# attacked in brixton



## Jake (11 Jun 2009)

Just heard from my other half that on his ride home between clapham and bixton, that some "youthz" had stopped another cyclist, demanded his bike, but he managed to ride off. He was chased and one of them thumped him on the side of his head!!! He warned my other half and another cyclist. He had called the police.

be carefull out there folks. 


(ride home was fun, not as bad as yesterdays wacky races, but still RLJs, with one, i was just waiting for the claret as the bus just missed him. He went throguh red light and thought he could just keep going. Another cycled through red light, got off his bike past the white line, pushed it over the road between oncoming traffic, and carried on)


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## ianrauk (11 Jun 2009)

Feral Yoof seem to be getting more brazen.


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## Twanger (11 Jun 2009)

Between Clapham and Brixton...Acre Lane?


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## trudilou (11 Jun 2009)

Jeez. Makes me glad I'm not commuting in London. The worst I've had so far is a yoof in medallions and a hoody ride his bike straight at me on our local cycle path, making me swerve into the verge. Didn't bother giving him the satisfaction of a response. Partly because I was worried he'd turn round and come after me and there was no one else around to help me!


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## Sittingduck (11 Jun 2009)

Blimey - what time of day / night did this happen at?


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## Jake (11 Jun 2009)

around 19.00, not sure of the road, will have to find out. No police about so people can do what they like, it's proven over and over again.


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## Sittingduck (11 Jun 2009)

Not good


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## Jim_Noir (11 Jun 2009)

Shocking, there must be a market for cycle self defense. Posted this stuff before: http://www.stoppashop.co.uk/self-de...ays/stoppa-red-mk3-uv-self-defence-spray.html Keep yourself safe out there folks.


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## Jake (11 Jun 2009)

No, thing is they have the upper hand as they behave like pack animals and us normal people think they all carry knives and AK47s. (the knives they prob do.)


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## joolsybools (11 Jun 2009)

Scumbags


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## Twanger (11 Jun 2009)

I cycle through Brixton every evening. I thought all that knocking you off your bike and nicking it stuff had finished years ago.


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## Jim_Noir (11 Jun 2009)

Jake said:


> No, thing is they have the upper hand as they behave like pack animals and us normal people think they all carry knives and AK47s. (the knives they prob do.)




My Muay Thai trainer always gets asked by newbies "How do I defend myself against a knife" He tells them about the old Thai art of Nike in such a situation.


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## garrilla (11 Jun 2009)

Jim_Noir said:


> Thai art of Nike



run like the wind?


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## Jim_Noir (11 Jun 2009)

That's the one.


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## Jake (11 Jun 2009)

well i'm off to the sun for a days, so going to leave you to it


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## junglegusset (12 Jun 2009)

If the worst came to the worst and you were cornered I would advise getting off the bike, picking up the bike and the using the bike (yes the ACTUAL bike) to smash every xxxxing tooth in their head......... little trick I picked up in 'the Nam'. 

I would only ever advocate using 'reasonable' force of course and only as a desperate act of self-defence.......officer.


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## Crankarm (12 Jun 2009)

I believe GT85 and a lighter is very effective at keeping them at bay.


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## Radius (12 Jun 2009)

I doubt it was Acre lane, too main road-y? Probably one of the back roads like around Lambert st or somewhere like that.


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## Twanger (12 Jun 2009)

I lived in Brixton during operation swamp. It was all sort of Blade Runner then. It doesn't take much to trigger flashbacks.......


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## peanut (12 Jun 2009)

theres no doubt about it we are very vulnerable when out alone on our bikes.
Silly shoes you can barely walk in , skimpy thin lycra that leaves lots of bare skin exposed and an expensive bike we are reluctant to leave, to get stolen or worse still damaged.

I often feel very vulnerable out alone on remote country roads on my bike. You never know when a car full of yobs could stop and give you trouble.

I used to rely on my height and weight and no one has ever challenged me but nowadays I advocate carrying something to protect yourself against unprovoked attacks. Even if it is just a visual deterant or moral booster.

We should all give some thought to how we would protect ourselves from an attack.


