Chester Greenway

[Chislenko]

Solo cyclists who use the Greenway in Chester please be alert. This, to my knowledge is the second incident recently.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Q6seVGbsdxykmmC8/

 

[Cavalol]

I'm not doubting you, but do you know what the first incident was, please? The Greenway is mostly pretty good, the only sketchy bit (imho) is by Northgate Ponds, some ropey looking people kicking about there. That said, under the Hollows bridge seems to attract a lot of 'bally-ed' up junior pot heads.

There's kids (16-25-ish) round here who put balaclavas on like we would trousers. They look pathetic, but clearly can scare older people and no doubt it makes them impossible to ID as they whang round at 25 mph on their death trap e-bikes.

 

[FrankCrank]

The Michael Caine movie Harry Brown comes to mind.

 

[Drago]

Ensued, Mr Dibble, not ensured.

Many aeons ago there were a series of nasty late robberies in a a local park.

The scrambled egg ranks did the usual stuff such as high visibility patrols (which actually have little affect on crime rates) but did nothing to actually try and actually catch those responsible.

I went to the inspector and offered to wander round the park late at night pretending to be tipsy and wave a mobile phone,see who took the bait.

As well as me there would be, hiding in the bushes nearby, hulking great bobbies with nicknames such as Pit Bull, The Swede, Big Andy, and Donk. As soon as Johnny Scumbag made his move I'd only be five seconds from rescue and with my big stick under my armpit as a force multiplier I was happy that the risk would be minimal and controlled.

The scrambled egg ranks knocked the idea back on vague "health and safety" grounds. Presumably the health and safety of the continuing stream of victims didn't matter.

As long as the police are managed by people who were promoted before they'd gained any significant operational experience we'll have lions led by sheep, and instead of being proactive and trying to catch villains they'll favour being passively reactive with appeals for assistance which rarely bring in new evidence (if someone had seen robbers slapoing a victim around they'd have already told the police if they were going to.)

 

[Cavalol]

Ensued, Mr Dibble, not ensured.

Many aeons ago there were a series of nasty late robberies in a a local park.

The scrambled egg ranks did the usual stuff such as high visibility patrols (which actually have little affect on crime rates) but did nothing to actually try and actually catch those responsible.

I went to the inspector and offered to wander round the park late at night pretending to be tipsy and wave a mobile phone,see who took the bait.

As well as me there would be, hiding in the bushes nearby, hulking great bobbies with nicknames such as Pit Bull, The Swede, Big Andy, and Donk. As soon as Johnny Scumbag made his move I'd only be five seconds from rescue and with my big stick under my armpit as a force multiplier I was happy that the risk would be minimal and controlled.

The scrambled egg ranks knocked the idea back on vague "health and safety" grounds. Presumably the health and safety of the continuing stream of victims didn't matter.

As long as the police are managed by people who were promoted before they'd gained any significant operational experience we'll have lions led by sheep, and instead of being proactive and trying to catch villains they'll favour being passively reactive with appeals for assistance which rarely bring in new evidence (if someone had seen robbers slapoing a victim around they'd have already told the police if they were going to.)

That's one of the problems with CCTV. They can watch a fight kick off on camera, then do an appeal/find who was involved and try and nick them after the trouble has happened.

Bike theft is another thing. You see scruffy looking kids of about 13/14/15 riding about on very high end full sussers or fancy looking eBikes and who's stopping them asking for proof they bought it legit?

 

[T4tomo]

That's one of the problems with CCTV. They can watch a fight kick off on camera, then do an appeal/find who was involved and try and nick them after the trouble has happened.

Bike theft is another thing. You see scruffy looking kids of about 13/14/15 riding about on very high end full sussers or fancy looking eBikes and who's stopping them asking for proof they bought it legit?

I was once stopped by the rozzers riding my BMX at uni as they thought I'd nicked it off a young kid! I invited them to follow me for 1/2 a mile to the rugby ground I was heading for where there would be any number of people who would confirm that it was indeed mine....they declined

 

[fossyant]

Unfortunately, it's an issue with any of these urban cycle/walking routes that aren't near a road. Exactly the same thing happened to me, just after 5pm on a warm, sunny (and busy) evening about a month ago on my way home on the Fallowfield Loop in Manchester. Four lads on MTB's. Speaking to a colleague yesterday and another member of staff had recently been attacked on the Loop !

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Yup - main path type route I use on my bike I avoid after dark

even the "black path" that leads to the shop I avoid because it goes under a bridge and there could be anyone waiting hidden on the other side

 

[Drago]

I was once stopped by the rozzers riding my BMX...

