Sucker punched to the head

the world wonders

Probably the same bunch who were assaulting cyclists at the same spot during the summer:

Just a follow-up, today I was assaulted (hit in the face) while just cycling home from work at 1900 this evening by some 12-15 year old scumbags, at the kissing-gates near Bluebell - just down from the traveler's encampment at Kylemore road.

I had a brush with them myself a few months back, they tried to block my path at the gates beside the football pitch. I kept moving with a "mind your foot there pal" in my strongest Dublin accent and they backed off, one of them kicked my rear wheel as I went through. Really unpleasant and intimidating experience even though it was quite mild compared to what happened to the OP and the person in the other post.

I would advise against getting into physical confrontations unless completely unavoidable -- even if you do give them a well-deserved kicking they'll be waiting for you the next day with their big brothers. Put in a report to Ballyfermot garda station, they probably know the names and maybe the juvenile liason officer can get involved.

robindch

darconio wrote: »

While cycling on my way home I came across a group of scobes average age of 14. They threw something at my face and I stopped asking if they were out of their mind doing that as I could fall and badly get injured.

Bad move to stop.

Same happened to me a few years ago in Ringsend one evening cycling home. Two young lads were hiding behind the rails opposite the library as I was coming down from the bridge and just as I was whizzing past them, they stood up - and I'm not joking here - threw a few tortilla wraps at me, one of which nearly wrapped itself wetly around my head. There were tortilla wraps all over the road and the to guys had obviously been doing it for a while.

Anyway, I swore at them and sprinted to Irishtown Garda station a few hundred yards further on, told the lads what had happened and they immediately sent up a squad car, lights blaring and all the rest - which left the building before I'd managed to exit myself.

Not sure if the two lads got caught, but the gardai were on top form that day and I wasn't ever tortilla'd again.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Steady on Makikomi! :eek:

A small minority may be dangerous and they are the ones you hear about. The vast majority of teenagers are harmless.

Context;

Teens are arseholes, dangerous little bastards. You can cycle quicker than they can run after you, keep cycling next time. They'll get their come uppence from someone else.

Teens who assault you are arseholes & dangerous little bastards, and that's why I continued with 'keep cycling next time'.

Anyway I don't do tit-for-tat internet arguments.

OP seriously, try put it behind you. No point in stressing now, enjoy the holidays and just think to yourself that the little scrouts will never amount to anything in their sad, pathetic little lives.

Merry Christmas

CramCycle

RasTa wrote: »

Reminds me a bit of this. Violence won't stop anything, most of these kids would be getting beaten regularly by their parents anyway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-D4dFLzelM

I was fully expecting the bike to be gone when he got back, had similar on Pearse St. a few years ago, they are just waiting for you to land the first punch, no point stopping.

flatty

tobdom wrote: »

flatty wrote: »

You can report it if you like, but you're just wasting your own time. Nothing can come of it as you have no idea who did it.
Chalk it down to experience, remember that nothing too bad happened, and there are tens of thousands of people in the country who had worse happen to them this week. Put and keep it in perspective for the fcuking annoying, but relatively minor incident it was, console yourself that you aren't a little scrote like them, and forget about it.
Have a few pints and enjoy the Christmas.
Sin e e.

What kind of bull**** response is this?! Seriously?!! OP was randomly assaulted on his way home, how often in a year/lifetime would that happen to you? "ahh, just assaulted on the way home from work there, not too bad I suppose......"

Tripping on the street & falling, dopping a plate & smashing it..... etc. are "fcuking annoying" events....... getting assaulted randomly through no fault of your own is disgusting and can be quite an emotional & troubling ordeal that leaves you anxious for quite some time - although I would say you have to be a victim of it to fully understand.

I'm not saying there's anything really that the OP can do about it, other than report it so that it's recorded with AGS, but still, a response like yours is quite ridiculous.