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## swee'pea99 (12 Jun 2009)

Either that or don't go south of the river...


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## Sittingduck (12 Jun 2009)

swee said:


> WTF!


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## N1ck (12 Jun 2009)

would you vary your route so that you would feel safer?

Does the route you take vary depending on time of day?


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## swee'pea99 (12 Jun 2009)

There be dragons.....


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## semislickstick (12 Jun 2009)

Isn't that what U-locks are really for?


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## Tynan (12 Jun 2009)

indeed

neva no botha in norf london init


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## Greenbank (12 Jun 2009)

swee said:


> Yeah, no such problems in the backstreets of Hackney and Dalston. Of course not. Safe as houses.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## peanut (12 Jun 2009)

Greenbank said:


> I know I'll be able to run away fast enough in MTB shoes with recessed SPD cleats.



now ya know why I wear MTB shoes and use SPD pedals 
Its also useful for kicking attackers up the butt and not leaving telltale marks


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## Jim_Noir (12 Jun 2009)

semislickstick said:


> Isn't that what U-locks are really for?


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## HLaB (12 Jun 2009)

swee said:


> The River Forth ? sheise Edinburgh is south of that too


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## Twanger (12 Jun 2009)

Hah! I do the eight miles to Lambeth Bridge in 35 minutes. Then, the three miles to Baker street in 20.

_*That*_'s what south of the river is all about!


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## Greenbank (12 Jun 2009)

Twanger said:


> Hah! I do the eight miles to Lambeth Bridge in 35 minutes. Then, the three miles to Baker street in 20.



8 miles from Putney to Southbank in 25 minutes. Unfortunately the majority of my journey is north of the river (Putney Bridge, New Kings Road, Cheyne Walk, Chelsea Embankment, Grosvenor Road, Millbank, Lambeth Brige).


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## Jim_Noir (12 Jun 2009)

Half my journy is north of the river, other half is south. The trip over on the ferry tonight was abit choppy.... this is the Clyde I am on about


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## Twanger (12 Jun 2009)

You mean there are other rivers?


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## Greenbank (12 Jun 2009)

Twanger said:


> You mean there are other rivers?



The Wandle, The Lea, The Effra, etc...


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## Jim_Noir (12 Jun 2009)

Joan


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## tdr1nka (12 Jun 2009)

The Quaggy, The Lee, The Hyde, etc,.......


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## swee'pea99 (12 Jun 2009)

"The Quaggy"?


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## tdr1nka (13 Jun 2009)

Yup, there is a Quaggy river it joins the Lee in Lewisham.


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## goo_mason (13 Jun 2009)

Would it be illegal to make yourself up a water pistol filled with the juice from a few dozen crushed chillis to squirt them in the face with ? 

Having had my mitts on a Glock, a Sig Sauer, a 45 Magnum and an M4 assault rifle with laser sighting during my hol in Houston (and shot a hundred or so rounds with the Sig), I'm quite into the idea of some bar-mounted lethal ordinance when cycling in these kinds of areas !!


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## Jim_Noir (13 Jun 2009)

I am sure it wouldn't be classed as a firearm but a concealed weapon, you know how crazy the law of the land is. You prob would get done for carrying with intent and be sued. A water gun filled with pee however, or rotten cabbage water would be enough for you to escape, but quickly as said scum bags are going to be effed off and really want to get you.


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## Sittingduck (13 Jun 2009)

*Note to self: NEVER upset Goo Mason*


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## ianrauk (13 Jun 2009)

Where Boris had a dip

[quote name='swee'pea99']"The Quaggy"?[/quote]


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## Cubist (13 Jun 2009)

goo_mason said:


> Would it be illegal to make yourself up a water pistol filled with the juice from a few dozen crushed chillis to squirt them in the face with ?



Sorry Goo, that would be a prohibited weapon under sec 5 firearms act. Love your thinking though.


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## goo_mason (13 Jun 2009)

Cubist said:


> Sorry Goo, that would be a prohibited weapon under sec 5 firearms act. Love your thinking though.



Oh well, it was a good idea when I thought it up earlier today ! 

How about if I saved up all my eggiest farts in a can and sprayed a blast of that at them ?


