A reader writes in with this disturbing account:"I want to pass this information along in hopes it doesn't happen to someone else. Yesterday around 7:15 PM I was jumped by three black males in their early 20's. I was on my bike and was traveling through the Lawrence tunnel to the lake bike path. They acted like they were going to be walking through. Just as I was coming out on the east side of the tunnel, one jumped right in front of me and started punching. They were trying to steal my bike. I am a big guy too, 6'1, 240#. It was a planned attack. My friend who was a little ahead of me turned around and rode right in the middle of them and broke it up. Unfortunately, they starting punching him as well. We managed to keep our bikes and were not seriously hurt. My friend tried to follow them and a pedestrian said he saw the three changing their clothes. I just want to inform people of this kind of crap!"
Just kids being silly with "fisticuffs" and rough housing, no worries!
ReplyDeletedid you call the cops?
ReplyDeleteThis really really frightens me... I'm just a regular 29-year-old female who REGULARLY rides through here on my bike... question for the guy who submitted this (so I can possibly plan a different way to ride): was he riding on the street on the right side (as bikers should)? Was he riding on the sidewalk?
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking maybe I might stay towards the left of the street, near the support poles in the middle of the tunnel...
This scares the crap out of me more than anything else I've read lately...
I called the cops did a police report and my freind had to go to the emergency room for stitches.
ReplyDeleteI am the guy that got punched up. This is serious. I am a 37 year old guy. There is nothing silly about it Colin!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is precisely why you call the police when you see suspicious activity. If there is nothing going on, so be it, but the more we can all work together to disrupt this type of coordinated attack, the safer we will all be.
ReplyDeleteThere is absolutely no excuse to let our conduit to the Lakeshore be taken over by thugs. I have never felt unsafe riding down Lawrence, but now I am going to think twice and report suspicious activity.
This happened in the tunnel by martgate park. The underpass.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing Colin was being sarcastic. Sometimes that does not translate well in written word.
ReplyDeleteThis might help in the future: *sarcasm*
jtcin,
ReplyDeleteColin is mocking our fair Fuhrer who called these types of things "fisticuffs" and dismissed it like it was no big deal.
That is unbelievably scary. I heard about similar conduct on the south lakefront, where gangstas would use fishing line across the bike trail to knock bikers off, beat them, and then steal their bikes. Apparently, the profit outweighs the risks of criminal prosecution and prison time.
ReplyDeleteStephanie...
ReplyDeleteSad to say, but I think punks like this might even try to steal a bike from a 29 year old female in this manner.
jtcin...
I think Colin was just mocking Shiller's response to the famous street brawl a while back, that she referred to as just kids and fisticuffs. I don't think he was making light of your situation.
Too bad these thugs exist but specially with these bad times crime will be on the rise. When we ride our bikes we always carry a 1 pound can of pepper-spray thats in our easy reach and will be used if needed to protect us and our property.
ReplyDeleteWiseguy,
ReplyDeleteStatistically crime is not on the rise nationally, even with the economic downturn. Economists are baffled as to why, but the numbers are the number. The problems we're seeing are entirely local and pretty much related to the moral fiber of many of the people living in Uptown.
I"m still a little confused as to where exactly this took place. Are you referring to the area where LSD passes over Lawerence Ave. - or is there an actual tunnel somewhere else?
ReplyDeleteAw, c'mon... these kids deserve bikes too!
ReplyDelete*sarcasm*
Did you call 911?
ReplyDeleteI was watching a show the other day on personal security and the authority on the program recommended instead of pepper spray to carry a can of WASP spray because it sprays farther than pepper spray so you don't have to get close to the offender and it burns the eyes even worse. Just thought I would throw that out there as an option, especially when on a bike.
ReplyDeleteyes I called 911 and did a police report. This happened in the tunnel just north of lawrence by the martgate house. There is a tunnel that goes underneath Lake Shore Drive.
ReplyDelete#1 The carrying of powerful pepper spray is just about mandatory on the lakefront these days. Fox 5.3 and Bodyguard LE10 are known to be among the most powerful. The Cook County Sheriff uses LE10 spray. Google for it and you will find it.
ReplyDeleteCone pattern can hit multiple attackers more easily. Stream pattern is better in high winds.
#2 If you see this happening and observe these punks while on the phone with 911, maybe we will get lucky and have them arrested. jtcin, please post what time of day this occured so we can all be aware.
As far as the whole incident goes... I wish I were shocked. I'm happy everyone is all right. I don't bike but I work nights and have to walk to work in the small hours of the morning. I have always made sure that I am reasonably capable of defending myself... read as "I don't carry a gun".
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of good pepper sprays out there, I like "inferno".
http://www.ltspecpro.com/inpesp.html
It is always a good idea to get something with a dye in it to stain skin and clothing to mark the criminal.
June 13, around 7:15pm, pep.
ReplyDeletePepperspraycommando, it looks like it happened at 7:15, according to the story. Also, the tunnel north of Lawrence, at Argyle I believe, is in a lower visibility area than on Lawrence. This might have given the deviants an advantage.
ReplyDeleteIt was about 7:15 PM. Plently of daylight out still.
ReplyDeleteI bike through there everyday, BUT only in the morning (around 7am), and thankfully the nonsense isn't awake by then.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're ok.
ReplyDeleteSo much for my reading comprehension while working and blogging. Im glad no one suffered loss of property or bad injurys. Please carry some means of self defense. Do your homework and get what works for you.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like the Argyle tunnel behind the Margate Fieldhouse.
ReplyDeleteGlad you and D.D. are ok! He told me what happened. There was a shooting on my street earlier today.. thankfully I wasnt around for this.
ReplyDeleteSee you in August / September.
-Rene Barbera
Can one please explain to me how they are supposed to CARRY the pepper spray while riding a bike--so that it is in a readily available position of defense? I would love to know--I love my pepper spray--but don't see how a biker is able to handle having it ready while safely biking, and at the same time defend herself against an onslaught of thugs.
ReplyDeleteEmily, get a lanyard and wear it around your neck.
ReplyDelete