A few weeks ago, I posted a humorous YouTube video as a “self-defense” tutorial for bicycle commuters.
Mere days later, a close friend of mine (coworker and occasional commuting partner) was “bike jacked” on the streets of Tampa. Details are a little hazy — my friend lost his bike and was forced to run for his life, and in the mad scramble to survive, many of the subtle details were lost. Basically, two assailants saw him coming, hiding behind a van parked on the street until he passed them. One assailant jumped out and tried to tackle him off his bike. My friend wobbled and recovered, but by then the second assailant arrived, pulling the victim off his bike and punching him in the face and neck. My friend remembered that initially he was fighting to get his bike back…or at least keeping it between him and the thugs. When he heard voices approaching (More assailants? Curious onlookers? Good Samaritans? Who knows?), he decided to cut his losses and run away. He figured that losing a $75.00 bike was better than getting beat up (or worse).
My friend managed to get away, and he was picked up by the Tampa City Police a few blocks away. The bike-jacking occured in a not-particularly-bad neighborhood and it happened just after nightfall…well before incidents like this generally take place.
All of this brings me back to the topic at hand — with night coming early now that Daylight Saving Time is over, how can we defend ourselves against scofflaws? I mean, we already have to deal with dangerous motorists, road debris, obstructions and myriad other safety concerns.
On other sites, when this topic comes up, folks often respond, “oh, just carry a gun!” This isn’t an ideal solution for many of us, though. While concealed carry permits are definitely a valid self-defense option, some folks don’t want a firearm with them and others fear an escalation if things come to a head. Fellow bicycle commuter and gun-rights advocate Xavier (Nurse With a Gun) has written extensively on this subject. For me, this isn’t an option — although I am a firearm owner and CCW permit holder, I work in a government building where firearms are strictly forbidden…what am I supposed to do, stash my pistol in the bushes outside until I get out of work? I don’t think so…
So, the question is: what are some of the other options do bike commuters have to defend themselves? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Obviously, there are some common-sense approaches to minimize risks, like choosing commuting routes carefully, being hyper-aware of the world around you, avoiding incidents altogether and being prepared to sprint like hell when the chips are down. Your concerns, defense techniques and any other tidbits will be greatly appreciated.
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Well as a martial artist, as well as a cyclist, I’d say that some of the more important things are:
1. Be aware of your surroundings. This is obviously important in avoiding a bad situation to begin with.
2. Learn to fall, roll and come to your feet quickly. If you do get jacked, learn to get back up on your feet as quickly as possible. You can practice this at low speeds at a city park (I recommend dropping your seat post all the way down and taking off your pedals too. The fewer things that get in your way while you’re learning to do this, the safer you’re going to be while you’re first learning how to fall and roll). Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, put the pedals back on and try again. Once you get good at this try putting your saddle back up to the correct height and do it again until you get comfortable.
3. Remember that it’s just “stuff”. I know it sounds harsh, but in the long run which matters more: a thousand dollar bike, or your life? It may suck if your bike is gone, but at least you can still go to work and keep earning money to get another one while the cops look for your original one.
4. There is no “best” way to defend yourself. Remember that getting away or not being in the situation in the first place is really the best way to not have to risk your life.
5. Stay on well lit & well traveled roads. Taking a quick detour down an unfammilar route can spell disaster.
6. Bikes are faster than people on foot. If you can avoid them in the first place, there’s nothing like being chased to swipe a couple minutes off your best time.
7. No self defense class will teach you really how to defend yourself in “5 easy classes”. Self defense and martial arts are a lot like cycling: if you don’t continue to train them on a regular basis, you won’t be quite as strong when you go for it. Think about it like this: You wouldn’t enter the Iditarod without learning how to ride a dog sled, and watching “Snow Dogs” doesn’t make someone understand how to do it either. It takes time, experience and training in order to safely survive an escalated scenario.
8. If you’re truly concerned about your safety during your commute, either enroll in some martial arts classes (any system will do – just make sure that you can at least watch some classes and talk to the existing students before you give them ANY money), or better yet — find a different route.
Not getting into a situation is far preferable from having to defend yourself for any reason. Remember that it’s only stuff, and your life is more important than even a 10,000 dollar bike (though odds are if you’re riding one of these for your commute, the money is less important).
Bravo! That’s excellent stuff, Jake!
Learning how to roll off your bike comes in handy for myriad other situations, too — racing, training rides, fun rides, mountain biking, etc. It’s something one of my cycling coaches drilled into us…although I haven’t practiced it lately.
Well said Jake, I too have martial arts training, I to have the added benefit of having my disability (spina bifida).
I say benefit because, yes I can bike as many miles as I want, how ever “running” is not really an option, so I have had to use things with in arms reach (or close) to deal with what ever life throws at me.
You would be surprised at how effective a pen, set of keys, even I messenger back can be in dealing with every day life.
and personally, I would rather loose a $100 bag, than a $1,000 bike.
Common sense and awareness are the best prevention.
And remember a full stainless steel waterbottle is an impressive force when you swing it.