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## goo_mason (13 Jun 2009)

Sittingduck said:


> *Note to self: NEVER upset Goo Mason*



Go ahead, punk - make my day...


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## semislickstick (13 Jun 2009)

goo_mason said:


> Would it be illegal to make yourself up a water pistol filled with the juice from a few dozen crushed chillis to squirt them in the face with ?
> 
> Having had my mitts on a Glock, a Sig Sauer, a 45 Magnum and an M4 assault rifle with laser sighting during my hol in Houston (and shot a hundred or so rounds with the Sig), I'm quite into the idea of some bar-mounted lethal ordinance when cycling in these kinds of areas !!



Extra water bottle with it in...maybe? Just don't get confused.

It's a good energy drink.


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## Nigeyy (15 Jun 2009)

The problem I usually have with violent situations is reality.

It would be really nice to think I could squirt ammonia/carry a piece and wave it menacingly/high kick a nasty person to avoid injury, but alas here are my anticipated reactions with consequences:

i. by the time you get your act together (i.e. detached spray can, reached down for heavy lock, etc) you've been hit by that yoof already.

ii. the best way to win a fight is to hit someone first, hard enough to put them down. Of course, this is assuming you know fully their intent and are willing to do this -I have real problems with that!

iii. rarely is it one on one (and when it is one on one, you're bound to be attacked by someone who is 19 stone and 6 and a half feet tall with a reach like a JCB). I fear a pack mentality most of all -limits can soon go out of the window.

iv. by the time you've done all the analysis, you're on the floor anyway.

In my younger days, I do recall getting duffed up quite badly in Coventry city centre. I remember very clearly being in a night club and seeing out of the corner of my eye someone swinging at me, and the strange thing is that I really went into a weird sort of Matrix-y like slow motion thought -not response mind you, but thought. I swear these were my thoughts as his fist came closer and closer:

"Hang on, he's going to hit me!"
"He's really going to hit me!"
"I can't believe it -his fist is getting a lot closer"
"Why would he do that...?"
"He is going to h.... OOOOOFFFFFFF"

I realized quite quickly after that to be really 'ard, you had to practise and have automatic reflexes. I do think some people have that -I certainly don't.

I personally prefer avoidance over my macho fighting abilities. I think you can see why. If you can do a different route, I'd do it.


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## Jim_Noir (15 Jun 2009)

Nigeyy said:


> ii. the best way to win a fight is to hit someone first, hard enough to put them down. Of course, this is assuming you know fully their intent and are willing to do this -I have real problems with that!



You could look at jail time for this. One of my training buddies is looking at a serious assault charge for breaking a guys arm. He was walking along, three guys jumped him, one grabbed him in a head look and tried to stab him behind the ear with a screwdriver. So he throws the guy and putting him in an arm lock. One of the other attackers went to penalty kick my mate, he told them he was jiu jitsu black belt and if he didn't stop his friend on the floor was going to have a nice wee visit to A&E. The other two attackers didn't listen so he snapped the guys arm. Now getting done for it!

And other mate was just back from Thailand training, got jumped with 6 guys, he managed to fight them off until there was only one of them willing to go toe to toe with him... stupidly my mate really went to town on this guy, made a right mess of him. Got done for GBH.. no it was fair enough in the fact he really did go over the score with the guy, but you get attacked and you get charged with defending yourself!



Nigeyy said:


> iii. rarely is it one on one (and when it is one on one, you're bound to be attacked by someone who is 19 stone and 6 and a half feet tall with a reach like a JCB). I fear a pack mentality most of all -limits can soon go out of the window.



This is my fav kind of guy to have a scrap with. I stand 5' 7" weigh between 58 and 60 kg, give me a slow mover anyday, be all over them like a cheap suit


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## Twanger (15 Jun 2009)

You can not get "done" for self defence using reasonable force. If you gain an upper hand in a fight and then use your advantage to inflict further damage, then it is no longer self defence. That's the material point.


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## Aperitif (15 Jun 2009)

goo_mason said:


> Oh well, it was a good idea when I thought it up earlier today !
> 
> How about if I saved up all my eggiest farts in a can and sprayed a blast of that at them ?