The "sure it could have been worse" sentiment really grates for me, it seems to be a very Irish thing (I'm Irish), you hear it all the time, and while it can be true in some situations it still annoys me..... Yea, could be worse, or, it could not have happened at all.

Hope you get over this soon OP and can enjoy the Christmas.

Nope, I've been spat on by young lads, had fireworks thrown at me, and been hit by rocks thrown whilst on an off road cycle path. I had, on one occasion, to take off my bike lock and threaten to use it as a weapon when confronted by ten or twelve teenagers.
If you think a slap from a young lad is a major incident, you've had a very sheltered existence.
I'm trying to save the OP wasting a half day of his Christmas reporting this, to no end whatever. I was also encouraging him to put it behind him, and not worry about something which, in the scheme of life is trivial.
I'm just being pragmatic really.
Personally, it would annoy me, but not really worry me more than that.

gk5000

I'd report it just to mess up the guards figures/statistics.

This was my response to the previous thread about cycling through this area on the canal:

"My 2c is: Slow down and sit up - and acknowledge them if possible.
They don't appreciate people barrelling through, head down with attitude of owning the road - think it's a territorial thing."

dhaughton99

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Sorry about your incident. I don’t think you were wrong to stop. It’s the like the Wild West around there.

One of the locals told me this morning that another cyclist got a kicking last week by 5 thugs at the football field.

Trojan

A friend and I had eggs thrown at us from a car of young lads driving by, late one night on the Howth Road a few years back. One hit my helmet, scared the hell out of me. I reported them in Clontarf, AGS knew who they were.

LennoxR

dhaughton99 wrote: »

One of the locals told me this morning that another cyclist got a kicking last week by 5 thugs at the football field.

The Gardai need to do something about policing that particular spot, All the problems seem to happen there.

Wishbone Ash

LennoxR wrote: »

The Gardai need to do something about policing that particular spot, All the problems seem to happen there.

Unfortunately several posters above said that they wouldn't bother reporting it as nothing would be done (or words to that effect). If people aren't going to bother reporting such incidents, how would AGS be expected to know?

CramCycle

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Unfortunately several posters above said that they wouldn't bother reporting it as nothing would be done (or words to that effect). If people aren't going to bother reporting such incidents, how would AGS be expected to know?

Pretty much, and if someone brings it up at a local forum (most stations will attend neighbourhood meetings once a year), they will just say well it is rare because no one reported it and since it is rare, little can be done. They get enough reports then they will start to move on it.

Kaisr Sose

dhaughton99 wrote: »

One of the locals told me this morning that another cyclist got a kicking last week by 5 thugs at the football field.

That’s awful. I believe one has to use judgement as to whether to stop – there are some real thugs about just looking for trouble – but that does not mean you don’t ever stop. Law and order will break down completely if scum like this are not tackled, hopefully also with the full force of the law.

It pisse$ me off that in most areas, AGS know who these are as they are regularally arrested. The courts are not dealing with them because there is no space in the Prisons. These tearaways need a glimpse of their futures if they don’t mend their ways. Currently, there is no such reality check.

Build the jail at Thornhill (if they still own the land) or somewhere else if they don’t.

CramCycle

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

These tearaways need a glimpse of their futures if they don’t mend their ways. Currently, there is no such reality check.

I think you and I live by different standards of what we want from life, most of them know how life is going to pan out and they are ok with that. The sad thing is that society to an extent turned their back on some of them along time ago, not on purpose but their parents were probably not in the best situation and this is what they grew up with. Regrettably, Ireland, despite our claim to be good natured and charitable, we are a society of NIMBYs and this is what happens. Life is far from a Hallmark movie, if you show them where there lives are going and where they could go, the majority will tell you to f off. I woudl love to be proven wrong and definitely think that they should be given the chance. Showing someone where there life could go is useless unless you provide a realistic way to get there.

