I read a cycling article last week that rather brilliantly had the word ‘bandits’ in it, not something you see every day.
“Darwin Atapuma attacked by bandits in Colombia” read the shocking headline.
While out on a training ride the BMC rider was accosted by two men who tried take his bike from under him. The attack resulted in cuts and bruises to Atapuma’s arm, and though the report states that the men were arrested by police it does not say whether they actually made off with his bike before that.
Personally, I’d have targeted Nairo Quintana for his Canyon Ultimate CF SLX, a far superior bike to the BMC time machine SLR01, but I suppose bandits can’t be choosers.
In all seriousness though this attack does highlight some interesting points, the first of which is, why doesn’t this happen more often?
Think about it – we are off in the middle of nowhere quite often, rolling along alone a lot too, on machines that are worth thousands of dollars, more than some of the cars that whizz by us.
We’re skinny, lack upper body strength and wear shoes we can’t run more than 10 feet in. We may as well be wearing bright multi-coloured kit to announce our presence…
This brings up the second point: should we carry guns?
I laughed as I wrote that because it does sound ridiculous, but the truly astounding thing is that there are cyclists out there who do indeed pack heat on their daily jaunts.
There is a thread on www.cyclingforums.com that is entitled “How many of you carry a gun as part of your cycling equipment?”
Joe West, the author of the thread, opens by saying he prefers a .45 when out touring.
Here in Arizona we can legally carry open and concealed (concealed with permit).
For long distance touring and bicycle camping… I think I’d feel safer carrying my .45 semi-auto pistol (concealed so it doesn’t freak people out).
Anyone else carry while biking?
JW
Weisse Luft then chimes in with his preference.
My current choice is a Kel-Tec P3-AT. 10 ounces loaded, locked breech, recoil operated semi-auto with a six round magazine. Its good enough in my hands for “velo-dog” use (small revolvers traditionally carried by cyclists in the early 1900’s) but being .380, adequate for self-defence when loaded with +P Cor Bons. A spare magazine is only an additional 3 ounces. For the weight of a small water bottle, I have adequate defence. I have yet to use it and my cycling partners don’t know I carry.
Three ounces huh? Wonder if there’s a gun thread on WeightWeenies too? (I checked, there isn’t, unless a ‘grease gun’ is a weapon?)
To balance the gun-carriers, Routier wades in with a slightly hysterical comment but one which I am sure most of us have some sympathy with.
Are you sick? What attitude is that? You also wear a gun while going to the theatre with your girl?
Well I guess it’s just typical American behaviour. I saw that movie Bowling for Columbine. You should watch that, it gives you a whole other look on the carrying of weapons.
Answer to you question: No I don’t carry a weapon on training! But many do, most of whom, it seems, are Americans.
Here’s a fellow on YouTube showing off his pistol pack.
It seems mad to me, an Englishman living in the relatively calm, relatively gun-free Taiwan. And yet should we as rational people consider actually riding armed and ready for an attack? Would Atapuma have been better off with a Magnum in his back pocket? Or would he be awaiting sentencing for manslaughter?
I was involved personally in an attack by a motorist when I was 16, out riding with my 18-year-old teammate in the north of England on a remote hillside.
A large BMW came speeding by, bringing an involuntary middle finger from my companion. The car stopped, drove back, and out stepped two massive blokes. My friend got a smack in the mush that wrecked his front teeth and we had our bikes thrown about too. It was terrifying.
Do I wish I had had a gun? That is a question I want to say ‘No’ to, but, thinking on it, I just don’t know.
And then there is the issue of female cyclists and safety. If my soon-to-be-born daughter decided to take up the sport and was off on five hour rides alone in the hills, would I insist on her carrying a whistle and mace? Would it be enough even if she had them and was attacked?
What next? A knife? A telescopic striking stick? Or a snub-nosed automatic? Maybe Garmin could make one with a bike computer on it, might do well.
Many will say ‘Well that is America, more people have guns there’ but this misses a point – just about anyone who rides more than to the corner shop has encountered an angry motorist. Scary encounters can happen anywhere, you needn’t be in Texas or Wyoming.
