Northern farm

[doreen]

Two of us were cycling at the farm this morning and up near tombstone along the road that leads to tombstone my friend was ahead of me and when he reached the top of the hill told me to turn back... there were guys hiding in the mealie field... when they saw him look at them they retreated further back into the field.. must have been a reason for that.

we pedalled back at a hair raising pace.. and did report this when we got back to the car park... makes me so mad as there is nothing that I looked forward to more than Sat and Sund morning rides at the farm...

[Guest Agteros]

I went for a ride at NF just before 2pm today, and was told to stay away from the uphill section against the perimeter fence (Northern section) as 'they are taking bikes there'

 

NF was just about deserted as there were only two other cars when I arrived (one was leaving), so I stuck to the inside tracks.

 

Still managed a no-incident19km ride after the Groenkloof ride this morning.

 

[Dibles]

I started a thread about the Northern Farm safety issue recently. (https://www.bikehub.co.za/forum_posts.asp?TID=71057) About 10 Hubbers indicated that they are interested in doing group rides at the Farm. You are more than welcome to join us.

[skaduwee]

Today it was my first time at Northern farm. Only a few miles into it we came across a guy asking for a cell phone. He then told us he had just been hi-jacked. Dragged into the corn fields tied up and stripped of all his belongings. The only thing he had was shirt and shorts and heart rate monitor strap. He looked so shocked and so was all of us. A guy rode back on his bike to where the cars are parked to make sure they dont take his car as well, they took his car keys aswell.

 

 

 

We stayed with him till the pickup car came to take him back. He called his wife and asked her to bring his spare car keys from home.

 

 

 

he said something that his bike was worth 25k. But that doesn't matter.

 

 

 

Thank God he is alive!.

[Overlord]

This NF place you guys talk about. Do you pay to ride or is this just an open area?

[Dibles]

This NF place you guys talk about. Do you pay to ride or is this just an open area?

 

Pay-to-ride but it covers a vast area. www.northernfarm.co.za

 

[Dibles]

Today it was my first time at Northern farm. Only a few miles into it we came across a guy asking for a cell phone. He then told us he had just been hi-jacked. Dragged into the corn fields tied up and stripped of all his belongings. The only thing he had was shirt and shorts and heart rate monitor strap. He looked so shocked and so was all of us. A guy rode back on his bike to where the cars are parked to make sure they dont take his car as well' date=' they took his car keys aswell.

We stayed with him till the pickup car came to take him back. He called his wife and asked her to bring his spare car keys from home.

he said something that his bike was worth 25k. But that doesn't matter.

Thank God he is alive!. [/quote']

 

I feel so angry and sad reading your post. I will never, ever ride there alone again.

 

Skaduwee, roughly what time of the day did this attack take place? Was it along the boundary fence?

[MsBehavn]

Today it was my first time at Northern farm. Only a few miles into it we came across a guy asking for a cell phone. He then told us he had just been hi-jacked. Dragged into the corn fields tied up and stripped of all his belongings. The only thing he had was shirt and shorts and heart rate monitor strap. He looked so shocked and so was all of us. A guy rode back on his bike to where the cars are parked to make sure they dont take his car as well' date=' they took his car keys aswell.

We stayed with him till the pickup car came to take him back. He called his wife and asked her to bring his spare car keys from home.

he said something that his bike was worth 25k. But that doesn't matter.

Thank God he is alive!. [/quote']

 

 OMG!  What a SHOCKING story and terrible thing to happen!  I've ridden at NF a few times and never felt unsafe - until this December when all these stories started being posted here.

 

Is there some kind of solution we can come up with to prevent this kind of thing happening?

[skaduwee]

Im not sure since its my first time riding there its really hard to remember. I would say around 11:30(you can ask mtbN00b he was with me) not sure.

 

 

 

We came across this huge corn field while going uphill. almost at the peak of the hill there was a bush on the right with a fence, at the other side of the fence there was another road, they used that road to escape. If you go just past the bush the corn field stops and then its just flat fields.

 

 

 

Apparently they guy was jumped by three people. Two of them had sharp objects and the other one had a gun. The guy was dragged a few hundred meters into the corn field where they had he says they had some fight. At the time it happend there was a bakkie just behind the bush on the hill with another guy pretending to work on his engine. The guy said that everytime they suspect some1 coming they hijacker would 'clock' his gun.

 

 

 

Just thinking about this scares the sh*t out of me.

 

 

[doreen]

This is the same area that we saw the guys in the corn fields... the northern section next to the sand road... thank heavens my friend heard them.. they obviously were waiting for me to reach the area as well... this was at approx 10am this morning... so very unfair - why can we not get police reservists to patrol the area - having a few guys on foot is definately not going to help ... and the previous day I just purchased another full season ticket... not sure if I would like to use it now!!!!

just so pleased the guy was not harmed physically... mentally i am sure he is still in shock..doreen2010-01-03 14:35:00

[doreen]

so relieved that guy was ok... or should I say survived - OK is not the correct word as how can one be after an experience like that

[skaduwee]

Im realy not sure about the time.. would confirm with mtbN00b tomorrow and fill you guys in.

[Tumbleweed]

this angers me so much! have spent many happy hours there, including an inpromptu new year's ride with good friends.

[Danger Dassie]

I hope folk have relayed this to NF and Simon Nash, who also commented on Mands thread, pg 6.

 

There is an armed response unit patrolling NF as well, reckon info like this would greatly assist them.

 

Police reservists on private land doesn't seem feasible, especially the long run. imo... Although, reporting this is one thing we can do.

 

Perhaps this time of year it would be prudent for the security guys to increase patrols.

 

Use your season ticket, if we start giving up on riding at great venues such as this, those bastards win!

 

 

 

This is the same area that we saw the guys in the corn fields... the northern section next to the sand road... thank heavens my friend heard them.. they obviously were waiting for me to reach the area as well... this was at approx 10am this morning... so very unfair - why can we not get police reservists to patrol the area - having a few guys on foot is definately not going to help ... and the previous day I just purchased another full season ticket... not sure if I would like to use it now!!!!

[Reghard111]

What right do these fcuks have to interfere with our lives and lifstyle the way they do....glad everyone is ok but it is shocking what we accept these days....  OPC race2010-01-03 13:29:08

[leet22]

We have become soft targets for these guys and as we ride in certain areas its like shooting rats in a barrel, they know they just have to wait for a few minutes.

The police  are not going to be a big help they strung out as it is. Its times like these that the old army commandos would of been a blessing. let them sit out there for days and shoot the &^^*^.

Be safe out there guys a girls.