Do both - and have 'a chilli wind that blows no good..'


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## swee'pea99 (15 Jun 2009)

The thing that always surprises me with these 'and now he's getting done' stories is why the one getting done is in a position to get done. A friend of mine, menaced by a large low life, laid the guy out with his U bolt, but he didn't get done. He left the scene, sharpish.


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## Nigeyy (16 Jun 2009)

It's all a moot point for me -unless it's in my Steven Seagal driven meglamaniac fantasies.....

I will say this though, even in my dreams if I did manage to severely duff up someone else who was trying to mug me or otherwise take my property, I'd hop it sharpish. If I broke their arm/leg/neck, just tough luck to them. And I think it would be the same in real life too to be honest.

Again, in my fantasies though.



Twanger said:


> You can not get "done" for self defence using reasonable force. If you gain an upper hand in a fight and then use your advantage to inflict further damage, then it is no longer self defence. That's the material point.


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## Twanger (16 Jun 2009)

Say you hit someone trying to nick your bike (when you are on it) and he turns to run. No probs. You have done nothing wrong. If you then belt him over the back of the head with your D lock, you have gone beyond self defence. However much you may feel he deserves it, you have committed an offence and you will (and should!) be "done".

And when it comes to fantasies, that sort tarnishes the soul....


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## skwerl (16 Jun 2009)

Jim_Noir said:


> You could look at jail time for this. One of my training buddies is looking at a serious assault charge for breaking a guys arm. He was walking along, three guys jumped him, one grabbed him in a head look and tried to stab him behind the ear with a screwdriver. So he throws the guy and putting him in an arm lock. One of the other attackers went to penalty kick my mate, he told them he was jiu jitsu black belt and if he didn't stop his friend on the floor was going to have a nice wee visit to A&E. The other two attackers didn't listen so he snapped the guys arm. Now getting done for it!
> 
> And other mate was just back from Thailand training, got jumped with 6 guys, he managed to fight them off until there was only one of them willing to go toe to toe with him... stupidly my mate really went to town on this guy, made a right mess of him. Got done for GBH.. no it was fair enough in the fact he really did go over the score with the guy, but you get attacked and you get charged with defending yourself!
> 
> ...



please just tell us where you live so we can never go there.
"3 guys...screwdriver behind the ear", "6 guys...".
Doesn't sound too pleasant or do your mates walk just around in T-shirts that say, "Black belt. Have a go if you think you're hard enough"?


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## Jim_Noir (16 Jun 2009)

Glasgow, and no it's not that bad... just some places!

The old screwdriver is a common weapon carried up here as they think they can't be done for it.

The guy who got jumped with the 6 guys was coming home from a boozer, was a old firm day... and anyone will tell you Glasgow becomes like down town Kabul for that day. The problem is you'll get "Selick or the gers mate?" then when you say you don't support either nor do you like football, they will kick your head in for being gay! So best to avoid anywhere with boozers for the day and let the simpiltons eradicate each other.

That said, Glasgow is a wonderful city to live in, just that it seems to house more nut jobs than any other UK city.

Then the fact they don't seem to speak Englishand they talk through their nose, so when they say something to you and you have ask them to repeat what they say they always come back and say "What did you call my mother?" thus resulting in you having to tell them what their Mother is


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## Tynan (16 Jun 2009)

any court will clear you of violence in a self defense unless you go too far, clearly too far, any fool should know the difference, it's obvious at what point youre crossing the line


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## Sittingduck (16 Jun 2009)

*Crossed Glasgow off his - MUST VISIT CITIES list *


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## Jim_Noir (16 Jun 2009)

I should get a job with the Glasgow tourist board.

The sad fact is most UK towns and citys are like this... anyone been to Middlesbourgh?

And FFS London, the amount of knife crimes and shootings down there makes Glasgow look tame.


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## mookie (16 Jun 2009)

Jim_Noir said:


> Glasgow, and no it's not that bad... just some places!
> ...
> 
> That said, Glasgow is a wonderful city to live in, just that it seems to house more nut jobs than any other UK city.
> ...



