RIDE without fear

[light_sabe_r]

I posted a similar topic in the Australia part of the forum but I want to know peoples opinions.

In Brisbane there's been 12months of BIKEWAY attacks on women joggers, walkers and cyclists. 38 is the reported number now.

There's a 50000AUD reward for information and a rally in an hour at Kelvin Grove.

BUT I can't help but think of Jenny, Last year murdered on a bike track in the USA

So I put this question to you...
Have you ever felt "unsafe" when riding alone?

[rocknrollgirl]

WHAT???

What happened to Jenny? Please tell me this story. I have never heard of anyone being assulted or murdered while biking.


No, I have never felt unsafe while biking alone, or running alone. I am either living in a bubble, or living in a great neigborhood.


Ruth

[Eden]

I often ride alone and in places that are not well populated -industrial areas and relatively isolated paths. I suppose I've never felt unsafe, though if there were reported attacks - like there have been in Australia then I would avoid the area when alone. Yes- on a bike you are kind of vulnerable, if someone knocked me over I probably would not be able to get untangled from the bike and up all that easily and would be easily overpowered. If I thought about it too much I might not ever go out....but I have to live my life so I guess I try to not think about it too much.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

You didn't include the category i would be in:
More than once or twice. Occasionally and sometimes regularly, but definitely NOT "all the time". More like a couple times a month maybe.

[mary9761]

I needed the same category as well, because there are certain areas on the MONON here in Indianapolis where cyclists, walkers, etc are being robbed, having guns pulled on them and the worst a cyclist was mob attacked at dusk, beaten, dragged off the trail and left for dead. Thankfully someone found him and he's recovering, but when I was able to ride, that's the main route I take back from the far north side where I do most of my riding.

BTW I LOVE your new Avatar Lisa!!!!!!

[kerrybelle]

WHAT???

What happened to Jenny? Please tell me this story. I have never heard of anyone being assulted or murdered while biking.


Ruth


Here's the TE thread about Jenny. She was assaulted and murdered in Atlanta last July.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=8561&highlight=jennifer+ewing

Kerry

[mimitabby]

as people have been posting about what enters their minds while they are biking, sometimes i get nervous thoughts too, but generally speaking, i am alert and not frightened.

[Hammer]

Around here there is the potential to be assaulted, I suppose. Mostly I'm afraid of traffic. I've been riding on roads, had cars come up behind me and pass me with minimal clearance. This is on a regular road, not really wide, but not narrow by any means and I felt as though I could reach out and touch the side of their car as they passed. If I wobble at all, I would've been toast.

Jerks.

[IFjane]

I have not felt unsafe except because of traffic, and then only very rarely.


Lisa - great makeup job! :eek:

[Brandi]

I ride on a country road. There is not a lot of traffic. But every once in a while i get the willies. I think it is to much coffee on those days.

[Trekhawk]

Never felt worried out on my road bike but mountain well hmm Im always a little worried about Cougars and Bears - does that count. The line from Wizard of Oz often goes through my head. Lions and Tigers and Bears OH NO!!!!!:D

[Pedal Wench]

I used to ride the Silver Comet all the time - alone. Since Jenny's murder, I haven't been able to ride there alone. They've put up a lovely little cross on the side of the trail, and the group always gets a little quiet as we spin past it. I'm sure that I could ride out there alone, but I prefer not to.

[bcipam]

I ride alone alot - I usually ride in familiar areas and feel safe (although traffic does bother me at times) but I have at times pick silly, unsafe routes like once when I tried to ride to work (from South Bay to Mid Wilshire) or through Santa Ana. Also a few times checking out trails while moutnain biking I thought someone could get me and no one would know at least for awhile, but generally I'm OK.

[emily_in_nc]

I won't ride alone now except on my mountain bike on the trails on our property. If there were bike paths nearby, I'd probably ride alone on them, but there are none that are particularly convenient to where I live. Other than that, I ride with a girlfriend (mountain biking) or my husband (on the road), primarily because we live in a rural area, and I'm not 100% trusting of some of the bubbas in pickup trucks around here. And after my dog accident (fractured my pelvis in three places and had to have surgery to repair the damage), I get very nervous about the possibility of a problem with loose dogs and not being able to handle the aftermath by myself. Mountain biking, I don't want to risk falling and not having someone with me if I were seriously injured.

Yep, I fully admit that am a nervous Nellie. I wasn't always this way, and it's too bad, but having a serious road cycling accident and a few minor crashes as a mountain biking newbie has made me very careful. I would love to feel the way I used to feel about riding alone. I miss that.

Emily

[Trek420]

I prefer club rides or group rides.

When we spring forward and till we fall back I'll return to a ride to work a day or so a week habit.

My commute is neither the best nor the worst area. There is a bike/ped overpass over the Nimitz that starts and ends in a residential area but it's a little ... well few people are there.

I keep a small knife in the back of my left glove only for when I go there.

Kids, don't do this at home ;) .

And of course always carry a charged cell and wear roadid.

It's not so much violence but we're so vulnerable.

There's a moment I take before every ride, I can't exactly call it prayer but reflection. Just thinking that all it takes is a moment and I gotta pay attention. Be aware.

Dogs, crack in the pavement, wrong angle across a track...tires blows at just the wrong time, cars and distracted drivers of course...we're very vulnerable.

But I don't think we ride to anticipate everything that could go wrong and all risks.

Everybody be safe and ..... ride lots :D

There's only a couple of times on the bike I felt a little jeopardized and it turned out ok.

[KnottedYet]

BTW: Trek has been trained in knife-fighting.

[Trek420]

nah ;) it's only there to open Lara bar wrappers. ;)

[hellosunshine]

its never crossed my mind,but im ususally quite focused when on the bike,traffic aware for sure,but the incident of assault never taps into my senses..im the same when i walk the dog,and when i used to have a pub job and walk home at night ALONE.


one new years eve i was working and my bloke and his mates went to a house party without waiting for me,they got attacked and i walked to the party alone after my shift and had no probs,......i have been assaulted and that was in my own home by a stranger so its a real lottery out there.......

[uforgot]

Gosh, I guess I don't realize how lucky I am to live in a small town where everyone knows me. I don't even lock up my bike when I go into the grocery store. Everyone knows whose bike it is, too. Even surrounding towns are friendly and there are a zillion bike paths in the area. My biggest danger is falling off my bike because I have to wave at everyone. I've never been scared and that's good as NONE of my friends ride and I'm single. One time a car did follow me to the post office for awhile, but when I arrived at the PO it turned out to be one of my students wanting to see how fast I was riding!