# Yet another Ballona Creek incident



## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/10/20/not-again-another-story-tells-of-attack-on-ballona-creek-trail/

_On Thursday, October 16 at 4:30 P.M., I was doing my normal bike ride on Ballona Creek bike path I had just gone 23 miles out of 26 and was going about a speed of 19 and 4 hispanic guys about 15 -18 years of age(they had on jeans and t-shirts some with black T's and they ambushed me into the rail and I flew over the rail on the crew side. they started beating me up and wanted everything I had. I was in shock at first and did not know what happened. They kept shouting at me in foul language and asked from my IPod and anything else I had they continued to beat me until I realized what was happening and I finally shouted 911, 911, 911 and they ran away. All they got my $2500 bike. They wanted other stuff in pockets but they could not get into my pockets. I could not move much and stayed down until they left. It was near the McConnell Ave. entrance less then a block west near the building..._

copied from the link. Not me btw


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## modernworld (Jul 1, 2013)

Resurrecting this because I was doing my usual weekday evening training ride (from playa del rey, out and back on the Ballona Creek path, loop on Pershing, back home... 23 miles)...

Anyway, as I was westward bound, fighting the wind, passing Mar Vista Gardens, four young kids (aged from about 5-11 I would guess) were standing there hanging out. Didn't think much about it. About 10-20 feet after I passed them I felt something hard and heavy hit my shoulder - the little f&*#@rs threw a rock at me!!

I stopped and yelled "Excuse me?!" most of them ran off.

I turned around and saw them coming back to see if I did in fact return.

I yelled I was going to call the police and they all scattered.

Not cool. Not cool at all. And just little kids.

Be careful out there.


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## MoPho (Jan 17, 2011)

Actually, someone got attacked last Friday night apparently:



> On Friday night about 6 pm while riding home from work, a friend of mine got assaulted on his bike riding the Ballona Creek bike path in Culver City on Friday. His words: “He threw his bike into my front wheel as I was about to pass him going about 20 mph. So that dumped me straight onto my shoulder and ribs. I hopped up and the guy was starting to pull my bike away. I told him no and grabbed it back. Wasn’t thinking straight with all the adrenaline cause he pulled it back and started reaching in his pocket. But then he let go and ran off. That’s when I started to feel the injuries and that I couldn’t breathe from the ribs and punctured lung. Feeling better today but the ribs hurt like a mother. Hope to get the chest tube out tomorrow and then get home.” Three guys caused him to crash and tried to steal his bike. He has 5 broken ribs, a broken clavicle, collapsed lung and some good road rash. He is doing well at UCLA but in lots of pain and unable to move. Be careful on this path.


Update: Bike rider mugged on Ballona Creek bike path; Redlands driver attempts to run down cyclists | BikingInLA

I was riding down there at that time and must have missed it by just a few minutes. Pisses me off, I live right off the path and have a similar weekday ride as you do and pretty much have to ride along the creek to get anywhere south from where I live.


I saw a similar age group of kids hanging out there last night trying to block the path, but there was about 4-5 cyclists coming through so they ended up moving. 




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## modernworld (Jul 1, 2013)

MoPho said:


> I saw a similar age group of kids hanging out there last night trying to block the path, but there was about 4-5 cyclists coming through so they ended up moving.


Yeah I'm really bummed about this. Just children. Imagine if that rock (it was heavy and large) had hit my head?

The little cowards sure ran off quickly when I turned around though. Ugh.


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## framesti (Jan 26, 2009)

these are mexicans, right???


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## modernworld (Jul 1, 2013)

framesti said:


> these are mexicans, right???


In my case, no. Not that it matters though.


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## MoPho (Jan 17, 2011)

I contacted a friend of mine who is LAPD gang (and a roadie) and told him about the incidents. It isn't his division but he said he knows some officers who cover that area and will let them know that there needs to be some extra patrols. 
Worth the try at least....


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

framesti said:


> these are mexicans, right???


relevance?