First: A u-lock makes a very effective trudgeon if you are physically able to wield it. But it can also be used against you if you lose control of it.
Second: Look ahead for hazards like potholes and miscreants who appear to notice you and then try very hard pretending they don’t notice you.
Third: Carry your wallet and keys on you, not in a bike bag.
Finally: They picked you to attack because they expect to overcome you easily, and they are probably right. So your priorities should be:
1. Avoid
2. Run away
3. Fight only if cornered.
Americans could address the gross iniquity in their society: highest in the industrialized world. Oh, never mind.
Depending on circumstances, pepper spray or a taser device can be better options than a firearm, and can still give you a slight upper hand if all they have is their brute strength or a knife. A good last resort, perhaps.
I’m a college student, so of course I can’t care a firearm with me, but according to Florida law, a taser or pepper spray is alright to bring on a college campus, if used only defensively. Just a thought.
Here’s the thing about any weapon, as LJ mentioned (and I think you meant “truncheon”): if you lose control of it, it can and almost certainly WILL be used against you. That’s one of the major problems of carrying a firearm for self-defense, but applies to knives, tasers, clubs, etc.
@James, although you said to “never mind”, I still don’t get it.
If you don’t mind me asking, where did this happen?
15th Street, somewhere between Columbus and MLK…there’s a city park nearby (Cuscaden?).
“what am I supposed to do, stash my pistol in the bushes outside until I get out of work? I don’t think so…”
Interestingly. My boss, who grew up in Israel, tells me that there almost everyone is in the military for part of their life. They are given weapons that they are to keep with them. There it’s illegal to leave a gun unattended in a vehicle and under other such circumstances. Because of this, you can, free of charge, have your weapon stored at any local police station.
Just interesting.
Keep a can of Bear Spray in your bag. Spray it towards them. It will have them on their knees. Very Legal.
Barbated, what if the bear spray blows back in your face?
First, thanks so much for the link! My original article on protecting yourself from attack on a bike can be found here.
The most important thing, I think, is to realize that if you are taken down at speed on your bike, you will be fighting, possibly in traffic, while injured. Avoidance of the attack is always the best prevention.
The question is how does one avoid an unprovoked attack? You must train yourself to recognize the attack being laid out before it happens. That is the most important skill there is in self defense. threat recognition allows for avoidance, so the potential victim can evade attack unscathed.
Blissfully riding along or concentrating only on the traffic ahead leaves the rider vulnerable to attack from the sidewalks. Because of the need to be aware on so many fronts while cycling in traffic, a cyclist is particularly vulnerable to attack. Training the mind to take in and process a wide range of rapidly changing information quickly, consistently and accurately is the key.
The cyclist has the advantage of speed and maneuverability if the threat is recognized in time. The key is threat recognition.
I’m still developing ways to defend oneself while cycling, both with and without a firearm. With the relatively recent advent of bicycle police, bicycle patorls and the rise in bike commuting, the need for well defined defense methods compatible with cycling is imperative. I welcome all contributions. Again, thank you so much for the link.
While it may seem a pain, if you do see someone ahead a good ways away that looks suspicious, don’t hesitate to stop and call the police. Also, there is no rule that says you can’t turn around and find an alternate route if some alleged scumbag is seen up ahead. Scout roads during the day to find a better (and better lit) route and/or one that’s known not to allow parking along the street, if possible. While you may risk heavier traffic, this takes away the possibility of a jerk jumping out at you from behind a vehicle. Carry a stun gun, or as mentioned before, mace or pepper spray. There are some fairly fool proof pepper spray “dispensers” on the market that will only fire forward, if self inflicted misery is a fear. And don’t forget the good old tire pump as a possible weapon for self defense. I suppose you could also jam it in the spokes to try and foil a scumbag from lifting your bike.
A gun!!!! That seems so alien to hear that being said. I wouldnt carry any weapon really. because if they can get you off your bike id say you at an immediate disadvantage anyway, and they most prob have the upper hand. Weapons yo carry are there weapons to. I see two options. You eiether get away from them on your bike. Or you dont and they bike goes to them. If people want something bad enough they are going to take it.
We seem to be assuming an attacker is after your bike. What do they want with a bike? Can they tell the difference between an expensive bike and a beater from a distance, at speed?
I can imagine a number of reasons a rider might be attacked, but wouldn’t someone who is out to get a free bike be much more likely to pick out a nice one from a non-moving rack?
@LJ…in the case above, the attackers WERE after the bike. And there’s no way they could tell it was a beater from a distance.
@Xavier, thanks for chiming in — good points, and thanks for posting a direct link to your article. That’s the article that had me thinking about this concern for quite a while.
In the case above, there MAY have been advance clues to the attackers’ intentions, but like I mentioned, details are hazy — my friend has been trying to analyze what else he could have done to avoid the confrontation and realizes that careful route planning and extra vigilance to the goings-on ahead would have definitely helped. Oh, and he’s working on his sprinting!
