Especially as a female, I myself would rather ride Wilshire in the dark rush hour than ride through a nasty area.

The neighborhood should have a general interest in improving the situation. People who would jump a cyclist would also jump others as well. That said, many bad areas are the by-product of long term community apathy and neglect.

To the cyclists who just ride past that kind of situation, you make me ashamed to be associated with you.

Until the cops make it a high priority to clean it up, carrying mace or a blunt object like a U-lock would seem best. Carrying a knife is like carrying a gun, it's probably a lot harder to defend yourself in court and claim self defense if you were to use an actual weapon. Hopefully someone with a law degree chimes in, because I'm no expert.

Since the August attack I've made a dedicated effort to include the creek between Inglewood Boulevard and Duquesne Avenue in my morning and late afternoon/evening commutes. It's not heroic. It's simply a matter of accepting the risks and drawing the line -- of not being willing or able to surrender the creek to the scum when so many others did. To date I have pedaled the path pretyy much every workday since with little in the way of negative encounter or incident.

And now in the wake of last week's attack -- and again when another rider such as commenter Victor demonstrates a faltering resolve -- my comment above is simply a way of adamantly stating my stand is the same as it ever was, with the amendment that no distressed rider would go unaided by me.

Yet such a position prompted you to take a whack at me as cavalier or "dangerous," which on the surface is laughable given the true danger is the thugs and the apparent free reign they have all up and down the Ballona. So again I ask who am I potentially endangering other than myself? And if the answer is no one -- which it is -- then the question is why do you possibly care? And the answer is you don't. Not in the slightest.

So the only conclusion I can come to is a philosophical one: that you take issue with those such as myself who don't fear anything other than fear itself.

As for David being outnumbered if he had used mace then he would have maybe gotten a few of them but the others won't be too happy with it and then how worse could've it gotten.

As a kid... you think this would be part of life. When I was younger... I had two bikes stolen while I was on it. I was threatened to get my ass beat and I'd hand it over. Now these teens/kids don’t care anymore. It's getting really crazy out there... riding in pairs at least can help but it sucks it has to be that way. I'm sorry to hear about the bike and feel better. Bad things are coming to them....

I know those guys are scum but

Your John Wayne attitude is dangerous.

As to the pair of passing cyclists David reports ignoring his distress and failing to offer even the slightest assistance, that kind of despicable behavior is almost as unacceptable to me as the assault.

I wish David a speedy recovery.

Don't get me wrong, I'll still be using the path; but I have to say that the way that I use the path is probably going to have to change until there is a real police response to these attacks.

Brian

PS--Hope to see everyone at the ride on the 25th.