Id want to know why the Dibble were riding your BMX?

 

[T4tomo]

Id want to know why the Dibble were riding your BMX?

Do you wheelie?🤣

 

[Dirtyhanz2]

Hi all this was me I am a bit banged up had to go to hospital thought I had broken my collarbone but luckily just very bruised
I have been using the green way for 8 years never had a problem
There is now way to many young lads on stupidly fast electric bikes I would rather ride on the road I won’t be using it again

Solo cyclists who use the Greenway in Chester please be alert. This, to my knowledge is the second incident recently.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Q6seVGbsdxykmmC8/

 

[Cavalol]

Hi all this was me I am a bit banged up had to go to hospital thought I had broken my collarbone but luckily just very bruised
I have been using the green way for 8 years never had a problem
There is now way to many young lads on stupidly fast electric bikes I would rather ride on the road I won’t be using it again

Really sorry to hear this, if you want a bit of company through the greenway one day to get towards wherever you're heading, give me a shout. I'm off on Wednesdays and about random weekend.

 

[Chislenko]

Hi all this was me I am a bit banged up had to go to hospital thought I had broken my collarbone but luckily just very bruised
I have been using the green way for 8 years never had a problem
There is now way to many young lads on stupidly fast electric bikes I would rather ride on the road I won’t be using it again

Sorry to hear that, hope you heal soon. Must admit for various reasons I stopped using the Greenway some years back.

 

[fossyant]

Hi all this was me I am a bit banged up had to go to hospital thought I had broken my collarbone but luckily just very bruised
I have been using the green way for 8 years never had a problem
There is now way to many young lads on stupidly fast electric bikes I would rather ride on the road I won’t be using it again

Oh shoot. Hope you are OK. Boils me wee wee 'kids' that do this

The ones that tried to mug me last month had not a care in the world as to what would have happened if I came off. I was very lucky I smashed through the MTB they chucked into my path - you'll struggle to stop a 90's MTB made out of Tange Cro-Mo, carrying heavy panniers (PS It's slow to pedal).

The police usually have an idea who these folk are - repeat offenders. I couldn't identify them, but the police took a statement anyway, as they had a good idea who the kids were (and rough age - I was 'prompted'). I've said I'd go to court should they be able to pin more attacks. A colleague was also attacked recently.

Having ridden the Greenway with two mates, it's great, traffic free and you can get some speed on it when quiet, but, just like the Fallowfield Loop, it can be remote and it's easy for a gang to wait for a lone cyclist/runner/walker.

These routes are 'usually' OK in the mornings, as the scallies aren't up - I say usually as there are reports of some attacks at 7am.

I've stopped using the Floop, other than a 2 mile section in the morning which is busy with users. The section I got attacked on is much quieter, although on that day it was warm, sunny and busy. I warned five or six walkers/cyclists in the half a mile I had left on the Loop until I got to the road.

 

[wafter]

Unfortunately, it's an issue with any of these urban cycle/walking routes that aren't near a road. Exactly the same thing happened to me, just after 5pm on a warm, sunny (and busy) evening about a month ago on my way home on the Fallowfield Loop in Manchester. Four lads on MTB's. Speaking to a colleague yesterday and another member of staff had recently been attacked on the Loop !

Indeed; it's desperately sad / ironic that the very thing that makes these paths appealing (getting away from the danger of dickheads on the roads) is also what makes them appealing to the greasy little sh*ts committing these offences.

Stuff like this always turns my mind to plausibly-deniable cycle-centric weapons one might get away with carrying for such an occasion; although as yet I've drawn a blank. Not sure it'd wash claiming a 24" Katana was necessary for removing thorns from tyres..

Hi all this was me I am a bit banged up had to go to hospital thought I had broken my collarbone but luckily just very bruised
I have been using the green way for 8 years never had a problem
There is now way to many young lads on stupidly fast electric bikes I would rather ride on the road I won’t be using it again

Sorry to hear that; fair play for sticking to your guns and fending the little bastards off though!

While people will always claim "it's only a bike and can be replaced", "it's not worth your life" etc, when it comes down to it I'm very attached to my gear and I think for a lot of us the value of our bikes extends far beyond their perceived financial worth.

It'd break my heart for some little maggot to take my gear; especially-so if I just rolled over and let them - even if it was for self preservation I'm not sure I could live with myself.

While the physical and mental scars of this nasty ordeal will likely linger, I hope you can take some comfort from standing your ground and thwarting your assailants - do you think there's any chance the police will catch them?