Jake and Xavier have said most everything already, the only thing I would add is that if you are planning on taking a martial art for self-defense, take one where you are actually fighting, such as boxing, kickboxing, any of the mixed martial arts classes that are popular now. Things like tae-kwon-do will give you good control and technique, but there’s nothing like getting forcefully kicked in the head to teach you to deal with getting kicked in the head.
Be aware of your surroundings is number one. I commute through some rough parts of Baltimore. My biggest concern is not really bike jackers, but rather large groups of surprisingly young children who are prone to violence. Around here, you’re asking for trouble if you cycle past large groups of kids.
I am not going to argue about pepper spray or guns, but to me, dealing with lights, clothing, mechanical issues, and traffic is more than enough stuff to worry about. Why make commuting even more of a chore by taking on the responsibility of a weapon?
In the final analysis however, getting jumped is near the bottom of my list of concerns. At the top of the list is prevention against things that are one’s “own dumb fault”– like not hitting road hazards and wiping out and dealing with traffic.
My idea of a Katana holder (http://www.sheksfootprint.com/archives/164) starts to sound better by the day.
Some great advice here. I’d add a real good warrior yell to the mix. Nothing confuses people more than a loud noise. It could buy you the one second to start the sprint.
Loose people worry me more than loose dogs. Do NOT let them get close. (Either one.) I would tell people if they feel uneasy, to carry HALT! dog repellent, and know that it does work on humans as well. Why HALT!? Because you can tell the officer you weren’t looking for trouble, and dog repellent was all you had to defend yourself. The bottom line: Don’t let people get close. Period.
In the orignal story on this thread, the rider’s initial mistake was in riding too close to the van.
Be careful, be wary and trust no one.
Be the rabbit.
Ride a fixie, the thugs might not know how to ride one.
On a more realistic note, having alternating routes so you are not expected. Thieves could be planing the heist for awhile.
I’m surprised it took this long for someone to chime in with “ride a fixie.”
I never tire of people spewing their misguided belief that absolutely nobody (except an emo in girl jeans and a hoodie) knows how to ride one so therefore nobody will ever succeed in stealing a fixed geared bike. Fact is, most of the stolen bikes around here (that aren’t tossed in a truck or van) are pulled along side the thief who’s riding another bike. No extra skills needed.
+1 for what Raiyn said…because everyone knows that a thug can a) spot a particular brand or style of bike from 200 yds in the dark and b) wouldn’t dream of jacking a fixie because it takes the skills of a superhuman to ride one.
What’s the html tag for sarcasm?
@Abhishek: The major problem with any weapon (especially one like a katana) is learning to use it correctly so that you’re more of a danger to your opponent than to your self. People who think they can cut something successfully the first time with a katana have almost never held a real one. The POS ones you see on Home Shopping Network are just that. (need proof? http://failblog.org/2008/09/02/samurai-fail/ ) Also there are deployment issues when on a bike and having to wield a weapon.
One of the most important things to realize is the rapid escalation issue. Keep this in mind: who’s the aggressor if all they do is try to swipe your bike, and you cut off their arm, leg, stab them once or twice? They may have been trying to steal your property, but they could quite easily turn around and sue you for assault with a deadly weapon as well as assault with intent to kill. It’s hard to prove a self defense case where your attacked (especially when they have no weapon) and you maim them severely. Additionally I’ll point out what many have said before: it’s only stuff. Avoidance is best. Fighting of any kind should *always* be your last resort. Better to just run/ride away. It’s not worth having a more dedicated fighter over power you while you try to deploy a weapon your home made holster only to have it not deploy correctly and then be in a much worse situation.
Also, if you attempt to attack with *any* weapon, and you don’t immediately incapacitate your opponent, that may send a message that you want to “play” with them. Trust me, that’s not a situation that you want to be in at all.
While many people suggest U locks and other normal bike accouterments, one of the most dangerous things you can bring with you (that many bikes will allow you to take with you easily to boot) is a broken spoke. It can be sharp. It can be used as a shiv… but as I said before: fighting is *absolutely* the last option. Ovid the situation first, Run/Ride away second. Scream third (“Fire!” works well, as people tend to look, as opposed to “Help!” which usually makes people turn away).
If you want to train to fight with weapons, find a school that teaches them, or ask your local police for a recommendation for a quality knife self defense course. DO NOT think that you won’t get hurt if you have a knife. Knives are *the* most dangerous weapon you can face, simply because they can easily be turned against you.
Try to ride away. If you can’t, just like the dude in the article did, give up the bike. It’s just not worth it. Get your bike registered, if you want some chance of getting it back one day.
Two ideas:
1) A bike commuter likely has a hefty U-lock on his or her person. Unless your assailant has a gun, that would probably take care of them.
2) Krav Maga. Take it. That way you’ll know how to handle yourself in any threatening situation. It doesn’t take “years of training” – and it is exclusively geared toward handling real-life situations.
Use a heavy Chain and Padlock combo for securing the bike when parked.
Keep this in a bar -mounted pouch and leave the pouch open so you can reach it.
When attacked, reach in, grab the chain and beat your assailant without mercy.
A heavy padlock is an excellent bludgeon, and it will either make them give up or keep them at bay until you can get away.
My $ 0.02