Mugging up the mountains

worded

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/pretty-sinister-solo-cyclists-being-attacked-having-bikes-forcefully-stolen-on-popular-dublinwicklow-route-38434266.html

magicbastarder

Statler wrote: »

Not advocating telling porkies, but he may have a point: https://urbanlegendsonline.com/how-to-call-the-police/

so someone in england called the police, and they sent along a SWAT team? must have taken them at least six hours to get there.

in all seriousness, and this is without the mod hat on - for now - i am assuming that any call to the emergency services, which is presumably recorded, can be used as evidence in any prosecution. if you want to run the risk of undermining a prosecution of a crime committed against you with a deliberate lie, that's your lookout.

i know most posters on the forum here are sensible, but would just like to put in a comment that if you're up the mountains and confident enough that the ****bags who stole your bikes are gone long enough that you're ringing the gardai, it probably really doesn't make much difference to you whether they get to you in 20 minutes or 30 minutes or whatever.
please only pull this stunt if you do genuinely have a fear for your safety. you could be compromising someone else's safety; if a genuine call does come in and you've diverted gardai up to the sally gap or wherever, you've seriously dented their ability to respond to another situation.

John_Rambo

InTheShadows wrote: »

Jesus Christ lying to the Gardai is incredibly stupid.

Jesus Christ stealing bikes is worse.

Borderfox

John_Rambo wrote: »

Jesus Christ stealing bikes is worse.

It isn't even stealing bikes, it's robbery, highway man style

LollipopJimmy

I find it odd that this fella was tweeting about this problem a while back and has now had his bike stolen and with the greatest of respect his not exactly high end bike. I might have lost my sense of smell but something smells fishy here to me

Chiparus

John_Rambo wrote: »

If this happens and you manage to retain your phone tell the Gardai that the gang said they had a gun or a knife. You'll get a quicker response. You can use the usual Garda mantra to your advantage this time. "their word against yours".

I have heard it can take longer as they have to call the ARU - especially in rural areas.

smacl

worded wrote: »

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/pretty-sinister-solo-cyclists-being-attacked-having-bikes-forcefully-stolen-on-popular-dublinwicklow-route-38434266.html

Not a great article. Seems mostly opinion about the assault by the Dublin Cycling Campaign rep and local Sin Fein TD, both doubtless delighted to get the press coverage. An interview with the guy who got attacked and more specific details on other attacks would be more interesting. The section below seems to be a rehash of what was said previously with very vague terms. How many is several for example? I'd have thought several is three minimum but given we haven't heard of more incidents reported and the first chap fended off the attackers, I'm guessing three tops but possibly just the one bike actually taken. Similarly, how many is 'some cyclists' having their phones stolen, given that in both cases reported here the victims managed to hang onto their phones?

Cyclists are being warned to remain vigilant after reports of bikes being forcefully stolen from people on a popular Dublin cycling route.

Dublin Cycling Group said they have noticed a "pattern emerging" in bicycle thefts in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains.

They have received several reports of bikes being forcefully stolen from solo cyclists along the route.

Some cyclists have also reported their phones being stolen.

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

I find it odd that this fella was tweeting about this problem a while back and has now had his bike stolen and with the greatest of respect his not exactly high end bike. I might have lost my sense of smell but something smells fishy here to me

I've no reason to doubt the blokes authenticity but the press coverage smells rather fishy to me until such time as a few more facts emerge.

fryup

its going to be on liveline today

the boss of me

fryup wrote: »

its going to be on liveline today

So is the ban on having a pint outside the Gravediggers.. I'm a lot more perturbed about that..

Thud

smells very fishy, you'd struggle to find a less valuable bike passing over the Sally Gap

Balders93

Someone sent me a link to this thread so hi.

Thud wrote: »

a ten year old trek 1.7, not the smartest criminals

It had a lot of miles on it but it was well looked after and still a decent bike, it'd had new wheels, new shifters etc over the years.

John_Rambo wrote: »

If this happens and you manage to retain your phone tell the Gardai that the gang said they had a gun or a knife. You'll get a quicker response. You can use the usual Garda mantra to your advantage this time. "their word against yours".

The Gardai were great, they'd been in the area and were there in like less than 5 minutes.

fryup wrote: »

its going to be on liveline today

Its nuts how many news shows are trying to get a piece. So many journos & producers have been in my mentions wanting a chat. Sure I got robbed, but I don't need to be paraded on radio for it.

tunney

Balders93 wrote: »

Someone sent me a link to this thread so hi.



It had a lot of miles on it but it was well looked after and still a decent bike, it'd had new wheels, new shifters etc over the years.



The Gardai were great, they'd been in the area and were there in like less than 5 minutes.



Its nuts how many news shows are trying to get a piece. So many journos & producers have been in my mentions wanting a chat. Sure I got robbed, but I don't need to be paraded on radio for it.

Thanks for coming on and replying.

Am I right in saying it was about 7pm when this happened

Balders93

tunney wrote: »

Thanks for coming on and replying.

