The Chainlink

Lakefront Bike Path south of 31st Street north of 47th street

I was attacked last night on the bike path.  Fortunately I escaped. Basically as I was riding my road bike southbound, I had passed the new harbor at 31st, on the path at approximately 10PM I saw a large group of people. I turned on my hand held flashlight, a very very bright light and they all scattered. Once I past a couple of people they all then moved in and WHACK I was hit with something big and hard on the shoulder.  Had it hit my head, arm or wheel it would have knocked me over and the beating would begin.  I rode on, called the police and waited. after a bit of time passed I could see 10 of the mob in the group attempt to surround me. I fled again, called the police and filed a report.  I am one lucky guy!

If I would have hit the ground i'm sure they would have beaten me to a pulp.  I will ride again, just not solo on the south side at night.

PEOPLE WHO RIDE THERE NEED TO KNOW THIS.  

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joe Schmoe on June 18, 2012 at 3:48pm

Batons aren't legal to carry, unfortunately.  There's really no legal option, other than turning around, unless you want to chance it w/mace.  And if it's more than 5 people, that won't help you anyways.  If you've got some kind of hybrid, you can make a break for it across the grass to avoid the group, but it's not an option everywhere on the path.  I pretty always much assume that any young, gesticulating males, in groups of 3 or more, will try to knock me down. Sad, but necessary. 

Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on June 18, 2012 at 3:58pm

This is truly disconcerting. 

I also use the LFP between Hyde Park and the Loop to commute to and from work, 5 days a week.  It is not uncommon for me to make a return commute at 10 pm or later.   I've never had specific issues in the past, but have experienced the occasional fake lunge described by others.

Looks like I will be breaking out the heavy duty bright lights for my rides after dark. 

Permalink Reply by Joe Schmoe on June 18, 2012 at 4:43pm

I've been chided for it, but I turn off my front light at times at night on the path.  I'd rather folks not see me coming until I can whizz by. 

Permalink Reply by Jason W on June 18, 2012 at 5:21pm

No way you will be able to defend yourself against a mob with a baton, unless you're Anderson Silva or something (in which case you don't need a baton). Mace is your best bet under current laws. Speaking of current laws, it's time for this state to drop it's unconstitutional antiquated ineffective gun laws, and pass concealed carry!

Permalink Reply by Steven E Gross on June 18, 2012 at 5:25pm

I have used the path for commuting and exercise for 25 years. I have been chided many times mostly on the south side., but it was never physical till last night.  No amount of mace would have helped against a mob this big. They would have taken it out on me.  Joe Schmoe and the Kiltedcelt have it right, turn around.  I just won't go south at night.  Two weeks ago I was heading that way but decided to turn around since it was so dark, narrow and I had no light. Northerly Island is looking better and better all the time. I often wonder why I am the only rider out there or so it seemed. Now I know why

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on June 18, 2012 at 5:28pm

better light is needed there.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 18, 2012 at 5:31pm

The zombie apocalypse came and went -only now are we noticing it...

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on June 18, 2012 at 5:36pm

Thank you for getting the word out. Often we only hear about these things weeks or months after the fact.

Permalink Reply by S on June 18, 2012 at 7:24pm

The LFP is pretty nice and it's a great way to get from the south side to the north side if you're by the lakefront.  There are places and times where you end up needing to avoid it but that's the case for quite a bit of the city.

Daniel G said:

Curious, does the LFP have any redeeming qualities in the day or at night? There are a bunch of fine N/S roads. I'm continuing to stay off it until there's a cycle track and emergency phones or regular police patrols, or something.

Permalink Reply by Bike Bloke on June 18, 2012 at 10:14pm

The key here is the Police presence. BUT it can't be uniformed bike cops because guess what? Everyone behaves when uniformed cops are about. Duh! So what is needed is a one-officer unmarked cop bike patrol with other cops close by. Of course that'll never happen!

A good alternative would be some of those police cameras on poles that flash blue when in operation. Why only have those on streets when they're apparently needed in place like the LFP?

Oh, and if the Maywood PD is listening, put some of those camera poles on the Illinois prairie Path, please.

kiltedcelt said:

Reading about this sort of thing really pisses me off as I use the LFP to commute to and from work 5 days a week. Granted, I'm out riding in the morning when this sort of thing is extremely unlikely, but coming home, especially closer to the weekends when there are lots of people out, particularly around this area by 31st and a bit south, I've seen plenty of large groups of people, some of whom have been rude. The closest I've come to any confrontations was last year when I approached a group while riding south of 31st and a guy in the group made a fake lunge at me like he was trying to fake me out and get me to flinch or swerve and fall off my bike or something. Lately I've seen more police presence in the form of bike cops and cruisers, but obviously it's still not enough to deter this sort of crap from happening. I do think you're more likely to be a target the later you're out on the path, but there have been riders who've been jumped in broad daylight so just getting off the path before dark isn't necessarily the best solution either. I've been thinking of starting to carry some bear mace, but you have to be sure you can use it without it blowing back in your face, and given the winds out there on the path half the time, you're just as likely to douse yourself as your attacker. Another possibility is those ASP batons that the police carry, but then you're looking at trying to use that to defend yourself against superior numbers. It might just be better to turn tail and head the opposite direction. I hope this isn't ever an issue for me. Maybe the current level of police presence still isn't enough?

Permalink Reply by Vondo on June 18, 2012 at 10:38pm

just spitballing here, but maybe setting up a meetup group for commuting down the lfp, What if people met up to ride down together, there might be safety in numbers. Groups leaving every hour or so, these kids might not mess with a group of ten or twenty riders. I don't know, just thinking out loud.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on June 19, 2012 at 11:23am

Yes, definitely interesting times, and not always in a good way.

Serge Lubomudrov said:

Like merchants on the Silk Road would form caravans with an armed escort? Or convoys in the North Atlantic during the World War II?

. . . Interesting times we live in, eh?

Vondo said:

just spitballing here, but maybe setting up a meetup group for commuting down the lfp, What if people met up to ride down together, there might be safety in numbers. Groups leaving every hour or so, these kids might not mess with a group of ten or twenty riders. I don't know, just thinking out loud.

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