Head's up! Robbed while riding early Sunday Morning.

Just wanted to give people a heads up:

This morning (5:30am Sunday) I was taking my usual route to work (straight down Milwaukee - Desplaines)  when I ran into some trouble.

 I had just crossed over Division  when I noticed a group of guys walking North on the West side of Milwaukee, one of them started walking at me in the bike lane.  I just assumed he was either avoiding the snow on the sidewalk, or trying to hail a cab.  He wasn't moving out of the way as I got closer so I rode into the car's lane.  As I was about to pass him  he said "Give me that bike bitch" and then went after me. I tried to speed past him, but he managed to push the rear of my bike which made me loose balance an veer off to the other side of the road.  I fell off my bike once it tried to hop the curb and he grabbed me and pinned me up against the iron fence.  I was screaming and he was choking me and telling me to "give me what you got".    I kept telling him I didn't have anything, but remembered I had a $20 in my pocket and asked if he wanted that.  He took it, told me he loved me and then kissed me on the cheek a couple of times and took off running.

F'd up!

so F'd up

I just want to give you all a heads up of what happened in an area I usually feel safe in and maybe keep an eye out for each other.  A few cars passed as I was pinned against the fence, but no one stopped.  Maybe they didn't see, maybe they did.  

I was lucky and managed to keep everything that mattered to me and came away just really shaken up. 

A report has been filed

It was a group of 4 or so guys, but only one guy chased me down.  He was an african american probably early 20's wearing a dark green jacket (waist length and not "winter time poofy" ) with some sort of white character on the back of it.  He had shoulder length dreads and was wearing a dark colored knit cap.

Let's look out for each other!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on February 26, 2013 at 3:32pm

Do you think it is the air horn or the get-up?

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on February 26, 2013 at 3:44pm

totally :))

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

Do you think it is the air horn or the get-up?

Permalink Reply by Eric R on February 26, 2013 at 4:27pm
These are nice for, uhm, landing on your fists after a fall. Swrve gloves http://swrve.myshopify.com/products/full-fingered-gloves Stay safe out there!
Permalink Reply by Banshee: 12-15mi on February 26, 2013 at 6:22pm

Wow what a horrible experience.  I'm very glad you are not hurt.  It is unfortunate that there were no other riders passing by to help.

Permalink Reply by Nick on February 26, 2013 at 7:13pm

Uggg i'm sorry to hear this Allison.  Keep your spirit up.  I lost my bike in a similar situation at Arrigo park at UIC in 2003.  The offender kept creeping the same area and the cops called me in to ID the guy at a lineup at Area 4 about 3 weeks after I was robbed.  Thanks for filing the report and just be patient.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 27, 2013 at 5:50am

Or both.  Well played.

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

Do you think it is the air horn or the get-up?

Permalink Reply by M.G. on February 27, 2013 at 11:03am

Wow...that is some scary stuff. Makes me even more convinced that buying a video camera for my commutes is even more worth it.

Permalink Reply by Jason W on February 28, 2013 at 12:15pm

The whole city is block by block. That co-op right there is full of bad seeds, and there is a bunch of section 8 just south of it. Be careful around there people.

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

I used to live just north of there on Noble. In the morning I'd ride from my apt to Milwaukee (with a short cut through a parking lot to make the connection on the south end), but after a few threatening interactions I stopped ridding that block of Noble between Milwaukee and Division at night. It's amazing how block by block that neighborhood can be.

Permalink Reply by lauren eg on February 28, 2013 at 12:24pm

I do agree the city changes block-by-block and it's good to know the nuances of your neighborhood.

As a person employed as a social worker, it may not be my job to police language on a bike-related forum, but since it's so closely related to my actual job: may I *suggest* not implying that just because people live in subsidized housing that they are bad people? 'cause they aren't, and I work with solid evidence indicating that every single day. Ain't trying to troll; I just have feelings about these things. /soapbox

Anyway, Allison's story inspired me to write a blog post earlier this week in which I talk not only about assault, but street harassment in general as a woman on a bike. 

I'm going to be writing a follow up post to it and have been using suggestions here as help (nod to Eric Roach's glove suggestion--srsly awesome!) and am really into women leaving comments about personal experiences and/or anyone's suggestion of additional items used for self protection.

Thanks!

Permalink Reply by Jason W on February 28, 2013 at 12:36pm

I didn't imply all people who live in subsidized housing are bad. However, crime in those areas are much higher and people need to be realistic about that for their safety.

Permalink Reply by Juan Primo on February 28, 2013 at 2:51pm

Lauren:  I somehow ran into your blog post yesterday.  Really well done.

lauren eg said:

I do agree the city changes block-by-block and it's good to know the nuances of your neighborhood.

As a person employed as a social worker, it may not be my job to police language on a bike-related forum, but since it's so closely related to my actual job: may I *suggest* not implying that just because people live in subsidized housing that they are bad people? 'cause they aren't, and I work with solid evidence indicating that every single day. Ain't trying to troll; I just have feelings about these things. /soapbox

Anyway, Allison's story inspired me to write a blog post earlier this week in which I talk not only about assault, but street harassment in general as a woman on a bike. 

I'm going to be writing a follow up post to it and have been using suggestions here as help (nod to Eric Roach's glove suggestion--srsly awesome!) and am really into women leaving comments about personal experiences and/or anyone's suggestion of additional items used for self protection.

Thanks!

Permalink Reply by DawnW on March 1, 2013 at 6:00am

So sorry this happened to you. Don't be surprised if you have a little PTSD fear months from now. I was robbed on the L in 2001 and was afraid for a long time after. It takes time to recover; give yourself permission to take the time you need. 

I commuted to downtown from Austin/Roosevelt on Roosevelt Road in Oak Park two or three times in broad daylight last year and was nervous the whole time. K-Town, Lawndale, those aren't good areas. I know another Oak Parker woman who bikes to UIC every day on her own and I think she must have nerves of steel. Groups of people on street corners make me especially leery. I wouldn't drive Roosevelt Road from Oak Park , so I must be crazy for biking on it, I was thinking to myself the entire time. I'm really out of shape and biking into the wind tires me out. I wouldn't have been able to get away from someone if they went after me. I'm not giving up on the idea of being able to bike to work, but reading  your story gives me pause.

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