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## modernworld (Jul 1, 2013)

Ballona Creek - a True Urban Oasis - YouTube


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

news article on last week's attack -

Manhattan Beach school board member attacked on Culver City bike path


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## modernworld (Jul 1, 2013)

tom_h said:


> news article on last week's attack -
> 
> Manhattan Beach school board member attacked on Culver City bike path


Glad this is getting some attention from the press.


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## jasxn (Jul 20, 2011)

probably those kids that live in the projects right there along the path. hate to add weight but it looks like i need to start carrying around my knife again.. sighhhhh...


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## albert1028 (Jan 21, 2013)

One could always carry on taser gun the taser c2 or their new product the taser flashlight strikelight...i've been thining about carrying the C2 taser on me when I ride for these reasons...


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## 917mulsanne512 (Jul 21, 2012)

Slightly off the mugging topic, which can happen anywhere. Two summers ago I saw the aftermath of a cyclist's injury wipeout into the steel posts which line the edge of the bike path for some distance inland from the bridge at Pacific Avenue. This is the congested area where the Braude lane joins the Ballona path off the end of Fiji in MDR, not far from UCLA Rowing base. Somebody at LA county flood probably thought they had the inside scoop on a super-cheap way of keeping bikers and hikers from dropping into the Ballona channel. If these posts and cables were removed it would be just like the lower San Gabriel river bikeway...hmmm, actually not as bad as SG, but that's another story.

On so many bikeways along channels in the LA area there are numerous hard targets like steel gates, fence posts and sharp rocks awaiting riders who veer just a fraction off course. Compared to the attention given to streets, roads and freeways meant for car travel (passive barriers, runoff room, fence setbacks and similar), the environment for cyclists is like facing punji spikes. Does anyone get it? We need a softer-edged built environment that does not shred or rip us.


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## jasxn (Jul 20, 2011)

great.. so i took the bike trail back home to culver city and of course as im passing through next to the projects.. f'n mexican teens threw rocks at me.. 

is there a way to petition to the city to get rid of the projects? i personally dont give a crap about these peoples well being and they can all f'n die... how do we get rid of these projects and HOW THE HELL CAN WE STOP PAYING OUR DAMN TAX DOLLARS TO THESE POOR F'ERS waste of life waste of space waste of air waste of everything!!!


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

jasxn said:


> .... HOW THE HELL CAN WE STOP PAYING OUR DAMN TAX DOLLARS TO THESE POOR F'ERS waste of life waste of space waste of air waste of everything!!!


Don't vote for liberal or 'progressive' Democrats, whether at the city, county, state, or federal level
:-/


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## MoPho (Jan 17, 2011)

I can't help you with your hate issues, but here is a petition to get more police patroling the path 

https://www.change.org/petitions/cu...ign-police-patrols-to-ballona-creek-bike-path


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## MoPho (Jan 17, 2011)

tom_h said:


> Don't vote for liberal or 'progressive' Democrats, whether at the city, county, state, or federal level
> :-/



Take it to PO 


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## jasxn (Jul 20, 2011)

thanks mopho.. i signed the petition and shared it on fb.

my hate is towards the ignorant and the dumb fcks out polluting this world. they need to stop reproducing... sighhhhhhh


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## modernworld (Jul 1, 2013)

Seems the reports are making a (small) impact:

Crime alerts for Mar Vista and eight other L.A. neighborhoods - latimes.com


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## 86TDFWinner (Jul 22, 2013)

MoPho said:


> I contacted a friend of mine who is LAPD gang (and a roadie) and told him about the incidents. It isn't his division but he said he knows some officers who cover that area and will let them know that there needs to be some extra patrols.
> Worth the try at least....


This was wasted, they won't do anything.


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## modernworld (Jul 1, 2013)

Was riding west on the path yesterday around 5:30pm.

Approaching the 405 underpass I saw about 20 kids gathering. As I got closer I realized they were gathering for some sort of fight, some kids recording it with smartphones.

I had to push my way through. Luckily they kept their attention on the rumble.

Keep it classy, kids.


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

Charming. You're lucky they didn't call a truce & gang up on you.


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## modernworld (Jul 1, 2013)

tom_h said:


> Charming. You're lucky they didn't call a truce & gang up on you.


That was my fear honestly. "Hey! Jump the dude in spandex!"


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