Pretoria danger areas

[The Ouzo]

22 minutes ago, ycowley said:

All 3 incidents are similar in nature.

2 were at the area mentioned above. Last cyclists (dropping off the pace a bit) gets isolated. Walkers suddenly pull out a firearm or knife and hold up the cyclist. They then lure the other cyclists to come back and hold them up as well. They take bicycles, cell phones, wallets, watches, etc. Normally at least one cyclist is injured.

 

Another incident, similar to above was near St Georges Hotel in Irene  

We need to get a drone in the air there and catch these mofos. Tired of this ***

[pedal menace]

So close to Smuts House - that area it seems. Yup - there have been a few issues lately. I avoid that area. Still ride past A-La Turka castle and then onto backroads (past nestle Water Plant) until you get  railway tracks to Koffiepit. That still seems to be safe

[SlowrideCB]

Happened this morning received on Telegram group

[The Ouzo]

11 minutes ago, SlowrideCB said:

Happened this morning received on Telegram group

where is this ?

[SlowrideCB]

10 minutes ago, The Ouzo said:

where is this ?

I dont have exact location but this is the area.

[SlowrideCB]

More info from FB group 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4fryk29xZdvhzr5H6?g_st=ic

Edited November 11, 2023 by SlowrideCB

[Koos Likkewaan 2]

That is very close to the cheese farm. Lots of cyclist using those roads.🤬

[Prince Albert Cycles]

John Gibson and 79 year old Ben Cronje 

John took 3 bullets he is out of danger I am told . 
2 Single speed bikes taken

[Zebra]

NOT pure cycling related, but my CAPE cycling buddy was in Pretoria recently - as a videographer, was involved in an accident with a massive truck (not of HIS doing), passed out after accident with a massive gash to his head, came around to find he was being robbed inside a car wreck, broke the BACK of his hand on one of the robbers teeth, could not cycle for 3+ months due to injuries…

I have Sister and brother-in law living near Brooklyn, and my PERCEPTION is it is a quiet, chilled area compared to Jozi; these incidents above REALLY make me reconsider, and I am not naive…

Sad.

Chris

Edited November 11, 2023 by Zebra
Spelling

[robbybzgo]

Let's keep it uppermost in our minds that after Co-vid and the economic situation that resulted from it, and the wars around the world and the stock markets bottoming out (in general) and the riots and pilfering have left many, many people jobless, hungry and desperate. Those who have become accustomed to stealing, robbing and murdering will continue to do it as it's an easy fix. 

Our bikes being worth R10k X ? (Pick a number between 1 and 20) to us, are worth maybe a few hundred (easy bucks) to a criminal and they've realised that we're easy pickings.

My only suggestion going forward is to contact your local CPF (Community Police Forum - I hope you have an effective one), present them with the crime stats against cyclists and ask them to plan an operation with SAPS and local security companies to catch these criminals. Each CPF is meant to put a safety plan forward each year (to SAPS) to make their areas safer for the community.

I feel that this is the only effective way forward as vigilantism has a nasty way of criminalising the right-doers.

Good luck going forward...

[Mtree]

6 hours ago, Zebra said:

NOT pure cycling related, but my CAPE cycling buddy was in Pretoria recently - as a videographer, was involved in an accident with a massive truck (not of HIS doing), passed out after accident with a massive gash to his head, came around to find he was being robbed inside a car wreck, broke the BACK of his hand on one of the robbers teeth, could not cycle for 3+ months due to injuries…

I have Sister and brother-in law living near Brooklyn, and my PERCEPTION is it is a quiet, chilled area compared to Jozi; these incidents above REALLY make me reconsider, and I am not naive…

Sad.

Chris

Sorry to hear that! Hope he recovered!

(Not cycling related completely)
Having stayed in Pretoria for studies, I can say that Pretoria (Hatfield, Brooklyn and Lynnwood) are not as safe as they once were. Recently a friend's house in Brooklyn was broken into, early afternoon, held at gunpoint , all valuables and car redistributed...
Know of a few other stories, but generally not pleasant...
There is a whole carte blanche documentary on the night life (link) in Pretoria.
Also highlights how little the police are willing to do, even going as far as declining an interview.

From a cycling perspective in Pretoria, I have found Lynnwood road into Graham road and down to Kitty Hawk airfield to be relatively safe and a lot of other cyclists are out there too.

[OVERDRIVE]

Riding in Pretoria…

[dave303e]

On 11/11/2023 at 12:39 PM, SlowrideCB said:

More info from FB group 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4fryk29xZdvhzr5H6?g_st=ic

Something to think about with pepper spray, pepper spray paintballs, knives and batons and any other non/less lethal weapons cyclists and general population are being sold.

Don't waste your time, the odds of you being hurt are higher. 

If you going to carry something, make sure the thing you carry will 100% end the confrontation like a legal firearm in well trained hands(big disclaimer - in well trained hands). Because when your pepper spray doesn't quite hit the mark, their knife/gun will and they will be extra aggressive- case and point above. Thankfully the cyclist is still alive above, they were really lucky...

If you are going to carry a weapon, you better be well trained and competent in using it and all above board legally.

Otherwise carry nothing at all, hand the bikes over with no fight and save the fight for dealing with insurance the next day rather.

[pedal menace]

Also hear a report of MTBer shot at, at low water bridge just before Red Barn this past Saturday...Did not verify this. If true - what the hell is going on? Should we all just ride around the block with armed escorts? 

[The Ouzo]

16 minutes ago, dave303e said:

Something to think about with pepper spray, pepper spray paintballs, knives and batons and any other non/less lethal weapons cyclists and general population are being sold.

Don't waste your time, the odds of you being hurt are higher. 

If you going to carry something, make sure the thing you carry will 100% end the confrontation like a legal firearm in well trained hands(big disclaimer - in well trained hands). Because when your pepper spray doesn't quite hit the mark, their knife/gun will and they will be extra aggressive- case and point above. Thankfully the cyclist is still alive above, they were really lucky...

If you are going to carry a weapon, you better be well trained and competent in using it and all above board legally.

Otherwise carry nothing at all, hand the bikes over with no fight and save the fight for dealing with insurance the next day rather.

100%

Many years ago in a road rage incident I emptied a jet stream of pepper spray on an assailants face, between spraying him and the time it took for the spray to do its thing on him, he managed to grab the pepper spray out of my hands and attempted to use it against me.

 

The only way to stop these #$#%@# is to take them out. There needs to be a sting operation where these guys are caught and dealt with.

[The Ouzo]

16 minutes ago, pedal menace said:

Also hear a report of MTBer shot at, at low water bridge just before Red Barn this past Saturday...Did not verify this. If true - what the hell is going on? Should we all just ride around the block with armed escorts? 

it might be the above incident which happened further away and information has just been mixed up as it gets passed along.