I called 911 and a half hour later, LAPD found us. I’ve been riding this path for years. This is the first time something like this has happened. If I had a gun, I would have chased the guy down and apprehended him. I could not take my wife back to danger with me and I was not about to leave her alone. My guess is that there was likely more than the one person I saw.

I know that riding so late and when it’s not light out is dangerous. It really makes me angry that this goes on in such a great place to ride. I’m a law abiding citizen and I’m not going to do something illegal to prepare for another confrontation. My wife and have talked about it and we’re not going to let people like this keep us away from our bike path. We will have a plan and something heavy like a “re-designed bike pump” at the ready. My wife is now in charge of lighting up the dark spots and we’re going to get pepper spray. We will wear safety glasses when we ride as well.

We will make LAPD sick and tired of calls about people loitering on the path. The idea of lighting up these dark places is a good step towards making the area less hospitable to criminals.

The officers that responded showed concern. They were unable to locate us quickly because I told them I was on the path east of the 405. When I called again, I gave them an address of a house on Culver Dr. (The street that runs parallel with the path on the east side.) A path location marker sytem would be another good step toward helping people in effectively reporting an emergency.

They took a report for Battery and encouraged us to call any time we see someone using drugs on the path. I did not ask if it was illegal for them to loiter on the path. I will confirm and report it every time if that’s the case.

If any one doubts that these thing are really hapening, leave me a way to contact you and I can show you the report and the bruise on my wife’s leg. Ok… forget the leg thing.

Seriously! This is real!

Does anybody know if there were any convictions in the 2008 assault case?

Reading over this thread — yes, taking a gun out there to blow away gang members is not the answer. But a baseball bat….you bet.

Second, remember that the City of LA (LADOT) fought all the way to the State Apellate Court to have bike paths such as Ballona declared “recreational facilities” and you ride at your own risk, they are not responsible for maintenance and repairs the way they are on the streets of LA.

Third, ride on the streets. It’s safer and there are witnesses. The residents around Ballona can’t get to you if you need help. You’re fenced in! (btw, even in rural wilderness parks, there are mile markers but on the City of LA’s Bike Paths, how do you identify your location?)

If you think riding around with a gun is a solution to street crime, then the hoods at the Ballona Creek are not your only problem.

[I just believe in self-defense, and if a gun is what it takes until a "real" solution to street crime is found, it sure beats getting your ass kicked and your bike stolen.]

Killing people is not the answer. You’ll end up in court, having to explain your sorry ass – paying for a good lawyer to save you from yourself. Then, later on, you’ll have your stupid “regrets” when you go over what happened in your mind constantly. You’ll remember what the guys mom looked like sitting in the courtroom glaring at you.

[Killing people is not the answer unless they're trying to kill you first:^O
If I had to kill someone to defend myself I don't believe I would lose too much sleep. Out on the path there would likely be no witnesses and I would simply pedal away from all that unpleasantness, whistling merrily as I went.]

Seriously, wake up from you stupid revenge fantasies.

There are solutions to this problem. “Get a gun”, is not one of them.

[I don't have revenge fantasies, but I do know that there exists in our society a certain element which does not place as high a value on your life as you might. One of the few things they do respect, however, is your ability to take theirs- if you possess that ability. A gun is simply a tool enabling the small and weak among us to protect themselves from larger criminal adversaries.

Let no-one try to convince you otherwise- the right to self-defense is inalienable.]

i have finally found a beautiful apartment in culver city, which i will sign lease on tomorrow.
in researching biking options for commuting to LAX area and santa monica for school, i found the ballona bike path just yesterday. i was really excited.

upon finding out that people are being assaulted, i am obviously shocked. something needs to happen, and it sounds like pretty immediately. there needs to be a mobilzation.

there is a significant art project that can develop around this issue with community participation and action.

i have directed several public art projects with youth and would like to offer the idea to do a large installation / performance “intervention” amassing multiple talents and skills. through commitment and networking, we can make a change about the issue of gang members and others attacking bicyclists and its effects on the health of our neighborhoods.

i would like to organize and put this idea into motion.

with enough press, it will bring attention to what is happening to effectively change it.

art is an excellent vehicle. (no pun intended.) in a city that is already so challenging and dangerous for bicyclists, we need to make sure that this path is usable and safe for everyone. please contact me with whatever ideas you may have and we can get started on the work.

Poor me and my satiric, world-weary olde arse.

I imagine your are still working your way up the Central Services coloured duct ladder? Or did you spend so much time colouring inside the lines to miss “Brazil”?

“Sorry,” “stupid,” “stupid,” indeed. Try some fundamental punctuation the next time you try to not make too much of an idiot of well, you know what I mean.

Killing people is not the answer. You’ll end up in court, having to explain your sorry ass – paying for a good lawyer to save you from yourself. Then, later on, you’ll have your stupid “regrets” when you go over what happened in your mind constantly. You’ll remember what the guys mom looked like sitting in the courtroom glaring at you.

Seriously, wake up from you stupid revenge fantasies.

There are solutions to this problem. “Get a gun”, is not one of them.

One can easily infer that in light of the LAPD’s lack of action, LAPD’s implicit advice that commensurate confrontation should be employed and the nature of the attacks, that using lethal force in this situation is well-warranted and practically endorsed by the LAPD. I would suggest taking action and eliminating the threat. One or two heads on pikes might keep away the other thugs, or invite them into an abattoir if properly arranged by those who do not wish to be attacked or ride in fear any longer.

i usually get on the path right on sawtelle (but now that’s closed, making it a better place for criminal activity – thanks LAPD!).

one thing to do would be get off the path, and get back on at inglewood. i have a sneaking suspicion that the thugs would catch on to being avoided, and would simply move their operations to one of the several bridges.

i’m not an advocate of violence, but perhaps a big group of bicyclists could go out vigilante style and hunt these guys down. once they get their butt whipped they’d be less inclined to do this type of thing.

vigilantism seems a little rash, but it’s not like the LAPD is doing ANYthing except for shutting down more entrances.

Thank God for the forward march of technology:

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review/kel-tyke.htm

At 9 oz. loaded, it’s the perfect accessory for any serious roadie who must regulary navigate “troubled” areas of our city. Unfortunately it only costs $232 so it won’t appeal to many status seekers. Maybe they’ll come out with a titanium cyclist’s version in the future.

But to be perfectly honest, I sincerely believe the only reason I haven’t had any direct interference from these fucktards is they can somehow sense that I would enjoy killing them.

YMMV.