The change needed to sort these issues is not in the stomach of most politicians as most of their voters feel the same way. Plenty pay lip service with access programmes to 3rd level etc but these are rarely well enough funded and just get used (reasonably) by those who possibly would have skimmed by anyway.

I am not saying I have any grand solutions but the few ideas I have would never get passed. Social housing needs to be properly intermixed on a blind basis for all new housing stock. Gentrification needs to be controlled with rent control and incentives for low income families so they are not forced out of areas.

Anyway OT and after hours style rant, apologies, in the current situation, definitely report but if you have the time and the want, contact your local TD with some alternatives for youths in the area.

Wishbone Ash

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

...Build the jail at Thornhill (if they still own the land)....

Thornton Hall

sy_flembeck

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Unfortunately several posters above said that they wouldn't bother reporting it as nothing would be done (or words to that effect). If people aren't going to bother reporting such incidents, how would AGS be expected to know?

+1. I have reported 2 (of several hundred possibles) incidents to the Guards and both were dealt with properly and professionally. Both resulted in fines and points. Turns out one even had previous for similar. All the more reason for reporting. Nothing like an accumulation of points (not particularly relevant here I know) to put manners on people

LennoxR

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Unfortunately several posters above said that they wouldn't bother reporting it as nothing would be done (or words to that effect). If people aren't going to bother reporting such incidents, how would AGS be expected to know?

Agreed. There is a recurring issue with that particular bike lane on the Grand Canal, mainly at that particular spot. I had a problem there once myself.

The Guards I think know about the problem and they really need to police it or the amenity will become unusable.

mal1

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Unfortunately several posters above said that they wouldn't bother reporting it as nothing would be done (or words to that effect). If people aren't going to bother reporting such incidents, how would AGS be expected to know?

I wouldn't report it. I would be careful about making a statement since he stopped and confronted the lads. If the kids are caught, they will most likely make a counter claim and you could find yourself in court under Section 6 depending on the garda investigating.

darconio

My experience with gardai keep being unlucky, and every time I deal with them to report a crime I feel like they can't be bothered. Even in this instance I went to report the assault to Crumlin garda station and I was told that I need to go to Kilmainham that is completely out of my way: surely they have the same system and a crime reported in Crumlin will pop up in every an garda terminal right? If not how can they persecute criminals in general?
I'm sorry but this time I won't pursue this any further, the scobes won again, I've healed from the injuries and I'm cycling a different route : that's the sad truth

bluelamp

darconio wrote: »

They threw something at my face, I nearly lost my balance, knowing what happened I wouldn't have said anything, but again if you don't say anything then you'll become their target every time they are bored.

No, you'll become their target now because you reacted to their bullsh1t. Ignore them.

Report to the guards anyway, for crime statistics reasons if nothing else.

TheChizler

mal1 wrote: »

I wouldn't report it. I would be careful about making a statement since he stopped and confronted the lads. If the kids are caught, they will most likely make a counter claim and you could find yourself in court under Section 6 depending on the garda investigating.

A counter claim in a criminal investigation? For what?

Mitch Connor

darconio wrote: »

My experience with gardai keep being unlucky, and every time I deal with them to report a crime I feel like they can't be bothered. Even in this instance I went to report the assault to Crumlin garda station and I was told that I need to go to Kilmainham that is completely out of my way: surely they have the same system and a crime reported in Crumlin will pop up in every an garda terminal right? If not how can they persecute criminals in general?
I'm sorry but this time I won't pursue this any further, the scobes won again, I've healed from the injuries and I'm cycling a different route : that's the sad truth

My car got messed with in Blackrock and I reported it in Greystones Garda Station - and to be honest I think they went into to much detail recording it and taking my statement! Garda from Blackrock rang me over it the next day and I got two follow up letters over it.

Maybe I got a really good set of gardai, and you got a bad set - our experiences couldn't be more different!

TallGlass

As I said in another thread. Report it and get a pulse number. **** it if nothing is done, you don't report it and the statistics won't show it as a problem. The Garda could claim a decrease in assaults, when it's higher than it should be.