You forgot the baseball caps at a 45deg angle Jim.....


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## Tynan (16 Jun 2009)

Jim_Noir said:


> anyone been to Middlesbourgh?



Yes, I got arrested and charged and convicted

Most complained about police and stewards by away supporters in the entire league

thankfully they're arresting charging and convicting lower league supporters for sfa this year


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## Sittingduck (16 Jun 2009)

Jim_Noir said:


> I should get a job with the Glasgow tourist board.
> 
> *The sad fact is most UK towns and citys are like this... anyone been to Middlesbourgh?*
> 
> And FFS London, the amount of knife crimes and shootings down there makes Glasgow look tame.



No - Went to manchester once though. NEVER again 

London has culture  and the kids here just off one another - rarely shoot at civilians!


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## Jim_Noir (16 Jun 2009)

Tynan said:


> any court will clear you of violence in a self defense unless you go too far, clearly too far, any fool should know the difference, it's obvious at what point youre crossing the line



But that is it, when is it too far? If someone attacks you, they hit first and you hit back... this makes them worse? Therefore a full blown fight is going to happen, your aim is to defend yourself from someone who obviously has no rational thoughts and you have no clue what this raging psycho is going to do to you. What if you hit the person so hard the deck it, smack their head on the kerb and as a result they have (more) brain damage or a fatality? Your best course of action is to avoid the situation in the first place, even if that means looking like a coward and running away. 

If anything like this happens when I am on my own, I am out of there. However if it's me n the wife, then her safty is my main concern and I need to do what I can to insure that nothing happens to her, this of course is only if she had my tea ready.. if not then she's on her own


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## colinr (16 Jun 2009)

> But that is it, when is it too far? If someone attacks you, they hit first and you hit back... this makes them worse?



As soon as you win a fight, the law is against you. Running is a fine solution, sometimes it's not an option though, in which case I refer you to some advice from my Sifu "it's better to be judged by 12 than carried by 4".


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## Jake (16 Jun 2009)

what if you do give them a fat lip, then next week when your cycling home they see you again. Having "lost face" as this seems to be their reasons for murder now, they now have a knife and stab you back. It's tricky to know what your going to do, unless your in that situation. Like it was posted earlier, if you can avoid the situation in the first place, then great. more police would work!


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## Twanger (16 Jun 2009)

You still haven't told us where in Brixton this happened.


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## violetnewt (16 Jun 2009)

Goo, not only do I like your thinking, but, as my sister lives in Leith, I UNDERSTAND your thinking!


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## mrsimes (6 Jul 2009)

Hi there,
Stoppashop were previously out of stock of self defence spray, but it's now back in stock again - can be conveniently carried on a belt in a holster:
StoppaRed MK3

The SureGuard cordless attack alarm is also popular with joggers and cyclists:
SureGuard Cordless Attack Alarm

Hope this helps.

Si


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## Jake (6 Jul 2009)

kings avenue way


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## Wheeledweenie (7 Jul 2009)

mrsimes said:


> Hi there,
> Stoppashop were previously out of stock of self defence spray, but it's now back in stock again - can be conveniently carried on a belt in a holster:
> StoppaRed MK3
> 
> ...



I was given an attack alarm to hang off my handlebars at the company bike day and, apart from its tendency to go off after particularly deep potholes, it's unobtrusive but comforting. 

I would add that I've been told by friends in the force before that carrying any kind of self-defence spray could be used to argue intent to harm if it was used whereas carrying bog-standard hairspray has the same effect and you could be carrying it for legitimate styling purposes.


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## Jim_Noir (7 Jul 2009)

Hair spray and a lighter 
The stoppred spary is diffrent from hairspray as it paints the attackers face... sure a burst of hairspray might blind them for a few secs, but they are unmarked... try explain to a copper why you are waling around with a red paint on your face! That said we do live a a nanny state and I could see some wee ned sue you for using it!


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## Wheeledweenie (7 Jul 2009)

Sittingduck said:


> London has culture  and the kids here just off one another - rarely shoot at civilians!