I hope I never live in an environment where I really have to confront my indecision over carrying a weapon of any kind.
Finally, for those of you considering going all Dirty Harry (the shaved leg version), here’s a bit of advice on making that first gun purchase.
JIM
Guest
Hello All, I carry two guns with me at all times on my bicycle. I get people pulling up beside me yelling at me. Some even get out of there car and start yelling at me. I once had a person pull up behind me and say to me, "If you dont get on the sidewalk, I am going to run you over!"/ All I was doing was standing stopped in my lane waiting for the light to turn green in my lane. My response to him was to turn around, wave and smile, while keeping one hand on my firearm (concealed) should he move forward on me while he was stopped immediately about 10 feet behind me. His response was just to go around me and drive off. I got the response they taught me in gun school. That is to totally de-escalate the situation. My gun school coarses are a week long. I go once a year. If you are going to ride like I do and carry guns, you need to know HOW WHEN NOT TO USE THEM, but if they get out of their car with a weapon, you will not be a victim. I carry two guns in case the main one malfunctions. I carry enough firepower with me to protect myself from 5 grizzly bears, (yes I do long distance rides through Yellow Stone National Park)
Benj
Guest
As a Aussie cyclist living in Cape Town I can tell you I pack pepper spray each time I grab my bike. I'm not one of those South African (or African) pessimists but the organized and sustained targeting of both road and dirt cyclists can't be ignored. There used to be a couple of places on Table Mountain that were dodgy for hikers which had the combination of remoteness and reasonable escape routes to freeways. this changed when the crim's worked out that fat 40 something mamils were riding R50,000k+ bikes and all it took was two guy a quick push and off you went with a bike that would probably get sold on for R1000... still a lot more profit and less risk than many of the other illegal options. Road riders have been targeted a lot recently. Lady riders and single riders most with a car parked ahead (usually a ute) and a quick punch or push as you ride past, bike in the back and gone. No one stands up to be honest or would give chase to a armed hood, even cr*p looking home made guns will happily kill you. Now I do have friends who ride armed... properly armed but I wouldn't go that far. Stat's show you're more tun likely to have your weapon used on you than actually get a shot off. If need be I'll fight back, I'm not gung-ho but to some degree I think you have to else there will be more and more low lives lining up to take a bike because they know it'll be given without a struggle, insurance will pay and they can just take a ticket for the next lycra clad pay check to come wheeling past. The funny thing is that no one in the cycling community seems to know where the bikes go once that have been sold on as it's not a big market and you'd know if a person suddenly rocked up on a Pinarello while earning a Focus wage packet. There aren't load of people selling the broken up components, gumtree isn't full of people selling cheap(er) bikes... in fact it's more full of guys trying to sell you bikes that don't exist with images from google, bad spelling and a quick 'just send a deposit and I'll send the bike via courier".
Brando Connor
Guest
Ride a cheap bike for solo/duo rides. Save the expensive bike for group rides and most importantly trips to the cafe. ;-)
kippa
Guest
I have always wondered at the coffee shop how no bikes go missing. With that many bikes there everyone drinking coffee not watching, it would quite easy for a bike to be stolen.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
As a pedestrian in Sydney, I have often felt the need for some form of weaponry -- or at least a shield -- when dealing with cyclists running red lights and playing chicken with me, cycling the wrong way down one-way lanes, or chatting on their mobile phones as they zoom along the footpath. I walk, I drive, I have cycled. I cross the road when the little man goes green, and go through traffic lights when the law allows it. I don't cycle on footpaths, I don't walk on the roads, and I only drive on footpaths when using a driveway. The paintball option might be worth a go!!
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
As if to prove a point, riding home from work this evening two blokes in a car pulled alongside me before the passenger leaned out of the window and screamed "W@#%er!" at me. The motorists sped off without stopping or looking at a T-junction, causing another motorist to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting them, and then a bit further on jumped a red light. I suspect that, having shouted abuse at me, these two brave road warriors were unwilling to stop lest I, the middle-aged, grey-haired, out-of condition, father-of-two that I am, had the opportunity to confront them. I've no idea what I did to deserve this, probably nothing, so just shrugged it off. Had I, or another cyclist in the same position, had a gun though, might I have been tempted to pull it out to make a point to these two hoons?