Been honest. I do wonder how badly out of touch statistics for the Garda are. No body seems to report anything these days and wonder why there are no Garda anywhere.

irishrover99

RasTa wrote: »

Reminds me a bit of this. Violence won't stop anything, most of these kids would be getting beaten regularly by their parents anyway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-D4dFLzelM

Brilliant, fair play to the guy for going after them and at he best the little tubby guy in the grey tracky got some much needed exercise

As a few have stated stopping to talk to them was completely the wrong thing to do. I'm not condoning violence and saying the OP should have used force but he should have kept on going or gone back to them showing no fear like this courier did.

A few years ago i was driving home in the snow( with my bike on a rack on my car) after my Wife had told me she was having a miscarriage. The traffic was pretty bad so i was obviously in the height of it when a load of little feckers started throwing snowballs at my car,one i was sure had something inside it as it left a dent in my door.
I got out and ran straight in the middle of them grabbing two of them and without having to use any violence they started ****ting themselves seeing the rage on my face and giving it all the sorry mister crap.

Sure enough on my way back 15 minutes later to the hospital they were gone

Lumen

Mitch Connor wrote: »

My car got messed with in Blackrock and I reported it in Greystones Garda Station - and to be honest I think they went into to much detail recording it and taking my statement!

They're not exactly mad busy.

https://www.greystonesguide.ie/weekly-crime-figures-dec-24th/

Theft from Shop – 2
Criminal Damage – 1 – Tyre damaged
Theft of Vehicles – 1 – Son took car without permission

DanDublin1982

darconio wrote: »

I'm cycling a different route :

Same here on foot of this thread. At least until it brightens up a bit at hometime anyway.

mal1

TheChizler wrote: »

A counter claim in a criminal investigation? For what?

Threatening behaviour if the teenagers make a counter statement and there are no witnesses.

TheChizler

mal1 wrote: »

Threatening behaviour if the teenagers make a counter statement and there are no witnesses.

Sure in that case why would you report anything to the guards ever?

mal1

TheChizler wrote: »

Sure in that case why would you report anything to the guards ever?

Exactly, I believe that this is one of the reasons. People have zero trust in the gardai doing a good job, particularly when it comes to certain stations in the country. You might get a lazy garda (and sergeant) that won't bother investigating, just read the statements, pick out the possible summons, send out the paperwork and let the judge decide. I've seen it happen.

I won't report anything unless it is serious or I have a witness. If you make a statement with no witnesses then the accused will make one and they will often make a counter claim to yours. No third party & lazy garda, then it may go to court and the judge will decide.

onmebike

I'm not sure if it's exactly the same place, but I feel like I nearly had an incident a few weeks ago on the grand canal path. It was heading out of town and after crossing the road at the Black Horse to go fully away from the traffic. You pass one gate and then a few hundred meters later there's another one beside some flats.

It was about 5pm and dark with a bunch of teenagers at the second, isolated, gate. I thought I caught them looking at me as I approached to me so I figured I'd turn around and go home the longer way. As soon as I turned around they burst out laughing at me. Proof enough for me that there would have been an incident if I went on.

It's at the stage for me now, that this fantastic amenity of total segration from traffic can only be used in the early morning or if its a mouldy evening and raining. Damn scumbags can't let us have anything.

dermabrasion

Skangers wreck everything; amenities, national holidays, public infrastructure, public transport and national reputation.
While I'm looking forward to a civic plaza on College Green, I can already see the BS that going to go on there.

darconio

onmebike wrote: »

I'm not sure if it's exactly the same place, but I feel like I nearly had an incident a few weeks ago on the grand canal path. It was heading out of town and after crossing the road at the Black Horse to go fully away from the traffic. You pass one gate and then a few hundred meters later there's another one beside some flats.

