

 

Either be a good Cowboy who can control a situation like this and come out on top 9 times out of 10, or be insured and remember that your possessions are replaceable - to your loved ones, you are not. 

 

Glad you escaped unharmed both times

 

Kenty is not suggesting anything about being a cowboy. His comment and mine is simple: it is sad that we as people are grateful when things get stolen, but we are not injured/killed in the incident.

 

It is a sad sad way to live. We work hard for what we have, we should be be furious if something gets stolen, we should want better.

 

 

being constantly aware is really stressful and tiring. 

i can say when i was held up, i had no hope of defending or fighting off.

 

since that day i can tell you exactly where everyones hands are at all times (even when in malls!), if they are walking funny, if they are looking at me.

its not fun having to constantly monitor every person as a possible threat.

 

People are unaware of how stressful this is - it just forms part of normal life.

 

I have now been in Canada for 3 months. I have not had a single rage incident, I have not felt threatened yet, I haven't had to protect or safeguard anything. I forgot my backpack filled with groceries outside a shop. Half an hour later when I realised this I went back and found it there.

 

This is how life should be. 

[ivan888]

I also want to live in Canada. F@ck the #imstaying brigade

[sirmoun10goat]

I also want to live in Canada. F@ck the #imstaying brigade

 

Each persons experience will be different. For me, it was a could move. I am definitely happier here than I was in SA. Could I be happier elsewhere, probably won't find out - I want to settle and not be a wanderer.

 

Best advice I can give - pick a place that you feel suits you best and go for it. It's exciting, but not something you want to do repeatedly.

[WrightJnr]

being constantly aware is really stressful and tiring.

 

its not fun having to constantly monitor every person as a possible threat.

I call this residual stress. And I was totally unaware of how much it taxed me until the day I left the country. For my brave friends and family who stay strong and fight it out I have much respect.

[Harryn]

Edit, when you wanna delete.

Edited November 11, 2019 by Harryn

[AndrewMo]

The reality in SA, it’s only a matter of time before something like this happens to you or someone close to you.

 

Being prepared only gets you so far and if you’re not mentally capable of taking the life of another human being then being armed with anything at all is going to end badly for you or someone close to you. If these criminals identity you as a target there is nothing you’re going to be able to do.

 

Anyone with sympathy for a criminal bleeding out, you need to rethink your outlook on life. When you’ve had your best friend of 15 years shot dead next to you for no reason at all, you will change. When your defenseless mother is shot in her driveway for no reason at all, you will change. When your friends are shot during a robbery at a party for no reason at all, you will change.

 

This country has failed its people. Well done South Africa, well done...

Edited November 11, 2019 by AndrewMo

[Bonus]

I call this residual stress. And I was totally unaware of how much it taxed me until the day I left the country. For my brave friends and family who stay strong and fight it out I have much respect.

 

It used to take me some time to adjust when I was moving between the UK and SA  every 3 months back in 2009/10.

 

I'd arrive in SA and see the crazy fences around properties, electric fences atop 8ft walls, razor wire etc - and think it was like a damn war zone. I'd have to remember to shut the car windows and lock the doors when approaching a traffic light junction - because there was a risk of being robbed. We'd watch out for people "hiding in the bushes" when we'd pull into our own driveway. Slow down at a green traffic light because there's no guarantee that the guy approaching the red light will actually stop . . . etc etc.  

 

But after a couple of weeks this would all become perfectly normal.

 

Then I'd go back to the UK and my son would laugh as I auto-locked the car doors when approaching any traffic lights . . . .  

 

You can get used to anything if you have to, and if you've never experienced any different then you will think this is how the whole world rolls.