Am I right in saying it was about 7pm when this happened

Yeah pretty much bang on 7 o'clock

fryup

fryup wrote: »

its going to be on liveline today

the boss of me wrote: »

So is the ban on having a pint outside the Gravediggers.. I'm a lot more perturbed about that..

why does he do that

highlight them in the promo, but not have the items featured in the actual show:mad: its damn annoying

CramCycle

fryup wrote: »

why does he do that

highlight them in the promo, but not have the items featured in the actual show:mad: its damn annoying

The entire show is damned annoying, this is far from the worst bit about it.

Rechuchote

I've noticed a lot more reports of bike thefts - a real spike - lately. Maybe some noted criminal gang has diverted from artwork and antiques into bikes?

nannerby

Id started to go up there a good bit its an amazing area to cycle in but im always on my own because of the shifts I work.I know these things are extremely rare happenings but have to say im a bit nervous going up there now.

Rechuchote

The sooner bike trackers become the norm, the better.

magicbastarder

fryup wrote: »

highlight them in the promo, but not have the items featured in the actual show:mad: its damn annoying

i suspect they usually err on the side of having more items than they can fit in, than fewer. a piece might run over because it's interesting and worth letting it run longer than anticipated, which means they bump some of the bits they had intended on covering.

smacl

nannerby wrote: »

Id started to go up there a good bit its an amazing area to cycle in but im always on my own because of the shifts I work.I know these things are extremely rare happenings but have to say im a bit nervous going up there now.

Same, but I honestly wouldn't be that concerned. Chances of getting hit by a car purely by accident, or in my case getting splatted where my self belief exceeds my actual descending skills are way higher. My sympathies to those who've come across these utter scumbags, but I think as an actual risk to cyclists it is being blown out of all proportion. Don't know how many leisure cycle journeys are taken over the Sally gap in the summer but it has to be in the tens of thousands. Two or three muggings in the same period are nasty and can play on one's mind, but they're not that significant.

fat bloke

Yeah, for God's sake let it not put anyone off cycling what I consider to be the most amazing network of roads and scenery you could ever wish for to be on our Dublin doorsteps. I don't think I could survive the weekly grind without my Saturday fix to Laragh and back over the gaps.
There has always been a nasty element taking advantage of the splendid isolation though. The ever-present piles of car-window smithereens are testament to that. I've often cautioned tourists parking up for a hike.

recedite

Balders93 wrote: »

Its nuts how many news shows are trying to get a piece. So many journos & producers have been in my mentions wanting a chat. Sure I got robbed, but I don't need to be paraded on radio for it.

One or two people on this thread seem intent on downplaying this crime, but I see it as an extremely serious development.
Bikejacking was never a thing until very recently.


Have you any advice for others?
Would a can of pepper spray in the back pocket be useful, or not?
What kind of people were they?

You were right to give up the bike BTW. Its hard enough to walk in cycling shoes, never mind fight.

magicbastarder

i'd say pepper spray might be useful if it was a lone attacker, less so if there's more than one person.

RobertFoster

magicbastarder wrote: »

i'd say pepper spray might be useful if it was a lone attacker, less so if there's more than one person.

It's illegal to import or possess pepper spray in Ireland.

recedite

Might also be worth considering what you carry in a saddlebag or frame bag, and what you carry in your pockets. You don't want to be left stranded without phone, money etc.

recedite

RobertFoster wrote: »

It's illegal to import or possess pepper spray in Ireland.

Got some for the wife years ago.
Which reminds me, I probably should change it for her now. Maybe the cans expire, like a fire extinguisher. Luckily she has never used it, but I know it gives her great peace of mind sometimes.

rflynnr

Thud wrote: »

smells very fishy, you'd struggle to find a less valuable bike passing over the Sally Gap

In fairness my even older Trek still frequently struggles over Sally Gap. Sometimes with me actually on it. If you didn't know much about bikes you might well mistake it for something far more valuable than it actually is.

Balders93

recedite wrote: »

One or two people on this thread seem intent on downplaying this crime, but I see it as an extremely serious development.
Bikejacking was never a thing until very recently.


Have you any advice for others?
Would a can of pepper spray in the back pocket be useful, or not?
What kind of people were they?

You were right to give up the bike BTW. Its hard enough to walk in cycling shoes, never mind fight.

Not really, stick to busier routes or hook up with club rides for safety in numbers if you're worried?
Probably not
two scrotes, not much older than 18 I reckon.

Aye cycling shoes and 2 against 1, **** that.

Eamonnator

magicbastarder wrote: »

i'd say pepper spray might be useful if it was a lone attacker, less so if there's more than one person.

Useful, maybe.
Illegal, definitely.

If you have a weapon you better be prepared to use it and use it effectively (not suggesting you should btw), you miss or even just let the attacker see it and the attacker who may not have used theirs otherwise most certainly is going to now or use yours against you even should it come down to a struggle and you lose and is generally why it's a bad idea to sleep with one beside the bed.

With spray and open air whats to say the wind won't blow it back on you.