It was about 5pm and dark with a bunch of teenagers at the second, isolated, gate. I thought I caught them looking at me as I approached to me so I figured I'd turn around and go home the longer way. As soon as I turned around they burst out laughing at me. Proof enough for me that there would have been an incident if I went on.

It's at the stage for me now, that this fantastic amenity of total segration from traffic can only be used in the early morning or if its a mouldy evening and raining. Damn scumbags can't let us have anything.

Yes that's the spot where they gather

mal1

onmebike wrote: »

I'm not sure if it's exactly the same place, but I feel like I nearly had an incident a few weeks ago on the grand canal path. It was heading out of town and after crossing the road at the Black Horse to go fully away from the traffic. You pass one gate and then a few hundred meters later there's another one beside some flats.

It was about 5pm and dark with a bunch of teenagers at the second, isolated, gate. I thought I caught them looking at me as I approached to me so I figured I'd turn around and go home the longer way. As soon as I turned around they burst out laughing at me. Proof enough for me that there would have been an incident if I went on.

It's at the stage for me now, that this fantastic amenity of total segration from traffic can only be used in the early morning or if its a mouldy evening and raining. Damn scumbags can't let us have anything.

Similar to me, I live in Drimnagh and a group of teenage girls tried to push me into the canal one night just before The Black Horse. I now cycle on Davitt Road. If it's dark and I'm heading to Lucan then I stay on the road. I've had multiple incidents in the area.

gk5000

onmebike wrote: »

I'm not sure if it's exactly the same place, but I feel like I nearly had an incident a few weeks ago on the grand canal path. It was heading out of town and after crossing the road at the Black Horse to go fully away from the traffic. You pass one gate and then a few hundred meters later there's another one beside some flats.

It was about 5pm and dark with a bunch of teenagers at the second, isolated, gate. I thought I caught them looking at me as I approached to me so I figured I'd turn around and go home the longer way. As soon as I turned around they burst out laughing at me. Proof enough for me that there would have been an incident if I went on.

It's at the stage for me now, that this fantastic amenity of total segration from traffic can only be used in the early morning or if its a mouldy evening and raining. Damn scumbags can't let us have anything.

Think I seen the same teenagers at the gate/style... they asked me the time.

Perhaps they read this thread and are having a really good laugh.

Or .. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" Edmund Burke.

I have cycled past this morning/evening and sometimes late for the past few years with no real issues. Good men should not cede ground.

Paul_Mc1988

Ok lads just a heads up as it seems like a lot of you are not from an area like this. The reason the are asking you for the time is so you take your mobile out. Old tactic that is quite effective. Soon as you take it out be prepared for a good slap from one while another grabs and bolts...

LuckyLloyd

RasTa wrote: »

Reminds me a bit of this. Violence won't stop anything, most of these kids would be getting beaten regularly by their parents anyway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-D4dFLzelM

I’d say that’s total victory for the kids there tbh. Really isn’t worth it.

onmebike

gk5000 wrote: »

Think I seen the same teenagers at the gate/style... they asked me the time.

Perhaps they read this thread and are having a really good laugh.

Or .. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" Edmund Burke.

I have cycled past this morning/evening and sometimes late for the past few years with no real issues. Good men should not cede ground.

That's a fine theory but they don't strike me as the type of people to have a reasoned debate at the side of the canal whether they should hit or rob you or not. I'm not a fighter so not in a position to defend myself so I prefer to avoid the situation and keep my belongings and safety.

LennoxR

I really don't think it's asking too much of the Guards to police this amenity a bit.

GreeBo

LennoxR wrote: »

I really don't think it's asking too much of the Guards to police this amenity a bit.

Yeah, you'd have to wonder how much effort it would be stick a Garda out of uniform on a bike and cycle this route?

I guess they dont bother as there is no positive outcome.

The scrotes, even if arrested, would be back out in the same place before the days end.

