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Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on April 14, 2018 at 4:47pm

London had 22 homicides in March and is on a pace to have 180, which is incredibly high for London.

London's population is about 8.5 million.

Chicago had 31 homicides in March and is on a pace to have well over 600 homicides.  Chicago's population is 2.7 million.  So, compared to the worst year in decades for London, Chicago's homicide rate is more than three times that of London or New York.  This is absolutely disgraceful and barbaric. 

We tolerate levels of violence here in America that should be the constant shame of any civilized nation.

Eighty percent of homicides in America are are committed with guns.  More than sixty percent of all suicides are committed with guns.

I really doubt that gangs of cyclists are responsible for meaningful amounts of homicides.  I'm pretty confident that cyclists in general are peaceful, non-violent people, although it is true that a few U-locks are cracked against auto glass in a given year.  And I am sure that most cyclists around here, despite feeling grungity about this unrelentingly grim weather, remain civil.

Always, whatever, peace-out!  And sorry about the offtopicness. 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Greg Valent on April 14, 2018 at 8:17pm

Jim, thank you for the thoughtful reply. Yours is pretty much what I hoped to provoke by posting.  London is worried about knife attacks by 'bicycle gangs' ? Unlike the US, England has very strict gun control. Is this their version of drive by shootings ? We here in Chicago have had various 'bike by crimes' in the past. I have posted some, but, since the demise of DAINFO, they don't seem to pop up. Keep on Pedalin' ! Greg

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Permalink Reply by mike w. on April 15, 2018 at 4:00am

As a rider  in London (and almost anywhere else) i'd be more worried about being murdered by a motorist.

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Permalink Reply by Argonne69 on April 17, 2018 at 5:10am

The suicide rate in South Korea and Japan are 91 and 22 percent higher than the U.S., and there are practically no legal guns in civilian hands.

Hmmmm, it ain't the guns. Sadly, if someone wants to take their own life, there are plenty of options.

The murder rate in Mexico is almost 400% higher than in the U.S., and yet legal ownership of firearms is basically outlawed. I thought banning firearms is supposed to result in a peaceful utopia?

Oh, that's right. The criminals, by definition, don't follow the law.

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