Creepiness? Or just friendly?

[mimitabby]

Yay Eden! you are my hero.. (I would love to pass some more guys )

[Dianyla]

I was just thinking of another interesting way you could handle this, if you're coordinated enough to ride and use your cellphone at the same time.

Wait for El Creepo to start sucking your wheel. Pull out your cellphone and call police non-emergency dispatch (or, make a "pretend" call if you don't want to actually call someone). Then in a very loud voice that he can hear describe how there is this really creepy guy following you too closely on the Samm bike path and start describing him and your location on the trail. Maybe even slow down and glance back at him a few times while describing his build/height/stats and what he's wearing and what he's riding.

Yeah, that oughta do it.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Wait for El Creepo to start sucking your wheel. Pull out your cellphone and call police non-emergency dispatch (or, make a "pretend" call if you don't want to actually call someone). Then in a very loud voice that he can hear describe how there is this really creepy guy following you too closely on the Samm bike path and start describing him and your location on the trail. Maybe even slow down and glance back at him a few times while describing his build/height/stats and what he's wearing and what he's riding.

Yeah, that oughta do it.

Gee, I guess SO!

I pass guys on bikes all the time.

(in my car)

[KnottedYet]

I was just thinking of another interesting way you could handle this, if you're coordinated enough to ride and use your cellphone at the same time.

Wait for El Creepo to start sucking your wheel. Pull out your cellphone and call police non-emergency dispatch (or, make a "pretend" call if you don't want to actually call someone). Then in a very loud voice that he can hear describe how there is this really creepy guy following you too closely on the Samm bike path and start describing him and your location on the trail. Maybe even slow down and glance back at him a few times while describing his build/height/stats and what he's wearing and what he's riding.

Yeah, that oughta do it.

Considering at least 3 of us on this thread have had encounters with creepy biking white-bearded guy, I think a real phone call or two are in order. I assume that whatever city we are in has jurisdiction over their part of the trail?

[teigyr]

Would the police do anything? What would be reported? I just know through personal experience that the police end up making me feel stupid and like I over react.

When I was in California, I went out for a late night walk/run. Making wise choices wasn't one of my strong suits! This guy started tailing me in his car. He was going the same speed as me and he had tinted windows. He tried to block me crossing the street and as his window started rolling down, I screamed and hightailed it the other direction. He sped off. I got his license plate number so I called the police. What they asked me was:

Did he touch you? Did he threaten you? Did he actually do anything to you?

I tried to explain that if it came down to him touching me, I might be dead. They said that there is nothing they can do unless the guy does something to me. They wouldn't even do a police report.

Fast forward to up here. A few months ago the phone rang at 4am. I answered it (DH was in the shower getting ready for work) and a voice said "in 30 minutes you will die" then they hung up. I *69'd the number but it was private. I called the phone company and initiated a trace. DH called the police and waited with me until they came. The police basically did the same thing and said it was probably just a prank and to let it go. They wouldn't even talk to the phone company to get the number -- apparently it could only be released to the police. I don't know...what basically amounts to a death threat is not a prank. I was almost in tears and the police looked incredibly bored and angry that they were called to the house.

I guess one thing to do with this guy is to get his picture and if enough people can identify him as harrassing them (but I don't think the police have the same definition of it as we do), maybe they'll do something? Or I guess maybe we could request extra patrols on the trail if they even patrol it.

I don't know. I guess I keep picturing the police with that same look on their face. It's the look parents get when siblings complain that the other one is looking at them. Or with my sister it was more like "she's on my side of the couch!"

[Derf]

I've run into creepy white-bearded bike guy on the Burke Gilman Trail, so he obviously uses the whole of Sammamish and Burke.

His MO seems to be hanging on a woman's wheel until she stops her bike. Then he tries to chat or just hangs around until she starts riding again. (I could NOT get rid of him until I caught up with my group and made them all stop so he went by.)

He is creepy.

Next time I see him I'll yell at him not to draft and to go around.

Ugh. You are all seeing the same creepy guy? Please carry mace or something and be careful. Men that do things like this drive me crazy. It's harassing.

[Grog]

Would the police do anything? What would be reported? I just know through personal experience that the police end up making me feel stupid and like I over react.

Police used not to take rape victims seriously, either.

We've come a long way, but it's still very difficult (including for rape victims).

I believe it must at least be tried. You must figure out who patrols the trails, and get to talk with someone there. If you can talk to a woman it's probably better.

It might be useful to remind them of Jenny Ewing and of that woman in Florida, whose name unfortunately escapes me.

Maybe some lawyer with criminal experience can help us, but I think that if you file an official complaint then they have to move their @$$. If that guy is creeping three TE women out, imagine how many more are freaked out about riding on those trails because of him!

[Eden]

He's probably under the impression that he's helpful and friendly - I wonder if posting over at the Cascade forum (our local bike club) would uncover him.....

[Dianyla]

He's probably under the impression that he's helpful and friendly - I wonder if posting over at the Cascade forum (our local bike club) would uncover him.....

Yeah, I was thinking about the CBC commuter forums... I only lurk there though.

[mimitabby]

Gee, it makes me want to start trolling that neighborhood to see if I could attract him (with others nearby for reinforcements)