LennoxR

GreeBo wrote: »

Yeah, you'd have to wonder how much effort it would be stick a Garda out of uniform on a bike and cycle this route?

I guess they dont bother as there is no positive outcome.

The scrotes, even if arrested, would be back out in the same place before the days end.

A Garda presence, even if it was intermittent, would surely act as a deterrent, even if they never caught said scrotes' Yeah a bicycle Garda or two patrolling it every now and again would probably do the job.

darconio

I don't think Gardai will take any action until a consistent number of people report them what's happening. But again see my post before, they make it look like it's something it would bother them, even to simply record what happened into their system.
When my bike got stolen I reported the theft to the station concerning that area: I provided them all the necessary details even provided footage with the scobes clearly visible and recognizable on video. I went back the following week with some picture printed from the footage: the garda at the desk didn't even know what I was talking about....

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

I don't know if it's an example of an oxymoron, but those insisting that you do not report it are clueless. How anybody expects this sort of thing to stop on it's own is beyond me.

OP report this to the Gardai.

GreeBo

Alaya Fast Sauerkraut wrote: »

I don't know if it's an example of an oxymoron, but those insisting that you do not report it are clueless. How anybody expects this sort of thing to stop on it's own is beyond me.

OP report this to the Gardai.

I think advocating non reporting is just plain moronic.

AndrewJRenko

darconio wrote: »

the garda at the desk didn't even know what I was talking about....

I fully agree with the importance of reporting, but really, what did you expect?

Do you expect that every Garda in every station gets briefed on every minor crime that happens?

darconio

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I fully agree with the importance of reporting, but really, what did you expect?

Do you expect that every Garda in every station gets briefed on every minor crime that happens?

I'm not sure, perhaps log in the terminal and look up under my name what was reported? and add to the file the pics? or give me an update on the investigation?

Or open the logbook and see what was reported on that day under my name?
Are we talking about a national police force aren't we?

Thinkingaboutit

There was one maybe two occasions what could have been an issue from younger members of the welfare class / likely clients of the criminal justice system, but somehow happened to one of my locks in my hand / resting my hand on it, so they thought better of troubling me.

The problem with reporting is that all the times I did it the Garda was reluctant to take the report. On the last (non bike) occasion when I reported something or tried to in this case, the Garda in Donnybrook station seemed to enjoy questioning what I was reported, so I was content that I had the matter resolved privately (the contract of the thick was trying to report was ended after I and a woman witness made a detailed report to the employer of the genius on his threatening behaviour). If a person has very limited time, I could well understand why it could be considered a waste. Recent revelations certainly confirm what I long thought of them. Maybe a suit and a posh accent when next I report.

dhaughton99

Just a heads up to the cyclists along the grand canal. The bluebell lot are at it again. A local said that a girl cycling to work at 8:30 this morning was robbed of her bike at the barriers. I notice that they are smashing bottles in the same area so you’ll have to get off the bike.

AndrewJRenko

Sounds like you need an IBIKEDublin on steroids group to take that space back.

magicbastarder

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Sounds like you need an IBIKEDublin on salbutamol group to take that space back.

FTFY.

onmebike

dhaughton99 wrote: »

Just a heads up to the cyclists along the grand canal. The bluebell lot are at it again. A local said that a girl cycling to work at 8:30 this morning was robbed of her bike at the barriers. I notice that they are smashing bottles in the same area so you’ll have to get off the bike.

Scumbags. I had noticed the glass (and requested it be cleaned) but hadn't thought it to be that malicious.

mloc123

dhaughton99 wrote: »

Just a heads up to the cyclists along the grand canal. The bluebell lot are at it again. A local said that a girl cycling to work at 8:30 this morning was robbed of her bike at the barriers. I notice that they are smashing bottles in the same area so you’ll have to get off the bike.

See my post in the "todays cycle" thread. Saw them at 8am, waiting. I phoned the guards and reported afterwards... I guess they didn't get out.