Ambushed on the cycle path this morning!

[emily_in_nc]

Wrote it up on my blog: http://bebelize.weebly.com/1/post/20...us-intent.html

I'm fine, just a little sore (especially my badly skinned knee), but it just really pisses me off. At least we're only here for three more weeks, so it could be worse!

[Blueberry]

Awww Emily - that really stinks I'd be furious. Sorry your adventures in Belize are having such an icky end.

[Pedal Wench]

Can you file a police report?

[murielalex]

That's messed up. Glad you're going to be okay.

[tealtreak]

So sorry to hear this and hope this type of thing isn't a "new craze"...but... here in VA we have had a big problem with sabotage of that sort and worse on our Mt bike trails....): (The worse being bridge supports cut 90% through...luckily they have all been found before someone rode over the ravine...)

http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25005

so sad.........

[goldfinch]

Muriel said it well, that is really messed up. I am glad you weren't badly hurt!

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks everyone, and yes, I know these kinds of things can (and do) happen everywhere -- tacks on the road even in the Tour de France!

Police report just no help here -- the police are close to worthless on most of the big crimes, and for something small like this, way out of town and where there were no witnesses, it wouldn't do any good, trust me. They aren't going to go up there to the boonies and lie in wait to see if it happens again. Just not worth my time and life energy.

I'll heal, but I am not looking forward to riding up there again. Sad thing, it's the best riding area on the island.

[OakLeaf]

Oh, man. So sorry that happened to you - glad neither of you is badly hurt, and hope you heal up soon.

Somebody was prosecuted a few years back for doing that after a rider I believe died, or at least was very seriously injured, but I know it was in the USA and I don't recall exactly where. People are such a-holes.

[emily_in_nc]

So sorry to hear this and hope this type of thing isn't a "new craze"...but... here in VA we have had a big problem with sabotage of that sort and worse on our Mt bike trails....): (The worse being bridge supports cut 90% through...luckily they have all been found before someone rode over the ravine...)

http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25005

so sad.........

Thanks tealtrek.

I looked at that thread and found it very interesting that they don't want you to disturb the sabotage. So, you call 911 and you have to WAIT for them to come out b/c you don't want anyone else to encounter it. Will they drop everything and come quickly? I sure hope so, since you're stuck there waiting. I can understand their reasoning, but it's probably not a very high-priority crime, so you could be waiting awhile.

The very first thing we did is take down the fishing line. Not very easy as it was very strong and did NOT want to break. But we didn't want anyone else to be hurt, of course. And in Belize, even if we had called the police then and there, it could have taken hours for them to show up...if they ever did. I've heard way too many horror stories of much more serious crimes (assault, home invasions, burglaries..) where they either don't show up until the next day or take hours to get there. And we didn't actually even have a cell phone on us as this was just a couple miles from where we live. We have never had any problems when out riding so don't always even carry one -- just like in the old days back in the US.

I hate to hear that this kind of thing is happening in a lot of places. It's such a small-minded and cowardly thing to do!

[indysteel]

Wow; that's just awful. I'm really sorry you had to deal with that, Emily.

[Crankin]

I'm glad you're OK, and glad you're coming back to the US. I know this happens everywhere, but, the thought of the police not responding, etc. is scary to me. It's bad enough to hear stories of rude treatment, etc. by the police from my clients, but ignoring crimes is not a good thing.

[yellow]

:-(

Glad you are OK!

[solobiker]

I am so sorry this happened to you. I do not understand why someone would even do that. It makes me so mad that this type of thing occurs. All you or anyone that this has happened to were just out trying to enjoy their day. Grrrrrr

[Catrin]

Glad you are ok! This is just terrible, glad you are coming back soon.

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks everyone. Today most of the immediate scrapes and scratches from yesterday are much improved. However, I have a sore neck on the left side -- I guess some whiplash from where the fishing line caught me in the face and then pulled me back. And a sore muscle area near the underarm on the right side. Weird. We're getting ready to ride bikes to town for groceries, and I think I'll be fine. We will be on a much wider road where the chance of something like this happening again are minimal.

But yes, it does suck that the police are not good here. In fact, they have been a real joke up until recently. There are some new officers in town and a new constable, and apparently things are improving, but I still know that something like is is so minor they'd probably not take it seriously. The town is FULL of tourists right now, and keeping them safe in town is their primary concern, not some isolated prank in the boonies north of town. Even in the US, though, I am not sure I'd bother to report a line across a bike path that happened once. Would you?