Simon Smale
Roar Guru
Thinking about it, having a gun might be useful... during magpie season.
Simon Smale
Roar Guru
Haha! Yes sorry Lee, bandits... It's an odd situation isn't it. I recently rode a friends bike, and it was worth a considerable amount more than my car... Very trusting of him to let me ride off on it! Maybe the true value of bikes should be hidden too, these bandits sound scary...
Lee Rodgers
Expert
Wow terrifying, both of those...
Lee Rodgers
Expert
How about nunchucks? http://road.cc/content/news/115374-64-year-old-cyclist-found-be-carrying-knife-air-gun-and-nunchucks-after-being My friend suggested this: 2" x 7/8" x 4" Terminator brand stun gun with 20,000,000 Volts small, light and 15 feet range.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
It should also be noted that, while very rare, this sort of thing can and does go on in Australia too though: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/being-like-this-is-awful-i-just-want-to-die-20120120-1qaec.html
Chef1068
Roar Rookie
Living where we live, we might not consider carring a gun or any weapon for that matter. However have a look at the link below and then reconsider what you would do in the same situation if you had a weapon or were armed. This took place in South Africa last year. http://www.cyclingsa.com/cycle-safety/2014/9/28/bike-jacked-at-gun-point-in-somerset-west
Jamin
Guest
In the spirit of ridiculousness of the concept of having a gun... I've recently thought a paint-ball gun could be handy. Handy for times when drivers are unaware, ignorant, aggressive or worse. Imagine a double-tap of paint splashing onto a side window or rear windscreen. "Hey, I'm here!"
Lee Rodgers
Expert
Bandits, Simon, bandits! 'Robbers' is so last year! Yes, I'd never given much time as to how valuable our gear could be to a thief when i'm actually riding, you just don;t imagine getting stopped and robbed like that do you? Perhaps we should keep this quiet in case any banditos read The Roar! And yes, agree with Pete and HP, guns are not the way forward, but... but... just once or twice, lordy, would that have been fun! Would have turned those tables in a second...
Simon Smale
Roar Guru
I agree with Pete... It seems slightly alarming that this is even being discussed, but then in the States I try to suspend my belief when they start talking about their guns and where they bring them. Having said all that Lee makes some pretty decent points about how risky training rides could be. You're certainly right in saying that we are incredibly vulnerable while on long individual rides. I know there wouldn't be much I could do about any potential robbers if one took a fancy to my bike while out on a long ride. Having said that, it does come back to what Pete says above - if someone wants something that badly from me, I'm not going to risk my life to try and keep it.
Pete
Guest
I would have thought it would make more sense to have bike insurance and a good mobile phone. I'd much rather steal my bike, car, household items etc. then get in a gun fight. My life isn't worth a bike or any other material good (especially if insured). Insurance also is a lot lighter to carry whilst on your long rides.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
An interesting piece Lee. I too have felt extremely vulnerable when some motorist, usually for no reason other than they've felt aggrieved at being stuck in traffic as I've whizzed past, catches up to me and starts screaming abuse, or worse, tries to clip me with their car. But would I carry a gun? No way. I usually try to remain calm and, if I get the chance, attempt to reason with the driver. More often than not the people who act like this seem to view all cyclists as red-light jumping adrenalin freaks who deliberately take their lives in their own hand. Because they once saw someone like that, in 1994... I'm not like that at all, I don't take unnecessary risks. All I'm trying to do is get fit, get to and from work, and return home at the end of my day to my wife and two kids. I've found that most people can be reasoned with, especially when they start to see the person, and not just the bike. Having cyclists carry guns on rides is likely to cause more problems than solve them, as we'll see people (not just cyclists) whip out pistols and what-not at the slightest provocation.