The kids near me (west London) often offer to help me put my bike on the train when I take him to Paddington and I frequently get 'Nice bike' murmured by shy-looking lads hiding in hoodies. I think it's the novelty factor of being a lady in lycra though.


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## ianrauk (8 Jul 2009)

Let us be the judge of that... we need pictures 



Wheeledweenie said:


> The kids near me (west London) often offer to help me put my bike on the train when I take him to Paddington and I frequently get 'Nice bike' murmured by shy-looking lads hiding in hoodies. I think it's the novelty factor of being a lady in lycra though.


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## ComedyPilot (8 Jul 2009)

Jake said:


> what if you do give them a fat lip, then next week when your cycling home they see you again. Having "lost face" as this seems to be their reasons for murder now, they now have a knife and stab you back. It's tricky to know what your going to do, unless your in that situation. Like it was posted earlier, if you can avoid the situation in the first place, then great. *more police would work*!



Sadly I disagree.

The only way to teach people the difference between right and wrong is to have an efficient deterrant. What use is having a law which states the penalty for domestic burglary is 14 years in prison, then giving a prolific burglar community service?

Use this 'recession' to build more prisons, (without pool tables and television), and lock people up for the FULL term. Life means life. Carry a knife, then 10 years, carry a gun then life, drug deal then 10 years. Eventually (it will take a while for the thick sods to realise) people will stop taking the piss out of decent honest folk, and society can be reclaimed.


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## Wheeledweenie (8 Jul 2009)

ianrauk said:


> Let us be the jusge of that... we need pictures



Tsk tsk.


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## dellzeqq (9 Jul 2009)

Today, as on many other days, I did my thing of going down a street I don't know, and, as on many other days, I wandered around between Stockwell Road and Streatham Hill, crossing Acre Lane. I've never felt threatened in this area, but that may be because it't close to home.


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## Radius (9 Jul 2009)

^^ agree, I take similar detours when returning from Tooting, once ended up at the end of your road, realising how nearby it is!


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## Twanger (10 Jul 2009)

dellzeqq said:


> Today, as on many other days, I did my thing of going down a street I don't know, and, as on many other days, I wandered around between Stockwell Road and Streatham Hill, crossing Acre Lane. I've never felt threatened in this area, but that may be because it't close to home.



I used to feel threatened in that area 25 years ago, but it has improved so much recently that it kind of feels OK now.


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## stoatsngroats (10 Jul 2009)

I was once offered a ...erm...sexual favour, at the top of Brixton Hill, opposite Upper Tulse Hill, which I obviously declined!

I had walked, over the previous 3 weeks, (from Hooley at the boundary of TFL/Croydon, and was on the way to Black Prince Lane.) with a measuring wheel!

There had been a murder at/near Prima Road, which concerned me, but, apart from that I felt ok. 

With my likely trip to HPC for a FNRttC soon (hopefully!), I'm wondering whether it's safe to cycle up from the coast - I've not been up to town in the evening for a good 10 years or so!


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## PBancroft (11 Jul 2009)

goo_mason said:


> Would it be illegal to make yourself up a water pistol filled with the juice from a few dozen crushed chillis to squirt them in the face with ?



I did a self defence course years back (don't snigger).

The chap running it advocated putting hot chilli powder into a pop-lid film cannister. Never did it myself, and fairly certain it would count as being an offensive weapon if ever used.


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## Sittingduck (11 Jul 2009)

stoatsngroats said:


> I was once offered a ...erm...sexual favour, at the top of Brixton Hill, opposite Upper Tulse Hill, which I obviously declined!
> 
> I had walked, over the previous 3 weeks, (from Hooley at the boundary of TFL/Croydon, and was on the way to Black Prince Lane.) with a measuring wheel!
> 
> ...



Have you considered taking the bike on the train up to Victoria, as it would only be a few mins spin to HPC from there? Avoiding any possible conflict and arriving fresh as a daisy :?:


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## stoatsngroats (11 Jul 2009)

Sittingduck said:


> Have you considered taking the bike on the train up to Victoria, as it would only be a few mins spin to HPC from there? Avoiding any possible conflict and arriving fresh as a daisy :?:



You're right - of course, but then thats only half the challenge!


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